Why I've carried a pocket knife for over 40 years.

[dewman]

I was a young 19-year-old apprentice carpenter. I had been on my first job for about 2 weeks. One day, I got a pretty nasty splinter in my hand, so I asked the "old timer" journeyman I was training under if he had a knife I could borrow to dig out the splinter. He ask...."You mean to tell me you don't have your OWN knife?" Sheepishly, I said no. He proceeded to lecture me, telling me that "Every good carpenter I know carries a pocket knife, but that doesn't mean that every carpenter that carries a knife is a good carpenter."

His lecture made a real impact on me, because I'd always taken my trade seriously, so that evening after work, I went out and bought myself a Schrade UH897 that I still, to this day, carry on occasion. The same one that was sharpened too sharp much later on. Every time I lay my hands on that knife, I remember his words. He was spot on!

Ever since that day, there hasn't been many that I haven't had some sort of knife in my pocket.

Bill Cloud, where ever you are....thanks for the tip! [/i]

[useem]

When I was a kid, I was told "never trust a man who doesn't carry a knife". I was also told " never sell a gun and ammo to the same person at the same time". The gun one made sense right away, but I still don't understand what he meant about the knife one

[Edgewise]

... "never trust a man who doesn't carry a knife"....but I still don't understand what he meant...

Then he can borrow yours, and where does that leave you?

Do you know why men shake with the right hand???
In the old days a man held his dog's leash with his left hand so if you held his right hand, then he could not stab with his knife before you were able to check him out.

Dewman, you're lucky to still have that Schrade. It must be some knife.

I first carried an indispensable pocket knife when I joined the boy-scouts at age 14. Back then it cut wood most of the time. As an adult I switched to Victorinox which was smaller and more multipurpose.
I don't know why, but I don't consider Victorinox a real pocket knife. Maybe too many non blades.
The scout knife is getting there, but not quite.
For me, a full-fledged pocket knife has only blades, and the stockman comes to mind first of all.
I try to do as much as possible with blades. If I can't, then I have to go to the tool box.

[Ringmaster]

I was given my 1st pocketknife about 50 years ago, by my Uncle Claude (a registered hillbilly). He handed it to me and said, "Don't tell your Momma".

Unfortunately I don't have that knife now, because he also introduced me to "dead pecker row", underneath the court house, where the old-timers could spit, whittle and trade knives. I've probably owned 10,000 pocketknives, some for only a minute or two ! And some I've owned 4 or 5 times. Sigh, all the old-timers are gone now, and they've cleaned out the basement of the courthouse.

If you meet a man without a knife, give him one - he'll be a friend, forever.

[Gunsmoke47]

Welcome Ringmaster!, great story! Go to the members introduction section and tell us a little about yourself. You should really like it here! Kelley

[orvet]

If you meet a man without a knife, give him one - he'll be a friend, forever.

I have done that & it is true.

to AAPK.
It sounds like you will fit in great around here.

Dale

[jmays]

my great grampa used to always wittle on the front porch swing when he wasn't wittling he was sharpening his knife...my grandma told me it was a case minni trapper i never got to see it he died before i was born.....

[dkonopinski]

Well, my late father had one hell of a bad time living in central Europe during the 20's & 30's. When he finally got to the UK in 1942 and joined the British Army he found the UK to be somehwere he could regain a life worth living. He became very patriotic and would get angry when Brits criticised their own country - I can still hear him saying "They don't know how lucky they are". Anyway, he claimed that no English gentleman ever failed to carry a pocket knife - so he did - so I do. David

[jmays]

almost everybody in my family carries a pocketknife even my little 8 year old sister.

[Hukk]

I've carried a pocket knife much longer than I've carried a watch. That's 46 years now, I'm 51. Growing up on a ranch, seems as if priorities were different. I was shooting and dressing game before I got a watch also, guess I was 13 or 14 when I got a watch, a luxury. I only wore it when I had to get dressed up, but a pocket knife was always with me. Same with my dad and both brothers.

Heck, I carry a pocket knife sometimes merely because I'd feel naked without it but, I rarely wear a watch.

[stancaiman]

I'm carry knives since i'm 8 years old - my first was a opinel (lost now) then my grand-father give me my first SAK (Swiss Army Knife) then.....

[justold52]

...Hukk I know the feeling now.

I went past my sons house on the way home and saw him and his wife out side. So I stopped to talk a bit. His wife needed a knife to cut some plastic and asked me for my knife. I reached in my pocket and it was not there... . She caught me with my pants down. She said WHAT a KNIFE MAN with out his knife ?? I said nope its on my key chain.
I ran to get it for her. I left my keys in the truck. Gee I felt naked with out one in my pocket... Thank to my Swiss Army Knife on my key chain she got the job done...

[Lummo]

I still have a Buck 110 I've owned since I was 13 - carried it everywhere for many years. It's seen use on many job sites, picnics, encampments, you name it. I'm always surprised by folks who DON'T carry a knife.

I have carried a big variety of blades - favorites include a Benchmade butterfly and an Italian Switchblade (a rather nice one).

These days, I tote a CRKT m16 or my Al Mar, depending on my clothes, purposes, and my mood.

[orvet]

Lummo,
Which Al Mar do you carry?

Quicksilver is one of my favorites.

Dale

[Lummo]

I can see that this pic isn't in the preferred format - it was actually taken to give scale to the 2 guitar slides.

It's an Eagle, with dyed wood scales.

[orvet]

Nice!