Picnic knives and your favorite blue jeans.

As many of you know, I ride a motorcycle. Not a big touring bike, but a more slender cruiser called a Harley-Davidson Dyna-Glide. Space on board is limited.

Without ever giving this much thought, I've always chosen a knife that in a pinch could be used for eating--and I sharpen them in that fashion.

(For example, I used to carry a Buck 110 quite a bit. That's a heavy folding knife that's suitable for hunting. I put a polished edge on it for cutting steak at restaurants.)

Here's the purpose of the thread. I have now been carrying a Japanese picnic knife with me when my little extended family dines out on Friday night. I don't even think about it. If we're going out, I grab my wallet and the little steak knife.

If I'm going to the Harley shop on Saturday morning for free hot dogs, I take a little Graham 'Stubby' (again, designed as a smaller outdoor knife which can spread butter) for convenience.

In fact, I even have a slang expression for using a knife in this fashion for the first time. I call it "mayonnaising."

But clearly, I'm not a 'foodie.' My goal with food is 'consumption,' not 'creation.' However, more and more I'm finding ways for my private comfort in restaurants. More and more I'm I growing unhappy with expensive food and poor flatware. More and more I'm finding that if I don't take action, no one will.

A fine restaurant might spend tens of thousands of dollars on linen, crystal, and mood lighting--then saddle me with a twisted fork and a dull serrated knife.

So, you might find it odd, but here's the mindset. I grab my leather jacket, my gloves, slip into my favorite riding boots, make sure I have a gas debit card, tell the wife when I'll be back and then ask myself if I'm going to eat.

Then I grab a "man's knife" that can also butter bread...

Kewl looking knives!!! I like the blade and the ring at the top of them.

Doc said:

Kewl looking knives!!! I like the blade and the ring at the top of them.

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Ya' know, so do I. But I bought them for one reason, and use them for another one!

These are pretty much my favorite recreational/dining knives.

I can carry them for numerous reasons. However, because of their front "snout," which is very much like the profile of a Japanese nakiri, they are great for slicing buns and buttering potatoes.

They get "toasty" sharp for steaks!

If I had to describe their "overall" use in terms of actual incidences where they have been called into play, I would have to admit "food."

I believe that your food experts here would be well served by taking custom flatware and personal steak knives with them when dining. Granted, their examples will be more refined, however, I have proved the value over and over again.

Those razels really look nice. But for EDC I still prefer the big ol' honkin' folders like my Spyderco Military, that my wife derisively calls a "folding sword."

Folks, "Locutus" is a good friend of mine who also holds a unique perspective for food and food preapration.

He lives in Wyoming where he has access to a lot of wilderness camping. I have always wondered if his experience with smoking meat with aromatic woods, the preparation of wild game and the regional seasoning such food requires, would be a interesting view of the unknown.

Ron is also a "grasshopper" to the field of being a tinker, and he has lots of experience with tools and philosophies differing from my own.

He's a worthy asset for us, a true gentleman, and a magnet for your questions.

The Tourist said:

Folks, "Locutus" is a good friend of mine who also holds a unique perspective for food and food preapration.

He lives in Wyoming where he has access to a lot of wilderness camping. I have always wondered if his experience with smoking meat with aromatic woods, the preparation of wild game and the regional seasoning such food requires, would be a interesting view of the unknown.

Ron is also a "grasshopper" to the field of being a tinker, and he has lots of experience with tools and philosophies differing from my own.

He's a worthy asset for us, a true gentleman, and a magnet for your questions.

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Awesome, Ron sounds like he'll be a great addition to our membership.

The Tourist said:

He's a true gentleman, .

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If you're going to insult me, I'll leave!