Why do you carry your specific edc knife?

I have found that what I need more than any one thing is a tool that can do multiple things.

I have several folders that have made it to the "EDC" role. However, I never leave the house without a pliers based multi tool. Truth be told, 99% of the time, my Charge TTi is all I need. I have often said there a good multi tool augments your creativity and multiplies your options when you are faced with a problem.

I started carrying one back in my freshman year of college. At the time, I was on the rowing crew, and we were a "club sport" that is to say "not funded" by the university. Our boat had to travel in 2 pieces so they we could get it strapped to the rental van to get to the regattas. It was literally made water tight with an o ring, Vaseline, and several guys with Gerber multi tools cranking the boat together moments before we put in for the race.

I think at the time, you could get a USA Compact Gerber tool for about $20 at Walmart. Since 1999, I have probably had more than 20 tools come into my collection, but I never leave home without one.

Never know when life will throw you what I call "a two-piece boat problem".
 
I have gone through many phases of carry throughout my life. As a boy in a time when you could carry a pocketknife to school I carried what I could get my hands on so it was a multi blade folder that was in my pocket. I carried a Buck stockman for many years to do my cutting tasks and clean my fingernails (long before cardboard shipping boxes were a everyday task) but in my 30’s I wandered into a very large knife store in Ft Worth one day. It was a “knife” store and advertised as being the world’s largest. Unlike anything I had ever experienced, it had display cases forever. I left there with a Benchmade 4” tanto blade locking knife with a pocket clip on it. It cost a hundred dollars in the late 80’s to very early 90’s and that was a lot of money to me for a knife. That started the slippery slope for both me and a close buddy of mine. I still have that knife and have performed countless tasks with it over more than a couple of decades. Many many knives have come and gone since finding Bladeforums. I personally prefer having blades suited for any and all tasks but not boxes or drawers of them laying around which can easily happen with the internet access we enjoy today.
These days I realize that any reasonable knife will work for my cutting tasks. I do not pry or use it for a screwdriver as I have other tools for that. I have carried a small Sebenza 31 clip point for going on the last 3 or so years. I carry it because I want something with a pocket clip so I don’t have to dig in the bottom of my pocket and I don’t worry about it slipping out of my pocket when reclining. My daily tasks are not as strenuous these days and I like the look, fit/finish, easy thumbstud opening and overall quality of this blade though I realize that less expensive knife would do just fine. I occasionally carry a small fixed blade in a kydex sheath inside my pocket depending upon the circumstances.
 
I am always cutting things so my EDC needs to have a broad, relatively thin blade with a razor edge that I can easily sharpen. This ends up being an Opinel N°10. I've gushed about this knife a great deal on BF already. Maybe I'll add more in this thread. For now, here is a pic with some coffee.

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"Why do you carry your specific edc knife?"

Because it's made in the USA by Buck Knives Inc. Buck Knives Inc. , a Christian, family-owned company that is older than airplanes and Harley Davidsons. A company with a Lifetime Warranty and the best heat treat in the business.

Because both my grandfathers carried Buck knives, and my father still does. And my brother, and my wife, and my children, and my nieces and nephews…

Because it's made of 440C - a non-powder metallurgy steel without Vanadium carbides.

Because it's made of brass and wood.

Because it takes a razor edge.

Because it makes me smile. :)

That is why I carry my specific EDC knife.

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I always have a SAK and a larger locking folder. I mix up the rotation a bit but it’s always one of each. Today it’s a 1990’s BM 970s and a Swisschamp because I am tinkering around with household odds and ends. Tomorrow is office day so a 84mm Climber and Large Sebenza Insingo which are more friendly for others. I guess I value utility and presentation and choosing is based on those.
 
Always a knipex, SAK Spartan and a locking folder. Lately it's been K390 endela for the folder. Spartan has mini screwdriver🪛 in the corkscrew. Why ? Because I can do 90% + of tasks that need a tool with one of those three. And they are all three excellent quality plus they're easy to carry.
 
Small fixed blade and a traditional, today is a Case cv medium stockman and my old Izula. I've never been in the super steel game as I buy mostly carbon steel, I just love watching them patina over the years. 1095 is still my favorite steel of all time.

Use depends. I have work knives (plumber) that get pretty abused. But EDC wise use is pretty light. The traditional can handle most task, but every once in awhile the small fixed blade comes in hand.
 
EDC = which knife out of six hundred odd am I carrying for a day or two or three .
Your wife would most certainly not approve (why did you buy so many ? etc).
She'd be right . . . but . . . anyway . . .
The ones I carry the most have thin blades 3mm or less at the spine unless I am just in a mood to carry a Mr. Chunkey (chances are I have a few thin ones along . . . just for "support") .
The ones I carry the most have squareish cross section handles (like a Buck 110 or a Case Trapper or a Cold Steel Voyager) with fairly neutral (not too many finger grooves and swoopdiedoos) handles .
The ones I carry the most have as much crazy texture / grippiness as I can find or add to the things . Why ? Because that's what I like .
The ones I carry the most have relatively slender blades < 4inches long ; think Case Trapper as opposed to Cold Steel Colossus (though Colossus comes out on Mr . Chunkey days).
The ones I carry the most have spear point or clip point blade tips where the tip is below the mid line of the handle .
The ones I carry the most have fairly high hardness tool steel with some significant Tungsten in there with all the other cool guy alloy elements . Blades with some Tungsten tend to make me smile the most : sharpening / deburing / retains that high degree of scary sharp longer .
The ones I carry the most very often have axis locks . My top pick .
The ones I carry the most have titanium liners or 6061 T6 liners . Light and strong .
. . . I could bang on and on but I need to go unbox my latest "EDC" .
 
Of late I carry a Kershaw 1830GRGSW assist-open lock-back clip carry.. a mouthful and a good little knife. Keeps an edge and simple to sharpen, fast opening.. Only issue is the clip keeps coming loose, next time it does it's loc-tite for the tiny screws. I use it for anything and everything from general cutting, slicing, finger-nail cleaning, food prep and eating as needed. Could skin and semi-prep a deer with it if needed. $35 bucks including tax- the handiest little clip knife I've had in awhile.
Sometimes I carry an older "dressy" Gerber belt-folder that sports real stag grip panels.. Good steel, USA-made... long since outgrew my Buck folders (not knockin 'em, just moved on)...
Dedicated pocket knife is a SAK "Huntsman" or something- 2 blades and a small ass't of other tools including scissors (why I bought it) and saw.
I also sometimes carry a damascus 4" drop point for general use- made by one of my Criminal Justice instructors years ago, grips are horn/antler from some kind of critter he took in Afrika, I forget now what- kind of a keep-sake, he flew choppers in RVN, did a lot of med-evac and I honor his memory.
 
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I do not have a set reason for any given carry. Always a traditional slip joint in the RFP. Destination dictates size of knife. Sometimes I add a belt carried lockback of either Buck or USA made Schrade. When there is an open hunting season, I pocket carry a small fixed blade.
I pick what I want to carry in the morning.
 
Culprit99 said:
"Why do you carry your specific edc knife?"

Because it's made in the USA by Buck Knives Inc. Buck Knives Inc. , a Christian, family-owned company that is older than airplanes and Harley Davidsons. A company with a Lifetime Warranty and the best heat treat in the business.

Because both my grandfathers carried Buck knives, and my father still does. And my brother, and my wife, and my children, and my nieces and nephews…

Because it's made of 440C - a non-powder metallurgy steel without Vanadium carbides.

Because it's made of brass and wood.

Because it takes a razor edge.

Because it makes me smile. :)

That is why I carry my specific EDC knife.

View attachment 2896669
Click to expand...
Buck Knives was founded in 1947. Decades after Harleys and airplanes... trustier than either, imo..
 
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