I'm working as a volunteer up in the Santa Ana (CA) mtns. tomorrow, planting native plants in a burned area. I carry a machete in my backpack but often need an "in-between" blade bigger than my little Case penknife and smaller than the 'chete. So I'm carrying my Case "Moose" jacknife. Too big for everyday, but just right for sharpening small wood stakes, cutting grafts, cutting off nopal ("prickley pear" to you Gringos!) pads to plant, etc.
I've used Case knives for almost 60 years and see no reason to stop now. One that I still use I got for Christmas of 1951!
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." Robert E. Howard
That's a first production run of a Bark River. It's sweet for fish gutting etc.
I love Bark River knives. Great blades. I love the convex edges they put on their knives. I've go three of them.
I'm gonna have to get me one!
I once dropped one of my Bark River knives on a stone floor surface (clearly my negligence), and the tip bent back. I called them. They said send it to them, which I did, and they sent it back with a newly formed blade tip, i.e., they reshaped it so it had a tip again. You can't tell it was ever damaged. The blade's just a hair shorter. No charge other than shipping. They have a life time warranty. This damage clearly went beyond any reasonably expected coverage of that warranty, and they fixed it anyway. That kind of customer service deserves publicity.
In my pocket? A Victorinox of one sort or another. Have been for the past 32 years. I get too much use out of the other tools on a SAK to go with just a straight knife. Heck, one time while cycling in Big Sur, I wound up taking apart the carburetor of a VW Bug with my SAK. Literally pulled a small moth out of the primary jet. Put it all back together and the previously stranded motorist was on his way.
Got a SOG Powerlock multi-tool on my belt on my weak side, plus a SOG Flash II in my weak side and strong side pockets. The blades on any of the three will shave you. A dull knife is like a rifle that won't shoot straight...not interested in either.
Many very nice choices listed above. I have a couple of nice knives, but seldom carry them and only use them for special occasions.
Today,as well as yesterday and tomorrow,I'm carrying an old very early Buck 301.It has the long nail pull on the master blade.I found it as I stepped down from the truck in the lot at the Petro in Effingham,Il,about this time 4 years ago.It's still tight,with no side wobble in any of the blades,has full blades,no cracks or chips in the handles.It has a few sharpening scratches on the blades.I picked it up and took it inside the knife shop on my way in to eat that evening asked the man if he'd seen it before,he said he hadn't.So I left it with him while I went to eat,when I returned he'd cleaned it and had it shaving sharp.I've carried it ever since,and it stays shaving sharp.
Spyderco CPM automatic. Little bigger than i usually carry but i like it. My everyday knife is a bone handled Case tiny trapper, small enough to fit in the coin pocket on a pair of jeans.
Last edited by Tim M; 06/13/10.
_______________________ Proud deep sea diver for over 25 years, fairly paid and never once needed a union to do it for me. "if you can't do it-you can't stay"