Here’s a nifty gadget for your gear bag. It’s a replica of a hobo knife from the early 1900’s. This one from W.R. Case has a bone handle with a knife, spoon and a fork with a can opener. It’s pretty expensive at around $80 or so at various online retailers. However, I did find some more reasonably priced versions at Budk.com that are worth checking out.
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Two comments:
1) I would hesitate to buy anything from BudK. They always have interesting looking stuff, but everything I have seen or heard about from them features *very* bad steel. (I hang out on knife forums where BudK is infamous.)
2) My recommendation for a less expensive tool of this sort is the Ka-Bar Hobo. It is well designed and well made. The Hobo is available for under $20 from all sorts of places including Amazon. Of the two versions I prefer the slightly larger variant that has a locking knife for safety.
@Bob Thanks for letting us know that BudK products aren’t such a good idea. I didn’t know that… I just googled for more hobo knives and saw his selection.
So this may be a fine set IF you are right-handed!!!
Case knives are pretty well respected. It’s the manufacturer not the vendor you should concern yourself about. Additionally the “high quality” steel knife nuts often obsess about is higher carbon steel which is harder, more brittle and holds an edge better. It also rusts much more easily. I’d rather have a nice stainless steel in a knife like this than have super superior edge holding.
@bob thanks for your comment. I book marked that site because they had a lot of cool stuff for cheap. but knowing they may not be the best quality is good to know!
So, what do I do if I want to use a knife _and_ fork ?
Or is that just not the hobo way ?
Why would being left handed be an issue?
The handle separates and splits the knife in two pieces, the knife on one side/handle and the fork on the other side/handle. Mine is not the version with the spoon.
Mine doesn’t seem to be right handed, or left handed…..
Actually thats a bottle opener, not a can opener. Can openers have a triangular(ish) blade that pokes down into the can when you lever up on the handle.
@dcb You are right. BudK does carry some good brand-name knives, including the Ka-Bar Hobo I recommended.
I should have said that I do not trust the quality of their unbranded and BudK-brand knives.
And in case anyone is interested, my favorite knife dealer is New Graham Knives (http://newgraham.com/). Their prices are always near the lowest and everyone gives rave reviews to their service. They are always my first choice after more than ten years of regular transactions.
I’d settle for a spork… THAT would be cool!