Best knife to carry.

[PATH]

What is the best knife to carry? I carry a Swiss Army knife by Wenger. It has served me well over the years. What do you folks carry?

[ArmaLube]

Benchmade folders are absolutely first rate production knives. Their AXIS(tm) lock is probably the best available today. They also offer an exceptional variety from which to choose. Several fine grades of blade steel are offered. Their web site is a worthwhile visit; and it is beneficial to obtain a copy of their catalog.

SOG knives are also worth a look. For a very practical fixed blade, general purpose survival knife, check the Fallkniven F-1.

A great knife is an essential companion! It could be a lifesaver.

[AK103K]

Here's what I carry.
German Fallshirmjaeger gravity knife and a Spiderco "Tim Wegner" folder.

[2002gti]

im a benchmade guy too. i have a 720 but lately ive been carrying my gerber carbon fiber. skinnier and more compact than the bench.

[stellarpod]

Armalube: Couldn't agree more on both counts: Benchmade and the Axis lock system. I've carried a Model 940 Osborne Axis for about a year and a half now. Far and away my favorite folder. Quality is impeccable.

stellarpod

[bj426]

Benchmade Benchmade Benchmade!

I've carried my leopord folder for nearly 10 years withut being let down. I'd like an osborne axis lock.... but I can't stand the thought of shealving my current blade.

As a MechEng. I'm extremely impressed by thier quality.

[jcrim007]

another vote for benchmade here. i carry the 941 and it is absolutely perfect. don't think i would ever go back to anohter type of lock. AXIS rules!

[Rupestris]

Yet another vote for Benchmade. I just retired my Gerber LST Jr. after about 6 years. I picked up a Benchmade Mini Griptilian 556 last month. what a HUGE difference.
If you have a Sports Authority/Oshmans Soprting Goods in your area, they had the full size Griptilian on sale for $45.99 and the Mini Griptilian for $64.95. After getting the Mini I'm tempted to go back for the full size. Its the best price I've seen yet.

[Gino]

I'm a Spyderco fan. HOWEVER, the truth is, unless you look at your knife for self-defense, a Swiss Army Knife is much more usable than any of the knives mentioned...

[Pappy John]

I can't spend a lot of money for folding knives. I lose them too often. I have a drawer full of cheap two inch or so folders (think Schrades and Old Timers) that I carry interchangably, just to have something to cut string, open packages, and cut the crossword puzzles out of the newspaper. They might not hold an edge as long as a good knife, but on the other hand it doesn't take me long to sharpen them either, so they've always got a good edge.

I can't imagine using one for SD....that would mean I'm totally out of ammo!

[AK103K]

I'm a Spyderco fan. HOWEVER, the truth is, unless you look at your knife for self-defense, a Swiss Army Knife is much more usable than any of the knives mentioned...

actually, I think a Leatherman or multi tool is more usable and practical than the Swiss Army. If you had to carry just one thing, I think you'd be better served with the multi tool. I have used one of my falshirmjaeger's pretty much daily for over 20 years now. Its probably one of the handiest type knives I've owned, and gets used for just about every chore. It holds a good edge and has a good general use blade, I even whittle with it. It could very well be used as a fighter if need be, but I keep the Spyderco all spiffed up for that mostly. I'm a believer in dedicating weapon type tools for that purpose and keeping them sharp and always ready to go. I feel the same way about fixed blades too.

[mad_dog30]

I carry a Chris Reeve Sebenza daily and keep a Leatherman Juice in my pocket for everything else. The Sebenza was'nt cheap but it was well worth it.

[don't shoot it's me]

Carry what you like...just don't carry a knife to a gunfight...

[VaughnT]

I carry a Griptillian in my left pocket. The axis lock is awesome and I love the ambidextrous design. This is the only knife that fit my hand AND could be mounted however I like.

Just bought an Emerson PSARK for defensive purposes and carry it in an ankle rig. It's not a working knife, just a in-case-I'm-desparate knife. The quality is head and shoulders above that of the griptillian, but so is the price. And I don't think the liner lock is as secure as the axis lock just on physics alone.

Having said all that, I'm looking at getting a decent sheath for my leatherman so I can clip it on my belt. The leatherman is far more useful in daily activities than any knife, but they are heavy and take up a lot of room in a pocket. Gotta find something I can clip on my belt and move out when needed. Mabye another ankle rig?

Fighting/Defensive knives are just as important as having a pistol. If you need a weapon at some point, there's no saying that you'll be able to access the pistol on your side. Better have a backup.

[johnbt]

I carry a little SAK on my keyring, not so much for the blade as for the scissors, tweezers(for splinters) and toothpick. The file makes a fair screwdriver, too.

I also carry a Sebenza. I like it so much I've ordered another one to carry on special occasions when my dirty, slowly-been-getting-beaten-up one just won't do. Of course, I wouldn't have ordered the second one if I hadn't stumbled across a great deal.

John

[woolieworm]

Emerson commander is the only one for me. Always with me for the last 9 years. None better. IMHO

[hso]

There is no one "best kife" any more than there is a one best shoe. A SAK may be the "best" for day to day office utility, but would not serve very well as a chopper/digger in a back woods survival situation while carrying a Falkniven A1 wouldn't be very practical in the office. Just like shoes, you wouldn't want to wear a pair of leather loafers on an AT through hike, you need to select the knife for the anticipated task.

I do not like knives that don't lock. That includes most of the SAKs. That said, I almost always carry a Victorinox Soldier along with whatever else I've got on me. I carry it for mostly sentimental reasons, but find it useful for very light cutting duties and the tools serve 90% of what I encounter from day to day.

Would a multitool do better, perhaps, but I find that out of all the various multitools I have I drop that old SAK Soldier in my pocket most mornings before I head out the door.

[Tamara]

I like my Sebenza and carry it in my left front pocket every day, but the knife that gets the most use is the Emerson Commander that gets carried in my right pocket. It's just so handy to pop open with the wave feature for tactically opening boxes and combatting with the cellophane film on TV dinners.

[NJ3]

I like my pre Axis lock Benchmade AFCK and mini AFCK knives.

[FirstFreedom]

I'm very fond of the Kershaw/Ken Onion assisted-openers, 'specially my 1560 ST. Great all purpose pocket folder.

http://www.knivesplus.com/KERSHAW-KE...SPEEDSAFE.HTML

[.]

My Benchmade McHenry & Williams has replaced both my large Sebenza and my Spyderco Civilian. I've found it to be the "pukka" of the modern pocket-clip knives. I like it so well that I bought a back-up, should something untoward cause the first one to part company with me.

[Any .45]

i carry a kershaw 1550 black out serrated. have had it for a year love the speed assist, and the all black. Knife is still sharp and cuts beautifully. And only costs about 50 bucks

[Denny Hansen]

"Best," as pointed out, is relative. I've carried two Gerber Easy-Outs (one plain edge and one half-serrated edge) since Gerber first introduced them. I've played with others, including some big-name (read expensive) makers, but I keep coming back to the Easy-Outs. They do everything I need a knife to do.

Supplementing these is a SOG PowerPlier that rides in a custom leather belt sheath along with a SureFire E2.

Denny

[Erick Gelhaus]

Best to carry? What a subjective question!

On-duty:
A multi-tool that sees FAR more use than anything else I own, a Buck collaboration folder & a "name" fixed blade;

Off-duty:
A multi-tool and a "name" folder.

[GeorgeH]

I carry a "push dagger" actually a push knife make my Mickey Yurco. The blade is under 3 inches, and it is legal to my knowledge everywhere--including Canada, since it doesn't fit the definition of push dagger under Canadian law.