I'm interested to find out if you too prefer to use your fixed or folding survival knife at home too for jobs like cooking, DIY or whatever? Or, do you just save them for 'survival' occasions only? Doesn't this dictate the type of knife design/dimensions - compare an F1 to an S1 for example, or anything else you prefer.

Cheers

I occasionally whip out my EDC mini-RSK if none of the kitchen knives I know to be sharp are handy. Otherwise I stick to the kitchen knives.

I bought a Mora swedish knife at MEC (in Montréal) for about 10$. The model is called "River knife" and curiously enough it's not available at Ragweed Forge or the Frosts site. It's stainless steel. Mora knives have a good reputation. I use it as an all purpose utility knife. For the kitchen I only use kitchen knives though.
Frankie

I don't have a dedicated survival knife, so I use my EDC knives for pretty much everything.

Once, at my uncle's place, I used my "Griffe" (Fred Perrin's design) to cut bacon in the kitchen, so poorly cutting were his knives.
Since that time, I have resharpened all his kitchen knives.
And offered him a sharpening stone, so now he can do it himself.

And my EDC knife is used at work or at home (but not in the knife wise well equipped kitchen).

I use my knives all the time for everything imaginable, including but not nearly limitted to the kitchen and DIY around the house, however, it does not effect how I choose them. I choose them to be capable of handling the worst scenarios and then use them for everything else on a day to day basis knowing that if a worst case scenario presents itself then I will be 'equipped to survive'. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I use my survival knife for cooking everyday. In my opinion I feel it is the best way to learn how to use it and its characteristics. When the meal is on the plate the blade gets a stroke on the back with a piece of kitchen roll and goes back in the sheath. During the day Oranges, kiwi's and the like will be peeled with them.

The best way to get "comfortable" with a knife is to use it often. If you want a shiny new toy in an emergency, then you need to have two, one to use and get used to and one to gopher-hole with your kit. Personally, I use all my gear whenever I get the chance, then replace/duplicate it so I've always got a spare. Not only does this keep me familiar with it, but it solves the "when to rotate?" question. Some of the more expensive stuff (Hennessy hammock) doesn't neccessarily have a twin, but it's been used enough to prove it's worth/usefulness, and, who knows, maybe if work picks up, I might go ahead and splurge on a new one so I'll have a spare-to-share. Besides, extra gear can always be bartered off for something that just wasn't thought of.

Troy

I was at this new local steakhouse. The food was excellent. The house knives however were miserable serrated affairs with less cutting power than those safety scissors we used in kindergarden. My companion, lacking any social graces sort of flopped the steak over his wrist and began gnawing on it. I got frustrated and started using my RSK. Then we both noticed two Ventura County Sherriffs across from us staring. I didn't know if it was my amigo's manners or my knife. Then they both produced Benchmades, gave me a quick blade up salute and began eating. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Fortunately the local Indian restaurant has proper utensils and my Kukhri hasn't been needed <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I hate that, what the steak is delicious, but the knife is just good enough to tear the meat apart instead of cutting it.
If I EDC a nice Thiers folder, I then don't hesitate to use it. But if I only EDC doug's RSK, I refrain using it ... well... depends on the restaurant though...

I'm a bachelor... I have no stove. I use electric oven to cook my stuff and a coffee maker to boil my water. I have no tv. My girl is working hard at domesticating me but my dog and I are fighting it bravely.

I use my Sog Gov't fixed blade for cooking and other home work.

WHAT ??? No Microwave ? How do you melt Velvetta for the cheese and green chili dip? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Dave

With the clothes iron your mom sent you to look neat for job interviews. Plug it in, hold just above the cheese and steam it. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Worked in the college dorms.

Way Cool !! I bet my wife's special quilting iron would work well, but that one won't be tested. I always liked the potatoe down the exhaust of a M-113 APC to warm it up, just rev it up to shoot the potatoe out.
Dave

When I have a slice of pizza at Sam's club after shopping for groceries, I use my 3" liner lock on the pizza slice until it gets to a socially managable size. It has a bright blue aluminum handle and no one around me has moved away yet.

Bountyhunter

I refrain from using my folders for food duty unless I absolutely can't avoid it; I hate cleaning gunk out of the joints. And I wholeheartedly subscribe to the "duplicate" knife philosophy. One to use day-to-day, one to stash.

OK, so I actually carry three or four on a day-to-day basis if you include the Classic SAK, Moneyclip SAK, Leatherman Wave, *and* the "real" EDC knife (currently a First Production Run Gerber Air Frame fine edge with the machined Titanium handles), but the good ones all have twins...in the Air Frame's case the twin is a "1 of 1000" serrated AL-handle Air Frame.

But anyway, my camp stash also includes a couple of Henckels kitchen knives, a 6" chef's and a 4" utility. Nothing like a good kitchen knife for preparing food.

An extra knife or two is worth the added weight, to me. The Classic is for nail-clipping and package opening, the Moneyclip really only gets used as a money clip, the Leatherman gets used for DIY/repair jobs, and the "real" EDC knife stays sharp in my pocket. Before the Air Frame's, I was carrying a couple of Air Ranger's, which are the same design, and those *did* get used more often, so I'm confident I can handle the Air Frame's well, when needed.

Gee amper, stop right there buddy . . . Even Caesar didn't have so many knives on him while chasing the uncivilised nations <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> OK, I'm just envious of your knives and given the chance, I would do worse <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Also, yes I understand the reasons for duplicating items if costs or conditions allow it.

Folks, I cannot tell you the satisfaction of using a survival type tool (eg knife) for every day jobs. For this reason, when I can afford it, I will get myself a decent 4" - 5" fixed blade - I can then use it for kitchen jobs too, although it will not totally replace a kitchen/chef knife for thin cuts/slices (because of robust/thick blade). Handle design also needs to be considered for frequent washing & dishwasher and so on.

I do have a folding lockable victorinox large knife/tool, which I absolutely love (I think it's 'Forrester', with a bottle opener). I use it for opening bottles & wine - cans of food too if you're patient enough, and I love the lockable blade too. However, I hesitate to use the blade often, because I'm concerned about washing the tool in dishwasher and the risk of hygiene if food particles are left inside the folder and so on. So, I feel somewhat restricted in fully enjoying the knife. Nevertheless, I love the darn thing, even though I do NOT carry it with me on the steet when shopping and so on due to law of the land complications (nothing is ever straight forward in this place).

You guys seem to prefer the practical aspects of the survival tools and I like that too. Fascinating feedback . . . and funny too, you rascals!
<img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, Chris, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that's not above using a pocket knife at the restaurant. My wife has gotten beyond crawling under the table when I'm not satisfied with the edge on the offered tableware <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

Troy