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mr surveyor wrote:The question of "do you carry a knife" is one of the very most distressing questions I have heard American men ask? I don't know if it's just an age/generational thing due to social training, or city/country issue. Being "50 something" and having lived in somewhat small town all my life, I grew up with pocket knives, and don't know any men my age that would even consider putting their pants on without a knife. Most of us started taking our pocket knife to school in 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade. By 5th or 6th grade the teacher was likely to ask to borrow a student's pocket knife for some chore or another. By the end of the year, she figured out who had the sharpest knife to borrow.

It's unfortunate that we have allowed such a stigma to be placed on pocket knives that they are no longer considered essential tools for men.

Sorry for the rant. Yes, I carry pocket knive(s) daily.

My grandpappy taught me to carry a pocket knife when I was small, I have carried one ever since and find it distressing when someone objects to it - it's a tool, not a weapon.

SOG Flash 1.

nuparadigm wrote:What works for me is a Swiss Army pen knife.

+1

It can go with me everywhere*, and cuts anything that I need to cut -- including throats, if it came to that. Plus, it's non-threatening.

When I was in the Army, I carried three knives: the SA pen knife in a pocket, and at 4:30 I had a larger SA ("Camper", I think) and a Buck Lite locking folder, both in belt pouches. When wearing web gear I had a fixed blade on my suspenders.

*"Everywhere" obviously doesn't include through a TSA checkpoint, but I have sailed right on in through the courthouse metal detectors with it in my pocket.

The other day I was in line at TSA at IAH stowing all of my stuff so I could go through screening and discovered I had forgot to leave my knife in my car.

Had to get out of line and dump the knife.

It was not an expensive one, but really annoyed me. I keep one in my check baggage for when I reach my destination. Like many Texicans, I always have a knife. I recall that as a cub scout we had the belt clip and had our cub scout knives on our belt in school on scout uniform days.

Now you would be expelled for zero tolerance.

Anygun

Can't even carry a pocket knife onto the USS Constitution (tour)...

My Dad found out the hard way (a couple of years ago)...Got out of line, went down the way from the brow, and tried to hide it...One of the tour guides/security people noticed what he did, and asked him "You didn't do what I think you just did, did you?"

The "pen knife" dad had in his pocket, may not have been too much of a sentemental value (maybe not), but the incident and the scrutiny would probably have been a bit too much for me to have to put up with...

The trend where this discussion is going is kinda sullied me somewhat...

And I guess it only took 19 to change the way some people look at these "tools" like Jim just said...

If I am wearing pants, I have a knife. I like the Buck knives. Small ones that fit in the 5th pocket on my blue jeans. I like the 373 trio. $14 at walmart. 3 sharp blades for removing splinters or cuting the tag off your shirt. Knives are not good for self defence.

I would insert a picture but don't know how.

mr surveyor wrote:The question of "do you carry a knife" is one of the very most distressing questions I have heard American men ask? I don't know if it's just an age/generational thing due to social training, or city/country issue. Being "50 something" and having lived in somewhat small town all my life, I grew up with pocket knives, and don't know any men my age that would even consider putting their pants on without a knife. Most of us started taking our pocket knife to school in 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade. By 5th or 6th grade the teacher was likely to ask to borrow a student's pocket knife for some chore or another. By the end of the year, she figured out who had the sharpest knife to borrow.

It's unfortunate that we have allowed such a stigma to be placed on pocket knives that they are no longer considered essential tools for men.

Sorry for the rant. Yes, I carry pocket knive(s) daily.

+1

I'd say this pretty much covers it!

+1 more !!

LIkewise, I've always carried a pocket knife. Used a Puma Major for a long time till I found a Buck spring assisted recently . I really like it, since I can open it with one hand.

I've also lost one to airport security --- since I always carried it, I forgot I had it till I was going thru the scanner. That's why I don't buy the $100 + models.

I certainly don't intend to use it to cut anyone, but I guess I could....

Have carrierd one since age 10, sometimes 2 knives.

I always thought all men over age 25 or 30 were born with a knife in their hands.

I went to the Confederate Air Force show (politically incorrect name intended) in Midland several years ago. While at the gate to get in we were all searched and women purses searched. Anyone with knives had to either take them back to their cars or throw it in the trash can. One elderly gentle man became very irate and said men carry knives and that's the way God intended. He said he fought to give us the right to carry knives if we wanted to and he walked to his car and left. If I hadn't already paid and been there with several friends and their families I probably would have left too. I walked the half mile back to my car and put it up.

The question, gentlemen, is how MANY knives do you carry.

When I'm working, which is six days a week, I carry a Gerber fast opening lock back. That means spring assisted opening and is about $50 at Bass Pro. I don't consider it that great for any kind of defense, but I'd rather have that than nothing. It has opened time and time again without fail.

If I'm out on the town I carry several blades. When I wear a suit, I carry a CRKT M60 SOTFB on my belt. It's just under the illegal length and while not double edged, does have the other edge, just not sharpened. I've had it in my hand on occasion while walking around Deep Ellum and have shown it to a couple of the good folks down there. They turned around and walked away. I also carry a CRKT Ryan plan B in my pocket and sometimes one in the other pocket. In the front of my pants is a CRKT bear claw. Clipped to the back of my belt is a Gerber ridge knife. Small, but effective if you for some reason needed to cut yourself out of restraints. Under my shirt in the front is a CRKT neck knife.

Sometimes I carry a Smith and Wesson dagger with a shoulder harness with the behind the back draw or a Smith fixed blade in the small of my back.

Of course guns are great, but they can't be carried everywhere. If I'm ever walking in the open and I don't have a gun, I carry my biggest knife in my strong hand with the blade facing up and hidden. It can quickly be brought down for an upwards slash or a jam to the throat. Pepper spray is good for the weak hand since you can spray first and then go to work.

I recently bought a Spyderco Kumo, but have not implemented it into my wardrobe yet. It's got potential, for sure. I normally like tactical fixed blades for defense.

As for folks having to walk back to their cars when they forget they have a blade... I usually forget before I go into the State Fair every year. Instead of walking back, I just stash them in my boots. They never wand you down there. I could easily get a gun into that place, but you don't need one with all of the police around.

o.k. .... I'll play along


SOG Paratool every day on the belt. Cut many, many strands of junk barbed wire in my day to day business of boundary corner search. The jaws are still perfect. Son has ruined 2 Gerbers and a Leatherman trying to match my 15 year old SOG ... ain't gonna happen The screw drivers get used a few times per week as well. I rarely use the blades, unless I need "serious sharp"...oh, the saw blade does get used in the field quite a bit as well

A 3 blade Buck folder for every day cutting

A single blade 1-3/4" cheepo "Maxam" - razor sharp (a work tool)

A single blade 2-3/4" cheepo "Maxam" for utility tool "junk cutting" and for a "loaner"

A small cheepo Shrade pocket multi-tool with scissors (I use the tooth pick more than anything )

And, if I am already planning, or expecting meat at one of our routine redneck gatherings, a 3 inch Gerber folder, or 5 inch Buck fillet when I'm doing the cooking (normal)

I have a lifetime collection of pocket knives and belt knives, but the above are just plain old routine. Well, I don't wear the belt tools or belt knives to church, but the rest are in the pockets

Knives are about the most useful tools a person can have. I can not imagine life without a knife within hand's reach.

Some years back I went through several knifes. SO I bought a cheap plastic gerber folding knife which i have have for 10+ years. Not much to look at, decent blade & it just won't go away.

Keep talking about replacing it with one of those hi-tech spring assisted knifes. However the cheap Gerber is still resting in my left front pocket.

Where I grew up you had better be ready to "drop knives" whenever challenged. For those who didn't grow up in the rural south, that means two guys square off and take turns producing one knife after another and whoever has the most knives got to keep all his knives plus his pick of the knives the other fella had You better believe everyone had 6+ blades on them all the time and there is a whole lot of strategy as to the order and location from which you produced each one. Think world championship poker crossed with "Pinks" as a game for hillbillies