All About Pocket Knives

Back in 1978, my wife bought me this knife for my birthday. I was gob-smacked! I loved this knife! It's a S-532.... and it always went in the field with me and has field dressed a lot of big game animals... plus it did tons of other knife duties. As you would expect, it was a tool and I didn't keep the box or paperwork and I basically abused it. A few months ago, after feeling bad about it, I cleaned it up by polishing it and putting a super good edge back on the blade... I even leather treated the sheath a couple of times. At one point in it's life, the sheath stitching started coming apart, so I took it to my favorite Korean shoe repair place and he fixed the stitching. Bottom line is, this was my first real serious knife, I used it as intended, it never let me down and I'm very fond of it.... lots of memories.

Hey CheckSix,
I hope you're not retiring that ol' gal! Don't feel bad about using a knife that does a good job, use it but don't lose it !
Treefarmer

treefarmer wrote:Hey CheckSix,
I hope you're not retiring that ol' gal! Don't feel bad about using a knife that does a good job, use it but don't lose it !
Treefarmer

Oh hell-no! The knife still gets used... but the owner may be retired!

Thanks Treefarmer!

I'm a certified Weatern nut! I've never had a Western stainless knife, but their carbon steel is top shelf!

That one is a real looker. Nothing is any more sad than an old mint pocket knife, shotgun, or rifle. Them used ones have stories to tell and character. I like em.

Colonel26 wrote:I'm a certified Weatern nut! I've never had a Western stainless knife, but their carbon steel is top shelf!

That one is a real looker. Nothing is any more sad than an old mint pocket knife, shotgun, or rifle. Them used ones have stories to tell and character. I like em.

Agree 100% Colonel!! I started hunting deer back in 1978. Back then, I was living in some not so ideal areas for deer... but in 1983 that all changed and I was fortunate to start going to eastern Montana for Mule and W/T deer. My buddy and I got lucky and had 3 antlered tags and 10 doe tags for a 10 day trip. That Western S-532 of mine got used heavily on that trip!! The deer rifle I took was my then, 4 yr old Ruger M-77 in .30-06. I still have it, dings and all. It even went to Africa with me in 2002 and took several antelope... including this Kudu and Gemsbok. That rifle still shoots 1/2 moa with my handloads.

I will admit that I do have some safe queens but I got more tools, than queens.

CheckSix - welcome to the forum! I only have a couple of fixed blade Westerns, but they are very good knives. I like the hunting photos!

Thanks for the welcome!

So, what carbon steel Westerns should I keep my eye open for? I don't know the product line models like you guys do. I can tell you the S-532 is a great tool in the field.

That's awesome bro!! Keep 'er goin' !!!

TripleF wrote:That's awesome bro!! Keep 'er goin' !!!

Thanks! I'll try to keep on, keepin' on!

Wonderful pics!

As to which western models, depends on what you like. I focus mails on the one's marked Western Boulder Colo. Those are pre 1973. I like them because they got kind of blocky and not as refined in the later 70's. Older bone handled ones from the 50's and earlier are always nice, but Western had really good Delrin so don't discount those. My edc Western is a Delrin Boulder Colo 742. That's a 4 inch stockman. Like most Western knives it's way over built, tough as nails and the steel is excellent.

Great story and a great knife. Keep enjoying it. I have 2 Western Stockmans .

Colonel26 wrote:Wonderful pics!

As to which western models, depends on what you like. I focus mails on the one's marked Western Boulder Colo. Those are pre 1973. I like them because they got kind of blocky and not as refined in the later 70's. Older bone handled ones from the 50's and earlier are always nice, but Western had really good Delrin so don't discount those. My edc Western is a Delrin Boulder Colo 742. That's a 4 inch stockman. Like most Western knives it's way over built, tough as nails and the steel is excellent.

Thanks!

I'll keep my eyes open for a good pre'73 #742 then!

by the way, I just checked out how to decode the tang stamp on my S-532 knife and it is stamped with an "A". This means it was made in 1977, which makes sense getting it in early '78 as a present from my wife.