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Can anyone recommend an actually pocket size saw, rather than just a folding saw? So like the one on a Swiss army knife? Its for cutting fallen branches on walks with my kids, making walking sticks (or "swords").
Don't really need the other blades of a SAK so wondered if there's something that fits in your pocket but isn't too full on.
I finally replaced the lost SAK Camper (used mainly for cooking, cutting, sawing and grooming) with a combination of
Keyring kit: Alox SD Classic
Single-blade (legal-carry) budget-price folder: Schrade ‘Imperial’ (small sodbuster). Was about a tenner from Heinnie. Really like the handle as they keep the old rounded/ergonomic handle (as per the older Case-branded versions). It’s ‘400-series stainless’ which probably means low-grade something or other. I’ll just be sure to maintain it.
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Sharpener: Victorinox ceramic combination sharpener
Very impressed with all three for what they are. Though Victorinox arrived with the blade catching on the file when folding/unfolding. I just cold-set it straight in the vice with gentle springing. Really tight tolerance to begin with so no biggie.
The small sodbuster is a nice cheap and cheerful little knife to hold, carry and to work with. Early days to know how it holds an edge. It didn’t arrive too sharp so gave it a razz on the stone. Now it’s cutting mushies and toms to paper-thin slices.
At home:
I keep a small Whitby alu/stainless locking-knife that I found in the street decades ago. Plan is to restore it, mirror-polish blade and make some custom wooden scales then use for whittling etc.
Unused - the tiny Richards Of Sheffield folding penkife. Bought it from a bootsale for £1.50, couldn’t resist. Used on keyring but replaced now with the little SAK)
Last (but most) - a Swiss Champ for all-round multitool. It was a really nice gift, and is an amazing bit of kit. Saves opening and rummaging through toolbox 80% of the time (for all those little jobs). Gets carried in pack for longer walks or bikepacking.
(Fetishy pic incoming)
@colonel wax - Opinel do a folding saw to the same design as their pocket knives, just bigger, and a perfect size for sticking in a pocket, even a jeans or shorts pocket. Very sharp and aggressive teeth, ideal for what you want, and easier to use than the little saw blade on a SAK.
The blade is 12cm long.
https://www.heinnie.com/opinel-folding-saw-no-12
My Gerber MT800 multitool has a removable saw blade, and comes with a Remgrit blade, but I found a pack of Black & Decker fitting jigsaw blades that fitted, of different lengths, that I can swap over, although most are too long to fit into the handle; it extends the usability for cutting branches and sticks.
@howardthp
👍
Ordered another Olight - this time the Warrior X Pro
So will have the Copper i5t (in my backpack), a copper S2R II (on the L dock in the kitchen), a Seeker 2 Pro (in the car) and a nice W x Pro on order. 2250l and 600m beam on high output - spotty too.
I don't need any more torches. (But I might want more torches).
I like the look of the TPT slide. I find generally i want a "knife" what it want is a very precise blade, more like a stanley knife. an every day knife that thin would dull and get broken really quick i think.
the TPT looks good, but i think this looks better, is half the price, and I still cant think how the mechanism must work, so also add "its witchcraft" to the list too
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1496249101/maker-knife-the-edc-pocket-tool-you-want-to-carry
Have a look at the Gerber EAB, it's really very good
I also have a few cheaper knock offs from China, really useful little knives for jobs that you know will kill the blade
@colonel wax - it’s a good saw, just watch the teeth, they’re sharp! If you’re cutting sticks for walking with, or just a bit of trail clearance, it’ll rip through pretty quickly, but the blade is quite flexy, so take it easy.
Like their knives, it’s basic, but very efficient. And did I say sharp?
😁
the TPT looks good, but i think this looks better, is half the price, and I still cant think how the mechanism must work, so also add “its witchcraft” to the list too
I mean, $80 for something that takes a Stanley knife blade?
I've got a case knife somewhere that a mate gave me from when he worked at Morrisons in the early 90s. It takes a single-edged razor blade and does exactly the same job. I'll hoy up a photo later if I can find it.
hahaha
I hear ya Cougar.
I do love EDC but I really don't see the excitement with pry bars. How much stuff do you pry? I can't recall tbh. Probs a paint can. Also probs used a screwdriver.
Thanks to whoever recommended the Hultafors chisel knife. Ordered one after seeing it on here and it's had plenty use already!
*Waves*
Great for prying 🙂
I mean, $80 for something that takes a Stanley knife blade?
Know what you mean, it’s a trick bit of engineering, and very compact, but there are similar and very much cheaper things about. I’ve got a Rolson utility knife that takes Stanley blades, it’s a folding knife, so fairly bulky and not as easily tucked into a pocket, but it was very cheap, about £5-6 I think.
Still, if you can afford it, why not, after all, there are people who’ll happily pay £5-600 for a little handbag because it’s got some detail that last year’s £5-600 bag didn’t have...
Just for the hell of it I’ve done an EDC photo of the junk I carry around in my pockets, sans phone and wallet. My Gerber MT800 multitool has the two extra saw blades alongside it, just to show them.
I'd really like to see a deconstruction of that keyring bunch top-left, if you'd care to indulge me?
@CountZero that monkey fist wouldn't be packing an S/S steel ball?
LED Lenser P5.2.
Leatherman Sidekick.
Keybiner.
Honoré wallet.
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Leatherman Juice (UK EDC legal) plus micro nail-clippers & True Utility telescopic pen (with magnetic cap).
True Utility Nano torch or Tesco 9LED / 3AAA Torch - cheap & excellent.
Folding protected magnifier – small print / maps / makers-marks on S/H stuff
Mini tape measure – DIY stuff / buying clothes / I need a widget to fit this other thingammy.
Finger plasters in my wallet – lost count of the number of times these have helped other people.
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Squirrelking Member
… but my go to tool is a Wera Kraftform Kompakt 20
Very nice tool (if you’ve not done so already) I’ve found it’s well worth adding some conventional bit-holders for restricted-access work. These are 6” (fits in the case) and 2”. Took a while to realise the whole ‘blade’ can be swapped over as it cannot on the pistol-grip / ratchet version.
Mine changes from day to day,
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@Merak Member
CountZero that monkey fist wouldn’t be packing an S/S steel ball?
That’s reminded me. About 35 years ago, went to a specialist fabrication / welding place we used. Owners were distraught – whole batch of components they’d made from steel (think a weeks work for 3 people) customer points out the drawing says ‘s steel’.
But real question (probably ‘doh’) but in your photo above ^^^^^ what is the shiny thing at the back?
^ Looks like a tritium vial keyring,
It's my earphones!
Ahh, thought he was asking countzero what the shiny thing was on his key ring a few posts up ^
f701. Standard. Great pens. I'll do a carry poc in the morning.
Merak, what SAK is that? Looks like a custom Ti soldier or pioneer
Recently picked up a Pioneer x and put a nite ize hipclip on it. Works really nicely, I think this is my 6th alox SAK
Your'e right. A stonewashed Ti Pioneer.
From this chap.
https://instagram.com/decustomforge?igshid=6dwm1431xom3
Anyone got any new kit?
Just got my Olight Warrior X a couple of days ago. Wanted something a little more throwy / spot and this does the job nicely. Only 2 modes (well, 4 if you count instant on/off for high and low mode). Bezel is a BEAST and there's some kind of lume built into the lens so there's a blue afterglow. 600m range on 2200l mode too. It's solid.
Also thinking about a smaller back pack (perhaps the smaller Camelbak MULE) as the HAWG is rarely full even with a big jacket in there.
Just bought a GiantMouse ACE Biblio titanium folder. V light and a lovely design overall.
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Just dug out my copy of this for sun-lounger reading material. Amazon says second-edition published 2013 but mine is 2005. Some of the technology has moved on a long way since e.g. torches / GPS.
It’s very USA orientated but if EDC kit interests you, it’s worth a read. The Amazon reviews are pretty accurate IMO.
Build the Perfect Survival Kit - John D McCann
I don't carry a knife with me generally but I do keep an EDC knife in my hillwalking rucksack. To replace the one I had been carrying I'd ordered a Lansky World Carry but when it was arrived I realised that, legal or not, there was no way I'd be carrying that monster.
Instead I've gone for one of the SpyderCo UK penknifes.
Apologies for not answering sooner, I hadn’t looked back at this thread for a bit.
@Merak - I think it might be, it’s slightly magnetic, I bought it at a knife show several years ago but didn’t enquire. It’s quite heavy.
@Cougar - I thought someone might ask...
From bottom left clockwise - the blue tube has Rooth C&P earplugs for gigs; my front door key, modded for use as a bottle-opener; a limited edition steel Ford Puma logo keyring (no longer have the car, but I couldn’t bear to part with the keyring in case I ever got another Puma); a titanium fob with tritium vials for finding my keys in the dark; a container for fire-starting tinder, but which carries some emergency painkillers; a small steel County Comms prybar; a Kershaw Cinder knife, which also has a bottle opener as well; and a little Thrunite Ti3 AAA emergency flashlight.
Most items are on little carabiner-type links, so they can be easily removed for use, even that little prybar has proved handy for freeing things up in tight spaces.
(no longer have the car, but I couldn’t bear to part with the keyring in case I ever got another Puma)
That's the sort of logic that I can relate to.
Most items are on little carabiner-type links
Yeah, my keyring is a mini crab, it's handy to be able to just snap things on and off easily.
Just bought a Svord Peasant Mini, looks like it'll be a nice simple pocket knife. Have an Opinel No9 for round the house/garden and several SAKs in various places (car/wash bag etc).
The F-xMD pen has replaced the F701
@cougar - the reality is it’s just I loved the car, had to sell it because I couldn’t afford to run it after being made redundant, and that is all I have to remember it. They’re also rather scarce, so worth something to a Puma owner. There’s always that remote possibility I might find myself with enough money to be able to buy one of the new Puma hybrids. But until then...
There are three other items I left out of that group photo above, my phone, my wallet and my CRKT Pilar pocket knife, so to complete the set...
My new farmer X...
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Are there any good UK manufacturers using British steel for an EDC?
In what sense? Multitool? Knife? Knives, yes, there are knife makers in the U.K. who forge their own blades, some make UK legal folders.
https://benandloisorford.com/
I’m certain Ben has made a simple non-locking folder, but it’s not listen on their site.
There’s a bunch of knives here, but most probably use foreign steel, Spyderco often use Japanese steel on their knives.
https://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/folding-knives-76-c.asp
Sorry, yes a knife. Something along the lines of a Spyderco UK penknife but British.
Not quite like a Spyderco penknife, but there’s a whole bunch of Sheffield made knives of various types here:
https://www.sheffield-made.com/acatalog/Pocket_Knives.html
This one is rather nice, that shape of blade has become quite popular recently, and a handle with rosewood scales and nickel bolsters for that price is pretty good.
https://www.sheffield-made.com/acatalog/2-Bolster-pocket-knife-132_2_bolster.html#SID=19
More to be found here:
https://sheffield-gb.com/Sheffield_Made_Knives/Sheffield_Knives_by_Trevor_Abl/sheffield_knives_by_trevor_ablett.html
https://www.penknives-and-scissors.co.uk/acatalog/Pen_and_pocket_knives-p1.html
Got a new Benchmade mini-bugout and Rovyvon A8 flashlight (keyfob shown for size comparison)
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The mini-bugout is a cracking wee pocket knife, very light and decent blade length, shown next to my old kershaw od-2 for size comparison, slightly larger and more secure/useable than the od-2.
The Rovyvon A8 is seriously bright for it's size at 650lumens but more importantly it has various modes and battery life is very decent - charges by mini-usb.
Those little flashlights with USB charging are becoming more common, which is a good thing, saves having to keep a bunch of spare batteries charged up. I’ve just bought a NEBO light from Heinnie for work, it’s like a penlight, with a COB light on the side, a regular flashlight on the end, and even a red laser pointer built into the clip! Cost £18.99, and it’s ideal for doing vehicle inspections when it starts getting dark, the COB light gives a flat flood of light, great for picking up small dents and scratches. Micro-USB charging, so I can just plug it into my battery-pack during lunch to give it a quick top-up.
https://www.heinnie.com/nebo-trio-flashlight-laser-pointer
Looking at a Damascus steel Chinese chopping knife. Not an EDC obviously, but my question applies across the knife board. How do I maintain the specified 30° (15 EA side) by hand? It really seems like a black art maintaining a keen edge.
This sharpener here is pretty foolproof and easy to use, ,
Edit : forget the lynskey above as I see you specified 30 degrees, no experience of This Spyderco here but gets good reviews
30 degrees doesn’t seem right, most kitchen knife edge angles are between 17 degrees and 22 degrees - those Lansky sharpeners are excellent, I’ve got one, and there’s another that has a pair of diamond coated sticks for getting an edge on really dull knives. They also do a neat little keyring sharpener with very small ceramic sticks the cross over, for sharpening either very thick blades, or very thin ones, set about 20 degrees, it keeps a very good edge on my knives. Only about a fiver, I think.
Yeah, here you go, £5.95 from Heinnie;
https://www.heinnie.com/lansky-mini-crock-stick
Maybe not to the sort of standard where you can cut paper-thin slices from a tomato without holding it, but that’s just showing off!