Every Day Carry Knives — Blog Contest Entry

I’m not a man of many knives, but I do enjoy the ones I have and I have a couple stories. I’m not sure what this will include but I’d like to start with a treasure finding of my own.

Everyone should know by now that Mexico isn’t the safest place to travel on your own.  Around mid September of 2011 my mother and her sister, wanted to take a trip to Baja, Mexico to evaluate the house that my aunt took full ownership of.  Because of the recent cartel activity in the surrounding areas they took me for “protection,” I laugh at that idea, but was glad they thought of me. My aunt, her family and some friends build the house back in the 80’s and it hasn’t been used much since the late 90’s.  We arrived at the house and wrote down all that had to be done to make it more presentable except for one room.  My aunt divorced in the mid 90’s and the room my uncle had deemed his has been locked since then.  My aunt decided it was time to break it open.

With the use of a hammer and screw driver the door was wide open in seconds.  The room was right out of the 80’s.  The outdated TV, laced comforter, short green loveseat and green shaggy rug, an old Red Ryder leaning in the corner, the room was full of old stuff, nifty and crappy.  We then made way to the closet.  Inside was a tool box my aunt handed to me and said whatever I wanted I could keep.  I knew, and was right, everything inside was cheap and rusty Chinese crap, but I still went through it.  I soon came across cheap plastic box and when I opened it, I knew I was in luck!

I’m kidding, I had low expectations, it was full of cheap crap. Except for what I found hiding under half a handle of something broken.  To my surprise it was a Case Mini Trapper.  Without hesitating I tossed it in my pocket and passed on everything else.  After further investigation I found it was from the 1985 and in beautiful condition.  Made the trip worth it.  That’s all I have to say ‘bout that.

A second thing that I’d like to get out as it has been on my mind for sometime has to do with the perfect EDC knife.  I know every knife carrying man and woman have their own opinion but I believe mine can help those who are still looking for the perfect knife.  Let me start by saying that there is no perfect edc knife, only knife combos.  I use to search for the perfect knife, using what money I have to get what I thought was best.  I came to realize that there is no perfect knife.  After I had found the mini trapper in Mexico, that’s when I learned my lesson that perfect knife combos do exist.  My primary hard use “defensive” blade is between a Spyderco pacific salt and the Spydehawk which I carry as a rescue blade on rainy days.  I’m not a strictly Spyderco by any means, I just happened to acquire them.  I found my Case to be the perfect complement to these big blades.  The Mini Trapper has a big enough handle so I can use more than just two fingers when using it.  The overall “classic” look of the knife is extremely receptive to sheeple and won’t scare them at all.  The knife is ridiculously easy to sharpen and takes a breath shaving edge.  The combination of the big knife and small case is the perfect edc for me.  If you’re not getting it, what I’m saying is if you’re getting frustrated, or if you’re trying to look for the perfect edc blade, stop! And look for a combination of two different blades.  If you have the perfect blade that works for you than good on you! But those still searching try going for two blades.  Not only does it work but if you need a reason to buy more knives, having multiple edc blades and a variety to choose from is a good reason.  I haven’t been in the knife community for very long, but I know a vast majority of you carry more than one knife anyways.  And to those of you caring a “back up tactical blade” to the tactical blade you already have and just to anyone who carries a knife, remember, it would be better for you legally, to “go fists” with someone all day than to start off using a blade.  Train yourself, you body is just as important as your knife. And remember your knife is a tool, not a weapon.          -David