how do you use your bugs?

[hobbyist]

For me, it's the manbug leaf SE and is a keychain knife. Use 95 lb paracord and a lobster clip as my lanyard.

This is the knife that's always on me even if I forget my EDC knife, since I can't forget my keys. It's my "emergency knife", which is why I've chosen serrated since SE will cut absolutely anything. I've even used this as a steak knife when the cafeteria was out of knives. It opens packages at work. It even sharpens pencils if I must.

I prefer the profile/size of the ladybug salt serrated, but try as I might, in my hand the manbug just fits better. I've given my ladybug SE salt to my daughter, who uses it to cut earthworms to feed to her aquatic animals. That's actually the perfect size for that task, and it's funny to me that despite me owning like 10 salt knives, it's my teenage daughter who is using hers for actual water activity!

The manbug is great for everything I apply it too. It's rarely the best knife for the job. I use a k390 delica in the garage for cardboard, a k390 wharncliffe dragonfly by the front door for opening packages, a serrated endela and serrated stretch 2 xl for my steak knife (just because I can), and EDC one of sage 5/para 3/delica/chaparral/dragonfly in a variety of blade shapes and steels. But despite it not being the best knife for most jobs, it's my most frequently used since it's always there, unintimidating, and the serrated cuts anything without fail.

[sal]

Hi Hobbyist,

My "always-with-me" preferred choice as well.

sal

[RustyIron]

You had me confused for a minute. You're talking about the Ladybug and Manbug. The real Bug is that little slipjoint folder. For me, the three in that little family of knives are just too small. They remind me of the swag knives from the 60's that my grandmother would give me.

The Ladybug is a little different. Granted, it's so small that it will never be the desired tool for any job. But it's big enough to do real work in a pinch. I keep one in a tiny gear bag, where a bigger knife would require that another tool would be left out. In that capacity, the Ladybug has performed real tasks that would have left me in a bind if I hadn't had the knife.

Like a dummy, I lost my first Ladybug. It was one of the more expensive flavors, so I was really kicking myself. But it would have been missed, so I replaced it right away.

[Coastal]

I'm never in a situation where I'm required by law or good manners to carry a knife this small, so I never do. I own a Ladybug Salt, but I've never used it. Maybe If I still worked in a office?...

I asked this same question a few years ago because I genuinely couldn't find a use for mine.

[TkoK83Spy]

I'm never in a situation where I'm required by law or good manners to carry a knife this small, so I never do. I own a Ladybug Salt, but I've never used it. Maybe If I still worked in a office?...

I asked this same question a few years ago because I genuinely couldn't find a use for mine.

That's funny to me, because I feel the opposite about my Manbug wharnie. I've been carrying it for a few years now, daily around the house and have used it for just about everything. Just a couple hours ago I feathersticked a bit of slightly damp kindling wood to try and dry it out a bit for later in the week.

I also have no restrictions, and probably sound like a broken record to anybody that actually pays attention to what I say around here...but I'm willing to bet the Manbug would handle whatever tasks just about everybody around here thinks they need a bigger knife for. I think a lot of folks just want something that's got more premium materials, locks and honestly...just want something that's more fidgety. But if they were honest with themselves, they know the Manbug would be just fine for them.

[Evil D]

They're all keychain knives for me because they give me a usable cutting edge in case I forget my primary knife, and having them on my keys provides something more for me to grip when using them.

I go all the way down to the actual Bug model, it's so small you won't even notice it on your keys.

The actual Bug line is another one that I would love so much to see in SE, because I prefer these in full stainless because of how thin they are compared to a Ladybug or Manbug. For me they make more sense as a keychain knife but I'd really like a Honeybee or Grasshopper in SE. If they came like the new Chaparral serrations I'd be overjoyed.

[Scandi Grind]

That's funny to me, because I feel the opposite about my Manbug wharnie. I've been carrying it for a few years now, daily around the house and have used it for just about everything. Just a couple hours ago I feathersticked a bit of slightly damp kindling wood to try and dry it out a bit for later in the week.

I also have no restrictions, and probably sound like a broken record to anybody that actually pays attention to what I say around here...but I'm willing to bet the Manbug would handle whatever tasks just about everybody around here thinks they need a bigger knife for. I think a lot of folks just want something that's got more premium materials, locks and honestly...just want something that's more fidgety. But if they were honest with themselves, they know the Manbug would be just fine for them.

Everybody has their own opinions on what a good size is for them, but I can tell you in my case, size has nothing to do with material wants or a desire for something fidgety. It would also be strange to me if that was most other peoples reason. My choice of EDC is a VG-10 Endura. Not premium steel, not figety, but deffinitely bigger than a Manbug, which suits me. What you say is sort of true, I could get along with something that short, but it wouldn't be nearly as efficient as having a full size handle and more slicing length to my blade. For someone who deals with all sorts of materials that are all manner of sizes it wouldn't make any sense for me to limit myself to something so small on a single bladed knife. But for you it clearly does what you want quite well. I think it just depends on what you use your knife for and how you want it to perform at those tasks.

[TkoK83Spy]

That's funny to me, because I feel the opposite about my Manbug wharnie. I've been carrying it for a few years now, daily around the house and have used it for just about everything. Just a couple hours ago I feathersticked a bit of slightly damp kindling wood to try and dry it out a bit for later in the week.

I also have no restrictions, and probably sound like a broken record to anybody that actually pays attention to what I say around here...but I'm willing to bet the Manbug would handle whatever tasks just about everybody around here thinks they need a bigger knife for. I think a lot of folks just want something that's got more premium materials, locks and honestly...just want something that's more fidgety. But if they were honest with themselves, they know the Manbug would be just fine for them.

Everybody has their own opinions on what a good size is for them, but I can tell you in my case, size has nothing to do with material wants or a desire for something fidgety. It would also be strange to me if that was most other peoples reason. My choice of EDC is a VG-10 Endura. Not premium steel, not figety, but deffinitely bigger than a Manbug, which suits me. What you say is sort of true, I could get along with something that short, but it wouldn't be nearly as efficient as having a full size handle and more slicing length to my blade. For someone who deals with all sorts of materials that are all manner of sizes it wouldn't make any sense for me to limit myself to something so small on a single bladed knife. But for you it clearly does what you want quite well. I think it just depends on what you use your knife for and how you want it to perform at those tasks.

Absolutely, you're not wrong. There's absolutely tasks that require a longer edge or larger handle for comfort with cutting tasks. I used to work in a warehouse at work for many years and had a thread around here where I switched my knife every week and did some reviews. It was a lot of a fun, highlight of my knife enthusiasm! It's funny to think now though, that this tiny Manbug in my pocket could have handled most of those tasks I was using a Shaman/Military/Manix/PM2 etc.

Maybe not quite as efficiently, but the lack of footprint in the pocket with the cutting performance of the Manbug. It punches way above it's size and weight, as corny as it is to say that. It's true.

[Enactive]

My most used bugs are 2 Jesters, and I have one Ladybug and a Grasshopper.

They mostly get carried in a fifth pocket or used around the house for little tasks. I have never taken to the key chain attachment. I like to have a bead or two on a lanyard on them or a Tec clip.

just my 2 cents.

[James Y]

Many years ago, I had an old, original Ladybug (standard blade shape/combo edge, but with a red handle) that I had attached to my keyring. It was on my keys for maybe 10+ years. I can't recall if I ever used it. I must have, because I realized I don't like having a knife attached to my keyring. I don't like the weight of the keys hanging off of it, it's awkward. I eventually took it off my keys and retired it to my knife drawer.

I have a Ladybug hawkbill Salt SE, which I carried loose, down in my pocket and used for awhile. I found more use for that. One time when going out shopping, I realized too late that I forgotten to clip a knife to my pocket. I felt naked without a knife. Then I remembered I had dropped the Ladybug Hawkbill Salt in my pocket for my secondary carry, so at least I knew I had that one knife on me, though it wasn't needed that day.

Jim

[Mushroom]

I currently keep a Ladybug on my keychain as a just in case type of knife. Just in case I forget another knife at home. Just in case I want to take extra precaution being discreet. Just in case I need more precision in my cut. Just in case...

I switch that out with a Jester or Manbug on occasion but it is primarily some variation of a Ladybug. Currently the K390 Ladybug on the keychain.

Sometimes I like to carry a Ladybug, Manbug, or Jester in 5th pocket as a secondary or tertiary blade. The situation where I would use it over a primary blade is kind of conditional and it could come down to just because I wanted to. For example, I used to carry a Ladybug Hawkbill in my fifth pocket while working in a warehouse to easily rip through plastic-wrapped pallets and plastic pallet straps.

I also use a Manbug Salt as a dedicated tackle box knife. It keep it in my terminal tackle box for helping change lures. It has filled that role as expected - perfectly.

[Vamais]

I use my Manbug for those times when I need a blade with more belly (such as carving a hollow in a piece of wood). Or as a loaner when somebody asks to borrow a knife. Other than that, it doesn't get used much. But I do love seeing that K390 blue when I look at my keys.

The Victorinox quick disconnect coupler, attached with a Wichard self-locking shackle, is a pretty good system for me. Adds some length to the handle, is easy on and off my key ring, and has never (to my recollection) disconnected when I didn't want it to.

[Vamais]

I'm willing to bet the Manbug would handle whatever tasks just about everybody around here thinks they need a bigger knife for.

[Mr Blonde]

For me, they're sort of like a spare tire in my car. It's my back-up and 'always there' knife. So far, they've been mostly used to open things. In that respect, the manbug has proven to be a formidable 'portable zipper' if that makes any sense.

[nerdlock]

I just used my GITD Ladybug to open the package containing the REC Native 5. Best freebie knife I ever scored, many years ago. It's been thrown in coin purses and banged against coins, thrown in pockets with other metal objects, dunked in the ocean, left and forgotten in bags, opened countless packages for years on end...still taking it like a champ.

[yablanowitz]

...but I'm willing to bet the Manbug would handle whatever tasks just about everybody around here thinks they need a bigger knife for. I think a lot of folks just want something that's got more premium materials, locks and honestly...just want something that's more fidgety. But if they were honest with themselves, they know the Manbug would be just fine for them.

That may have been true forty years ago when my fingers were more flexible and nimble, but these days I need more handle than they offer. I use mine to deplete my bank account and gather more dust.

[vivi]

I find my daughters ladybug hawkbill kind of tough to manipulate one handed. I also dom't find it easy to hold on to during moderate use. I may not need a 4" blade for every cutting task I do, but I sure do appreciate full sized handles.

I like keeping some sort of tiny multitool in my front left pocket. Something I can clean and file my nails with and fix the odd loose screw.

I bought some old beat up micras off ebay years ago and took them apart to make a custom setup. I don't use the scissors on them much and I'm not sure I've ever used the tweezers. And call me a weight weenie but I don't like the weight of a full Micra or Squirt dangling off my keys while I play speed racer.

So my solution is the Halfcra:



I've been watching with interest any small multitool Spyderco produces. Haven't found the right one for me yet but I like some of the ideas they've shown. Keep hoping they'll revisit the genre with some new ideas. The micra is a really old design with room for improvement.

[SchoonerBum]

I keep a Manbug salt in my ditch kit for when I’m working at sea, and it sometimes makes its way into my pocket for stuff on board. I also have a ladybug salt tucked into my belt in case I can’t get back to my ditch kit. It’s really unobtrusive and I don’t even think about it, but it’s always there.

[olywa]

I always throw a snake knot lanyard on my Bugs. Turns a trinket into a tool for me.

[J D Wijbenga]

I have a Bug (the 'real' stainless one) on my key ring. I sharpened it and use it from time to time. It is a nice little back-up. :-)