What tools/knives do you carry?

L

lakeshore

Trail Blazer
I take a Victorinox classic and an Opinel 7, both go in the hold on aircraft.
I had some time to kill in Washington DC before a flight home. I visited two museums and as I had my backpack with me I was asked on both occasions if I had a knife and if so how long was the blade. I had to turf my bag out twice to check on the knives. I understand different state have different knife bye-laws.
 
Balagan

Balagan

Thru Hiker
lakeshore said:
I take a Victorinox classic and an Opinel 7, both go in the hold on aircraft.
I had some time to kill in Washington DC before a flight home. I visited two museums and as I had my backpack with me I was asked on both occasions if I had a knife and if so how long was the blade. I had to turf my bag out twice to check on the knives. I understand different state have different knife bye-laws.
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Along the same lines, I visited the Smithsonian in DC and had to leave a very small Buck folder with security and pick it up on the way out. Fast forward one week and I hand the same knife to security in Monticello and the guard declines with a laugh. Visit over, we're in the cafe and there is a visitor with an 18" hunting knife strapped to his belt. So, yes, different rules. ;)
 
R

rob d 2

Ultralighter
I've used a Leatherman for repairs on bothies, and for repairing/replacing damaged tent poles. In Morocco I used it to help push/pull needle through a heap of fabrics at the base of the main harness, when I found it was falling apart before a 2 week trip. Often done that, repairs to gaiters etc. The scissors are superb.
Having grown up farming, I can't imagine not having a knife with me. Have used a lockblade SAK to make kindling from big logs in a hut in Sweden, nothing else available. I was soaked and cold. You never know when you might need it! Oh, had to use it in Norway to cut through dense undergrowth to get to a stream - and to get through tangled scrub when we lost the very feeble trail in Kyrgyzstan.
 
oreocereus

oreocereus

Thru Hiker
I have an Opinel no.4, an opinel slimline no. 8 and a pair of westcott 2.5" embroidery scissors.

99% of the time I just use the scissors. The no.8 is good on longer trips with a mix of hiking and general travel (or where I may just be spending more time in villages) so I can cook with it.

The scissors are 9g, and cut all the cord I need, and are the next best thing to proper nail clippers.

The slimline no.8 weighs less than a normal opinel no 6, with a 2cm longer blade! 32g.

The opinel no.4 isn't that useful for me. It doesn't have a lock. But it's a 5cm blade for a whopping 9g. If I was a cheese and salami eater, I think this would be a my knife of choice. But, since any meal prep I want to do will involve chopping veges, I usually go for the no.8 when I actually need a knife.


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The scissors + opinel 4 give you similar functionality to the victorinox classic for less weight. If you need tweezers, toothpick of a nail file the classic is good - i just never have needed those things (i've never been able to get splinters out with tweezers and always used a needle or knife :o o:)

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Another good option is a victorinox red parring knife. Used them a lot when we worked in kitchens. Dirt cheap, but excellent parring knives for real food prep. Apparently weigh 17-18g. I don't have one as, christ, do I really need 4 different cutting options for hiking? And it's not a folding blade. And I have a sentimental attachment to my opinels. But this'd probably be my first choice for real food prep if I ever decided to buy.
 
Mole

Mole

Thru Hiker
Didn't someone on here do a group buy of bespoke sheafs for the Victorinox paring knife?

It's probably in this thread somewhere, but I'll write it again.

We use a Victorinox Tomato Knife . Which is similar ( few g more?) weight to the paring knife but serrated and not pointy. Very sharp. It cuts bread and spreads butter better.

Ruth used to have an Opininel spreading/eating knife too ( round end blade)

On the Eurostar security check, they confiscated said Opinel because it was a lock knife, but let her keep the Victorinox, though it was sharper and had the same sized blade. Muppets.
 
TinTin

TinTin

Thru Hiker
Mole said:
On the Eurostar security check, they confiscated said Opinel because it was a lock knife, but let her keep the Victorinox, though it was sharper and had the same sized blade. Muppets.
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Sounds like an open and shut case to me. :)

I was once searched getting onto the Hull - Zeebrugge ferry on my motorbike. I had my Leatherman Skeletool with me that has a locking blade on it but they said it was OK because it is part of a multitool. I guess that is bacause there is a justifiable need to have a knife (goodness knows what for) as part of a tool kit on a motorbike.
 
oreocereus

oreocereus

Thru Hiker
At the ferry crossing from Swansea to rosslare with my bike, the customs lady asked me if I had anything to declare.

unthinkingly I mentioned the knife.

she looked worried and told me I wasn’t allowed to take it etc.

Then asked me “but you’re camping on your bike aren’t you?”

“quick just put it back in your pocket”
 
Heltrekker

Heltrekker

Section Hiker
oreocereus said:
At the ferry crossing from Swansea to rosslare with my bike, the customs lady asked me if I had anything to declare.

unthinkingly I mentioned the knife.

she looked worried and told me I wasn’t allowed to take it etc.

Then asked me “but you’re camping on your bike aren’t you?”

“quick just put it back in your pocket”
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Common sense prevails:thumbsup:
 
Shewie

Shewie

Chief Slackpacker
Staff member
I've stupidly forgotten about the little Opinel in my food bag a couple of times and had them snatched at customs, last October I had a row with them about a lighter I had concealed somewhere in my luggage, it turned out they were right and it was the little mini Bic in my poop pack.
 
Odd Man

Odd Man

Thru Hiker
Shewie said:
I've stupidly forgotten about the little Opinel in my food bag a couple of times and had them snatched at customs, last October I had a row with them about a lighter I had concealed somewhere in my luggage, it turned out they were right and it was the little mini Bic in my poop pack.
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hot sh/t?

:hilarious:
 
Padstowe

Padstowe

Thru Hiker
I got a 3 year ban from the city limits of Biella in Italy some years back for having an opinel no.8 in my pack when controlled & searched. :(
The amount of hassle I used to get about that in every control in Italy after that, thankfully it was written up as non aggressive or the aftermath woulda been worse as shown by one cop who was losing it asking me where the knife was until his partner told him it was a non aggressive find.
I've had quite a few opinel no.8's taking off me over them years but only remember getting one back from the train station police in Bologna, who took it back out of the drawer put it on the table & left the room.
I still use a opinel no.8 :)
 
TinTin

TinTin

Thru Hiker
Padstowe said:
I got a 3 year ban from the city limits of Biella in Italy some years back for having an opinel no.8 in my pack when controlled & searched. :(
The amount of hassle I used to get about that in every control in Italy after that, thankfully it was written up as non aggressive or the aftermath woulda been worse as shown by one cop who was losing it asking me where the knife was until his partner told him it was a non aggressive find.
I've had quite a few opinel no.8's taking off me over them years but only remember getting one back from the train station police in Bologna, who took it back out of the drawer put it on the table & left the room.
I still use a opinel no.8 :)
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What is the Italian law on this? In UK, if a knife is carried in public, the blade has to be less than 3" (7.62cm) and non locking unless you have good reason to carry a larger/locking/fixed blade knife.
 
Padstowe

Padstowe

Thru Hiker
PhilHo said:
What is the Italian law on this? In UK, if a knife is carried in public, the blade has to be less than 3" (7.62cm) and non locking unless you have good reason to carry a larger/locking/fixed blade knife.
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If I remember correctly (this was maybe 12-13yrs ago) you aren't allowed to carry any knife except plastic in public without a valid reason.
It wasn't a good enough reason that I was using it only for cooking & as I didn't have a shelter using it for a camping trip was invalid too.
 
dovidola

dovidola

Thru Hiker
Now downsized to an Opinel No 6 in walnut/Inox at 28g for some trips. When wet the walnut wood swells less than the standard beech. Backspine still raises a good spark from a steel but not quite as efficient as a No 7 or 8 for fish processing. Also has a sub-3" cutting edge and a ringlock which can be left in the open position, so fewer potential legal issues.
 
gixer

gixer

Thru Hiker
Still around folks and all is good, thank you

Pop in every now and then but internet problems, work and everything else means i'm not posting much

Didn't see your post Cathy, sorry :bag:

Don't have any tagged posts in my alerts for some reason
Nothing in the PM's from you either
 
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