|
Post by randomnobody on Sept 15, 2018 19:44:50 GMT
Well, yeah, if you can wear it upside down, or otherwise angled such then sure. I've had problems, rarely, getting my sheath knives past shirts that are a bit baggier then I usually wear. Just saying, there are potential obstacles in any case that should be considered.
|
|
|
Post by howler on Sept 15, 2018 19:50:26 GMT
What I meant was knives have to clear their carrier. Sheath, pocket, boot, whatever. A small knife has less too clear, a honkin' big ol' bowie has more. More to clear means more to snag in a panic scenario, and generally a wider movement, which in general use would draw attention you don't want if you're just trimming a tag or loose string. Which is why I carry multiple options. My more civilized (less threatening) knives I keep in my pockets for general knife-y things like boxes, envelopes, strings, fingernails, etc. I keep a separate knife to scrape nasty things off various surfaces (you'd be surprised what winds up on a retail shelf) as the one I use to cut my food. I keep another as a backup in case one gets dull while I'm out, or if she also ordered a steak. Then I keep the one on my belt. That one's less multi-purpose, but still looks utilitarian enough that most aren't directly intimidated by it. I tend to change my belt knife more often than my folders, as depending on my mood, where I'm going, travel methods, etc, one may be more or less convenient. In my teenage years I kept a big bowie on my belt because...uh... Anyway, at one point I traded it for a Kabar Warthog. Didn't take long to determine that knife was pretty useless on the everyday stuff. "Downgraded" to an old Kabar 1232 my grandfather found somewhere and carried that thing for years. It taught me a lot about what I expect now from my fixed-blade EDC. Mostly, size isn't everything and can be a nuisance. When I had to retire that one (sheath wear and tear, couldn't keep an edge anymore) I got a Citadel Trapper. Much bigger and bulkier than I expected it to be, with a sheath that carries it higher than I like. Still wore it for a couple years as it was "good enough" and I figured if I got lost in the woods with it, I'd get by okay. At some point I'd picked up a Russian knife from eBay and it arrived completely dull, to my dismay, but I bought a Lansky system and got to work and it's still got the same edge. I seldom carry it, though, as the friction fit in the sheath is...not the best. I never managed to satisfactorily sharpen the tip, either, so that's another demerit to it. Right now I'm carrying something of a novelty, sold as a "folding bowie knife" but with a history going back at least two centuries as a hunting knife. When folded, four inches of the blade are still exposed, allowing for ease of use through more detailed operations (trimming strings etc) but opened up its full 7.5" become available to ward off the nasties if the 4" didn't. I have three such knives, and the one I carry I carry primarily because of it's different sheath. Both of the other knives have sheaths that completely enclose the full, closed knife. You have to un-snap a flap over the top of the thing, then reach inside and pull out 8" of knife before changing your grip to one you can actually use the knife with. I carry the one with a sheath that only covers the exposed blade, leaving the handle bare, but snaps around the top so it doesn't flap around and fall out. If pressed, I can slide the strap over the top and the knife becomes free, so I don't have to fuss with the snap when fine motor skills may be challenged. I still recommend a proper fixed blade, of medium size (4-6 inches in my opinion) as anything smaller is just a toy, but anything bigger is a nuisance more often than an aid. Of course, many places don't allow fixed blade or sheath knives. In those places, a good folder with easy deployment that isn't one of those "tactical/LE/SF" etc gimmicks should do the trick. I prefer "gentleman's knives" for my personal carry, as most folk aren't intimidated by something they could see their grandfather carrying, but other folks have other needs. I don't need a knife for "self-defense," so I don't carry a knife for "self-defense." Unless we're talking about defending myself from a jammed seat belt after an auto accident, which I've been fortunate enough to not embitter l encounter yet, either. Though my Trapper did fare pretty well after I landed on it coming off my motorcycle last year, so there's that. Was that fixed blade, of 4-6 inch medium the overall size or just the blade, as I've found that fixed knives with blade lengths from 3"-4" both useful and easy to carry. I believe and agree that overall, however, 4-6 inch blade length knives seem to be the general sweet spot. Those "hybrid" folding/fixed sheath knives you mentioned earlier were interesting, and I think I've seen them before. I wish there were more interpretations in the marketplace to choose from.
|
|
|
Post by howler on Sept 15, 2018 19:57:53 GMT
If I can just regard this first passage, as I agree with most of his post (the right tool for the job). A big honkin bowie literally falls out of a shoulder rig and sweeps up in an easy motion wherever you want to go. Similarly front or back inside a belt and pants waistband with modestly sized fixed blades. One is not getting snagged on anything and clearing the sheath simply part of the initial motion. Scoffed at, and wearing a jacket I was most often simply carrying angled at the small of the back, unsnapped and for a left hand draw. My right hand is busy. Boot carry for me was for transportation and wearing Wellington types with the pants over, not meant for a quick draw. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Regarding folders with clips, I somewhat hate them and prefer lanyards/fobs My diminutive Benchmade was a constant in the warehouses on a shirt pocket next two my rollerball. The only clip I ever really enjoyed. It's the same as a Big Spender but is ti without scales 2" blade. (stock photo, I can't find my file) My SAK Soldier (now a Pioneer) is in my car now as I bought an electric can opener but what I generally pocket if outside doing stuff. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Goldie aka AG Russell writes somewhere in his pages that the slim folding toothpicks was a favorite of someone's that would sew pockets in his boots. Gourd, that was some decades ago in discussion. Knife porn. That Al-Mar in the second to the last pick is a legendary carry knife, raved by many on the internet, due to both the quality as well as the length of blade to weight ratio.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2018 20:00:14 GMT
Well, yeah, if you can wear it upside down, or otherwise angled such then sure. I've had problems, rarely, getting my sheath knives past shirts that are a bit baggier then I usually wear. Just saying, there are potential obstacles in any case that should be considered. I was looking for my Tom Maringer catalog but found a video quicker. Yes, considerations in implementing any use but part of "the plan"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2018 20:08:20 GMT
Yes and mentioned in my second post to this thread. It is currently hiding behind my coffee cup and other liquid beverage but I assure you about one foot from my keyboard. More pictures of my stuff in other threads throughout the knives section here.
|
|
|
Post by randomnobody on Sept 16, 2018 10:28:07 GMT
Was that fixed blade, of 4-6 inch medium the overall size or just the blade, as I've found that fixed knives with blade lengths from 3"-4" both useful and easy to carry. I believe and agree that overall, however, 4-6 inch blade length knives seem to be the general sweet spot. 4-6" blade. Usually around 8-10" overall. I prefer to carry at my waist, right-hand side, in a low sheath (butt of handle below waistline is most comfortable for me) so things already stick out from under my untucked shirts, but that's fine because it muddies what's "concealed" enough to argue that it isn't. Specifically I was addressing these two. Notice the different sheaths. I'm still debating a Hubertus or Linder, but those are $300+ and these were $30... I was looking for my Tom Maringer catalog but found a video quicker. Yes, considerations in implementing any use but part of "the plan" Interesting, but I don't know if I could carry something like that comfortably, never mind often.
|
|
Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
|
Post by Ifrit on Sept 16, 2018 12:28:40 GMT
I might wanna carry a mini mace. A wickedly weighted stick. I was always a sword guy, but I am starting to see the merit of bludgeons, especially after my knee cap has been busted again by goons Knee cap busted again by goons...jeez, Trap, what the heck is going on over there? I live a stupid life lol. Getting bored of my decisions. But at least I got a new cell phone, since my last one was stolen
|
|
|
Post by bluetrain on Sept 16, 2018 13:07:50 GMT
There is, coincidentally, an article in the local paper today about how 'activists' have succeeded in repealing knife laws against carrying concealed knives and of certain kinds of knives like switchblades. The liberals at work again, using the same tactics the NRA had used to get gun laws liberalized.
The article went on to quote one knife enthusiast as saying that the switchblade-twirling gangs are not a modern-day threat and that knife laws are outdated. So, if that's true, there's really no point in carrying a knife, I imagine. But if you still want to carry one, at least get one that won't rust. And those plastic sheaths seem pretty practical, too.
|
|
|
Post by randomnobody on Sept 16, 2018 13:15:36 GMT
On one hand, they're not wrong.
It may be exposure bias, but it seems one is more likely to be shot than stabbed when traveling through "the bad part of town" and most people carrying a weapon for "self-defense" are carrying a handgun of some kind, rather than a knife.
While I agree that knife laws need revision, particularly with regard to autos (I have manual knives that deploy just as fast as my autos) and I feel length restrictions are silly when there's no limit on gun caliber, but these thoughts only apply to places with both.
Frankly, you can get stabbed with a pair of scissors just the same as a "tactical combat boot knife dagger [insert extra buzzwords here]" and it'll do more damage, probably.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2018 14:09:34 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2018 14:29:30 GMT
A side note on the ultralite types without metal liners. These can develop issues if generally pocketed with other metal stuff like keys, or more particularly being dropped on hard surfaces. They can develop burrs along the frame edges that interfere with blade opening and closing. An extreme example was my Al Mar dropping fifteen feet onto concrete when up working in the racks in a warehouse. It didn't bounce but did need to be filed a bit when I got home because it received a good dent right at the pivot.
Your mileage may vary and there are regularly metal lined folders that don't add a lot of thickness but often add to the price as well.
I would add Kershaw to the sub $100 offerings. I had a love hate relationship with a Whirlwind but was very sad after I sold it. I should have bought an original Random Task when first offered and it would have been a better choice for work. There are so many Kershaw models now one can get dizzy but like the Whirlwind, is is a comfy handful and has assisted opening. There are very sleek and thin models as well.
The pointy Al Mar Eagle had been a favorite to sample unmarked cartons without making huge holes and the blade edge kept quite keen after a lot of other cardboard cutting. The forward/mid back lock very strong and much easier to unlock and close in one hand. The small fixed blade in the kydex pancake very usable in my front jeans pocket but I found it a little abusive to my forefinger slipping on that bolster. Great for general slicing but not a truly safe serious poker. Fine for delicate stuff.
I had about 100,000 miles of use on that old Buck 110 before gifting it to a great nephew. Still a good working knife fifty years later.
|
|
|
Post by RufusScorpius on Sept 16, 2018 15:27:21 GMT
...I had about 100,000 miles of use on that old Buck 110 before gifting it to a great nephew. Still a good working knife fifty years later. And a nod to the Buck 110! I mentioned that one in an earlier post. My uncle left me his when he passed in '93, he had it 20 years, and I still use it semi-regular today. It's not my daily carry (because I don't want to lose it due to sentimental value), but I will not hesitate to grab it and use it at a moment's notice when required. In this day and age of "space age" "tactical" whatnots, it's easy for the younger generation to overlook the classic Buck 110 that's been around for 60 years. It's rugged, reliable, durable, and can be bought for under $50 with lifetime warranty. You would be hard pressed to find a better folding knife in that price range that is as rugged and versitile than the Buck. I believe every young man should be issued a Buck 110 on his 18th birthday.
|
|
|
Post by RufusScorpius on Sept 16, 2018 15:42:36 GMT
On one hand, they're not wrong. It may be exposure bias, but it seems one is more likely to be shot than stabbed when traveling through "the bad part of town" and most people carrying a weapon for "self-defense" are carrying a handgun of some kind, rather than a knife. While I agree that knife laws need revision, particularly with regard to autos (I have manual knives that deploy just as fast as my autos) and I feel length restrictions are silly when there's no limit on gun caliber, but these thoughts only apply to places with both. Frankly, you can get stabbed with a pair of scissors just the same as a "tactical combat boot knife dagger [insert extra buzzwords here]" and it'll do more damage, probably. Knives are the very first tool every made by human hands and have been part of the human experience since the very beginning of everything. They were the first tool, they are the most important tool ever created. And they can be made from rocks. Rocks. I roll my eyes every time a ban or restriction is talked about concerning knife lengths or whatever. Fine, ban them all. Every. One. Doesn't matter. It won't work as long as it's possible to make a knife out of a stone. If somebody wants to do harm to another, limiting blade length isn't going to do diddly squat. A few years ago I met a nice cute girl, turned out she was a paleoanthropologist. In about 30 seconds she took a busted beer bottle and knapped it into a razor sharp arrow head. What law would stop that? How could you possible hope to enforce a law that bans doing something like that when all it took was some trash and 30 seconds to make a deadly weapon?
|
|
|
Post by randomnobody on Sept 16, 2018 15:43:06 GMT
I believe every young man should be issued a Buck 110 on his 18th birthday. Shoot, I got my first pocketknife well before I was 18. Heck, before I was 10, and I'm only 33 now so it's not like I'm an old man left over from a bygone era where things were just different. I figure the earlier you teach responsible knife ownership (to include "don't take it to school" for today's youngins) the better. But that's another subject. I do agree knives like the 110 are a great place to start for a solid, everyday tool. I miss my JJ Martinez, personally. I like my Manly all right, but my JJ was The One. Edit: Knives are the very first tool every made by human hands and have been part of the human experience since the very beginning of everything. They were the first tool, they are the most important tool ever created. And they can be made from rocks. Rocks. I roll my eyes every time a ban or restriction is talked about concerning knife lengths or whatever. Fine, ban them all. Every. One. Doesn't matter. It won't work as long as it's possible to make a knife out of a stone. If somebody wants to do harm to another, limiting blade length isn't going to do diddly squat. A few years ago I met a nice cute girl, turned out she was a paleoanthropologist. In about 30 seconds she took a busted beer bottle and knapped it into a razor sharp arrow head. What law would stop that? How could you possible hope to enforce a law that bans doing something like that when all it took was some trash and 30 seconds to make a deadly weapon? Also this.
|
|
|
Post by RufusScorpius on Sept 16, 2018 15:47:47 GMT
I believe every young man should be issued a Buck 110 on his 18th birthday. Shoot, I got my first pocketknife well before I was 18. Heck, before I was 10, and I'm only 33 now so it's not like I'm an old man left over from a bygone era where things were just different. I figure the earlier you teach responsible knife ownership (to include "don't take it to school" for today's youngins) the better. But that's another subject. I do agree knives like the 110 are a great place to start for a solid, everyday tool. I miss my JJ Martinez, personally. I like my Manly all right, but my JJ was The One. Edit: Knives are the very first tool every made by human hands and have been part of the human experience since the very beginning of everything. They were the first tool, they are the most important tool ever created. And they can be made from rocks. Rocks. I roll my eyes every time a ban or restriction is talked about concerning knife lengths or whatever. Fine, ban them all. Every. One. Doesn't matter. It won't work as long as it's possible to make a knife out of a stone. If somebody wants to do harm to another, limiting blade length isn't going to do diddly squat. A few years ago I met a nice cute girl, turned out she was a paleoanthropologist. In about 30 seconds she took a busted beer bottle and knapped it into a razor sharp arrow head. What law would stop that? How could you possible hope to enforce a law that bans doing something like that when all it took was some trash and 30 seconds to make a deadly weapon? Also this. Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to imply that a young man had to wait until he was 18 to get a knife, far from it. I meant to say as a "rite of passage" into manhood, the Buck 110 would be presented as his "forever" knife. In fact, tonight I have to teach Cub Scouts knife safety for their whittling chip, so they are 8/9 year olds. Younger kids most likely will lose or break their first knife, so you don't want to give them something too nice to start out with.
|
|
|
Post by randomnobody on Sept 16, 2018 16:23:40 GMT
I figured as much, but I also feel like he should have already had a good knife, which would very likely have been a Buck 110 or similar. I don't remember what my first knife was, it was so long ago and probably some freebie with a company logo on it. I do still have a pocketknife my father sent me from Korea when he was stationed there back in '92. I was maybe 8 at the time. Good knife, but the years in storage (wasn't really allowed to hold onto it, mother put it "somewhere safe" for me) were not kind to it and now the whole thing has a black patina on every exposed bit. I might clean it up one day, but eh. Oh, and let's not forget to clarify we're not making this out to be a boys/men thing. Girls/women can have knives, and should, as well.
I often tell people there is a handful of things I will not leave my house without: My phone, my wallet, at least one knife, a flashlight, a good pen, and a lighter. Should have every emergency covered with just that, and as I like to remind people, there are two things that separate modern man from the other animals: sharp tools and fire. Without those we'd still be up all night worrying about wolves, tigers, what have you.
|
|
|
Post by howler on Sept 16, 2018 19:30:29 GMT
A side note on the ultralite types without metal liners. These can develop issues if generally pocketed with other metal stuff like keys, or more particularly being dropped on hard surfaces. They can develop burrs along the frame edges that interfere with blade opening and closing. An extreme example was my Al Mar dropping fifteen feet onto concrete when up working in the racks in a warehouse. It didn't bounce but did need to be filed a bit when I got home because it received a good dent right at the pivot. Your mileage may vary and there are regularly metal lined folders that don't add a lot of thickness but often add to the price as well. I would add Kershaw to the sub $100 offerings. I had a love hate relationship with a Whirlwind but was very sad after I sold it. I should have bought an original Random Task when first offered and it would have been a better choice for work. There are so many Kershaw models now one can get dizzy but like the Whirlwind, is is a comfy handful and has assisted opening. There are very sleek and thin models as well. The pointy Al Mar Eagle had been a favorite to sample unmarked cartons without making huge holes and the blade edge kept quite keen after a lot of other cardboard cutting. The forward/mid back lock very strong and much easier to unlock and close in one hand. The small fixed blade in the kydex pancake very usable in my front jeans pocket but I found it a little abusive to my forefinger slipping on that bolster. Great for general slicing but not a truly safe serious poker. Fine for delicate stuff. I had about 100,000 miles of use on that old Buck 110 before gifting it to a great nephew. Still a good working knife fifty years later. On a side note regarding potential pocket carry issues, my brother had a new and clean Spyderco Enduras lock fail to fully engage upon flicking it out because a small piece of pocket lint had wedged into the space between the back of the blade spine and the handle. He wasn't the Peanuts character Pigpen or anything, and it was a freak occurrence, but all it took was that one lint ball to gum up the works, and another potential example on the merits of small fixed blade carry.
|
|
|
Post by bluetrain on Sept 16, 2018 20:37:12 GMT
No wolves and tigers in this county. Bear sightings now and then, though, and I figure it's only a matter of time before some mountain lion wanders through.
I recall some alarmist headline in "Guns" magazine from the late 1950s, which I still have. The headline was "Today a rock may kill you." I still haven't heard of anyone killed with a rock, although a great uncle of mine was killed with a razor. I have known about seven people killed with firearms, though, and half were related to me in some way. Yes, I know, a gun is just a tool, like a switchblade.
I have a box full of knives, none that were expensive, none carried for self-defense (I own guns) and I carry one now and then but it's just one more thing to keep track of. I don't seem to find myself needing a knife very often. My father had a job in which he regularly tied up bundles of things with strong string. He never used a knife. He had a way of wrapping it around his hand and just snapping it off, something I could never do. But he carried a pocket knife, just the same, which I have now.
|
|
|
Post by randomnobody on Sept 17, 2018 13:29:35 GMT
Yeah, none near me, either, but we also have bears, coyotes, etc. I tend to avoid going where they may be, but "where they may be" also borders where I live, so it's not unlikely to see them around. O have neighbors who've reported bear sightings, but I've only seen deer, squirrels, rabbits, turtles, and so on.
Not that a knife will do any good against a bear, unless I've had time to put it on a long stick. Just a point I like to make whenever "why do you need a knife, anyway?" gets asked. "Because the knife is what put us above them on the food chain." It's just a reminder.
Oh, and a convenient tool when I need one, which isn't very often but "better to have and not need than to need and not have."
I watch people, all day, struggle to open boxes with their bare hands, car keys, pens, scissors...then I offer them my box cutter and they look at me like I'm crazy for having such a thing.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2018 14:17:59 GMT
Box cutters are fine until you break the blade or need more depth. An old fashioned flat sliding disposable box cutter the epitome of flatness and ring hook blades for string cutting the right tool for the job.
Closer to hand at the moment is the latest old knife and has displaced the Al Mar a few inches as this station's general utility knives. That Gilbreath posted in the tip up/tip down thread will never see it carried for defense or even general carry. Three different pair of scissors close at hand as well as a dagger for layers of folded paper cutting and a couple of gentleman's manicure knives.
My Swiss Army knife, as mentioned what I carry when out and about. Street legal and has the tools I might normally find useful. Lost that Alox Soldier in my last move and replaced it with what is now labeled the current four blade Pioneer version. The awl/scraper perhaps the most used blade aside from the bottle lift. I did use the drop point blade to cut a cigar a few weeks ago.
|
|