Using knife as prybar/screwdriver?

T

tommyg805

Joined
Sep 5, 2010
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Does anyone else here use their knife as a screwdriver or a prybar? I dont see why some people get so uptight about this, because a knife is a tool, and the way I see it, is meant to be used as such. Without my handy blade, how would I pull fuses out of a fusebox? How would I get the screen off my windows? How would I shimmy my garage door open when I dont have a credit card? How would I get the batteries into my kids toys?

The only knife I wouldnt do any of this with is my Sebenza. Any other knife is fair game. Delicas, Griptilians, and Leeks are tougher than you think. Not to mention they come in handy. Isn't that the whole point of carrying a knife?
 
tommyg805 said:
Does anyone else here use their knife as a screwdriver or a prybar? I dont see why some people get so uptight about this, because a knife is a tool, and the way I see it, is meant to be used as such.
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A knife is a cutting tool. A screwdriver is a tool for driving screws, and a prybar is a tool for prying. Tools like screwdrivers and prybars are made from different steels at lower hardnesses because toughness is a priority. Knives are made from steels that are wear resistant rather than tough, hard rather than soft. Using a knife to do the job of a screwdriver or prybar is inviting damage and breakage.

I'd never play baseball with a golf club, I'd never use a laptop to run a server, I'd never go off-roading in a Ferrari, and I'd never use a knife as a screwdriver or prybar.

As said above, a SAK or multi-tool should handle whatever task a knife shouldn't. My Cybertool 29 can pry with the caplifter/flathead and has several screwdrivers.

However, if you insist on mis-using/abusing a Kershaw, Spyderco, or Benchmade, I thank you for your support of American companies by breaking their products and re-buying them.
 
tommyg805 said:
Does anyone else here use their knife as a screwdriver or a prybar? I dont see why some people get so uptight about this, because a knife is a tool, and the way I see it, is meant to be used as such. Without my handy blade, how would I pull fuses out of a fusebox? How would I get the screen off my windows? How would I shimmy my garage door open when I dont have a credit card? How would I get the batteries into my kids toys?

The only knife I wouldnt do any of this with is my Sebenza. Any other knife is fair game. Delicas, Griptilians, and Leeks are tougher than you think. Not to mention they come in handy. Isn't that the whole point of carrying a knife?
Click to expand...

Yes, a knife is a tool... for cutting.

Would you use a screwdriver to field dress an animal, carve a piece of wood, or cut your steak?

Efficient ones (thin geometry) don't like lateral pressure. :)
 
If you want to use your knife as a pry bar or screw driver go ahead. Just don't complain if it breaks. If you want to borrow my knife to use as a pry bar I'll probably won't let you have it. Or I'll get very uptight if you damage it. I agree with Planterz.
 
brets-ftw said:
hey if you dont mind snapping the tip do what you want with it
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This.:cool:
Yes, knives are great tools...for cutting.
They tend to break in various ways when used for other things.

But if you don't mind replacing your knives more often due to using them for unintended purposes, go for it!:thumbup:
 
I just picked up a 7" mini pry bar to fill this need... Properly heat treated carbon steel - takes a lickin' and keeps on ticking. Save your knife for actual knife duties. (BTW, the pry bar cost me $4.49, I'm sure your spent more than that on your Delica & Griptilians etc. so why put them at risk?)

My verdict - carry both a knife and a pry bar/multi-tool. Heck, carry multiple knives & various use tools - isn't that what most folks on this type of forum do?
 
Czechmate said:
I just picked up a 7" mini pry bar to fill this need... Properly heat treated carbon steel - takes a lickin' and keeps on ticking. Save your knife for actual knife duties.
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Wait just a second....for prying....you use a prybar?!?!? :eek: That's crazy talk! Madness!

Next thing you're gonna tell us you use a hammer to drive nails!
free-confused-smileys-327.gif
 
I am going to use my hammer to comb my hair and then ill use a screwdriver to butter my bread right after i use my knife to pull up some nails.....see where im going? use the tool for its intended purpose

this post smells like a troll attempt IMO
 
Why is special treatment saved for the Sebenza, what sets it apart from your other knife/screwdriver/prybar.

After all it is just a tool as you say.

Ya see to some people a $50 knife is a Sebenza to them, some of my most valued knives cost me very little but would be irreplaceable to me now.

My old man beat the, "Right Tool" for the, "Right Job" into my head when I was a kid, hey when it's a SHTF scenario fine, what ever ya gotta do to get the job done, (although I'd still hesitant to use what possibly might be my only knife/tool in my possession for pryin' when other alternatives might just be in the basement or garage.).

Bottom line there is no real reason for usin' a knife that way other than bein' lazy or the SHTF scenario is an immediate threat.

But like many have said, your knife, do what ya want.
 
tommyg805 said:
Does anyone else here use their knife as a screwdriver or a prybar? I dont see why some people get so uptight about this, because a knife is a tool, and the way I see it, is meant to be used as such. Without my handy blade, how would I pull fuses out of a fusebox? How would I get the screen off my windows? How would I shimmy my garage door open when I dont have a credit card? How would I get the batteries into my kids toys?

The only knife I wouldnt do any of this with is my Sebenza. Any other knife is fair game. Delicas, Griptilians, and Leeks are tougher than you think. Not to mention they come in handy. Isn't that the whole point of carrying a knife?
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You're contradicting yourself when you say you won't use your Sebenza. By your thought process, a knife is a tool. A Sebenza is therefore in the same category. Too high end to be relegated to tool duty for ya? :rolleyes:

With that said, hell no I wouldn't use a knife as a screw driver or prybar unless I buy the knife specifically for that purpose and then only as a prybar, in which case it would have been tried and tested in that regard. Think along the lines of Crusader Forge or Strider Knives (sharpened pry bars). Beyond that exception, a knife is a tool meant first and foremost for cutting. Screwdriver...wth? Have fun with the edge rolls and chips. You go have fun with that. There's no way you can get good amount of torque on a screwhead using a knife as a screwdriver without damaging the blade. And if you are talking about using the spine as the screw driver, well my knives make shitty screwdrivers then because those screw heads have to be fatter than 2 mm.

Can you really not get batteries into or out of a child's toy without a knife? Good grief, dude. Shimmying a garage door open without a credit card...I don't even know what that means. Pulling fuses out of fuseboxes...I use my fingers or rubber tipped plyers depending on how tightly wedged the fuses are and what type of fusebox it is. I give you the getting the screen off your windows (unless I'm thinking of something other than what you originally meant).


And this is why no one but me uses my knives.

EDIT: There is only one exception where I will use my knives in a non-knife fashion, and that's if my life depended on it.
 
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Yes a knife is a great cutting tool, and not a screwdriver or prybar. But, if something HAS to be pried open right this second then the knife is getting used. If it can wait for a minute to get the right tool than the knife won't be used. I used to work in a mine and there were a few times when my knife had to be used for non knife things.
 
tommyg805 said:
Does anyone else here use their knife as a screwdriver or a prybar? I dont see why some people get so uptight about this, because a knife is a tool, and the way I see it, is meant to be used as such. Without my handy blade, how would I pull fuses out of a fusebox? How would I get the screen off my windows? How would I shimmy my garage door open when I dont have a credit card? How would I get the batteries into my kids toys?

The only knife I wouldnt do any of this with is my Sebenza. Any other knife is fair game. Delicas, Griptilians, and Leeks are tougher than you think. Not to mention they come in handy. Isn't that the whole point of carrying a knife?
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I agree, I knife is a tool and is to be used as such. I wish I knew the answer as to why people get super uptight about only using a knife to cut. My guess is they put some sort of intrinsic value on the knifes they own and strive to protect them from breaking.

I abuse the hell out of my knives, some perform better then others but nothing has failed. Heck I even battoned through small pieces of wood with a SOG Flash to prove I could, never failed and its still in service 3 years later.

Say if I break a knife every 3 years (again, I have yet to break anything), and I acquire say 3 blades a year thats 17 broken blades on my deathbed and 133 knifes my kids will have to throw away. :eek: If you want to carry around a knife and a multi-tool thats fine, but the space in my pocket is worth more then 40-60 dollars ever 3 years. Also who's to say the multi-tool won't break?

Just my 2 cents. :)
 
I believe in being prepared, and carrying only a single tool (knife) is not my idea of being prepared. Along the folder I carry a multitool, a prybar/wrench, a flashlight, a lighter, and a USB drive. The multitool has pliers, philips screwdriver, 3 sizes of flat screwdrivers, can opener, cap lifter, and a punchdown tool.
 
preparing for the zombie apocalypse? lol j/k i used to carry alot of stuff (2 knives leatherman flashlight keychain leatherman etc) but now i just carry wallet keys (with lil keylight) and knife... and im happier for it.. i really doubt im gonna need tools going to the supermarket or getting gas... worse comes to worse i have tools in the trunk .. i think some people carry a ridiculous amount of stuff each day that they will probably rarely or never use
 
tommyg805 said:
Does anyone else here use their knife as a screwdriver or a prybar? I dont see why some people get so uptight about this, because a knife is a tool, and the way I see it, is meant to be used as such. Without my handy blade, how would I pull fuses out of a fusebox? How would I get the screen off my windows? How would I shimmy my garage door open when I dont have a credit card? How would I get the batteries into my kids toys?

The only knife I wouldnt do any of this with is my Sebenza. Any other knife is fair game. Delicas, Griptilians, and Leeks are tougher than you think. Not to mention they come in handy. Isn't that the whole point of carrying a knife?
Click to expand...

I believe this is the dumbest post I have read this week. Would you trust your car to a mechanic who changes spark plugs with a hammer? Socket, hammer, they're both tools, right? Either one should work, right?
 
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