Cull Update

[AimlessWanderer]

Fixed blades are exactly the same too. Way more than I need, but none I can single out as wanting to part with.

If you ever decide to part with the Sheffield one on the bottom row 2nd from the left I know someone interested 

Ahh, the Warthog. Yes, that's a knife I don't particularly want to part with, even though I'm unlikely to ever need it. In the mythical "stuck in the woods with only one knife" scenario, that would certainly be my one. Since my personal abilities to get the most from it have shrunk, I've given it a few coats of looking at several times, but so far it's gone back in the keeper pile every time.

If I do decide to put it in the "let it go" pile, I'll be sure to put you at the head of the queue for it, Kev 

[AimlessWanderer]

The MP6000 is reborn.

Different head and handles, but same tool load. I reckon that just like the modified MP400, this can be carried with just a traditional knife, although it could of course be carried with a clipped OHO folder or Swissknife instead. I do like tools that lend more flexibility to putting together a combo

[AimlessWanderer]

One thing I haven't mentioned in all this, is lights.

There have been a few strategically included in various kits. The keychain and small tool combos all have them, and there's a Nitecore tube on my keys. The outdoors ones both have them too, as does the travel wash kit, and the tool kit with the Diesel in. In fact, I think everything that isn't regular daily carry, has some form of light assigned to it. There's also one by the bed, and one in the kitchen.

The lights not dedicated to any ensemble are shown in the attached pic.

The bulk of the pocket carry is done my the Quark AA² tactical, with the two cell tube. The second most used is the Sunwayman V10R - fantastic light - but it does have a habit of trying to escape from my pocket.

There's a couple of little ones that clip on top of a 9V battery, and they're excellent if there's a black out (doesn't happen often, and usually only for an hour or so) and also great for use in a small tent. The others don't get much use these days, mainly because they don't have a pocket clip, but I really don't mind having a few spare lights. As they have a more limited lifespan than a knife or pliers, I don't feel as overwhelmed by them. I've given quite a few away over the years too.

[AimlessWanderer]

There's another issue with having too many combos. Sometimes you forget they even exist   

I found this tin yesterday...

[Smashie]

There's another issue with having too many combos. Sometimes you forget they even exist   

I found this tin yesterday...

That seems a useful little load out. The kind of thing I would put in my briefcase.

[AimlessWanderer]

I've never carried it  I built it, and promptly forgot about it 

It's a solution looking for a problem, unfortunately. If I stash it in the weekend bag for example, I'll just forget about it again, not keep the light charged, and not go get it if I ever needed it anyway. It's also not the kind of thing I'd carry in a pocket either. I was just trying to make surplus stuff useful, and failed 

Needs garlic...

[gerleatherberman]

Quite an interesting thread, AW! I imagine culling can be somewhat arduous. Well, it would be for me anyway, as a collector.

Are you planning several rotational EDC combos?

[AimlessWanderer]

Pics are broken! 

[hiraethus]

I think Whoey's on it.  Hopefully be fixed later today.

[AimlessWanderer]

Quite an interesting thread, AW! I imagine culling can be somewhat arduous. Well, it would be for me anyway, as a collector.

Are you planning several rotational EDC combos?

Deciding which to let go is the arduous part, because with many, there's no going back. I'd simply not be able to reacquire the tools or parts at a price I'm willing to pay. This makes parting with things quite daunting.

As to rotation, I think different people have varying notions of what that term means, so i'd be better defining what I do. I like options as much as I like combos. A lot of these combos are "grab and go", so when I know what the day has in store, I can just pick it up and get on with it. For the rest, I like to have a few options to pick and choose from, dependent on what trousers I'm wearing, and how much pocket space I'll have. Do things tend to fall out of those pockets? Will I have extra pockets above the belt? What's the likelihood or needing to use a tool in public? So, having the templates, but being able to fine tune the combo, works very well for me too. I don't rotate as in fixed periods of time, or after X comes Y, or anything systemic like that.

That said, if I feel that I have amassed too many options, I feel the need to thin out, and the daunting task of identifying surplus starts over again.

[AimlessWanderer]

I think Whoey's on it.  Hopefully be fixed later today.

Thanks Chris 

[gerleatherberman]

  That does seem as though it would be frustrating. 

i'll be looking forward to seeing some of your combinations, even if they are just temporary. 

[Smashie]

That does seem as though it would be frustrating. 

i'll be looking forward to seeing some of your combinations, even if they are just temporary. 

Yup, seeing how other people combine gear is always interesting and often sparks ideas you may not have had

[AimlessWanderer]

That does seem as though it would be frustrating. 

i'll be looking forward to seeing some of your combinations, even if they are just temporary. 

The only real changes that I expect from here on, apart from the occasional sale, is modding. I've obviously got all the ones already shown in this thread, but plan on redoing the three I already have, and creating four more. (1 x 93mm, 2 x 91mm and 1 x 74mm).

I'm a lot happier with the modded MP600 now too. That's joined the Wave mod as an option for a more heavily loaded urban tool. With the blunt nosed pliers, it was sitting there waiting for tasks that might need that bulkier plier head, whereas now, it's made itself an option for regular daily carry.

[gerleatherberman]

The 600 BN is one of my personal favorites! I really cannot think of a stronger pliers head on any other MT. 

Will you be posting a step-by-step for the SAK mods, AW?

[AimlessWanderer]

That does seem as though it would be frustrating. 

i'll be looking forward to seeing some of your combinations, even if they are just temporary. 

Yup, seeing how other people combine gear is always interesting and often sparks ideas you may not have had

Absolutely! It was talking to people on here, which brought the Sideclip and KF4 forward as contenders. I'd originally written them both off as inferior tools, instead of recognising their value as a combo. Likewise, it was me, Gareth and Kirky talking about the wish for a knifeless MP400 that brought each of our variants about. The Wingman scissors on the Wave came from here, as did putting Strata tools on the 600.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the biggest boost for me has been the UK meet. Handling different tools that I may or may not have considered buying, or even had in the past and got rid of, and seeing up close the issues have with one tool, and why another works better for them. We can get a little overrun by the Welsh occasionally, but otherwise it's all good 



It was speaking to Gareth and Neil there that got me queued up for modding, Gareth and Tom's discussion about electrical screwdrivers that brough my attention back to the Sideclip. Tony's enthusiasm for tinkering with various stuff rubs off too. That man is full of ideas. Some of them are even quite good 

So yeah, a lot of thanks needs to the MTO crowd for the combos and tool selections in this thread. Understanding different peoples approach to different problems is enlightening.

[AimlessWanderer]

The 600 BN is one of my personal favorites! I really cannot think of a stronger pliers head on any other MT. 

Will you be posting a step-by-step for the SAK mods, AW?

A brief video hopefully. They'll all kind of overlap, as all (well, most) of the scale materials need treating at the same time, as I only have enough low viscosity epoxy to run one batch, and there's an obscene amount of work to do before I get there. A lot of experiments in processing different materials too, like hand cutting garnet and other stones, and seeing how thin Whitby jet and mother of pearl can be processed before they disintegrate or become unstable.

I'll try to get a little footage of everything I do (if I don't get too engrossed and forget), and then stitch everything together for each knife created at the end. Much learning to do first though, so it might be another year or two before I have anything finished.

[AimlessWanderer]

A few changes to the Diesel kit.

I'm swapping over some of the writing and measuring implements, but more importantly, I'm going to replace the Soft Touch 14 with a Cybertool 41. That way, I can pocket the Vic, and leave the rest of the mini toolkit in a bag, so I've got a comprehensive tool selection on me, yet still have the other stuff close to hand if the knife is overwhelmed. At the moment, the 41 has ruby scales fitted, but I'll swap them for black ones, so the knife matches in with the rest.

This leaves me back with the ST14 for general pocket carry (I wasn't happy having it tied up to a kit), and everything else just squeezes into this Skinth for chucking in a travel bag, or using as a grab bag. The light/lantern and Cybertool are in the outside pockets, so I can get at those without the pouch vomiting everything else out everywhere

[SteveC]

Nice kit Al !     

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks Steve. 

It used to be a kit I grabbed when friends were moving house, or had some odd jobs they needed a hand with. These days it sits idle most of the time, but I still throw it in the bag occasionally when visiting friends or family. I think the tools in that kit are better than some of them have in their whole house

[ThePeacent]

A few changes to the Diesel kit.

as Steve said, very nice kit! 
I have a similar one, which I use for similar purposes 

[AimlessWanderer]

as Steve said, very nice kit! 
I have a similar one, which I use for similar purposes 

(Image removed from quote.)

Thanks TP. What else was lurking in the pouch? Do you have a pic of the full kit?

[Aloha]

I'll echo what the others have said, Nice kit.  I figured we all had some kind of grab and go kit for times when visiting friends/family  .  While most items I just want to be a guest like the others, they know we carry tools so.......

I do have an actual bag of tools on my truck but most times a small kit like yours can solve a lot of issues. 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'll echo what the others have said, Nice kit.  I figured we all had some kind of grab and go kit for times when visiting friends/family  .  While most items I just want to be a guest like the others, they know we carry tools so.......

I do have an actual bag of tools on my truck but most times a small kit like yours can solve a lot of issues.

Absolutely!

I used to carry this kit (with a couple of subtle differences) in the smallest of the Maxpedition EDC pouches, and had it in my pocket when I visited some friends who had just moved into a new house three or four years ago. I went to use their bathroom, and when I tried to get out, the door handle came away, and the spindle dropped on the floor the other side.

 

I heard my friend shout "Oh, has it done it again?", and by the time she'd walked through and picked up the handle and spindle, I was already opening the door I fixed that, fixed a dodgy lightswitch, replaced a broken cupboard hinge, and sorted a couple of other things, just with that kit in my pocket. I did have some more stuff in the car, but never needed it.

When another friend moved house, it changed locks, fitted baby gates, harvested sticks for dowels for plugging the door frame where the hinge screws had pulled through... it's certainly paid for itself.

[AimlessWanderer]

I mentioned when I posted the "formal" combo pic, that my intention was to polish up one of my Sideclips.



I've since gotten some Micromesh to do this with, but have noticed that the original brushed finish was hiding a multitude of sins. Even after giving the surface a good rub down  with some 600 grit wet and dry, there's some significant "orange peeling" which would involve removing quite a bit of material to fully clear it (pic attached). As such, I might need to polish up both of them, and piece together the best components from each, if I want a flawless finish. 

I think that might be more work than I want to do though, so I might just polish this up as is, and tolerate a little residual "character". Nobody other than me would really know anyway. I just don't want to put all that effort in, and still not be happy with it though 

Undecided....

[Aloha]

I went down the uber polish hole for a brief moment.  Man I got a little crazy.  I polished a lot of tools that really didn't want to be polished.  A Kershaw Leek for example was so slippery when all done that it was almost unusable.  My Wave, some PSTs, certain SAK tools, a Swisstool ( yup ), and a lot of other things I dare not post  . 

I don't mind the character these days.  Not sure whats changed?  My Buck 110 is a great example.  I got it in rough shape but stopped very short of removing the previous life it had.  Cleaned it up just enough for my time with it and development of character.

Oh, but I'm still probably gonna get some micro mesh  .  I didn't say I was cured.   

[AimlessWanderer]

Oh, but I'm still probably gonna get some micro mesh  .  I didn't say I was cured.

Still early days for me, but first impressions are very good. 

I'm a bit odd with acquired character and natural patina (some would say I'm odd with a lot of things  ), I don't mind it, so long as it's me that put it there. If this Sideclip gets scratched up a bit in use, no problem - but that orange peel finish in a couple of areas, wasn't my doing, or not necessarily acquired while it was with me.  I really like the looks of older knives, so long as I got it new.

One of the reasons I wanted to cut back, was so my reduced array would see more pocket time, and start to look like faithful companions sooner. I wouldn't want to buy tools in that condition though, only take on that look from being a part of my life. Patina I put on has meaning, buying a "worn in" tool does not (for me). In five or ten years, I want my favourites to be obvious, purely because they'll reflect the days they spent with me. There's only three of my pocket knives that have acquired that look so far, but some of the multis and Swiss knives are starting to take on that look too.

[ThePeacent]

Thanks TP. What else was lurking in the pouch? Do you have a pic of the full kit?

H AW,
sorry but it was an opportunnity pic,  taken at the moment I was swapping items by chance, but the contents of it are most times:

Crater C33
Pliers based multitool, full sized (such as Spirit, ST300, SOG Powerlock...)
Precise needlenose pliers multitool (such as Squirt, Juice, etc.)
Tweezers, full size and locking, and Nail Clipper
AAA Flashlight
Pencil
Pen
Band-Aids, Steri-Strips
Spare Battery
Tape, Paper Clips, Carabiner
Pocket Prybar with wrench
Lighter(s)
Utility Knife W/Replaceable blades
Bit Kit
OPT with several allen and screwdriver tips

I also have this small pouch, with different gear, which rides in the vehicle permanently 

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks TP. 

For some reason (not sure why, as they're not shown/listed) that reminded me to put some small cable ties in my kit. Now done.

Are they mini vials of Superglue in the first pic?

[ThePeacent]

Thanks TP. 

For some reason (not sure why, as they're not shown/listed) that reminded me to put some small cable ties in my kit. Now done.

Are they mini vials of Superglue in the first pic?

oh, I sometimes have zip ties in the pouch too 
those are eye drops (I had dry eyes for a while after the LASIK surgery)