If you could have only one knife, which would it be?

[GhostHawk]

Attachment 197295My wife and I both have Kershaw Scallions assisted open knives. I carried it for a while, and had no issues with it.

Currently my EDC is a Ganzo 728 assisted open. I have 2, black and green. Good steel, takes a good edge, strop hones it up well, holds well. Normally I am not a stainless guy but I guess I am finding that it has its uses.

If you let it get dull it does take a lot more work to get it back.
But if your older, have time on your hands it is pretty easy to not let it get dull.

I will say one of the best investments I ever made was an inexpensive strop that I hung on my door. It just polishes and hones so much better for that final step than anything else I ever used.

[Nothsa110]

Leatherman Surge. It has been part of my EDC for 7 years. Good steel, good design. Love that thing. My other pick would be my Buck 117.

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[44MAG#1]

I'll repeat my question I asked in post #19. Why is it very, very, few carries knives with the much better steels than just the average steels most people carry?

[KenH]

I think perhaps the to that question is pure economics. 1. A knife that is a daily carry, used for everything tends to get used pretty rough from cutting to pry bar, and sometimes it's easy to get mis-placed. Most folks had rather take a chance on damaging or losing a $50 knife than a $500 knife.... I know I had. Dad always carried a 3 bladed stockman knife - one blade would cut ok, other blade was broken, other blade was gapped from opening motor oil cans (back when they were metal topped).

[RedJackson]

Boy Scout folder

[labradigger1]

Original leatherman wave

[Traffer]

When a man-child lives on the frontier, that is the tool he prefers.

Well, here's what Jim Bowie is reported to have carried for an everyday knife:
Attachment 197272

Here's where it normally lives for me (with door closed):
Attachment 197273

I made that as an exact copy of Joe Musso's Bowie which has LOTS of good evidence it might have been owned by Jim Bowie himself. I forged it from a bar of 1080 steel, heat treated to about 59 Rc hardness, so it will cut.

[dragon813gt]

I'll repeat my question I asked in post #19. Why is it very, very, few carries knives with the much better steels than just the average steels most people carry?

Cost and availability w/ cost being the deciding factor. I have no issue paying $200 for a knife I carry every day. I don't lose them and I seldom break tools. So the cost doesn't bother me. But most folks seem to lose or break knives. So they buy cheap ones. I'd bet if they added up the cost of all the cheap ones, over the same timespan, it's more than I paid for the Benchmade I've been carrying.

[GhostHawk]

44mag I don't have many expensive knives. There are at least 6 Mora's around the house. Most have a firesteel attached to them.

I have some good cheaper carbon steel. Old Hickory and various knockoffs.
A few old Remington's.

I liked the Ken Onion Designed Kershaw, it says it is a 1620 on the blade.
Good blade. But I did not want to wear it out for everyday carry.

So when I ran across the elcheapo chinese Ganzo's that they said were being made with good steel I looked through the line up carefully. 15$ carried it for a year. No appreciable wear, opens if anything easier and faster than the Kershaw as it is a touch bigger. The Onion also has a small light and firesteel with it.

Say what you will, no matter what comes I will have a blade at hand, I will be able to see what I am doing, and I will be able to light a fire at need.

With that, and a decent blade, and with any luck a brain that still functions. You have the basics of survival.

Without that you are tossing dice. Rolling the odds.

Being able to do it for 15$ vs 45$ well baby that just makes my day shine.

Style, everyone has their own.

[KenH]

Here's the EDC I carry in my pocket most all the time: www.amazon.com/dp/B0015ZXCT0/

Well, not the S30V blade, that knife comes with a choice of 420HC (about $32), 14C28N (about $50), or S30V (about $75). I ordered me one about 2 or 3 yrs ago with the 420HC steel. It's "ok", but not all that great. I made a copy of the blade of 14C28N and a S30V blade so I could change between them to see which I liked better. I "think" I like the 14C28N best - tends to take a sharper edge than the S30V, but perhaps doesn't hold it as long? I swap back 'n forth between the two blades from time to time. Either is waaay better than the original 420HC....

Ken H>

[Tracy]

[KenH]

Tracy - that looks like a nice well used knife that maybe you've had a long time? I like those old knives.

[greenwart]

Sabatier 8" chefs knife. I cook more than skin or cut down trees, but i am sure it could do that in a pinch. Second would be a Russel green river skinning knife. The old time settlers knew from experience what would work.

[RGrosz]

I worked in packing houses for a long time. Would hate to be limited to one knife for the rest of my life. It's a tool, like a gun or a caliber or any thing else. Pick the right tool for the job and the task gets easier. For carry knives I've got a 3 blade stockmans knife that says Winchester on it and a 2 bladed Buck knife (I think it's a Trapper). All other knives are picked up to use from a large bunch that are handy.
Rob

[Bazoo]

I dont have a problem carrying an expensive knife. I carried a benchmade infidel 3310 for a while. My problem isnt losing, or breaking knives. I dont want a knife that is hard to sharpen though. I want to be able to use an arkansas stone, or a carborundum stone, or a diamond stone, or a ceramic rod, whatever is handy.

I normally carry at least 3 knives. A leatherman original, an old timer stockman, and a victorinox classic on my key ring. I off and on carry a buck 110, depending on the notion im in.

[Tracy]

Tracy - that looks like a nice well used knife that maybe you've had a long time? I like those old knives.

I've only had it a few years, but it is one I had wanted for awhile. It is a Cattaraugus 225Q. Here's a discussion about them: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...mmando.685606/

[Plainsman]

This is tough as I typically carry 2-3 folders on me daily! When Im out hunting, etc, Ill take a fixed blade or two as well.

Since Ive also started carrying a Benchmade Contego as a last ditch defense blade, Id probably have to take it as an "only" blade as it would handle everything Id throw at it for tasks.

[Bazoo]

Although I do not have an example of such, Im hoping the wife will get me a buck 679 for my Birthday or Christmas. Knowing what I know of it, i expect it'll be my favorite knife.

[Mtnstryder]

Buck 119 I have many knives but I carry my 119 everyday it seems.If you only have one knife it has to skin and prepare food before all other jobs.self defense might be it’s next most important.
Now if it was just one blade and nothing else sharp I’d take one of my tomahawks.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for the reply mtnstryder, and welcome to the forum. The 119 is a nice knife. I like the balance of it when its aluminum stocked, nice and light. I find that the blade is just a touch long for my needs though. Better for cutting some larger things, but not given to the control i like if im tinkering on something.