What's Your Preferred EDC Knife?

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ChippewaAce

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 20, 2021
215
415
Tennessee
I’ve seen those Work Sharps, but never messed with them. I have no idea how fast they run or if the speed is adjustable. If you go that route, start with some cheap knives you won’t care about ruining. There’s a learning curve with belt grinders, and as with all power tools, they can either get stuff done quickly or f*** stuff up quickly.
For sure! Yeah, there are a few different tiers of model/cost that seem to have varied reviews, people saying similar things to what you've just said about variable speeds. I appreciate that insight on starting with cheap knives, makes a lot of sense!
 
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Jul 26, 2021
2,413
9,784
Metro-Detroit
Aside from various sizes of swiss army pocket knives, the best valued knife I have was only a dollar at the Dollar Tree.

It has a serrated blade and safety lock. Worth every penny during my 3 moves over the last 3 years.

I hate moving and think I finally have my forever home.
 
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ChippewaAce

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 20, 2021
215
415
Tennessee
Aside from various sizes of swiss army pocket knives, the best valued knife I have was only a dollar at the Dollar Tree.

It has a serrated blade and safety lock. Worth every penny during my 3 moves over the last 3 years.

I hate moving and think I finally have my forever home.
Very nice! Was it a Dollar Tree brand? Glad you've found a place to settle!
 

renfield

Lifer
Oct 16, 2011
5,144
41,947
Kansas
31WVJjyN7CL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

I rotate between several, depending on what the day holds but most often it’s one of these. A Ken Onion Ripple. Great all around light duty knife.
 
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burleybreath

Lifer
Aug 29, 2019
1,089
3,861
Finger Lakes area, New York, USA
I've got the usual drawer full of knives of all types, most legal, as long as they remain in the drawer. My favorite would be an actual Ghurka army issue kukri, but bringing that outdoors tends to alarm the delicate. I sort of collect Great Eastern slipjoints, but they've become a bitch to buy reasonably. Whatever. The thing is, I hate carrying crap. I won't carry a phone, for instance. Send it to voicemail, bitch. But the question was, what's your Every Day Carry? Mine is below. I use it every day and, for years, is the only knife I can tolerate. (By the way, I agree with the above re knife fights. You won't come out well, either physically or legally, should you engage.)

kx.jpg
 

Boognish

Lurker
Apr 3, 2021
27
62
Maine
I'd eventually love to have a shop area at home with a bench grinder! For now I'll find something I can learn with and grow into before the shop arrives!
Just make sure it's a low speed or variable or it will eat your blade in a blink of an eye. The paper wheels are where it's at for a bench grinder. Belt grinders are great for bladesmiths as they can handle pretty much everything from profiling to sharpening (but big$.) Guided systems like wicked edge are very nice but can be slow (still faster than traditional stones.) Since I sharpen a lot of blades (side gig) that mostly just need touch ups i use a tormex t8 daily which gets me around 100 BESS or better pretty darn fast. I love that machine.
 

lochinvar

Lifer
Oct 22, 2013
1,687
1,640
Spyderco Manix2 XL. Comfortable handle with a great blade, awesome steel. There is also a smaller version if the XL is too much.
 

ravkesef

Lifer
Aug 10, 2010
3,039
12,522
82
Cheshire, CT
When I was young, I was told: “A gentleman always carries a knife,” and since that time, I’ve always had a knife close a hand. Most of the time that translates into a Swiss Army Knife Classic SD. It’s got one (very small) blade, a nail file/screwdriver, a pair of scissors, a toothpick, and tweezers. For most uses, this works fine. Depending on the situation, I also have a flip knife for my back pocket, a neck knife, and a few other knives that may prove useful in one situation or another. Self Defense? Hardly. I don’t want to be in the position of having to explain to a Poliziotto why I’m carrying a particular knife that could easily be construed as a weapon.
 

TheDesertPiper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 5, 2021
137
539
Arizona
I like to the Ontario RAT II. Its a decent knife with D2 steel and you can pick up on Amazon for like $35. Price helps because I have a tendency to lose/misplace my pocket knives. I have carried and managed to lose 2 different zero tolerance knives. Losing both of those hurt since they about $200 a piece.
 

WildTurkeySurprise

Can't Leave
Oct 23, 2020
362
6,907
49
Mt Juliet, TN
CD25A46D-A06D-4FA9-BF0E-F8F3D1FCDCCB.jpeg
Gerber LST. This model has been my EDC for maybe ten years; this particular knife for around two. Multiple sharpenings
have pulled quite a bit of steel from the original blade profile on this one. Here’s why it rules: 1.) Can be sharpened beyond a razor edge 2.) low profile to the point I don’t even notice it in my pocket. 2.) single blade, so I don’t have to try and remember which one is the sharp one. 3.) lock blade, so I’m less likely to lose a finger 4.) opens beer bottles like a champ 5.) despite its durability, @$20 each it could easily be considered disposable.

I am somewhat surprised that in seven pages of comments, I don’t think anyone before me has mentioned this knife. Prestige factor aside, it will keep up with anything its size, and for a fraction of the cost.
 
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