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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Country Eye on May 10, 2007, 16:09:56

Title: Knives
Post by: Country Eye on May 10, 2007, 16:09:56
Hi, I have been 'hanging' around this site for a while but this is my first post so please be gentle with me!

I have recently taken on an allotment and after lots of hard work it has become clear that I need a good quality knife. After going around in circles on the net I thought I would ask the people that knew - you guys and gals.

So I need a knife for general use around my allotment, can anybody recomend a good one?

many thanks
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: saddad on May 10, 2007, 16:27:14
I use an "Army" type but only because I have to have a bottle opener with me at all times....  ;D
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: triffid on May 10, 2007, 16:31:15
Welcome to A4A, Country Eye.  :)
Like Saddad, I'm another Victorinox (Swiss Army knife) fan.
Mine has a good, solid lockable blade, a sawtoothed blade which everyone laughed at 15 years ago when I bought the knife but which has proven wonderful for midweight pruning, the essential corkscrew and bottle opener, plus various things for getting dwarves out of horses' hooves or suchlike.  ;)
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: manicscousers on May 10, 2007, 16:35:34
welcome to the site,country eye.. ray has one of those thingies (I say1, he has at least 4) with a knife, screwdriver etc, also, a penknife( again, I say 1, he has at least 3)..and a secateury thing with a knife in as well..as you can see, he wasn't allowed knives when he was small  ;D
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: Tee Gee on May 10, 2007, 16:36:44
I like to use one with a curved blade that some might call a 'pruning knife'

In terms of size; I like it to fit in my hand  where my thumb nestles in the centre of the curve!
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: Country Eye on May 10, 2007, 16:45:46
Thanks everybody. I love this site and I just knew I would get some advice!

Triffid - 15 years use from your knife. That is impressive.

Title: Re: Knives
Post by: markfield rover on May 10, 2007, 17:02:02
Again Swiss Army also has key ring on it with house and shed keys.
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: manicscousers on May 10, 2007, 17:11:24
are knives a 'man' thing, i have 1 penknife   ;D
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: triffid on May 10, 2007, 17:11:38
Quote from: Country Eye on May 10, 2007, 16:45:46
Triffid - 15 years use from your knife. That is impressive.

It shows... these two started out identical. That's 15 years of wear (abuse!) and sharpening showing on the left-hand knife's main blade.   ::) :)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p103/triffidspix/5a694152.jpg)

ManicS, no bloke, me: definitely female.  ;D
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: manicscousers on May 10, 2007, 17:13:43
yes, but do you REALLY like having loads of the things?..I think ray felt he was deprived  ;D
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: triffid on May 10, 2007, 17:26:58
That's not loads... that's one each, his 'n' hers. ;)
But I am very fond of it.

PS. OH reminds me that carrying pocket knives such as these is now illegal.
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: katynewbie on May 10, 2007, 18:16:23
 :-\

I have an Opinel knife, it's just over 4" long and a folding penknife. I keep it sharp and it works for most things, string, getting into compost bags, would be ok if I had any asparagus (sigh) and is small enough to keep in my pocket.

Not too expensive, in fact quite cheap, but works for me!

;)
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: sand on May 10, 2007, 18:35:36
Must be a man thing.  He has a couple of Opinel knives and loves them more than you can imagine, they go on holiday with us too.

I have been 'allowed' a teeny Opinel on my key ring and the occasional supervised use of his Opinel or a general purpose penknife from the shed.  He is convinced that I'm going to lose digits when I use it, I keep reminding him I'm a nurse and - strangely enough - quite used to handling very sharp instruments!

And it's  not me that uses all the plasters either  ;)

Sand
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: manicscousers on May 10, 2007, 20:06:53
you should've seen his face when I'd forgotten mine and asked for the loan of his  ;D
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: Deb P on May 10, 2007, 20:41:31
I use a Chinese army knife as it still sports a hoof pick, and you never know when you may be called upon to remove stones from horses hooves..... ;D
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: saddad on May 10, 2007, 21:54:33
I'm currently using a 1970's Sabbatier... as the handle finally collapsed in the dishwasher... takes a really good edge. Handle held together with sticky tape. Just have to be careful how I get it out of the pocket as I could end up minus a few fingers!
;D
Army knife is currently lost....  :-X
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 10, 2007, 22:34:33
I use a cheapo kitchen knife set that the church shop couldn't get rid of.
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: jennym on May 10, 2007, 23:49:45
Use Opinel here too, have a little one, very handy, and a big one which is great for weeding with when you spot the odd weed here and there.
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: vegging out on May 10, 2007, 23:59:14
It's an Opinel for me too.  :)
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: Jeannine on May 11, 2007, 00:26:45
I have carried a genuine Swiss Army knife in my handbag for years,along with a tape measure and screwdriver set.XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: Barnowl on May 11, 2007, 00:39:55
Liked this one so much, I bought another for one of my brothers...

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=8887&MAN=Bahco-K-gp-1-Pruning-Knife (http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=8887&MAN=Bahco-K-gp-1-Pruning-Knife)

PS don't forget, if you give someone a knife make sure they give you at least one copper coin in exchange (superstitious, moi?)
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: asbean on May 11, 2007, 00:57:04
Mine is a serrated wooden-handled one which was part of a set of three that I got with Embassy cigarette coupons in 1965.  I keep it in the asparagus bed and it's used for opening packages, cutting string etc and, of course, cutting asparagus.
Title: Re: Knives
Post by: Eristic on May 11, 2007, 02:26:13
For general allotment use I have Felco secateurs and a cheap pair of scissors. Pocket knives are for sharpening pencils.