I’ve been using the 2025 Pioneer X exclusively for a number of weeks now. It’s a great knife that I’ve never actually owned before. Recently I really started to miss the inline Philips. I switched up to a custom Yeoman with a serrated blade that I’d put together. This was my go to for a number of weeks in the spring. I only carried it for one day this time. I was missing the inline reamer on the Pioneer X. Mainly for opening shipping boxes but also plastic bubble packaging. I do a surprising amount of that everyday. That got me thinking of what my next choice for an EDC would be. I’ve gone back to the Companion again. It is such a good knife for me personally even though I’m back to not having an inline Philips. I love how it has the Cap Lifter/Flat Blade Screwdriver instead of the Combo Tool and the Can Opener is ditched in favour of the awesome Package Opener.
I’ve got a new custom knife on the bench that I think is going to be just awesome. I’ve been waiting a couple of weeks for some super thin brass washers to arrive so I can shim out one of the tools then it will be ready for final assembly. It’s a four layer knife so automatically that’s 1 or 2 layers too many for a lot of users. I’m a just fine with 5 and I could probably even get used to a 7 layer only because I hang the knives inside my pocket.
It’s interesting how certain knives fall out of favour with us. I’m assuming everyone else rotates through a bunch of different models like I do. A couple of months ago the Companion was leaving me really wanting an inline Philips again. I pushed it aside for a good old Explorer. That may happen again if I don’t get that custom done soon.
