[Triggerjerk]

I have been a knife user for most of my life. This means that a knife was my main tool at work. I was in the florist/greenhouse/garden center business for about 30 years. This work is more or less agricultural. The flower shop people use their knives the most out of all of the above. The greenhouse and outside flower growers use them the hardest, and the garden center people are somewhere in between.

Besides plant material I have cut cardboard, rubber hose, plastic hose, PVC hose, wood, rope, twine, electrical wire, packing strapping, and God only knows what else. I have used my pocket knife for prying all kinds of staples and irrigation nozzle gadgets, etc., etc.

In an agricultural pursuit your pocket knife gets used to the point of abuse. One summer I was on a greenhouse maintenance crew. I spent the whole summer chipping 20 year old, rock hard, window putty out of greenhouse frames with my knife.

The knife that most of us used for these chores was the Florist Knife by Victorinox. It has a single blade that folds into a red plastic handle. The liners are aluminum, and the rivets are brass. These knives are inexpensive, extremely durable, and hold a good edge. When they burn out, you can relegate them to the "has been" drawer.

I want a working knife that is inexpensive, durable, and expendable. The florist knife that most of us use is made by Victorinox...the Swiss Army company. The other Swiss Army Knives are probably good for the average user. They are a bit fragile for hard use. The aluminum handled Swiss Army Knives, like the Soldier are a lot sturdier.

I recently picked up many knives from our state surplus store. They are confiscations from the local airport. I have a Camillus electrician's knife that is a fine, inexpensive working knife. I like the Buck Everyday line. They are made in China, but seem to have the same quality as the American made Bucks. They are inexpensive. I got a few Case knives. These are fine American knives. I found a couple of Opinels, inexpensive French made knives.

What I want in a working knife is a decent, sturdy pocket knife that will hold a realistic edge for a realistic amount of time. That time varies. If I am cutting soft plant material the edge should last a lot longer than if I am cutting PVC hose. I want an inexpensive knife so that if I break it, lose it, or a co-worker borrows it, I am not at a big loss. Farmers and ranchers generally got their pocket knives at the hardware store. I have seen displays of Buck, Victorinox and Case knives at different local hardware stores. The Case are a bit more expensive, the Swiss Armies a bit fragile, but all are good choices for working knives. Inexpensive, durable, and expendable...that's what I want from a working knife.