Multiple Knives

I carry just about eveywhere a Leatherman Charge TI, I used to carry a Kershaw Blackout, unfortunetly I lost my Kershaw. The blade on my Charge is a great blade, but i keep wanting ot go back to a pocket knife blade only as well. Other then strictkly convience and a dedicated blade is there an advantage/disadvantage of carrying a poket knife in addition to a multi tool.

For the people that carry multiple knives, blades, tools, why do you carry more then one, is the blade on the multi tool not enough?

Thanks!!

it is always good to have a back-up as regards survival equipment, whether it is a knife, fire making ability, water purification, etc. A single item is better than nothing, but it is better to have back-ups. A primary system can always fail.

The disadvantage is obviously the additional weight and bulk.
I don´t think that the blade on the multi tool is enough. The handling of a blade only knife is much better. In the case of a fixed blade it is much easier to keep the knife clean. Dedicated knives tend to be more robust.
The blade on the multi tool is more or less for backup.

I used to carry a Wave at about 8-1/2 oz. Now I carry a full size RSK and a Juice which together weigh about 9-1/2 oz. For 1 additional oz. I get a decent blade, tools, and redundancy. And I can carry them in separate pockets which spreads the weight out, making it more comfortable overall.

I have experimented with various knife/tool combinations of carry. What I have found, at least for myself, is that most often a knife is an immediate need (usually one handed), and a tool can be retrieved, as well as a flashlight. So, in the interest of weight, I have my Spyderco Rescue clipped in my right front pocket, with a Stanley mini multi tool in the same pocket. As backup, in whatever bag I have, either briefcase or backpack, I have a fullsize Gerber multitool, S&W rescue tool (cutter, prybar & glass breaker) and some sort of flashlight(s).

I carry an old school Wave on belt and a Kershaw Blur in my strong side pocket. Redundandcy issues aside, I really appreciate the spring assist, one hand opening feature of the Blur. Seems that many times when I need a knife for everyday tasks I’m already holding the object of the task in hand. If I recall correctly I’ve had the blade on the Wave close on me unexpectedly. The robust blade and excellent locking configuration makes the Kershaw a superior and safer tool for heavy duty use.

Don't get me wrong, I love the tools onboard the Wave and wouldn't be without it.

Scott

The preferred choice of a multi tool and/or a knife may depend on how task oriented a person is. I carry a small multi-tool (Leatherman Squirt P4) on my keychain in the left pocket and and a Microtech OTF at the ready for all sorts of tasks for my strong hand. The Microtech is a one-handed operation 3'5" blade knife and I use it as a utility knife all the time. I don't use the blade on my Leatherman very often, but I do use the pliers and file quit often.

I carry a Leatherman Supertool on my belt (left side) and a Spyderco Police model clipped inside my right pocket. Others have pointed out redundancy, ruggedness, and the advantages of one-handed operation. These are all important to me. In addition, the Spyderco serves as a backup weapon, due to its size, blade design, and ability to get into action quickly. Being an LEO, it is important to me to have the tools on the multitool, but also important to have a knife that can also be used when another weapon might be unjustified or unavailable.

If I were out in the woods, I would carry more than one knife because they are designed for different tasks. It would be difficult to clean a fish with a machette, or clear undergrowth with a multitool.

It seems to come down to what it always comes down to here: What you normally do, where you normally do it, what you believe are realistic risks that you are preparing for, and any legal concerns.

I carry a small swiss army knife for the scissors and a small multitool for the pliers. The SAK is a Vic Rambler and the MT is a Sebertool M4. Both very small.

Recently I have been vaguely wondering whether something like a Leatherman Juice S2 could do both jobs. but I think it would be too big and heavy for my pocket carry. According to the website, it'd be 50g more weight.

My wave (original) has a blade that is not so great. I mean it is better than nothing but I do prefer a stronger edge. So that's where my strider comes in. Plus every now and than I use both at the same time while doing makeshift repairs in the back of the ambulance, around house, car, kayak or campsite.

I wish I had a Wave Ti since I played with it in the store few weeks back and screwdriver attachments plus bigger blade and better grip are very nice but I just can't seem to spend $100 since I already own a working tool. Maybe next xmas my family and friends will finally listen to me.

I always have my Leatherman charge on my belt and a buck assited opening in my pocket. I love the charge and use it every day but if i need a knife i usualy need one right away ,so i always keep some type of folder in a pocket. The assited opening knives are great. i do have a big cold steel but i don't EDC that one. Its a little scary to most folks.
If i go off the farm I will usualy leave the charge at home and take the SAK and the buck.

I try to keep the blades on my LM Supertool unused, because have great edges on them now, and I don't want to screw that up if I don't have to. I have the blade in my Micro for day to day abuse, and I carry on of the hawkbilled Smith and Wessons.

Suprisingly, that later takes a pretty good edge. I picked it up becuase I was doing a lot of stuff where I was breaking down carboard and breaking up big chunks of packing foam, and I found years ago that a pruning knife works well for that kind of thing. I've got it set up so it is almost as fast in my hand, with winter gloves, as an assisted opener would be.

As for the why- the tools in a multitool, IMO, are for backup. I carry a real knife for day to day cutting.

Lost my Kershaw Whirlwind on an outing - wish I'd tightened that clip as soon as I noticed it was getting loose. Replaced it with a Blur. Haven't decided how I feel about all of the differences, but the angled thumbstud was a nice change.

Here's my take on the motivation:

My LM Wave cost me @$70 new. It is handy as heck for all the other things besides the knife blades. Still, the knife blades are the primary use of the tool without a backup blade, and if something happens to the knife blades, then I have to do without the whole bloody thing when I send it in to get repaired (the same could be true of any other tool on the Wave I suspect, but none so critical to my everyday use).

So for most of my actual cutting work, I like to carry around a little $7.00 Ka Bar folder. If I break it, I still have the wave for backup, and I can go down to the corner store and pick up another cheap replacement without much inconvenience on my part.

So I guess the convenience of having a multi-tool at hand is offset some by the inconvenience of breaking a piece on it and having to send the whole thing in or (gulp) buying another one. I don't see much point in owning two when all I need is just the blade, so there you have it.

I carry a Leatherman Micra on my keychain for everyday duty such as opening polybags, and other such small things. I carry a Buck 110 and a Maglite in a Nite-Ize pouch on my belt for almost everything. I have a Kershaw 1660 clipped inside my pocket as a self defense weapon in the event I ever need it and for some light duty stuff. I carry a seperate keychain in my manbag/purse with a Leatherman PSTII (I customized it), BSA firestarter, compass, whistle, airhose tubingstuffed with cottonball tinder with the ends heated closed. My next goal is to have a custom leather sheath made to hold the Buck 110, Maglite, and the Leatherman on my belt. I carry a total of five knives at all times, sometimes six if I take my 6" Bowie also.

You cannot have too many knives...

Well, that might be a slight exaggeration <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I carry the SAK that I just found (it had been lost for months, in some cranny of a couch we just moved out to sell) along with (sometimes) a Cutco pocket knife along with a Micra. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my RSK with M2, to replace the inexpensive, yet surprisingly useful Gerber Paraframe I lost during a snowball fight with my children... I'm starting to see a pattern of losing knives develop <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Anyway, I use different ones for different jobs. Some work better for certain jobs, and some, I don't want to risk my favorites on.

More blades=more better <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

got the surge heavier than the rest but reminds me of the original lm not bad no complaints and i carry a ken onion

I carry multiple for a similar reason. The most use my blades see is opening boxes. I have a small Spyderco Jester on my keyring for that - quick to deploy, open box, fold up. LM Core on my belt for the tools (most used are pliers and phillips head). I have a larger Gerber folder that genrally stays in pocket as backup, rarely used.

I ended up going with a second knife. I opted not to replace the Kershaw with a Kershaw and picked up a Beretta. I'm not a big fan of their guns, but I've only heard good things about their knives and I like the way it felt. I picked up teh Beretta Airlight II Medium with a straight blade. So far, it's a great knife, I like th eidea of having a dedicated blade and haveing the Charge TI as a back up blade and primary for tools.

Thanks for all of the input!

I always carry a knife as a concealed weapon. I´s La Griffe-Style and I realy love it.

My second knife is a "gentleman"-folder that´s not too big to let my colleges rise their eyebrows when I get it out to cut my breakfast in pieces. Additional to this it´s much more convenient to handle as my Leatherman.

Finaly my Leatherman is my workhorse. It´s hidden in a leather pouch on my belt an only comes out when needed - no rised eyebrows in the office, you know.

That´s my basic blade-set.

Depending on the tasks and the environment to be due I change my gentleman-folder against an other type or take some more specific knifes with me.

Yes, I´m a knife-nut ...

Molf

Why more than 1?

Ever heard the expression "2 is 1, 1 is none"?

If it's something I COUNT on, I want a backup, just in case - one knife might be more "friendly" than the other - or it might be the one on my leatherman

Actually, in my case - there is a full sized blade on my belt (DC Munroe Chimera - just bent the clip AGAIN this AM - grumble), a leatherman Squirt P4 in my offside pocket, and a full sized original leatherman in my day back, plus a 2.5" fixed blade in there

Of course, that does NOT count the 2 spare knives in my desk drawer here at work, the spare knives in the car and truck, the one in each tool box. Do I own a LOT of knives? Probably - I went though a lot till I was happy with my EDC set, and the rest got moved into car/truck/toolbox/drawer mode - plus people keep buying me knives - usually cheap ones I wouldn't carry on a bet

I THINK it may be time to rotate my EDC again - The Chmera is NICE, but I don't like the recurve on the blade, I keep ketting the belt clip caught on things so it keeps bending, and it would be darned expensive to lose

convenience, utility

I carry SAK for PC crowd (I teach school shop); leatherman knockoff for some shop work, locking folder for real cutting when no one around, utility knives in desk drawer for when I need to cut a lot around students, couple of paring knives in drawers for cutting apart fruit, etc. for examination. at least 2-3 fixed blades in vehicle at all times.

In addition to my Leatherman I carry:
Right front pocket - Kershaw Leek (used the most)
Left Front pocket - Cold Steel Tuff-Lite attached to Streamlight Key-Mate (for political correctness around those with knife phobias)
Waist band - Cold Steel Voyager XL (for bad social situations)

I used to only carry one knife, a Buck 110 in a case on my belt. However, chance placed me a situation where my right hand was pinned and my left could not extract the Buck from the case on my right hip. Any knife would have gotten me out of the problem. Since then I always carry a minimum of two knives on opposite sides of my body.

I usually carry about 5 knives most of the time:

My old style Wave
2 Spyderco Enduras-- 1 Plain 1 Serrated
A Victorinox Ranger
and last but not least a Vic Mini-Champ on my keychain.

No! They are usable but there are much better choices out there. My LM Super Tool is a great piece of kit but it will never replace a good pocketknife or a good small sheath knife for most jobs. I almost never carry less than two and usually have three or four if you count the toys on my key chain. Oh and that does not count what ever is in the pack I am carrying at the time. That might be excessive but I am rarely caught without something that will work.

I have a Swiss Card in my wallet and normally carry a Benchmade 705-401 with that. Sometimes the 705 will be replaced by a Leatherman Charge Ti. If I'm going out into the woods a fixed blade would be added to that. I'm pretty good, I don't usually carry more than 3 or 4. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I used to carry maybe just one (my LM Micra) and since reading this site, I'm usually at 2 with my LM New Wave and a lot of the time, I toss in my E306X which is a really nice knife - but is REALLY right handed if you catch my drift. So, from 1 to 3... this place will have me strapping a fixed blade to my ankle before long. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm really surprised that some of the sporting outfitters don't advertise on this site, but maybe they can't since it's a NPO?

I just think of my multitool as a set of pliers with a knife blade in the mix . Truthfully, I'd rather have another tool instead of the blade most of the time as a knife is always on me. I just think the knife is of much more use day to day and I like to have it easily deployed and with the exception of a few multitools, this isn't the case. That said, I think you can go overboard carrying too many blades most of the time.

never... enough... blades... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

You can never have enough blades.

I carry a SAK, a multitool and a folder or fixed blade. I think of multitool blades as backups, that's why I chose the ST Spirit as my EDC multi, the sheepfoot serrated blade is quite different from my regular EDC blades, which adds versatility.

The SAK is there for redundancy, and because I love SAKs, but also as a PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. friendly knife.

I find this combo of tools and blades covers anything I have to do throughout the day.

Several years ago I managed to quit smoking. I know how hard that was.
I have just counted the knives in my EDC bag and found 5!!!.
I have a RSK M2 on order.......
Is there any hope for beating this addiction? Is there no help for a mothers son?

no, no help, just enjoy it!

I'm sorry Missouri, according to my wife....there is no help.