Home / Featured / Thinking of Carrying a Back-up Knife? Here are 5 Things You Need to Know

Thinking of Carrying a Back-up Knife? Here are 5 Things You Need to Know

April 25, 2016

#1. When in Scared Company
Snapping open a 3.5″ tactical folder to open mail at your desk may not go over well with coworkers, not to mention the HR department. In some circles, you might as well have drawn a sword – which is why a second knife can have real purpose. A small utility folder or slipjoint won’t intimidate the non-knife people around you. And when the people close to you feel comfortable around knives, they’ll be more open to carrying a blade themselves.

#2. “Anybody Got A Knife?”
Everyone needs to use a knife sooner or later, even those who don’t carry one. And once your friends and coworkers know you carry a blade they’re bound to ask to borrow it. Your favorite knife might not mean the same to them as it does to you – you’d never use a Sebenza as a screwdriver but when it’s out of your hands who knows what could happen? Make your back-up knife a beater to lend out and save the more expensive blades for yourself.

> > Keep your folders awesome. Grab a Pack of 5 Microfiber Blade Sleeves for $8.99 < <

#3. The Right Blade for the Job
Choose the knife that is going to give you added versatility and excels at the tasks your main knife doesn’t. No knife does everything well. A thick blade grind is stronger but can’t slice as well as a thinner blade. Long knives offer a lot of edge real estate but lack the precision afforded by a smaller blade. EDC a plain edge? Consider a serrated blade to back you up. No glass breaker in your pocket? You know what to do.

#4. Two Is One, One Is None
If you’re the forgetful type or just like to hedge your bets, it makes sense to keep a spare knife nearby. Maybe you have a knife in the glovebox, another in the trunk. Or you keep one in your pocket and another in your briefcase or backpack. Life happens – rushed, distracted, sleep-deprived – sooner or later you’re likely to forget or lose your EDC, and that’s when you’ll be glad you packed a backup.

#5. Get to Know Knives
Every maker has a different solution to the problem of how best to cut stuff. Don’t get caught in the rut of carrying the same knife everyday. A second knife is an opportunity to compare, to discover what works best for you, and learn about what suits your tastes. Variety is the spice of a knife life and the fun of mixing it up is a great part of being a knife person.

Knife featured in image: Boker Anso Cox

Related Items