All About Pocket Knives

Just joined the forum and figured my first post should be a true story. It always perplexed me as to why Hollywood has to make up stories when the world is full of so many fascinating stories. Since my typing ability is more of a "hunt and peck" style, typing takes a while.

Bigfoot Wallace was legendary early Texas Ranger from the muzzleloading rifle days. While out hunting he was surrounded by a large pack of hungry wolves. Killing one with his front loader he named "sweetlips" he was unable to reload before the attack happened. His only saving grace was he was near a burnt-out tree with a hollow a man could crawl into. The wolves kept taking nibbles of his flash, kept at bay by his silent friend, his bowie knife he called "butch". All night he stayed there periodically poking at his pursuers that would stick their head into the hollow. In the morning the wolves had left and he made his way home with no real damage except for a large chuck of flesh and muscle that were missing.

Sweetlips and Butch, good stuff.

3030remchesterCOLO wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 2:05 am Just joined the forum and figured my first post should be a true story.…

Welcome to the forum and great story. Living in North Texas all my life I love to hear the old Ranger stories like that. I’ve drove past the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco so many times but have never stopped in, but hope to make it one day.

Welcome to the site! I wonder about the sweet lips business though. Sweet lips was the name of an American revolutionary war soldier's rifle when most long arms were smoothbores. Sweet lips was partially responsible for winning the battle of King's Mountain in 1781. Here's a song commemorating sweet lips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY8nqhvdHRc

As a lifelong student of Texas history with a particular interest in the Texas Rangers (the law enforcement agency, although I’m a fan of the baseball team too ) I have a fairly extensive library of Texas history. I can attest that “Bigfoot” Wallace did in fact call his Bowie-style knife “Butch” and referred to his rifle as “Sweet Lips”.

Here’s a short excerpt from Texas author and folk historian J. Frank Dobie’s book Tales of Old Time Texas, a collection of oral history as told by old timers.

A little off the subject but I don't think I have ever seen a photo of Dobie before and I am assuming that is he on the book cover.
He has a movie star look about him.

Ray

Here ya go Ray. That’s him on the right in the picture. I suspect he was gathering a story from the other guy in the picture. (Note the car in the background).

Ken

Great good stuff!

I vaguely remember about the revolutionary soldier naming his rifle sweetlips. Something for me to study on those cold Colorado nights. MANY firearms have been named "Betsy". Audie Murphy's M1 carbine was named Ole Lucky and Frank Hammer's Colt had the same name. My much loved grandmother called my Colt Woodsman "cridder getter" as I was always shooting some cridder with it.

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:00 pm As a lifelong student of Texas history…

Thanks for the pics and info!

C-WADE7 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:56 pm

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:00 pm As a lifelong student of Texas history…

Thanks for the pics and info!

Yes sir! I appreciate it.

Ray

C-WADE7 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 3:56 am

3030remchesterCOLO wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 2:05 am Just joined the forum and figured my first post should be a true story.…

Welcome to the forum and great story. Living in North Texas all my life I love to hear the old Ranger stories like that. I’ve drove past the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco so many times but have never stopped in, but hope to make it one day.

The museum is definitely worth spending a few hours.

Excellent story, thanks and to AAPK!

John