Family knives

[Case XX 6383]

So as a teenager I was interested in knives. I really understand what I knife means to a man, and that it represents who they are. I looked at the men who influenced my life and thought I would like to own their pocket knives as a way to remember them. So I bought my papaw a new 1974 6380 for Christmas and he retired his 1973 6347 that he had carried for probably 10 years that my dad bought him when I was little, I remember dad buying it for him. I told my papaw I'd like to have his 6347 and he promptly retrieved it from the bedroom and gave it to me. He later volunteered that he had my great papaws 6318pu that I didn't know he had and I had never met my great papaw. My 2 great uncle's were still carrying their knives so I bought identical new replacements for them and offered them an even trade which they both took.

Left to right
Schrade my papaw gave my cousin
1971 6383 from an old man from church- deceased
1965-1969 64052 same church man
2 63087 from my great uncle- deceased
6347 from different great uncle I believe he is 94 years old
6318 pu of my great papaws- deceased
6347 from papaw - deceased
2 6375 from papaw
6380 1974 from papaw
1971 6383 - dad's
1975 6383- dad's
Hen and rooster - dads

The whole pile wouldn't be worth much to anyone but is priceless to me

[woodwalker]

So as a teenager I was interested in knives. I really understand what I knife means to a man, and that it represents who they are. I looked at the men who influenced my life and thought I would like to own their pocket knives as a way to remember them. So I bought my papaw a new 1974 6380 for Christmas and he retired his 1973 6347 that he had carried for probably 10 years that my dad bought him when I was little, I remember dad buying it for him. I told my papaw I'd like to have his 6347 and he promptly retrieved it from the bedroom and gave it to me. He later volunteered that he had my great papaws 6318pu that I didn't know he had and I had never met my great papaw. My 2 great uncle's were still carrying their knives so I bought identical new replacements for them and offered them an even trade which they both took.

Left to right
Schrade my papaw gave my cousin
1971 6383 from an old man from church- deceased
1965-1969 64052 same church man
2 63087 from my great uncle- deceased
6347 from different great uncle I believe he is 94 years old
6318 pu of my great papaws- deceased
6347 from papaw - deceased
2 6375 from papaw
6380 1974 from papaw
1971 6383 - dad's
1975 6383- dad's
Hen and rooster - dads

The whole pile wouldn't be worth much to anyone but is priceless to me

Unbelievable knives and story!! I wish I would have thought to ask when my grandpa's were alive. My dad recently passed and I didn't even ask for one of his knives. To shy to ask I guess. But I did end up getting my dad's trapper and another John Wayne knife he had with a lighter. I got lucky my siblings didn't find them in his drawer. Don't even know if they would have wanted them. I sure did. Good on you to have all them wonderful knives. They are all very nice and I couldn't be happier for you!!

[XX Case XX]

What a great story. Thanks for sharing that with us as I'm sure it's very personal to you. Great set of knives too. I see that most are Case, my favorite as well. Well done my friend.

_________
Mike

[doglegg]

What great forethought you showed and what a treasure you have. Wish I would have been as foresighted. Exciting to me to have you share your story.

[Mumbleypeg]

It’s great that you have managed to acquire those ”special” knives, owned and carried by family members. I like the way you went about it. Unfortunately most of us don’t think about that until it’s too late.

I have a few of my dad’s knives including a Case XX stag trapper he nearly wore out, the Boker whittler he was carrying when he passed, and a fixed blade he made from a power hacksaw blade. I have a Case XX Big Birdseye stockman my uncle carried.

My grandfather, who taught me how to free hand sharpen a knife, carried a Case M100 in the bib of his overalls as long as I can remember. When he died my sister got it. She has no idea where it is.

Congratulations on making sure that doesn’t happen to you.

Ken

[JACK OF ALL TIRADES]

Great planning,collection and story,fabulous

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Great story and great knives.

I have my grandfather's (dad's dad) schrade 8ot who died years before I was born. That knife means a lot to me and so does the fact that based on the knife we seem to have had the same preference in what kind of knife we like to use. I also have my uncle's (dad's older brother and the middle of the three) swiss army knife which has a leather pouch with his initials, his name was Paul Edward Thomas, which is what my parents named me when I was born a few months after he passed at 39 years old from a brain tumor. That was the first real knife I received, after I had practice with a different one that my dad had ground the edges and pointy tips off. Family knives mean a lot, especially when you already like knives to begin with.

[zoogirl]

I lost Dads knifecthat he let me have and his little pearl handled one was stolen.
A bit different but I’ve got the family kitchen knives and I grew up with them. They are over sixty years old.
Awesome collection and great story!

[Doc B]

Great idea! I'm sure they were proud, to know you wanted them!!!

[eveled]

Nice collection and great stories behind each one. Keep them safe.

[Old Hunter]

Very nice. I have thought about a "special knives" thread, including those that are special to you for a given reason. I like your thread idea, very similar idea. OH

[glennbad]

What a neat idea, wish I had done something like that years ago. I am fortunate, as most family members know that I am a knife nut, so knives like that tend to find their way to me. I have a few that my father had given to me, that belonged to his father. And of course, I have some knives from my father as well.

There wasn't really anything coming from my mom's side of the family. Curious, and her parents operated a farm stand for years, so you would think there would be a lot of knives, but maybe they just used whatever was convenient, or her brothers got them.

[geocash]

Those are some great stories that make you feel real good. My father carried Cases & when Buck started selling pocketknives he got several of those. My brother has different interests than I do & when our father passed my brother left it up to me to deal with our father's knives (& guns). Before I had time to figure what they were worth (as far as money is concerned) & before I got too attached to them, I gave the best knives to the pall bearers & some cousins. Now I don't remember what those were that I gave away so I can't worry about them. But I still feel good about it plus I have several Buck knives (& some neat guns).