Choosing
There is a fine art to choosing the correct pocket knife.
Ladies, the purchase of a pocket knife for your significant other can be a fantastic choice for an anniversary gift or special occasion, but be forewarned, the particulars of locating "the right purse" also apply to pocket knives for men. At least some men, anyway.
Color - I have a few friends who pride themselves in being a member of "the orange knife club", proudly displaying their blaze-orange-flanked Case XX upon demand. Most men, however, choose a particular color for a particular purpose or function. Most men probably wouldn't carry a blaze-orange Case XX to a formal function, any more than you ladies would wield a banana-yellow number with a formal black evening gown. It's just not done. Bleh. I personally carry a blue anodized Victorinox almost everywhere because it blends well with blue jeans, but also for other reasons mentioned below. I have a wonderfully well-crafted Benchmade which I carry when hunting because it's flat black and can be concealed during sunny days in the tree stand.
Shape - Curved, straight, flat, thick - it all depends on the function you're needing. Different blades serve differing purposes. A straight-edged blade is okay for whittling and such, but a blade with a slight curve is much more practical in a wider variety of settings. Who wants to have a honking-big, tri-bladed Buck hunting knife bulging out from a pair of khakis? Cargo pants, maybe, but not something dressy, which is a nice segue into...
Size - It does matter. Partially for concealment, but mostly because of practicality. Having a knife that fits your hand when you need it is supremely important. Ladies, you wouldn't carry a backpack if a snappy little coin purse would suffice. Likewise, your man could easily lose a finger or two by not having the right sized blade.
Style - Ladies, raise your hand if you still think macramé is fashionable. Enough said. It's okay. Just own it. But realize, this is kinda' like having a ten-dollar-plastic-handled-Pakistan-stamped-blade-survival-kit-knife-in-a-fake-leather-pouch handed to you for a birthday present. Ugh. Which leads me too...
Material - Carbon steel, ceramic, mylar, carbon fiber, brass, nickel, platinum, gold titanium, stainless, plastic, bone, fiberglass (huh?), whatever. Find out what your man prefers and stick with it. Better yet - just let him pick ;o)
Feel - This ties in closely with size, weight, and balance. A cheap knife feels, well, cheap. Period. Rough edges or stamped handles versus carved handles make all the difference in the world. A well-crafted piece of cutlery not only feels right, it IS right.
Weight/Balance - Too heavy, and it is useless. Too light for the intended purpose, and it's also worthless. I combine these two because they are so closely intertwined. Just as your purse is a burden if not chosen carefully, so is a man's pocket or hunting knife. I personally find the best-weighted and best-balanced knives typically run in the pricier category.
Having said all this, honestly, ladies, would you prefer your beau to pick your purse, or do it yourself?
Ladies, the purchase of a pocket knife for your significant other can be a fantastic choice for an anniversary gift or special occasion, but be forewarned, the particulars of locating "the right purse" also apply to pocket knives for men. At least some men, anyway.
Color - I have a few friends who pride themselves in being a member of "the orange knife club", proudly displaying their blaze-orange-flanked Case XX upon demand. Most men, however, choose a particular color for a particular purpose or function. Most men probably wouldn't carry a blaze-orange Case XX to a formal function, any more than you ladies would wield a banana-yellow number with a formal black evening gown. It's just not done. Bleh. I personally carry a blue anodized Victorinox almost everywhere because it blends well with blue jeans, but also for other reasons mentioned below. I have a wonderfully well-crafted Benchmade which I carry when hunting because it's flat black and can be concealed during sunny days in the tree stand.
Shape - Curved, straight, flat, thick - it all depends on the function you're needing. Different blades serve differing purposes. A straight-edged blade is okay for whittling and such, but a blade with a slight curve is much more practical in a wider variety of settings. Who wants to have a honking-big, tri-bladed Buck hunting knife bulging out from a pair of khakis? Cargo pants, maybe, but not something dressy, which is a nice segue into...
Size - It does matter. Partially for concealment, but mostly because of practicality. Having a knife that fits your hand when you need it is supremely important. Ladies, you wouldn't carry a backpack if a snappy little coin purse would suffice. Likewise, your man could easily lose a finger or two by not having the right sized blade.
Style - Ladies, raise your hand if you still think macramé is fashionable. Enough said. It's okay. Just own it. But realize, this is kinda' like having a ten-dollar-plastic-handled-Pakistan-stamped-blade-survival-kit-knife-in-a-fake-leather-pouch handed to you for a birthday present. Ugh. Which leads me too...
Material - Carbon steel, ceramic, mylar, carbon fiber, brass, nickel, platinum, gold titanium, stainless, plastic, bone, fiberglass (huh?), whatever. Find out what your man prefers and stick with it. Better yet - just let him pick ;o)
Feel - This ties in closely with size, weight, and balance. A cheap knife feels, well, cheap. Period. Rough edges or stamped handles versus carved handles make all the difference in the world. A well-crafted piece of cutlery not only feels right, it IS right.
Weight/Balance - Too heavy, and it is useless. Too light for the intended purpose, and it's also worthless. I combine these two because they are so closely intertwined. Just as your purse is a burden if not chosen carefully, so is a man's pocket or hunting knife. I personally find the best-weighted and best-balanced knives typically run in the pricier category.
Having said all this, honestly, ladies, would you prefer your beau to pick your purse, or do it yourself?
posted by /tim at 9:56 PM
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