Shop / garage / beater knife.

[benben]

Bought this shop knife off of a Snap-On truck many years ago! I’d love to have a easy to sharpen garage beater from Spyderco. Serrated H1 or LC200N would make the most sense, something tough. It’ll be exposed to gas, oil, coolant, and probably a ton of other chemicals depending on what you do?

I like the blade shape on this knife, works great for it’s intended use! What do you think, fully serrated, combo, reversed combo with the SE at the front? It’ll be a knife that’ll be abused, I’m thinking G-10 scales, something somewhat impact resistant. A knife to use for everything, some things you wouldn’t normally use a knife for! Something to keep in your toolbox, or hanging above your workbench.

[Cambertree]

I’d recommend the SE H1 Enuff Salt model with the sheepsfoot blade.

It should handle all those tasks very well, and is kinda like an improved version of that knife you have.

As long as you have a Sharpmaker, it’ll also be easy to sharpen, and won’t experience any fine edge degradation from most fluids and semi corrosive materials.

[VooDooChild]

A beater knife should be cheap. Im not sure Spyderco could do a cheap enough knife.

[Cambertree]

A beater knife should be cheap. Im not sure Spyderco could do a cheap enough knife.

I guess cheap can be a relative term.

If you take the price of a fixed blade Salt and divide the cost price by the total number of uses over the full lifetime of the knife, it would probably compare quite favourably to a more inexpensive knife.

[standy99]

Spyderco enuff Serrated HI Sheepfoot.

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/FB31YL/824

A beater knife should be cheap. Im not sure Spyderco could do a cheap enough knife.

Snap-on isn’t cheap for anything :eek: :eek:

[Evil D]

I think once you've decided to use a knife for non knife specific jobs, you're throwing away money on anything more than what you've got now. Edge retention is a lost quality if you're scraping head gaskets because the edge is gonna get jacked up anyway. I'd stick with cheap throw away knives that are tough and easy to sharpen and keep a cheap diamond stone or rod around to put a quick edge on it.

When I was much younger I had a job in a kitchen/deli and I did everything you can think of relating to food and all of that food came in a box that had to be opened and broke down, but I also had to clean deep fryers and grills so I got one of those 5-in-1 painters scrapers and sharpened the little corner so it had a blade edge and I used that for cutting up boxes and could still scrape with it. Then if you do manage to break it they're super cheap to replace.

[Dazen]

Just use a Bow River; super cheap, G10 and great ergos. If they could do a SE Bow River that would be awesome, and it would make a great steak knife!

[benben]

Snapped this out the door this morning headed to work. This little 5lb. capacity hanging tool rack from Lowe's is earning it's keep! There's a door just inches away from the right side of this pic that goes out to a side driveway, the trash and recycle cans are out there. That shop knife is grabbed probably 3 or 4 times a week to cut something up to go in the cans. I touch it up on the brown rods on my SM.

VooDooChild, I agree a beater should be cheap, but it's just not as cool as a blade with a hole in it!

[benben]

I like both the Enuff and the Bow River suggestions, thanks!

[JD Spydo]

I've got a few of those BLUE POINT tools myself. My old local SNAP On Truck driver told me that years ago the Snap On company bought out the BLUE POINT tool company and got all the unique stuff they sold>> with that knife included. I've had my BLUE POINT tire pressure gauge ever since the early 80s when I bought it from one of our earlier Snap On Truck Drivers. I bought a lot of tools from those people over the years.

I'm wondering who might have made knives for the Blue Point Tool Co. ? As far as a "beater Knife" you could actually take anything out of the Salt Series and use it enough until it becomes a "beater". Heck I'm doing that with my M390 Military model when you think about it :o I've also got a couple of Spyderco Hawkbill blades that are almost in that category :D But I would say anything out of the Salt Series could suffice to evolve into a beater over time.

[GarageBoy]

Sheepsfoot Caribbean? There's a Benchmade model with a prebroken tip

[James Y]

Bought this shop knife off of a Snap-On truck many years ago! I’d love to have a easy to sharpen garage beater from Spyderco. Serrated H1 or LC200N would make the most sense, something tough. It’ll be exposed to gas, oil, coolant, and probably a ton of other chemicals depending on what you do?

I like the blade shape on this knife, works great for it’s intended use! What do you think, fully serrated, combo, reversed combo with the SE at the front? It’ll be a knife that’ll be abused, I’m thinking G-10 scales, something somewhat impact resistant. A knife to use for everything, some things you wouldn’t normally use a knife for! Something to keep in your toolbox, or hanging above your workbench.
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If it’s going to be abused, including doing non-knife tasks, I certainly wouldn’t recommend any Salt knife with a pointy tip. If it’s being abused, even an H1 or LC200N blade’s pointy tip can/will break off. Maybe something like the Saver Salt or Atlantic Salt would be better. Of course, the handles are FRN, not G10. Otherwise, maybe a sheepsfoot Caribbean SE. None of which are cheap, especially the Caribbean.

Or maybe try one of those combo-edged Milwaukee knives, like they sell at Home Depot.

Jim

[aicolainen]

I don’t really subscribe to the idea of beater knives. Either it’s a knife task and a well made knife should handle it reasonably well, or it’s not a knife task and I use a different tool.

I’m not afraid to use my knives in a way that eventually will wear them down, atm. the growth of my collection is outpacing collective wear by several hundred percent. So I don’t seem to be on a track that will allow me to run out of knives in my lifetime.
Besides, it’s during hard work is you get to know your tools. And that’s quite satisfying.
Admittedly I work in an office, so what can be categorized as hard work is limited to very few couple of hours a week on my free time.

The only “disposable” knives I have are those stashed away in vehicles and such for emergencies. For everything else I want to enjoy using proper tools. Being able to use my knives without hesitation is one of the reasons I mostly shy away from limited production knives. Any tool should be easily replaceable so you can focus on the task and not worry about your tools.

[tjsblade]

Not beater because I don't consider Spyderco on the cheap end of knives but my "harder" use Spydie folders that sit on my work bench and get all the pocket time when I'm choring are either the Manix 2 G10 version or the original Gayle Bradley. They are still only used as cutting tools. They aren't used for non knife tasks.

[xceptnl]

I worked with a guy once who I thought was a bit crazy, but had some wisdom to his logic about many topics. Knives and more specifically beater, cheap, disposable knives was one of those topics we discussed often. He was the reason I purchased a folding razorblade knife (off the Snap-On truck ironically). When he needed a screwdriver, he would just break off the tip and go to work. He probably used a blade per day but it was always sharp or it was blunt for other scraper like chores. Now my toolbox downstairs holds one of these as does my truck and my car and my..... you get the point. They sell a Husky 2 pack of them for $10 at The Home Depot.

Edit: multipack
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Foldi ... /303741400

[prndltech]

I can confirm salt knives are great in the shop. I have one in my pocket most days. Spyderco FRN handles are made to work. They are impervious to just about every fluid in an automotive shop, I just spray it off with brake clean every now and then or wash it in the sink, blow it out with shop air and then maybe add a drop of ATF or something to the pivot...
Source: master technician. I had a delica that lived on top of my box for years.

Edit: I also have to be honest and say I have a utility knife and a whole bunch of blades I probably use more for scraping. But nothing cuts through a belt or hoses like a serrated Spyderco.

Recap: FRN handles are great for chemicals and serrations cut stuff really good. I actually prefer a smaller blade to get into tight spots (I specialize in Japanese cars). So a serrated dragonfly or delica/salt 2 is just about the perfect option in my not so humble, professional, facts. :D :p

[skeeg11]

Let's face it. There is a time and place for beater knives for all knife AFI's. Occasionally I'll carry one for protection.........protection against someone who may want to borrow the Lochsa in my pocket. <g>

[prndltech]

Let's face it. There is a time and place for beater knives for all knife AFI's. Occasionally I'll carry one for protection.........protection against someone who may want to borrow the Lochsa in my pocket. <g>

Didn’t know what a lochsa was until now :eek:

[skeeg11]

Let's face it. There is a time and place for beater knives for all knife AFI's. Occasionally I'll carry one for protection.........protection against someone who may want to borrow the Lochsa in my pocket. <g>

Didn’t know what a lochsa was until now :eek:

Truth be told, I don't often carry the Lochsa, but when I do, It gives me the warm and fuzzies. :)

[vivi]

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/victor ... 47501.html

Maybe break the tip off one of these?