True story a woman reported me to hospital security for using a Swiss army knife classic SD to open a pack of jerky in the cafe.

Bought my dad a case sodbuster for Christmas in 2015. Carried it the last three years of his life. Said best knife he ever owned.

My question got answered by DCA! :D Thank you! I intended to ask about a beefier dedicated blade in addition to the Cadet, sorry for not clarifying. But now I'm sorely tempted to wear a multi-tool in a belt sheath and add a propeller hat to my outfit whenever possible. That Vosteed Nightshade is pretty cool, I haven't had a crossbar lock yet. Maybe I can find one I like with a sheepsfoot or that leaf-shaped blade and a cutesy color. And I agree with the point you made about how deliberately you open it makes a difference. Lots of good comments so far, too, I'm excited!

I love my slipjoint knives. Case knives have a special place in my heart. Nowadays I also love and appreciate modern slipjoints. I will never stop collecting slipjoints. I love 'em and use 'em.

As the resident "guy who opens the supplies" at work, I do think a bit about avoiding scaring the people around me. I've found that there's a couple of things that get less remarks: - Pointy tips, get remarks, regardless of size. I had a sub-3" Spyderco Byrd get someone quoting the Crocodile Dundee "this is a knife" bit at me. Sheepfoot blades, rounder bellies or a utility without a forward point gets by easier. - The reason traditional slipjoints seem less threatening is the deliberateness in opening. I've found you CAN open quickly but the key is having the blade NEAR the thing that you're intending to cut. If I put the blade right next to the box, pop it open, and then usually pinch grip it, people instinctively file it as "tool being used" not "open sharp thing waving around". That said, deliberateness in using blades around other people who don't have some sense of giving space to people using tools is a good thing!

Another less-ferocious looking knife feature is wood handles. An Opinel #6 or #8, most people will think you're cutting up lunch or getting ready to whittle like grandpa, but not many find them menacing. And of course points are generally a bad idea. Sheepsfoot knives are less alarming for folks as it's very easy to identify quickly if a knife has a "stab potential" or not.. If all that fails though, go with a utility knife / boxcutter. They're not cool or fidgety, but they're mostly looked upon as an office supply and are designed to have an amazing cutting geometry.

Grew up with the Sears yellow stockman in my pocket , moved on to a case stockman when i turned twenty. Does everything on the ranch that its asked .

I think sheep's foot is the least intimidating while being one of the most useful blade shapes.

I love my non locking UKPK's. They're super light, affordable, extremely practical, open and close one handed easily and safely, are finger safe with a forward choil, fun to collect, and open boxes like nobody's business. I don't understand why so many people are weird about non locking knives if they don't work trades or actually need something tactical. There are absolutely compelling needs for strong lockup, but most of us are opening packages, doing food prep, and fidgeting with our toys and I think we owe it to ourselves to be honest about that

For the Muggle friendly knife, I think the Spyderco Dragonfly is perfect! Great knife, small, functional and more suited to rolling out rather than flicking so it would be mostly unnoticed. I honestly don’t think the Bugout fits this because, while it isn’t a big knife, it isn’t quite as subtle as the Dragonfly. Thanks for the great video, DCA!

For a non-threatening folder, I like a Ka-Bar Dozier folding hunter. They come in a lot of colors, are pretty generic looking and they are a good value.

My favorite slipjoint/non-threatening knife I carry is the Cold Steel Lucky Two. It's small, has a simple non-threatening look, made in Italy, and has both a plain and serrated S35 blade!

Based on the title, the issue of are they worth it was never brought up or addressed in the video. They do have a serious QC issue but this was not talked about why?

A locking blade has never been a problem for me. I have field dressed over 1000 fish and even large catfish with a case mini trapper. Well, I am in my fifth decade so knife safety was a young lesson. Folding non-locking knives are not designed for thrusting. We have fixed blades for that. I really enjoy these presentations. Thank You and All of Your Crew. 👍😁

I recently picked up a canoe & then a copperlock & while not very sharp out of the box, I love them.

How well does the worksharp rolling knife sharpener work? Im super interested in it but its kind of a wild concept in my mind never heard of that kind of sharpening.

It's always informative watching DCA doing his magic.

Case knives cannot be mail ordered. Must be purchased in person for a QC inspection.

I love that jigged bone sod! So pretty amd such a fantastic blade shape for daily cutting! I'm not to much on traditionals but I do carry a sod Jr everyday on my hand bag. I love the sod pattern and the jigged bone ones are awesome! I'm really wishing someone would make an exact sod and sod Jr pattern slippy in a steel like K390 or M4... ide be in love

Living in Germany for the next few months, the whole slip-joint/lock topic is very relevant. I can carry a fixed blade up to 12cm, or a folding knife that cannot be deployed and locked both with one hand. It would be great to know which knives offer the best functionality for EDC, self defence, etc.

For me another plus of having a non-locking knife in EDC is when someone asks to borrow. It's such a crapshoot which locks people will find intuitive or confusing - sooo many times I've had someone futz two-handed with a knife (backlock, linerlock, compression lock, button lock...) before awkwardly handing it back still open and point forward. I think DCA has commented before on this benefit of having a small SAK on hand.

I realize this isn't for everyone, but the victorinox compact is the quintessential GADA EDC companion I'd recommend to anyone.

Dear DCA Thomas Seth V and Seth V's Moustache, (please note that was facial hair envy / admiration). I have a question which perhaps you might be able to answer. Recently I bought an about house beater of a folder. Because of the level of abuse such a knife was likely to get I decided to go cheap, to my amazement a knife termed (I believe) a gas station knife in the US and costing below £20 was not horrible, in fact beside being heavy the cross bar lock is good, there is no play in it, one hand opening using the cross bar worked great out of the box the ergonomics are fantastic, the blade which is about 3.5 inches has a choil which is really well shaped and discrete, acres of belly and a thumb scallop in the back so you cant get further out on the blade, there is clearance so when using a cutting board your knuckles don't drag etc. it's just well made and thought out. The steel is a bit pants 3Cr 13 but at less than £20 and the purpose I got it for that's acceptable to me. So here is my question, it's a good design and not badly made for what it is. Do more significant brands ever "buy" the design rights to a mega cheapo folder and then put the same thing together with better materials and finish? Just for the record I have not bought a G**zo, I have ethical problems with buying that brand.

Victorinox are among the very least threatening I think (McGyver made us a favor) and one of the reason I EDC them so often. And I can choose the right size for the occasion as long as there are so many lenght ranges. If the 91 mm had some locking mechanism (but not the one of the 84 mm that gets in the middle of the grip, more like the Swiza maybe) and more premium steel options, I likely would end up rotating very few times to other pieces of my collection

Case has some great patterns but their QC is very hit or miss. Finding a Sodbuster with good centering and no side play is nearly impossible.

I have owned, carried, and used Case knives for 67 years. I still carry and use them almost every day. They do the job and have never disappointed me.. The steel is reasonably easy to sharpen yet will hold an edge under hard use for a reasonably long time.

More 3 -3.5" inch fixies please!!

I find that people are less skittish when you pull out an orange-handled pocket knife, as well .. 😚

Love the old fashioned clip joints. My favorites are Boker and Case. These knives are high quality with exceptional craftsmanship. Some of the brand new trapper series were actually made in the 50's, 60's and 70's and were still on the shelf. Just bought a Boker with 5" folding blades with Damscus steel for only $100.

For non-threatening an Amicus, or Baby Banter might be good, I personally carry a Kershaw Shuffle. Pick a silly color for maximum friendliness.

How to not scare the non-knife folk : pink knives are really great for that. The Spyderco Dragonfly, Native or Para 3 LW work well in pink to not scare. People will only focus on the fact that the handle is pink and often say "ohhh, cute" rather that "ahhh, knife".

Most all modern designed knives are single blade knives. Traditional slip joint knives advantage over modern knives is providing more than one blade style. Providing a better suited blade design for the cutting purpose intended. 🤔

What are the best Case knives in CV steel? I have the sodbuster junior and love it. Also shoutout to case for making the shiniest stonewash around.

Really like that yellow bone from Case. For a less scary knife wood handles are a good option. It gives the knife a classic look which could be less intimidating. Brass and copper might also be good options, although they can be heavy. A smaller knife can help too. Great video DCA!

17:03 Fun fact almost nobody seems to know: Steel rods are there to straighten back up a deformed edge, specifically on thin kitchen knife edges. (Because it is lightning fast, which is especially great in a work-environment-kitchen. And you also save material, because you don't necessarily have to take off material via sharpening / honing / stropping. Saves a lot of time and material in the long run, but not really needed at home. I like to have a pocket steel-"whetting"-rod near me though, because if I can straighten back up an edge instead of creating a new one, I will do that instead.)

I used to carry benchmade 42 46 or 43 balisongs. Now I carry large Case Copperlocks. There's so many to choose and collect. Also like the tiny trappers.

I love all knife types and have a number of Case and Buck Traditional slipjoints. I would say the number 1 would be the Stockman be it a small, medium, or large/jumbo. And I know that the Stockman isn't just a Case brand model but it and the Trapper are 2 of the highest produced models. My only complaint with the stockman would be the Spay blade. While at one time it was extremely handy, I think a scissor option might make it more useful in the modern times. Lets face it, companies like Victorinox are adding the scissors layer to a large number of their knives. As for the Dogsleg Jack for the Pug, while comical, it is a top flipper which tends to be opened by the thumb of a human. You also used your thumb to close it. Yes, this is technical knit picking but this is the most serious of questions after all.

Two of my favorite knives in my carry rotation are my Case large stockmans. One with amber bone and the other iconic yellow synthetic.

17:31 LOL! Aaah, the joy on my face!

Can confirm the Eldris gets an easy pass. I’m a teacher in a small school and teach outdoor Ed so I often need a knife but need it to be clearly not a weapon. The Eldris is great it fits easy in a pouch or pocket and only has gotten comments about how useful and cute it is lol.

Love your videos DCA! Great content and delivery as always.

Dammit Thomas, you got me. I truly believed that you were going to take mercy on DCA and not give him the hat. I should've known better!

Differently worded, but the same sentiment about non-locking knives. They're a great teaching tool for knife safety. Especially the ones with backsprings. Teaches you to get your fingers out of the way when closing it as they can be a bit unpredictable to new users with their propensity to close. Also can teach about "angle of attack" for lack of a better phrase. You stab a knife into something perpendicular to the ground, the blade has a high chance to fold back onto you. Angling the knife can drastically reduce that from happening. Generally speaking, those cuts are easier to continue, and add less stress to a knife if it does have a lock.

Wow...I bookmarked this...for replays...just because of your amazing deductive reasoning articulations.

Bluntly - a lot of folks seem to spend a lot of time thinking about the 'least aggressive looking blade' and not enough thinking about how they present the rest of themselves. I appreciate that some of those variables can be outside of our control depending on what your local LEOs profile you by, sadly. But, y'know, you can buy the friendliest cutting tool on the market and then dress like the Unabomber and you're gonna have a problem...

For the least intimidating, one hand opening blade, I recommend the Boker Magnum Rainbow Mermaid.

From what I remember (not gonna go down that rabbit hole) for Case knives finding a Tester XX of any blade shape would be what youre looking for. If its going to be a EDC buy the shapes you like. I just to have been given a Case TesterXX and the blade shape I havent seen in the galleries on their page. I call it a Mariner since the knife shape matches the knives we got on board as a deck ape in the US Navy. They came with a marlin spike (that was next to useless as they tended to break off where the taper turned to tang, the blade reveal was impossible to sharpen so was ground off asap and if the machinist mate didnt have beef with you theyd throw on a proper edge that you could sharpen the shape the length was 2.5 inches and wasnt tapered with a bullnose. The case is 3 inches long and bullnosed though not as steep of a curve as the navy knives (I dont even remember the name of the company that made them and every deck ape sailor got one and struggled to get it sharp using what ever means other than grinding and re edging and bought a knife to replace it and tossed it in trash or kept it in the bottom of their locker. Because you were going to buy a well made knife that you wouldnt get shit for having on you (for example I couldnt have gotten away with my CRKT Stiff KISS but the folding KISS tanto wouldve been ok, even thought the Stiff KISS wouldve been a better choice with that extra inch and half length. Also if I recall rightly if you were 3ft off the deck you had to use a bullnosed knife so even the folding tanto I couldnt have used all the time and most of us deck apes bought a good bullnosed knife at the Exchange or out in town, the same with marlin spikes which we used more than the knives.)

Great episode as usual, For non threatening knives, how about the qsp worker with green bone or the spyderco ladybug KC pakkawood version. Cheers 🍻

Case's quality control has slipped over the last 15 to 20 years. Uneven and rough grinds being my issue with them. I've bought several in that time and all have had those issues. I have Chinese made slipjoints with better QC at a substantially cheaper price. I hate that the Case knife of today is on par or even subpar to Chinese made knives that cost a quarter of what a Case does. If they'd pay more attention to properly finishing their blades, I'd gladly pay $60 for a Case instead of $15 for a Chinese knife but the value in Case just isn't there anymore.

Slipjoints are still great. $70 for Case knife rivaled by Rough Ryder in quality, materials and construction is not great. The "Tree branded" Bokers are the best value in my eyes right now.

Very interesting question these (non/least threatening knives), maybe a more complete video on these subject can be useful

Outstanding video, very entertaining, excellent knife knowledge!

Hey DCA and Co. My son turns 10 this year, and for sometime now I've said I'll buy him his first knife. Fixed blade of cause. He's been using my Tops Scandi trekker to do some basic carving and really likes my Finnish puukkos. I was thinking around 3" stainless would be best. Willing to spend $50-60 for something a little special. Thanks and keep up the stellar work.

Does Spreaderco make the best butter knife, or is there a more supreme maker? What could be butter?

Hey DCA, great episode as always! Ive recently picked up the microtech stitch and amphibian and absolutely love them! I’ve been looking for an MSI (rather tricky in Canada), what would you recommend as a MSI stand in that has a finger safe lock, similar blade shape and decent steel grade? That isn’t a benchmade osborne 🤘 Thank and keep up the great work!

11:14 Nah, it's 12C27. Great stuff though! Got the compound grind one in different reds. Love it!

Get him to Moras. If the carbon steel blade rusts while in his possession, consider it a cheap lesson in purchase one of his choosing and stainless. 154 cm 14 C28N are solid budget choices.

For the muggle knife, the russlock. You basically described it, the least tactical one handed, locking knife, even mentioned that traditionals often get a pass cause they look harmless.

DCA: For a change of pace, instead of "non-threatening" blades, what would you consider the most threatening/intimidating looking blade? Could you suggest at least two, a two-handed blade and a one-handed blade? Here are some limitations: fixed blade, minimum of 4.5" blade, and not the carcass splitter (since we see it frequently).

Hi Thomas and David could use a little help thanx. Trying to find a finger safe alternative to my Gerber Descent II. I love how it feels in my pocket. Don't love it biting my thumb when I am required to close it.

For the Muggle friendly knife I was thinking CRKT Razel, CRKT Ripsnort, or for a more expensive option, Benchmade Triage with a blunt tip

Looking for a knife for my daughter in scouts. 3 inches or less, locking, prefer finger safe (not liner or frame lock), easy to maintain and in the sub $50 range. Maybe $75 if needed.

I always enjoy your videos, but your case, selections, as being specific, to case, were interesting to say the least! The sodbuster is a pattern that is over 400 years old, and seems to have begun life in Germany/Austria. Case, trademarked the name in 1967, And their name has become synonymous with the pattern, but the pattern is by no means synonymous with case. The peanut is again an old pattern that has been made by many companies. The Seahorse Whitler is a name unique to case, but the pattern is the original Joseph Rodgers wharncliffe Patton of 1830. It is still made today in Sheffield. As far as I’m aware, big copper lock is unique to case, as it is a development of the widely made copperhead.

I’ve got about every sod buster model ever made and it’s my favorite model. Unfortunately the ones with a nicer handle material are not for use. If you do anything more than opening an envelope with them there will be immediately extreme blade play. They are nice to collect but not to use.

Hey David, I've been wondering what would be better for camping and bushcraft, a big knife like the Joker 6.5 Nomad, or an axe? I've got other knives like the Benchmade Leuku and Puukko, and the Mora Garberg. I'd really appreciate some recommendations. Also, if you could throw in an extra suggestion for a tactical/camping/bushcraft knife, either fixed or folding, that would be great too.

I wanted a Case medium stockman and found a local dealer. I found one that looks great, but the spring fails to firmly "click" the blades into position. It's perfectly functional, but I was disappointed in its lack of "walk and talk." Also, the clip point blade does not have a sharp point.. I can poke my fingers with it without hurting.. At $79, I can't say it's worth the price, but I bought it anyway.

Working around cattle I carry outdoor edge or something I can retighten I don’t want to send in my knives when they get sloppy but I do like case knives classic style

I have a whole case full of Case knives. I have 2 that I consider acceptable. The rest are bad to extremely bad. I can't recommend anyone buy one of their knives. I also carry a SodBuster jr every day, but I've got a lot of work into it to fix the problems it came with. The blade is still warped but I was able to get it to stop rubbing the liner, it came with huge gaps that i closed up some, and you couldnt cut butter with it or poke it through wet toilet paper. With Case prices going up, they have to step up their qc.

If you don't need a lot of length, a utility knife might work for being non-threatening. There are some pretty elegant ones available now as well.

None - threatening I would go with the Free P4 I've carried mine since it came out, never had anything but curiosity and positive comments about it. And it's not black and has a lower price than the arc.

I find making the muggles laugh helps. I make reference to my favorite threat. "I have a Swiss Army Knife, I'll open all your cans and bottles."

Ah yes. Non locking slip joint knives. Classic, simpel, beautiful and full of history. Love all of them.

Hi DCA and Thomas. I’m really after a nice fixed blade steak knife and am also a bit of a steel snob. The Spyderco Sprig in S90V would be amazing and it’s a Bird and Trout blade. What do you think would should get?

hey DCA and Thomas what's a good first knife for a 7yo girl it's gotta be pink was thinking a black and pink spyderco but now the wife is saying maybe a traditional would be safer so I'm leaning towards the pink opinel any other input would be greatly appreciated. love the content I've been watching from the beginning

Boker Atlas are VERY nonthreatening and VERY great! I love them all!

Hey DCA and Thomas, rookie question for you. How can i adjust the centering of the blade? My Kershaw Shuffle is totally off center (my fault), and i don’t know how to fix it. please help me!

Honestly I’ve been very interested in a sod buster but having heard of the poor QC from case I haven’t done it.

Yes case knifes are still good I normally use a stockman or a trapper. I like the stockman because i can normally keep the long blade clean if i need it to eat or cook with or cut off a pice of plug chewing tobacco. The otheres work wonders as box openers, making steers cleaning deer or hogs. Cutting a tangled main. Striping wire. They been a solid choice for over 100 years

To start, thank you for the in hand look at so many knives. It is nice to see animated "reviews" vs still photos. I also appreciate the opinion of your Knife center team, to that what knives did you, Seth and Thomas put in your collections for 2023? Quantify as you wish, and, maybe what has your eye, early on in 2024. Note, I too am smitten by the We Equivik. Thanks

I carry a mini Copperlock and a Fisher pen in a Hitch and Timber wallet. It is the perfect EDC.

Love my Case Texas toothpick!!!💗💗💗

Case knives does tours I wanna go!!

Darn it! Hurricane flooding has brought sharks into my yard. What blade do I need to protect my family? Love the channel.

I find my Viper Turns are well received by "Muggles." Most of them actually seem to appreciate the elegance and statement more than the tactical-gentleman vibe it really gives off. The elegance and gentleman shine more than the tactical in the non-initiated crowds... And I work at a church BTW...

Thomas, what are your top 5 knives? (Only 1 reverse tanto)

Case from slip joint to new modern knives are definitely worth it. My trapper comes in handy.

Buck 110 or 112 and add a thumb stud for the least threatening one handed opening but heavier duty than a 91mm SAK. My second choice would be similar to the Rescue Tool but any of those large Victorinox knives with one handed opening in red would be pretty unthreatening. I feel like non-knife people just think red knife = SAK and is acceptable.

Least threatening? Condor Cadejo in pink. It's the colour that will distract them

Hey DCA, I took a look for a non threatening knife. How about the G-Sakai (2.13” closed) Damascus Frame Lock Money Clip with knife. They have a bunch of options with different artwork on them. Plus the blade is only 1.63” , it looks like they could be opened with one hand and they look pretty wide so they could be pretty strong. What do you think?

I get what you mean about knives with strange shapes being less intimidating, but I think the nightshades strange shape in particular might make it more intimidating. The least intimidating knife in my opinion is the boker mermaid. You know why.

Any recommendations for someone wanting to downsize their knife collection? Are there forums other than sites like ebay that knife folks use? Are there any restrictions I should know about when it comes to selling/mailing knives?

Hi DCA and Crew! I am hoping this question can be answered for an upcoming video! I'm putting together a Medieval Style Costume for the upcoming Renaissance Faire (in April) and would like to complete my costume with a Dagger on my hip. Any recommendations? Price range preferably sub $150. Thank you

Hey DCA, really love these educational videos and always hearing your thoughts. I hope you can help me with some suggestions. I'm looking to get a folding knife or multitool for my dad, he currently has a Gerber that he got for free at a conference, but he likes it because it's very small and incredibly thin. He wears dress pants for work so he'd only be interested in something small, thin, and with a clean/gentleman design. I'd like to get him something a little nicer for around $70-100; do you have any recommendations? (P.S. I've already been looking at the new Vosteed Mini Labrador and quite like it so maybe take that for inspiration if you'd like?)

I have a 2.5" blade length limit at my job... what're some of your favorite knives (either slip joint or locking) with that blade length? Note: i already have a Baby Banter and a Compact but I would love to expand my work carry options 😊

Slipjoints defo have a place in the modern EDC environment here in the UK because knife laws written by people who don’t really understand knife crime.

Civivi sokoke vs the cjrb ekko? Both are ray lacanaco designs and very very similar. But witch one is better and if u could just pick one what would it be?

I suggest Tyler the Hanson the Boker DW-1 It's tiny It's one hand operation It locks

Hello DCA! great video as always! I would like to ask if you could come up with any elegant OTFs. I was looking through your website, and basically all of them have chunky handles, or super aggressive patterns, or aren't visually proportioned well (thick handle, skinny blade). I imagine that there are very good functional reasons for the aggro, the thicc, and the chonk. However, I am looking for an OTF that prioritizes a classy, elegant look. Any input appreciated, thanks! P.S. @13:30 Personally, I think that those would still be of concern to a skiddish person. I think that personally I would go for a sheepsfoot. The lack of a pointy tip could be a strong cue for "hey I'm just a tool" (as a sheepsfoot myself, I can confirm that sheepsfeet say this to everyone they meet😂). P.P.S. for sharpening: I have a WickedEdge 130, I think the modern version is a 66. That system truly is idiot proof as it locks everything in (knife, angle, etc). You can set new cutting bevel angles, you can polish the cutting edge to literally a mirror finish (0.1 micron, and they have leather strops for custom honing compounds), etc. The main downside is that the clamp and all the stones are pretty expensive (maybe like $2500 for literally everything), the secondary downside is that it's really made for knives, so things like axes, really small knives, large machetes can't really be sharpened with this system. Overall: it works really well with what it can do, no experience necessary. But it's costly and can't do everything. Personally, I'm on a bench stone journey. I'm trying to learn to sharpen by hand like Kiwami Japan (guy who makes knife out of milk lol)

I sell knives, swords, axes, etc at farmers markets and special events. I see some folks scared to even cone up to the booth ( i keep all my knives in open position in a case with a plexiglass top) I just don't get it!

I'd like to see that Eldris handle with a full range of blade lengths be offered.