6 Days in Europe, and 3 new Slipjoints

[eisman]

I rarely travel to modern countries with a knife (it's almost easier to take a gun), mainly because I know I can pick one up with little hassle. In keeping with this tradition, and because I've left dozens of those little SAK "grooming" pocketknives in airports around the globe, that was my first purchase (in Inox). This has to be one of the best everyday use knives ever made.

Wandered through a kitchen cutlery store and found a small display of Boker knives. They had a trapper in stag that I really liked, but one scale was very rough popcorn. I passed, as the scales would have needed to be reworked. But, off in a corner was a cute little penknife with MOP scales. One look and it was mine, although the cost was a bit tight.

Saw a couple of really good looking folders (Puma I believe) in the window of an antique shop in Salzburg, but never could get there when the place was open. Another place had a display of what they called "hunter sets" which had a knife and fork (gabel und messer) sheathed. Nothing that really caught my eye.

Then, on a back street, I found a tobacco shop that had a Victronox symbol in the window. Now in Europe many smoke shops sell knives, but usually they're cheap stuff. This one had a "used" (I think it was just old stock) "Waiter" which is a pattern I really like for $10/american. This is a great pattern for just keeping close in Europe. Opens the wine and beer, and cuts the sausage and cheese; that's what you need when you're doing lunch from the local markets.

I can't wait to see what the rest of this trips going to add to the collection.

 

[freezergeezer]

Sounds like you're having a great time! Salzburg is pretty amazing isn't it? If you have time, take a walk around the castle, the views are fantastic.

 

[eisman]

Yes, Salzburg is one of my favorite places. I do walk a bit; several days ago I started out just o see where a street went to, and ended up walking the whole distance up to the Heilbron and all over the inside of the place. Two days after that I just wanted to see where the fortifications ended on the river side, then how they were kept "behind"; I ended up walking completely around the "mountain". Very interesting to see how the fortifications terraced the hill into different zones, and how those have been incorperated into the city of today. To me this history is much more interesting than the "Mozart" focus of the majority of the tours. It's very easy to see why this citadel dominated the region before gunpowder.

 

[Frankki]

Don't know where you are travelling, but the French and Italians both have a great number of nice traditional knives, each region typically has it's own style and they are still made and available today. The Germans seem to be quite fond of hunting folders, with bone saws and gutting blades.

 

[knarfeng]

Be safe out there. and find something awesome.