Why carry two?

[Bolster]

I notice a fair number of forumites carry (or at least photograph) Spydercos in pairs. What's the reason for this?

Are they sharpened differently, are they used for very different purposes, are you expecting to lose one, or...?

[Mr_Whiskerz]

I carry a "normal sized" folder in my pocket, and a Manbug on my keychain. The Manbug is mostly in case I leave the house without grabbing a "pocket knife", and as a quick, loaner if someone around needs one. Some people get intimidated when you hand them something more substantial than Paw-paw's Old Timer/Case

[Naperville]

I used to carry 2 and 3 folders all of the time for self defense. I trained with hard core Filipino escrimadors and they carried many knives, so it affected my mindset. I fell away from that line of thinking and carried just one folder, but I've been slowly going back to the drawing board. It is hard because I think of ACCESS and THE DRAW.

The world is not becoming more friendly and more safe, it is just the opposite based on what I see.

I'm picking up 3 and 4 inch fixed blades and will soon be carrying 3 once again.

Access and Draw: where your hands are, and where they are likely to be if standing or rolling around on the ground in a fight.

[zuludelta]

I occasionally carry a Ladybug Salt on my keychain along with my regular carry (usually a Yojimbo 2, Lil' Temperance 3, or PM2) for use in situations where I have to cut something but pulling out a mid-size/full-size knife in full view of others may attract unwanted scrutiny & aggravation. The small size and yellow handle make it appear less threatening to those who are uncomfortable around knives outside of a kitchen setting.

[JoviAl]

I carry three knives at work, but each for a different purpose - a dirty tasks SE folding knife, a clean tasks PE fixed blade knife and a small spare knife. I carry a spare as more often than not my clean tasks knife is fully blunt by the time I’ve finished my day’s work. This isn’t counting machetes.

At home I carry one knife (usually a dragonfly) and have my tiny SAK on my keys.

[Wartstein]

Some time ago I could have seen a reason for carrying both an SE and a PE folder, but not anymore since I realized that for me personally SE is better or at least as good than/as PE in almost any task anyway.

- Very rarely I carry two Spydies when I want to directly compare them in the exact same tasks (ergos, blades, grinds,...).

- Also just occasionally (especially in the outdoors) I carry my Stretch XL SE as an amazing cutting machine, but additionally my Chap FRN for harder use.
The Chap just has a more robust, but still pointy enough tip and that very sturdy, tank like built. And the short blade naturally is not that prone to "bad" leverage.
It also just disappears in pocket as a secondary folder, and weight wise the package Stretch XL /Chap is just a tad more than let´s say an S30V Manix. (Old pic)

[aicolainen]

A few years back when I woke up to the world of folding knives and wanted to give it a try, I had to convince myself that I wouldn’t be a complete nerd, lunatic or both for walking around in public at “all” times with a big ol’ blade on my pocket. There is no culture for such around here, very little public acceptance and bordering on- and in many circumstances blatantly illegal.

I came down on the side of giving it a try. Through the years I’d been in many situations where I’ve needed a sharp object to separate matter and had to resort to rather, well lets say not very graceful solutions. But I couldn’t from the top of my head put a number on it. How many hours, days, months would I need to honk this piece of metal around before it would pay off? Would it be worth it? I had to find out.

As all knife people will understand it didn’t take long before my view on knife carry was turned on its head, and it was now harder to imagine not carrying a knife than to do so.
I would still scratch my head at those who claimed to carry more than one knife though.

Fast forward a couple more years and that’s what I do most days. Often not by deliberate choice, but that happens too. My most carried secondary blade is that on my Victorinox Cadet and I would be just fine if it wasn’t there. I carry it primarily for the other tools. While I rarely use it and actually can’t remember if I’ve used it in that secondary role at all, I don’t mind that it’s there. My primary knife is often a wharncliffe, so the SAK offers options in way of blade shape, as well as a more socially acceptable package if I find myself in a situation where I think that may become an issue.

If I switch out my Cadet and carry a different secondary it’s often a utility knife. If I anticipate dirty / abusive / rough cutting tasks I want to have a replaceable blade option available. This is a much more deliberate choice to carry a secondary blade than when I carry my Cadet, but it happens way, way less frequent.

[Spicy Suplex]

It's pretty rare that I carry two, but when I do it's mostly the "one for me, one for them" line of thought.

Also discovering lately that two Manbugs (salt and leaf) in a watch pocket of jeans is a pretty alright alternative when I want to carry nothin' at all (cue Flanders), while still offering myself really great PE and SE options for their size. I certainly haven't cut a shoe in half with my Manbug Salt, but I do know that it's possible due to the awesome folks around here (props to Jazz!)

[Wartstein]

..... My most carried secondary blade is that on my Victorinox Cadet ....

Well, I limited my first reply above to dedicated, single bladed EDC folders (in my case exclusively Spydercos these days).

When it comes to whatever additionally blades: 90% of the times I also have a Victorinox Rambler with me and/or a Leatherman Squirt or Micra on my key chain... tiny blades of course, but still capable in small tasks.

In my "urban" work pack lives a Leatherman Juice S2, in the pouch I always throw in my mountain - packs at least a Juice CS4, or often a LM Rebar instead. (All mentioned options feature a blade of course).

[kobold]

I like having a tough 3"-ish fixed blade (14c28n, 1075, 3V) that can be abused in my bag and backpack.

A clean gent's folder for food and finer tasks with good edge retention steel in my pocket or IWB.

Or if it is going to be a day spent outdoors, I will carry something with a SpyderEdge or a Vic Ranger with a saw.

Alox MiniChamp on the keychain.

Pioneer X in the travel kit if I go somewhere with legal issues.

[Brock O Lee]

I carry two, normally a Spyderco 3-4 inch PE, and a SAK (Cadet or Pioneer).

The SAK is secondary, mainly for the tools. It is inexpensive, easy to replace, basically rust proof, non-threatening, versatile. It used to be my only knife before I discovered the serious knife steels that Spyderco plays with. It is a good backup.

[aicolainen]

..... My most carried secondary blade is that on my Victorinox Cadet ....

Well, I limited my first reply above to dedicated, single bladed EDC folders (in my case exclusively Spydercos these days).

Taking another look at Bolster's first post, I think you got it (most) right. The question was more specifically why carry two Spydercos? Spyderco does make the odd mulitool and multi-bladed knives, so I guess those aren't categorically dismissed from the thread, but it certainly dismisses my Cadet and Big Idea utility knife.

That's a lot of niceness in one picture!

[JD Spydo]

I've consistently carried two Spyderco models for several years now. I usually carry one full plain edged blade and in most cases it's either my M390 Military model or my Cruwear Ayoob model. I also carry one full serrated along with a full plain edge. Lately I've been rotating my older, ATS-55 era Stainless RESCUE model or one of my full SE Spyderhawk models.

With Spyderco you truly have the best of both worlds.

[Ramonade]

A big one for when I'm alone, a small one for when I'm in public and needs to cut something.
Otherwise, SE/PE or 2 very different blade shapes (hawkbill and leaf, wharncliffe and smth else...)

[skeeg11]

So many diverse applications that one blade cannot cover them all.

[ImHereForTheMilitary2]

Same reason one would carry a backup firearm. In case the primary fails.

[ladybug93]

honestly, i rarely need a knife in my day-to-day, but i love them, so i carry them.

i happen to really like spyderco serrations and salt model capabilities, so i carry a pac salt iwb every day. i see it as a backup and an emergency/rescue knife that is also ready to cut line and other fibrous material, as well as a knife i can carry for workouts or swimming without feat of corrosion.

in my pocket, i carry a pe knife for the rest of my everyday cutting tasks, which are relatively tame. however, i typically carry a manix or yojimbo because they are robust enough to be pushed to harder tasks, should the need arise. the chances are slim that they will need to be employed in this way, but i carry knives for "just in case" so i might as well carry something capable for the worst cases.

speaking of worst cases, sometimes i will throw in a third for a dedicated self defense knife. i'm really liking my upgraded delica wharncliffe for this application. it not only gives me a blade that is ready to go for personal protection, but it adds new capabilities with a noticeably thinner blade stock and wharncliffe profile (when i'm carrying a manix instead of a yojimbo).

on the periphery, i always have a leatherman and/or sak in my bag for the other tools they offer. my wave has come in handy today because i forgot to grab my other knives and am left with just a leatherman in my pocket. i will also sometimes carry a se ladybug hawkbill salt and a roadie as small backups to my primary se and pe knives, or for use when my larger knives will draw unwanted attention.


i don't typically have all of these on me at once, but i feel a reasonable case could be made for carrying each of these all the time if you have the pocket/bag space to do so. usually it's just one pe and one se at all times. the combo of those two blades can handle more than enough for even a bad day.


eta: i don't have migraines every day, but i always carry migraine meds. when you need them, you really need them and not much else will do. same goes for a knife.

[benben]

Not everyday, but occasionally I’ll carry a Yojimbo in my RFP and a serrated Pacific Salt in my RRP, makes a pretty great combination.

[Murphy Slaw]

I carry 2 plus a multitool which also has 2, making it 4 blades.

Call me crazy...

[endura3]

Almost all of my day-to-day cutting tasks can be handled just fine with one knife, be it PE or SE, but I often carry both just because it's fun to have either option available.

I also live and work on a farm, so I spend most of my time at home on our property. I typically have a smaller delica-sized knife that's always on me, and a larger knife of some kind that I'm more likely to take out to cut something, set aside somewhere to focus on something else, and then forget about

Sometimes the second knife is a Leatherman or SAK, or a larger folder like the Police, or a fixed blade. It kinda just depends on the day, what I think I'm gonna need, and what I'm in the mood for. But it's hardly ever strictly "necessary"