Heh. Nice. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

"A lady always carries a knife."

Biscuits, I'd be happy for that problem. Heck, I wouldn't even mind have the problem with the 1911.

-john

It is a nice problem to have. I don't think I was complainin', more likely I was braggin'.

Biscuits

Recently I was sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for a flight with a large group of firefighters. One of the firefighters had just bought a PSP from an airport shop; while he was fighting with the multilayered package he asked (jokingly) if anyone had a knife. Every single one of us reached to our pocket only to realize we had been disarmed of our most basic tool by the TSA! It was an extremely funny scene, although disturbing at the same time.

My knife is an essential everyday tool, hardly day goes by where I don?t use mine. Now, I believe a knife is a tool, not an object to be coveted and protected? keep that in mind as you read on. I typically carry one of two knifes (or more commonly both) every day. The first knife is a Gerber Applegate (full sized) that is pretty beat up (cosmetically) but holds an edge exceptionally well. The second is a Leatherman Juice XE6, while I prefer my Wave that I carry when I am in the backcountry; the Juice is lighter and better suited for EDC. In the last 48 hours alone I have used one or both of these tools for the following: cutting packing tape, cutting rope & webbing, prying a suck button open on an iron, opening a beer bottle (or 6 <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ), cutting my toenails, prying open a locked door, and removing an hotel key card that has managed to get itself stuck between the windshield and dash of my rental car.

I agree with earlier posts that a knife is a tool for situations that you cannot plan for. Just like the rest of my EDC stuff, you never know what you?re going to encounter or what you will need.

I think that about sums it up. Some of us consider it a most basic of tools and some people don't.

BTW, the Juice XE6 is a nice tool. It is what I have in my kit and I what I connived my wife to put in her purse to replace her old SAK.

However, I find it interesting you carry the Wave when hiking - I would think smaller and lighter (although it is about as heavy as the full size tools) would be better. The XE6 has pretty much all the same tools I thought. Why lug the Wave?

In the end, I guess I should feel lucky - she let me (although she did make me squirm quite a bit) add the following to her purse:

- SF E2e (bright)
- Doug Spec Firefly w/2 stage switch (medium & low)
- Mini RSK in yellow
- Juice XE6
- (4) spare 123A batteries

So I guess I don't have anything to complain about. I just wish she wasn't just humoring me. :-)

"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do."

-john

I carry the Wave when backcountry because I like it's size. I typically don't carry a second folding knife, only the Wave and a sheath knife usually a Benchmade NIMRAVUS, or a K-Bar mini-nightfighter. It all depends on what I am doing, and where I am going.

I'm trying to remember the layout of the Atlanta airport but all the airports I've been to blur together in my mind - except for Atlanta's cool elevated tram.

Are you saying that the firefighter bought one of Doug's Personal Survival Paks at an airport behind (after) the security check?

That makes no sense to me since the PSP contains a scalpel. Maybe the store was before security. Did the firefighter have to remove the scalpel before boarding the plane?

I just assumed he meant Play Station Portable. Mine came in one of those industrial strength blister packs. You know, the kind that are tough to get open even with a knife?

Yup, that was the PSP I was talking about.