knife or multi tool

[Pete]

I'd not seen that one Chooie, is it a good blade?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Chooie]

I'd not seen that one Chooie, is it a good blade?

It's sufficient for day to day work, but it's no VG-10 or 1.4116 stainless - i.e., it's fairly malleable and the edge wears quickly, but it's tough and sharpens easily. It holds an edge well enough to chop up 1" tree limbs, but you'd better have a stone with you to put that edge back to clean the fish you're cookin'.

[normal]

+1 on both. I carry a Leatherman Juice and a Spyderco knife.

[LastManOut]

I agree that the Leatherman and a defensive knife have their seperate uses. I usually carry both, a Delica clipped to my support side waistband, behind my belt and the Original Leatherman in my strong side pocket. The Delica is kept sharp and not used for daily chores, I'll use the Leatherman regularly.

What do you use for keeping a razor edge on your defensive knife? Wet-stone? DMT diamond? I have been trying to get an edge thats able to shave a hairs, but I can't get that n-th degree of sharpness I want.

FYI, I sent my Leatherman back for a repair, the company made the repair and returned it free of charge.

[maclean3]

I use the Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker for everything from edc folders to our large Chef's knives. Cost was about $40 when I bought mine a few years back and it comes with a large, full color manual and VHS instructional video - that might be dvd now. All my knives will shave with no trouble at all.
Jack

[packinnova]

BOTH! I carry both. I keep a swiss army knife in my left front pocket(weak side) and a kershaw assisted opener strong side tool pocket (along the seam and just below the main front pocket most people keep their keys in).

The reason I keep the kershaw there instead of clipped on a normal pocket or up around my belt is for one reason...In case I get mounted on the ground in a fight. If someone is mounted on you, their legs pretty much cover your normal front pockets which means you can't access your knife. The lower pocket allows you to be able to reach around the leg and still get your knife to deploy to their kidneys and/or go to work, etc...
Funny thing about the swiss...I've had the same one for I think going on 6 years now and I REALLY abuse them(last one ended up at the bottom of a lake and I had that one for a good number of years too). I also have one of the swiss multitools that I wear on my weak side belt on occasion.

[Blackeagle]

As others have said, carry both. A good folder (or even a fixed blade) is primarily a defensive tool. I've tried to get out of the habit of using mine for utility tasks. It's better not to dull a piece of lifesaving equipment by using it to open CD packaging. My leatherman, on the other hand is a utility tool. It's knife blade gets used for opening boxes and the like. The leatherman is probably the most useful thing I carry other than a flashlight.

[Schwebel]

I carry a Swiss Army knife,it's the long one shaped like a grip. It may not be the best defensive weapon but it has a larger easier to open blade than a leatherman, and has almost the same tools. Comes in handy alot, must be from watching too much MacGuyver as a kid.

[22RSSIX]

I'd not seen that one Chooie, is it a good blade?

I have a new wave. I have to say the blade is sharp. I was cutting some zip-ties on a network cable and well I put the blade into my thumb. It was about 1/4 inch wide and about the same in depth. I think it may of hit my thumb bone.

The blade is easy to flip out as well on mine.

[phaed]

i prefer a nice sized knife with serrated blade over a gerber/leatherman tool. i never really used the screw drivers and other stuff, and i don't much care for the blades on those things. however, it's best to check with local laws first. they may make the decision for you.

[Serenity]

Hey guys new to the forum an just wondering if for everyday carry a knife or multi tool is better each has it points but not sure which would be better i know as far as defense a knife would but what about all the other stuff a multi tool could be used for.

There was a time in my life where my nickname by my colleagues was "Tool Time". I carried a pocket knife, a clip knife and a multi-tool (plus other various gadgets and tools) and this was wearing a suit every day.

My take, if I could only have one item. As much as I love my every day carry "Sebenza" I'd have to choose my Leatherman Wave if that's all I could have.

It's a "one handed opener" knife that locks and it has all the advantages of a multi-tool. Frankly, self-defense is the last consideration I make for my knife.

If all you can carry is one item then make it the best multi-tool you can buy.

In reality though, I carry a Chris Reeve Sebenza on my waist, a swiss army knife in my pocket and a Leatherman Wave in my "Man purse" that I move to my belt on days when I think I might need it.

Did I mention my "Swiss Card" in my wallet.

I love knives...can't have too many.

[gddyup]

Carry both. I carry a Cold Steel Recon tanto and a Gerber multi almost all the time. I never head to work without both either. Either come in handy in a rescue. I've broken windows and cut seat belts with both without any problems.

[ElMonoDelMar]

I've started carrying a Buck 730 when I work or expect to have to use it. It's got a one handed open blade and I feel the tools are more useful than just the blade on the Kershaw that I would otherwise carry.

[HKR]

I've carried a knife everyday since I was about 10. What I carry has changed constantly. Everything from a Buck Ranger folder to an automatic to a quality ballisong(butterfly knife). I used to collect knives but now I only buy and keep what I use on a regular basis. I carried both the large and small Gerber multiplier, and a classic Leatherman for a time and now keep a a Leatherman in the truck and the hiking pack. It seems like I always end up going back to a Victorinox Swiss Army knife and have carried the Tinker for the last few years. It handles all the chores I deal with on the everyday basis. For a quick access blade I used Gerber folders with clips for a long time but started going thru too many of them when I began rapelling, climbing, caving etc. I went through a lot of folders until I bought a Spyderco Delica. I now carry a Delica 4 with fully serrated blade and am completely satisfied.

[firefighter_56]

I carry both a Leatherman Wave which I seem to use everyday as a tool and utility knife and a Benchmade model 710 folder for one purpose only.