When I was four years old, my great-aunt gave me a tiny, antique pen-knife. It has a single blade about 1 1/2 inches long. I still have it. I have carried a pocket knife almost every day since then.
Most of these knives are not especially noteworthy or have any value beyond their utilitarian qualities and perhaps some sentimental value to me. There was a two-bladed knife my grandfather gave me. A three-bladed knife that a very respected older friend gave me. This friend later gave me one of those all stainless-steel Army knives. I carried a heavy three-bladed knife with canoe bolsters that I got as a graduation present. For a while I carried a Boy Scout knife. I still have all of these.
I went to high school in the late 70's/early 80's. When I was in high school, our agriculture/shop teacher expected all his students to carry a pocket knife. It was a universal tool, without which we were unprepared. He also made it very clear to us how we would be punished if we used it inappropriately.
One day I somehow forgot mine, and when I needed one, I asked a friend of mine if he had his. His answer was, "I got my pants on, don't I?" I never forgot that. For years, I've had a cartoonish image in my head of walking into shop class wearing only my underwear, and suddenly slapping my hip-pocket area and exclaiming, "I forgot my pocket knife!"
About 13 years ago, for our first Christmas together, my wife gave me a Tinker model Swiss Army Knife. I have carried it every day since then. Most of the time I also carry a multi-tool of some sort, but the Tinker is always with me. It is now beaten, with some small chips here and there in the bolsters, but it is still perfectly useful and is always with me.
Here's a stock picture of the Tinker. Maybe I'll post some photos later.
UPDATE: I don't want everyone thinking I don't carry a scary knife. Several months ago I purchased a Smith & Wesson kerambit, and it is the second knife that I carry everywhere. I only take it out for serious cutting jobs. Here's a stock picture:
No one in my family thinks the knife is scary. I took it out at my dad's house once, and he immediately wanted to see it. I handed it to my nephew at my sister's house last Christmas so he could cut open one of his gifts, and he also thought it was very cool. I guess some people somewhere might think it's scary. The design of this knife is just perfect for tough cutting jobs.
When I'm working, I also carry a Leatherman, because sometimes I need a decent set of pliers.
But the kerambit has become my favorite tool for serious cutting jobs, and I run into a lot of those.
UPDATE dos: Shooter at Parallax Adjustment has joined in on the pocket knife meme, and wants to know 1) first knife given to you and 2) first knife purchased yourself.
As I said before, the first knife given to me was a tiny antique pen-knife. I promise I'll get a picture of it up soon.
The first knife I purchased for myself is a tough one. Almost all knives of mine were given to me. I'll have to look through the ol' chest of drawers and see if I get any ideas. Even my hunting knife wasn't purchased. My dad worked for the Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation (or "the highway department") and was always finding stuff on the side of the road. One day he found a big two-bladed Schrade Old Timer. He gave it to me, I found a sheath that would fit it, and I've used it to gut deer and skin various fur-bearers since I was 13 years old. I know. It was a butterfly knife. That would have been my first knife purchase, 20-plus years ago. I wanted a knife that I could open one-handed while holding a trotline in the other.
Yep, I'll have to take some pictures, but right now I'm too tired to stand up, unless it's to refill my tea glass. Maybe Saturday.
No one in my family thinks the knife is scary. I took it out at my dad's house once, and he immediately wanted to see it. I handed it to my nephew at my sister's house last Christmas so he could cut open one of his gifts, and he also thought it was very cool. I guess some people somewhere might think it's scary. The design of this knife is just perfect for tough cutting jobs.
When I'm working, I also carry a Leatherman, because sometimes I need a decent set of pliers.
But the kerambit has become my favorite tool for serious cutting jobs, and I run into a lot of those.
UPDATE dos: Shooter at Parallax Adjustment has joined in on the pocket knife meme, and wants to know 1) first knife given to you and 2) first knife purchased yourself.
As I said before, the first knife given to me was a tiny antique pen-knife. I promise I'll get a picture of it up soon.
The first knife I purchased for myself is a tough one. Almost all knives of mine were given to me. I'll have to look through the ol' chest of drawers and see if I get any ideas. Even my hunting knife wasn't purchased. My dad worked for the Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation (or "the highway department") and was always finding stuff on the side of the road. One day he found a big two-bladed Schrade Old Timer. He gave it to me, I found a sheath that would fit it, and I've used it to gut deer and skin various fur-bearers since I was 13 years old. I know. It was a butterfly knife. That would have been my first knife purchase, 20-plus years ago. I wanted a knife that I could open one-handed while holding a trotline in the other.
Yep, I'll have to take some pictures, but right now I'm too tired to stand up, unless it's to refill my tea glass. Maybe Saturday.
