56 years of carrying a knife (multitool)

[Valkie]

Having been an old boy scout, Venturer, Rover and Leader of them all, I have always had a knife on hand.

But why, you ask do i need to carry a knife.
Well, lets go back to the begining, a new boy scout.
We went on a camp and had to put up our own tents. Quite a challenge for a 8 going on 9 year old with no previous experience.
Tent pegs had to be made, none of the bought ones for our tarp strung between two trees.
Then cutting the ropes, trimming the pegs and of course opening cans and eating.
Nothing more satisfying than cutting up an apple with your own knife.

As time progressed knives became a very useful tool.
Opening things, undoing things (yep, destroyed a few blades doing that) and generally useful for tasks that required a cutting implement.

In scouting, there was this one young chap fall and damage his hand, the knife was invaluable in cutting off the piece of loose, damaged flesh and cutting up a shirt to make a bandage.
Several had the habit of getting splinters, a carefully wielded sharp knife could often get the splinters out quickly and easily.
Ticks were another nasty that were easily removed with a nice sharp knife.
And digging sea urchin spines out of the foot of a kid that stood on one was vitally important .
We never carried a first aid kit, because we were tough.

As I started more adventurous pursuits, a knife on hand was a necessity, I learned that there were many things you could do with wood, branches and carefully stripped bark to secure it with.
Repaired backpacks, shoes and even helped making fishing lures and rods for survival training.
Try doing survival training without a knife.

When I started driving, as I couldn't afford anything but a klunker, repairs were common and frequent.
This is when I first started looking for more than a knife, my first few cheap Multitools were good for one or two repairs before they were useless.
You would be surprised at how many times the old knife, multitool and hammer came out.

And when I started riding motorcycles it was even more important to have a simple tool to "fix" things.
Again, old broken-down bikes were the affordable kind, and as things got old they perished or broke. The old multitool was sooo helpful (along with a meter or so of farmers fence wire) to get the bike back on the road.
Working on repairs around the house, having a sharp tool is a must, and its damn annoying when you cant find it.

Thes days, bush walking is always done with a knife (multitool) on hand.
Saved more than one animal who has been tangled in rubbish left behind by an inconsiderate camper.
I work on a rescue boat, and we often tow other boats, there have been two occasions I have had to cut the tow rope when the towed boat sunk or the one we were rescuing was dragging us into danger.
The multitool has been used to tighten things, loosen things, untangle things and even get a guy tangled and drowning away and free of his own ski rope.

When I'm caravanning, its a great tool rather than digging out the tool box to loosen, tighten, scrape, cyt or otherwise adjust something.
There are so many things needing adjusting, cutting, tightening.

This is a very brief and far from complete explanation of some of the uses for my 56 years of knife carry
Is a knife (multitool) a necessity?
To me yes, but to others, not so much.

But 56 years of having this useful tool on my person......

[nate j]

You’ve got a few decades on me, but I’ve been carrying and using knives and MTs for nearly 30 years myself.  I know what you mean.

It can be hard to explain to someone who lives in an urban/suburban world of easy-open packages, pull-tab cans, and twist-off bottle caps, who has never done their own repairs or spent a night in the woods, when they ask, “But why do you carry a KNIFE?”

I try to be a good ambassador, but sometimes I feel like saying, “Well, if I have to explain the utility of one of mankind’s oldest tools to you, you probably still won’t get it anyway.”

[David Bowen]

I posted this on Facebook a few years ago and its still valid today. I've been carrying a knife now for 30 years and can't picture being without one.

I am often asked by people why do I carry a knife, multitool or both. I tell them it's because I like to be prepared for things, they then ask me exactly what is it that I'm preparing for. Various things occur throughout the day that may require a cutting instrument or a screw tightened. Some days I may not use either one of my items but I'm glad I have them on me just in case. People these days feel carrying a blade is barbaric and brings images of cavemen hunting for their next meal. They would rather use their teeth or a pair of scissors to accomplish what a sharp blade would make short work of.

What do I feel a blade and tool means to me specifically, what makes me want to carry them rather than follow the sheep's? I originally wasn't a knife and tool guy; I'm a geek through and through and neither of these we're on my radar. I'm more inclined to fix electronics and tap away at keyboard keys than anything else. My first job I worked as a stocker for a small grocery store. Next to that store was a local electrical supply store. Numerous contractor and such would get supplies and stuff from this business. They all pretty well dressed the same, carpenter pants, Carhartt jackets and multitools on their hips. The store next door carried multitools and pocket knives and I would often check them out when I would go there.

What started it all for me was the guys at work noticed my interest and on my birthday got me a Gerber Multi-lite. I was utterly fascinated by the functionality and pure utility of the tool which I now carried in my pocket. I used this little tool for virtually everything and having it in my pocket because a thing of comfort. What it also did was make me curious about what else was on the tool market. If this one was as cool as I thought it was then surely they make them even better than this. So the hunt began and I was amazed at the array of tools that were available from Leatherman, SOG and Gerber. After months of reading I figured the absolute best multitool I could purchase was the original Leatherman Wave. And that was the catalyst for my obsession today, crazy huh

But multitools and knives to me are more than just a cool factor of fascination like it once was. Now I see them as inspiration, ingenuity, art and history. Knives and multitools are created by folks who are extremely gifted at what they do. Utilizing modern machinery and basic materials they create what to me is functional art and I'm am often left in awe. Seeing new designs each year is like going to an art gallery and enjoy some famous piece of work, only difference is these do more than hang on a wall. The whole design and creation from begining to end is something j enjoy watching and probably why I love watching things like forged in fire on tv.

On top of all that mushy stuff I also look at it this way. Knives and tools to me are a tie to what it is to be fundamentally human. We by our nature are tool users, we are drawn to them because they make our life much easier than it would be without them. Using knives and tools is something our fathers did and his father before him. It's becomes ingrained in who we are and something a father passed onto his son. The importance of having one, how to use it and care for it. What one gets in return is a life long friend and something he can rely on when nothing else is available.

In today's society knives especially are being labeled as bad and no one needs to own one of these killing machines. We are told we needed to surrender them and they know what's best for us. I feel there is a movement to emasculate us and the way things are going I see sad days ahead for us. I carry knives and tools because of all of the above mentioned things. My question to you is; why do you carry and what do you think?

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[Valkie]

You’ve got a few decades on me, but I’ve been carrying and using knives and MTs for nearly 30 years myself.  I know what you mean.

It can be hard to explain to someone who lives in an urban/suburban world of easy-open packages, pull-tab cans, and twist-off bottle caps, who has never done their own repairs or spent a night in the woods, when they ask, “But why do you carry a KNIFE?”

I try to be a good ambassador, but sometimes I feel like saying, “Well, if I have to explain the utility of one of mankind’s oldest tools to you, you probably still won’t get it anyway.”

Even in the urban environment, a nice sharp knife comes in handy frequently.
The number of times I have been asked by my wife for a knife to cut a thread while we are out.
And a simple loose screw can be a pain if you don't have a multitool on hand.
In some situations its a life saver, as noted with the guy caught up in his ski rope, but I doubt I'd even carry one water skiing.
Opening things, adjusting things, on the fly repair of a new pair of shoes that are giving me blisters and of course cutting up fruit.

when Im without my tool, I feel naked.
And i keep reaching for it when I need it.
And at work, I work in a factory that manufactures and repairs heavy mining equipment.
Not many small tools or fine screwdrivers.
I have been asked to use my Multitool quite a few times for the smaller tools no one has in their tool boxes.

[charlie fox]

Thank you for this thread! It brought up a lot of happy memories from my years of Scouting. I, too, carried a knife and learned how to keep it sharp while in the wild. So many things and situations were handled with a good sharp knife; we learned that with a knife one could manipulate one's environment, which is how humans can survive just about anywhere. Later in the military my pocket knife, and later multitool, was constantly used for food prep and keeping that "military grade" equipment functional In civilian life I've worked in the Emergency Services pretty much since High School and a good knife, multitool and pair of trauma shears can get one out of just about any predicament one finds oneself in. I carried all three in my careers as a Firefighter/EMT, Reserve Police Officer, Armed Security Officer, Executive Protection Agent and now as a Fire & Life Safety Inspector. I've never forgotten the motto of the Boy Scouts - "Be Prepared".

[Valkie]

I posted this on Facebook a few years ago and its still valid today. I've been carrying a knife now for 30 years and can't picture being without one.

I am often asked by people why do I carry a knife, multitool or both. I tell them it's because I like to be prepared for things, they then ask me exactly what is it that I'm preparing for. Various things occur throughout the day that may require a cutting instrument or a screw tightened. Some days I may not use either one of my items but I'm glad I have them on me just in case. People these days feel carrying a blade is barbaric and brings images of cavemen hunting for their next meal. They would rather use their teeth or a pair of scissors to accomplish what a sharp blade would make short work of.

What do I feel a blade and tool means to me specifically, what makes me want to carry them rather than follow the sheep's? I originally wasn't a knife and tool guy; I'm a geek through and through and neither of these we're on my radar. I'm more inclined to fix electronics and tap away at keyboard keys than anything else. My first job I worked as a stocker for a small grocery store. Next to that store was a local electrical supply store. Numerous contractor and such would get supplies and stuff from this business. They all pretty well dressed the same, carpenter pants, Carhartt jackets and multitools on their hips. The store next door carried multitools and pocket knives and I would often check them out when I would go there.

What started it all for me was the guys at work noticed my interest and on my birthday got me a Gerber Multi-lite. I was utterly fascinated by the functionality and pure utility of the tool which I now carried in my pocket. I used this little tool for virtually everything and having it in my pocket because a thing of comfort. What it also did was make me curious about what else was on the tool market. If this one was as cool as I thought it was then surely they make them even better than this. So the hunt began and I was amazed at the array of tools that were available from Leatherman, SOG and Gerber. After months of reading I figured the absolute best multitool I could purchase was the original Leatherman Wave. And that was the catalyst for my obsession today, crazy huh

But multitools and knives to me are more than just a cool factor of fascination like it once was. Now I see them as inspiration, ingenuity, art and history. Knives and multitools are created by folks who are extremely gifted at what they do. Utilizing modern machinery and basic materials they create what to me is functional art and I'm am often left in awe. Seeing new designs each year is like going to an art gallery and enjoy some famous piece of work, only difference is these do more than hang on a wall. The whole design and creation from begining to end is something j enjoy watching and probably why I love watching things like forged in fire on tv.

On top of all that mushy stuff I also look at it this way. Knives and tools to me are a tie to what it is to be fundamentally human. We by our nature are tool users, we are drawn to them because they make our life much easier than it would be without them. Using knives and tools is something our fathers did and his father before him. It's becomes ingrained in who we are and something a father passed onto his son. The importance of having one, how to use it and care for it. What one gets in return is a life long friend and something he can rely on when nothing else is available.

In today's society knives especially are being labeled as bad and no one needs to own one of these killing machines. We are told we needed to surrender them and they know what's best for us. I feel there is a movement to emasculate us and the way things are going I see sad days ahead for us. I carry knives and tools because of all of the above mentioned things. My question to you is; why do you carry and what do you think?

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

Put a little more eloquently that I did.
Very well written
And exactly my thoughts

[IMR4198]

No need for me to add a thing.  You guys have said it all.  Best wishes. IMR