6 reasons to keep a knife handy

At Knivesandtools we think that everyone should keep a knife with them. After all, a knife is only useful when you actually have it with you. And we've noticed that a knife comes in handy more often than you might have thought. That's why we're happy to share our six reasons why everyone should have a knife with them.

Disclaimer: naturally, we think that everyone should have a knife with them, but only when it is legal to do so. Every country has legislation relating to this, so make sure you are familiar with it. Please read our page about knife legislation.

1: A knife for opening packaging

A knife is ideal for opening packaging. Often much more so than scissors. Whether it's removing the thin film around a packet of tea, opening a letter, or getting into blister packs or a package from your favourite online shop (hint, hint): a pocket knife always comes in handy.

This all sounds very obvious, but there is another interesting perspective here. We have read a plea from an American dentist who advises all his patients to carry a pocket knife. We humans are highly inclined to use our teeth to tear apart packaging and the like. You'll recognise this tendency too. This dentist argues that dental treatment to repair your incisors after being just a little too enthusiastic is many times more expensive than a decent pocket knife.

2: A knife for food prep

By ‘food prep’ we are referring to everything related to food. From peeling an apple to slicing an orange, through to proper chopping in the kitchen. It won't be the first time that we use a pocket knife because we can't find a decent knife in the kitchen of a friend or family member.

On a snack board, too, a nice pocket knife looks a lot better than a simple paring knife. The Opinel pocket knives are our favourites for this. And, in many restaurants, you get given a horrible serrated steak knife with your steak. These are gruesome knives that can completely obliterate the fine structure of the tender meat. In those cases, we're always happy to have a decent knife from our own collection on hand, to do justice to the meat.

3: Emergencies and first aid

Naturally you hope you'll never need a knife for this category. But if the situation does arise, you'll be extremely happy to have a knife with you. There are quite a few well-known stories of people on the motorway who have used their knife to free fellow road users from their car after an accident. By piercing the car window, cutting through the seat belt, and cutting away clothing so that injuries can be treated. When every second counts, you can't always wait for the police or an ambulance to arrive.

A pocket knife also comes in handy for more minor ‘emergencies’, such as cutting a plaster or a roll of bandage, or picking out a splinter. Less spectacular, but definitely very useful.

4: A really good knife

If you always have your own knife with you, it's a knife that is to your own taste and quality. A good pocket knife stays sharp for longer than a standard Stanley knife. Moreover, your own high-quality knife is much more enjoyable to use than such a standard knife. Your own pocket knife offers more pride of ownership.

Also, having a good knife with you means that you never have to ask someone else for help. Never needing to borrow a knife or other tools is a nice bit of self-sufficiency.

5: Style accessory to complete your outfit

As you click through a few of our pocket knives, you'll see that there are countless different knives to choose from. So many knives, so many preferences. There is an appropriate knife to match every outfit.

That may seem a bit strange to the layman. But think of it like a beautiful watch: it is obvious that you would adorn your wrist with a different timepiece for different situations and outfits. In the same way, a good pocket knife can really complete your outfit. A stylish gentleman's knife for the refined man, or a robust outdoor knife for the aspiring forest rangers among us.

6: You just never know

We continue to amaze ourselves with all the different ways a knife can be used. Quickly scraping off a sticker, cutting up old paper, snipping a loose thread from a new shirt - we could go on and on. That's why we think you should always have a knife with you. Because you simply can't always know in advance what you might need it for.