When travelling, staying at your holiday accommodation, visiting friends' homes, camping, fishing, or hunting, at some point you are going to need to reach for a knife. But what happens when you don't carry your own? There is a reason why an everyday carry knife is not just a good idea but essential to getting any knife task done without struggling or even cutting yourself.

Why would you be cutting yourself? If you have not ever tried to perform a task with a blunt knife, you are fortunate to have been spared many frustrating moments and saved on plasters.

I saw a kid that was given a knife by his dad, just a small folding knife, the best gift ever for a young lad, but before the kid was allowed to run off and look for something to cut or whittle, the dad sawed the knife on the curb of the pavement. The intention was to blunt the knife, so the knife was rendered 'less dangerous'. The kid was decimated by the violation of his new knife and was forced to put more effort into a knife task causing the knife to slip occasionally resulting in a few nasty gashes.

Related article: How to Care for your Arno Bernard Hunting Knife 

Just cutting some biltong, preparing meat, or even cutting a loaf of bread can become a dangerous activity with a blunt knife. Rummaging through the draws of a hunting lodge reveals a multitude of knives and after trying the entire 'range available', none were suitable for the task at hand, in fact, some were downright dangerous as the blade twisted or slipped under the cutting pressure.

The solution of course is to carry your own knife. You will never be disappointed when you are using a good knife. The blade slices as intended, going where you want it to go. There is a great amount of pleasure and satisfaction to be found in a task that is performed well with the right tools for the job.

Most knife accidents are not the result of the knife being "too sharp" they are a result of poor quality causing the knife to flex, break or slip. A sharp knife allows the user to apply less pressure in the cutting or slicing action.

The resulting cut with a sharp knife is smooth and precise, but with a blunt knife, the cut will look hacked and ragged.

Using less pressure means that you have more control over your knife, and you can stop the cut immediately when the knife has moved through the resistance, and not end up "following through" with all your effort as the knife exits the resistance.

Arno Bernard’s knives are known to have the perfect balance between edge retention and performance – If you are searching for a knife that can offer edge retention, stain and corrosion resistance, hardness and added toughness – look no further! Often an Arno Bernard Knife will be passed on as an heirloom to the next generation and make the perfect gift for both hunter and collector.