E(very) D(ay) C(arry) and knives - any primers (Atwoods etc.)

[Matthew Strongin]

Saw this recently and had to have it:

Wow. That's pretty sweet.

[UnfilteredDregs]

Wow. That's pretty sweet.

$130.00 You too can have one!!!

I'm an enabler.

Specials Fine Japanese Knife Direct from Japan.

...and Kiko Iwohara at Japanese Knife Direct/ Japanese Chef's Knives is a stellar human being, amazing customer service. I've bought many blades from him over the years...

I bought one for this chick many moons ago, I wrote a haiku for her as part of the gift, he had it translated and hand painted for me via a calligrapher there in Nippon.

[EightySixer]

Boring. Maybe you ment to ask what size tube goes in your tire?

Carrying a knife won't make you more of a man.

Most ridiculous thing I maybe have ever read. My girlfriend carries a hawkbill Klein that I gave her and she is not a man, it's about being prepared. When you need something cut I'll send her over to help you, she can change your flat tire too while she's at it.

Now to the knives. I need a new EDC, I have looked at and narrowed it down to these I think:
Ontario Rat 1 or 2
Benchmade Pardue Axis (I found one pretty cheap)
CRKT Liong Mah (G)et(S)hit(D)one which is beautiful but a bit big for my liking at 4.3" closed.
Attachment 96205
And lastly this CRKT Eros Ken Onion- 3" closed, looks very nice to me. Priced very well, $35.00
Attachment 96206

Any insight on any of these or your budget friendly recommendations? I can't spend over $40.00 which really limits me, I am looking for the best quality I can get within this budget.

[Too Tall]

Justin, count me in the camp of gents who give folding knives to their SOs.

The Benchmade is best of the ones you mentioned. You'll grow very fond of the lock mechanism. What is the blade configuration? Spearpoint, etc.

[funcrusher]

Justin, count me in the camp of gents who give folding knives to their SOs.

The Benchmade is best of the ones you mentioned. You'll grow very fond of the lock mechanism. What is the blade configuration? Spearpoint, etc.

speaking of edc...look what showed up today

img_20160909_123240 (1).jpg

spyderco paramilitary 2...feels great in the hand and looks badass

[Too Tall]

Ooooo lovely F.C.

I'm on hold, stop tempting me. This place enabled my pocket knife jag a few years ago, still recovering from that!

[Eric Estlund]

Which Benchamde? Pardue (Mel) is a knife designer, not a particualar model. There are several of his designs in current production.

You have a pretty wide range of sizes/ shapes and intended uses in that line up. What's your budget, tastes and uses?

[Too Tall]

EDC Flashlights.

I've been carrying a FourSevens Prion for about 5 years. If I maintain the contacts and threads it is 100% reliable until it wasn't. I returned it to FourSevens and they replaced it with something that failed after one month of carry. Feh. I'm done.

I'm looking for something that is utterly reliable for everyday carry. Size matters, something that is 3" would be just right. Normal batteries are fine.

PS - FWIIW I've got two more FourSevens that live in my automobiles that work perfectly. Really neat lights but just not tough enough ;) (SRV reference for extra credit)

[Blue Jays]

"...Really neat lights but just not tough enough ;) (SRV reference for extra credit)..."

SureFire are my typical favorites. Mostly ones that use CR-123A batteries.
Isn't that technically a Jimmie Vaughn and The Fabulous Thunderbirds reference?

[VertigoCycles]

Josh, I've been using an O-Light S1 for a couple of years and can't find anything to complain about. It's been dropped a bunch, gnawed on a bit by the dog and submerged and still looks new. It uses a weird battery size (CR123A) but it's rechargeable and came with the charger so it's OK by me. 500 lumens at the max setting, but it gets warm and doesn't last long. The only time I've used that much light is when the kids were scaring ghost crabs in NC.

edit: my favorite part of the light is the rare earth magnet in the butt end. we don't have a light in our attic and I can just take the little light up there and stick it to a nail. it's a pretty handy feature

[stnphoto]

+1 for Surefire. I have about 7-8 scattered about and my oldest one has zero finish left on it, I have never done anything but changed the batts in it in nearly ten years and it works flawlessly.

[Too Tall]

Thanks Sean. The O-Light S1 looks great. I like the form factor and the switch looks bombproof not to mention I've got a rack of those batteries.

Josh, I've been using an O-Light S1 for a couple of years and can't find anything to complain about. It's been dropped a bunch, gnawed on a bit by the dog and submerged and still looks new. It uses a weird battery size (CR123A) but it's rechargeable and came with the charger so it's OK by me. 500 lumens at the max setting, but it gets warm and doesn't last long. The only time I've used that much light is when the kids were scaring ghost crabs in NC.

edit: my favorite part of the light is the rare earth magnet in the butt end. we don't have a light in our attic and I can just take the little light up there and stick it to a nail. it's a pretty handy feature

[xjoex]

I carry a Fenix E12 in my bag everyday. It is 130 lumen and uses a AAA battery. Small and not tactical looking.
Fenix E12 LED Flashlight

I have two larger PD35 that are 1000 Lumen and crazy insane I use for spotting mountain lions before I let the pups out at night. Not my cup of tea for EDC, but insane and affordable.
Fenix PD35 LED Flashlight - 96 Lumens - Fenix-Store

[Too Tall]

Thanks Joe, your picks are always good. Question, do you carry that E12 in your pocket much? All my lights work forever as long as I don't carry them that way it seems.

[Eric Estlund]

I bought an Exposure Joystick. It's super. I don't carry it because I very rarely need a flashlight.

[xjoex]

Thanks Joe, your picks are always good. Question, do you carry that E12 in your pocket much? All my lights work forever as long as I don't carry them that way it seems.

Well I only pocket it once every other week, I usually have my bag with me. But I have had it for 2 years of kicking around in my bag and it works like a champ every time I grab it.

Although just another data point, like everyone I had a MiniMag AA collecting dust. I purchased the LED Upgrade from nite ize and it is great. LED Combo Upgrade Kit II I would not night ride with it, but for having a handy bombproof light and making your old flashlight usable it is good.

-Joe

[TTX1]

Added this to my ERC (Every Ride Carry) kit: Boker Pelican.

Small, relatively light at @ 30g, and the ti handle / high carbon blade can live in a saddle pack...

Has a clip on the other side, which keeps it in place in the bag.

[choke]

Josh, I've been using an O-Light S1 for a couple of years and can't find anything to complain about. It's been dropped a bunch, gnawed on a bit by the dog and submerged and still looks new. It uses a weird battery size (CR123A) but it's rechargeable and came with the charger so it's OK by me. 500 lumens at the max setting, but it gets warm and doesn't last long. The only time I've used that much light is when the kids were scaring ghost crabs in NC.

edit: my favorite part of the light is the rare earth magnet in the butt end. we don't have a light in our attic and I can just take the little light up there and stick it to a nail. it's a pretty handy feature

+1 for an OLight. I use a flashlight pretty much every day at work and last year I decided I wanted something smaller. I purchased an OLight S30RII and I'm extremely happy with it. It has a nice beam, the (rechargeable) battery lasts a decent amount of time and the different settings are a nice feature. Like the S1, it has the magnetic end and that's definitely been needed a time or two.

[Too Tall]

Thanks for the Olight S1 Baton LED Flashlight recommend. I've had it for a few days. Holy crow it throws a beam and I'm loving the magnetic base.

[11.4]

Elzetta. Gotta have an Elzetta. These are the flashlights that the SpecOps guys are increasingly buying with their own money. Vastly overbuilt. Most take CR123's or a rechargeable equivalent battery pack. Why distinguishes them are (a) sheer construction quality, (b) leading edge emitter technology, so you always get the brightest lights (unlike Surefire, for example), and (c) designed for a lifetime of use, so you get sapphire lenses, beryllium copper springs and contacts, and a super hard EDC-like coating).