Knife, to carry or not. ?

And do you really need it. ?

I realised tonight the only thing i've ever used my Opinel #6 (which i always carry*) for is cutting the tops off Wayfarers so my folding Ti spork can reach the dregs.

I've always found it reassuring  carrying it (big city mentality*) but it's pretty pointless for me when i think about it, i could nick it with my teeth and rip it off,  plus i could save 26gr.

Multi tools i find a complete waste of weight, ( mines 137 grams) i can't think of a single piece of kit i own that could ever need a Philips head, or straight, nor a toothpick or saw, etc etc.

So do you carry a knife, and do you ever actually use it?, a question driven by my intent (pardon the pun) to cut pack weight even further this year. 

* I don't carry a knife outside hill trips, unless i'm out on't rob.

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

I always carry a penknife, an old-fashioned one with bone handle. It's quite heavy (about 200g at a guess) with a three-inch blade which I keep very sharp.  It had a corkscrew until I lent it to someone to open their wine at the recent Black Sail bash ...

I suppose carrying a knife is a leftover from boy scout days - 'cut your way out if the tent catches fire' sort of thing. Nonetheless, I use it a lot for various purposes.

I carry a knife pretty much every day and use it most days, either a chris reeve sebenza at work or a whittling knife.  If I am going to be using open fires I'll take a bush knife of my own design and making.

If you use one then take it, if not then don't!

Steve D

Trouble no one about their religion;

respect others in their view and demand that they respect yours.

~Chief Tecumseh~

Kev The Nasty Meanie wrote (see)

I've got one of those SwissCard thingies in my wallet so yes, I carry a "blade" most days.

I think some people get hung up on the word 'knife'. 

Most Swiss Army knives, for example, are really mini toolkits, of which one tool is a blade.  I have a tiny SAK on my keyring which has a miniscule blade, a small pair of scissors, tweezers, toothpick, nail file and screwdriver.  It is very useful, even in the non-tactical office environment (have you ever tried to get the nylon strap off a box of photocopying paper with your teeth?). 

I have another one of these SAKs in my first aid kit for the outdoors and I can't imagine needing anything bigger.  I do own a Leatherman multitool, which is beautifully designed and made but would be useless for backpacking. 

masterluke wrote (see)

I use a penknife, Heavier than it need be I think but what is the alternative? I need something that can open tins.

 

8 grams

* THE DIDSTER * wrote (see)

A one inch fold away just in case i meet some irate midgets whilst out wild camping and i don't mean Impy Dave

oiy!

Bedouin wrote (see)

NickNick, is that a 'shank' of some sort?????

Nope, it is a tin opener from 1970's army ration box. They come up often enough on ebay and a similar item can be bought from outdoor shops like this one.

Masterluke, the opener folds closed so packs away easily and you'd have to really try to hurt yourself standing on it in the night

Not much use on it's own for cutting though - you'd still need some sort of blade for that but even with the tin opener and a blade you may well still be lighter.