Why a knife?

I am with Bonzo that Opinel knives are an amazing value… but I will disagree that Reeve, etc have nothing on them. These expensive knives, offer 3 things.  For some people it’s worth the money. Others will see this as a wasteful extravagance in the same way that some people love their Toyota Corolla and think people who own a Porsche are crazy.

1. ease of use single handed. I can open and close a Benchmade Bugout easily in one hand (love the AXIS lock).  Maybe possible with the Opinel but I haven’t achieved that dexterity.  This is sometime important because the other hand is busy holding something.
2. durability in the face of mistreatment / neglect. If you take care to clean and dry the Opinel after each use, it could last a lifetime. If you forget to clean / dry it before it’s put away the blade will rust and the handle will swell.  I unfortunately have done this a couple of times over the course of my life. Counter-point: you could replace the Opinel 12 times before something like the Bugout makes financial sense
3. enjoyment of good craftsmanship.  For some people it’s the precision of the mechanical assembly… the way the knife locks. This is similar but different from the joy Bonzo get touching wood on Opinel after he refinished it.

Going back to the some of the earliest comments in this thread… most of the time scissors or a tiny blade is all I “need” on most trips, but if I am carrying a knife I find uses for it :). My complete thoughts on knives.

^Mark – the Axis is easily the best advance in pokey stabby things in the last twenty years. I’ve bought the obligatory Sebenza, and ended up giving it to my brother, because it was way too thin and framelocks just aren’t my thing. Sad not to see many puukkos in your link! Check out the Nordiskaknivar blog if you haven’t already, it’s what made me fall in love with knives.

Opinels are delightful in their simplicity, their lines, and their history. Perhaps not as much room for craftsmanship as a CR, but there’s certainly more elegance. There’s no other knife outside my kitchen I like better for food prep, despite the fussiness of a thin convex. The swelling handle is a charming defect; rapping the nub of the handle on the nearest rock or your knee will free the blade (the ‘coup de Savoyard’).

I love the longevity of a thread on knives. Must be the caveman in us all. So…

“To me it is risky to not carry a proper knife when hiking. ”

Please tell me what the risks are. I’ve been backpacking for some 34 years and have rarely if ever pulled my knife out for anything other than slicing cheese.

And will someone please tell me why anyone would carry a knife around their neck? I see posts from women claiming they would use these in self defense, but it seems to me they could be quickly overpowered and that knife would end up being used against them. Mace or pepper spray seems so much more effective. Are there other reasons to have a sharp implement hanging from a cord around one’s neck?

^Karen –

I think he means risky as opposed to an ‘improper’ knife – something you can’t grip well. If you were to slice your cheese with a bare razor blade, that would be what he’s talking about. People carry a razor or a super-mega-ultra-hip exacto point to save weight. Two or three ounces to prevent a bad slice is a really small penalty, in my book.

Edit – I can’t comment on using a neck knife in self-defense, but lots of folks have carried neck knives, going way back to the neolithic. Crouching or sitting, it’s more easily accessible than something in your pocket, it’s easier to locate in winter clothing, it can be a sort of talisman, it reduces clutter in your pocket, and some may just enjoy it!