Spyderco Forums

I was just slicing up a delightfully juicy orange with my M398 Mule (it has orange and blue micarta scales, so it was the obvious choice) and it reminded me of that episode of The Simpsons where Homer starts using his gun to switch off lights and get Lisa’s ball off the roof. I realised I used to ‘peel’ oranges with my ‘fingers’ like a total punter, and how I now automatically reach for a knife in a variety of situations that non-knife people might use ungainly body parts or even other ‘tools’ to perform.

What is the most ‘knife person’ thing you find yourself doing with your knives that Joe Public uses something else for (like a rank amateur )?

I fish all the time. I use the back of the blade of my on hand folder to dislodge deep hooks in fish mouths all the time. I've gotten some strange looks because it looks like I'm cutting the hooks out but an actually just using the back of the blade to pull/dislodge the hooks the same way id use pliers, only faster.

Shave. 🥸

i use my knives as photo subjects and fidget toys. those are probably the most "knife person" things i do.

Cutting up apples and pears. I always slice up my apples into neat, bite-sized pieces. I don't like eating apples by biting into them, ever since I saw another kid back in grade school biting into a big red apple, and seeing a wad of his saliva running down the apple.

I also use a knife to cleanly peel my oranges. And if it's the type of orange that doesn't naturally break apart into neat pieces, I cut the edible part into clean chunks.

Jim

Toothpick.

- Scraping snow that has built up there from the climbing skins of my touring skies or wax from their running surface with the spine

- Open beer bottles with the spine

- For SOME here doing food prep in general with their folders is seemingly strange, I though really like to use my Spydies in the kitchen

- Cutting paper in forms with my knife instead of with scissors

- Scratching my back with the blade (more reach! )

- No spin throwing (with folders just occasionally and not too hard)

-

I was on break yesterday and opened a bag of Fritos with my knife. Coworkers immediately cried out "that's so unnecessary!"

Well, turns out I have a case of trigger finger, and opening a bag of chips is sometimes painful. Opening a bag of chips with a knife not only saves me from pain, but brings me joy.

ladybug93 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:14 am

i use my knives as photo subjects and fidget toys. those are probably the most "knife person" things i do.

Yeah, this too.

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:37 am

- Open beer bottles with the spine

Ha! Glad I’m not the only one who does this!

JSumm wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:18 am

Toothpick.

Any type of bagged snack that most people would pull apart at the top, I cut open. I couldn't tell you how many bags of chips have ripped down the side on me and this basically prevents it from happening. I cut open my bags of coffee this way too.

Lots of manicure action.

Nothing cuts gift wrap better than a sharp knife, and I really like serrations for this because you can hook the first one on the paper and it's like a wee little hawkbill.

I still prefer to sharpen pencils with a knife, especially expensive colored pencils because even the better twist sharpeners will waste more lead than necessary, and sometimes I want more lead exposed from the wood than those sharpeners can give me.

Evil D wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:20 am

Any type of bagged snack that most people would pull apart at the top, I cut open. I couldn't tell you how many bags of chips have ripped down the side on me and this basically prevents it from happening. I cut open my bags of coffee this way too.

Lots of manicure action.

Nothing cuts gift wrap better than a sharp knife, and I really like serrations for this because you can hook the first one on the paper and it's like a wee little hawkbill.

I still prefer to sharpen pencils with a knife, especially expensive colored pencils because even the better twist sharpeners will waste more lead than necessary, and sometimes I want more lead exposed from the wood than those sharpeners can give me.

All of this resonates, but I have a different motivation regarding the snack bags; with my knife I can open them quietly without alerting the kids and enjoy it by myself.

_{**Disclaimer: I do also share, way more than I consume myself, but sometimes you just need some alone time. I'm a good parent - I promise :)}

Foehammer wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:07 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:37 am

- Open beer bottles with the spine

Ha! Glad I’m not the only one who does this!

Me makes it three!!! and I open my Copenhagen can w/my Dfly

Another reason for opening snack (and other food) bags with a knife is to prevent the contents from flying or spilling all over. I hate it when chips (or cereal) I'm about to snack on goes flying onto the floor, or all over my shirt and pants. Then I have to scramble to keep to the "5 second rule.". All of which is avoided by opening the bag with a good, sharp knife.

Jim

SaltyCaribbeanDfly wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 12:50 pm

Foehammer wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:07 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:37 am

- Open beer bottles with the spine

Ha! Glad I’m not the only one who does this!

Me makes it three!!! and I open my Copenhagen can w/my Dfly

SaltyCaribbeanDfly wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 12:50 pm

Foehammer wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:07 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:37 am

- Open beer bottles with the spine

Ha! Glad I’m not the only one who does this!

Me makes it three!!! and I open my Copenhagen can w/my Dfly

Hahaha! Nice. I just use my big old pm2 for that!

Open easily openable packages cause I prefer a clean opening instead of a tear. Chips, papertowel rolls, package of water bottles, mail, etc.

Trim my nails. Remove a splinter. Cut gift wrap when wrapping presents instead of using scissors. I use my knives to help me reach things on high shelves.

I'll just say I own the worlds most neglected pair of scissors.

JSumm wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:18 am

Toothpick.

Same lol

aicolainen wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 12:47 pm

Evil D wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:20 am

Any type of bagged snack that most people would pull apart at the top, I cut open. I couldn't tell you how many bags of chips have ripped down the side on me and this basically prevents it from happening. I cut open my bags of coffee this way too.

Lots of manicure action.

Nothing cuts gift wrap better than a sharp knife, and I really like serrations for this because you can hook the first one on the paper and it's like a wee little hawkbill.

I still prefer to sharpen pencils with a knife, especially expensive colored pencils because even the better twist sharpeners will waste more lead than necessary, and sometimes I want more lead exposed from the wood than those sharpeners can give me.

All of this resonates, but I have a different motivation regarding the snack bags; with my knife I can open them quietly without alerting the kids and enjoy it by myself.

_{**Disclaimer: I do also share, way more than I consume myself, but sometimes you just need some alone time. I'm a good parent - I promise :)}

All of the above

Evil D wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:20 am

Any type of bagged snack that most people would pull apart at the top, I cut open. I couldn't tell you how many bags of chips have ripped down the side on me and this basically prevents it from happening. I cut open my bags of coffee this way too.

A knife for food packaging is a must. It's almost like the plastic knows which direction you're trying to rip it and it goes the opposite way. resealable packaging often rips in such a way that it destroys its ziplock element, rendering itself useless. That's one of the original reasons I started keeping a knife in my pocket.