A Bittersweet Morning

[btmccutcheon]

A couple of months ago after reading so much praise about the humble peanut, I purchased my own little yellow handled wonder. I had forgotten how carbon steel takes and holds a edge making it scary sharp. I took to carrying it in my pocket where it's been competing for attention with my black scaled Vic Huntsman and Skeletool CX team. What the Vic couldn't do the Leatherman could and vise versa. However lately, traditionals have been calling. I'm reminded of the old timers (both the men and their knives) of my youth. The craftsmanship and personalities of traditionals just hold a magic and nostalgia that I don't feel feel in modern folders. And though my Vic/Leatherman team has served me well for several years, the bulk and weight in my pocket has started to wear thin. The Skeletool I don't notice so much because it's clipped, but the Vic in the bottom of my pocket always reminds me it's there.

Yesterday I received my first GEC #15 in the mail. It's rust red with a spear and crown lifter. It's truly beautiful. I even got a GEC slip sheathe to preserve the bolsters from the scratches that come from sharing space with coins. The little peanut is not as shiny as it was when I got it. The #15 needed a little love on the edge but not much. After I touched it up, I pulled my old team out of my pocket and laid them on the table where I'd have breakfast this morning. I then laid out the newer traditionals next to them and retired for the night.

This morning as I sat eating breakfast I couldn't stop patting the old team on the table. I slipped the peanut and boys knife in my pocket, then my hand went back to the old team on the table. I looked at the scratched scales and worn finish of the old team and told them "thank you" for serving me so well. I know they will again. They've been with me and worked everyday for the past several years, but my job has changed and so have the demands for what I carry.

With a tear rolling down my cheek I scooped up the old team and placed them on my bedside table. I just can't put them in a drawer just yet. Then I turned and walked out the door, my hand on the new team in my pocket, smiling as another tear rolled. Time to go to to this new job.

 

[KBA]

Enjoyed the read. I often wonder which knives I will get attached to as you have of the "old team." I can already tell some knives just become an extention of the hand or a resident of the pocket. One of those just happens to be a boys knife as well. Thanks for sharing the transition.

 

[paulhilborn]

I agree with Brett...I liked your story as it's so true. When I stumble upon a tool or set of tools that serves me well a bond is formed:thumbup:

It will seem odd at first but the adjustment should come easy with the great pair you carry now:thumbup:

 

[5K Qs]

btmac, maybe the old and new teams can work out some kind of agreement about joint custody of your pockets. Gotta say, you must feel lighter on your feet, swapping a Huntsman for a Peanut!!

- GT

 

[jackknife]

Psst, hey Todd, over here. Look at me,

If you're gonna go all traditional, maybe you canstill be prepared for the occasional loose screw or can. Two little items in your wallet will go a long way. A Sear's 4-way keychain screw driver, and a P-38 will take care of a lot. Goes un-noticed in the wallet. These two things and my peanut served me well. Just an idea.

Carl.

 

[btmccutcheon]

Psst, hey Todd, over here. Look at me,

If you're gonna go all traditional, maybe you canstill be prepared for the occasional loose screw or can. Two little items in your wallet will go a long way. A Sear's 4-way keychain screw driver, and a P-38 will take care of a lot. Goes un-noticed in the wallet. These two things and my peanut served me well. Just an idea.

Carl.

After reading some of your stories, Carl, I was thinking the same thing. I've learned a lot from those tales. As a matter of fact between those stories and Charlie's designs, I'm going to blame a lot of this on the both of you.

 

[jackknife]

After reading some of your stories, Carl, I was thinking the same thing. I've learned a lot from those tales. As a matter of fact between those stories and Charlie's designs, I'm going to blame a lot of this on the both of you.

It would be my honor to plead guilty as charged!

 

[glennbad]

I enjoyed the story, and felt as though I was sitting there with you as I was reading along. It's hard to let old friends go...

 

[meako]

yeah.but haven't the the team earned a vacation?
let the new guys have a run-sure they'll make mistakes but don't we all?

BT -"blame " is an ugly word I much prefer "hold responsible" -whilst it means much the same thing it has a nice ,warm,euphemistic feel to it.

 

[Jack Black]

Nice post

 

[combatjiujitsu]

Great post and I know the feeling as well!

 

[5K Qs]

…
Two little items in your wallet will go a long way. A Sear's 4-way keychain screw driver, and a P-38 will take care of a lot. Goes un-noticed in the wallet. These two things and my peanut served me well. Just an idea.

Carl.

I try to live my life without regrets, but I occasionally fail. One of my great regrets is I can't find my keychain screwdriver! I carried that thing for years, and then about a year ago, it disappeared. How can it free itself from a keyring??

(Maybe I should also regret not picking up a P-38 at the most recent local gun & knife show. The family that always has tubs full of gently used SAKs and tables of awesome axeheads and even a bunch of Moras also had a bucket of p-38s for a buck apiece. But I wasn't confident I had the mechanical skills to figure out how to make it work. )

- GT

 

[btmccutcheon]

(Maybe I should also regret not picking up a P-38 at the most recent local gun & knife show. The family that always has tubs full of gently used SAKs and tables of awesome axeheads and even a bunch of Moras also had a bucket of p-38s for a buck apiece. But I wasn't confident I had the mechanical skills to figure out how to make it work. )

- GT

It's worth picking one up. You'll figure it out. Your thumb may not like you though.

 

[pinnah]

A couple of months ago after reading so much praise about the humble peanut, I purchased my own little yellow handled wonder. I had forgotten how carbon steel takes and holds a edge making it scary sharp. I took to carrying it in my pocket where it's been competing for attention with my black scaled Vic Huntsman and Skeletool CX team. What the Vic couldn't do the Leatherman could and vise versa. However lately, traditionals have been calling. I'm reminded of the old timers (both the men and their knives) of my youth. The craftsmanship and personalities of traditionals just hold a magic and nostalgia that I don't feel feel in modern folders. And though my Vic/Leatherman team has served me well for several years, the bulk and weight in my pocket has started to wear thin. The Skeletool I don't notice so much because it's clipped, but the Vic in the bottom of my pocket always reminds me it's there.

Yesterday I received my first GEC #15 in the mail. It's rust red with a spear and crown lifter. It's truly beautiful. I even got a GEC slip sheathe to preserve the bolsters from the scratches that come from sharing space with coins. The little peanut is not as shiny as it was when I got it. The #15 needed a little love on the edge but not much. After I touched it up, I pulled my old team out of my pocket and laid them on the table where I'd have breakfast this morning. I then laid out the newer traditionals next to them and retired for the night.

This morning as I sat eating breakfast I couldn't stop patting the old team on the table. I slipped the peanut and boys knife in my pocket, then my hand went back to the old team on the table. I looked at the scratched scales and worn finish of the old team and told them "thank you" for serving me so well. I know they will again. They've been with me and worked everyday for the past several years, but my job has changed and so have the demands for what I carry.

With a tear rolling down my cheek I scooped up the old team and placed them on my bedside table. I just can't put them in a drawer just yet. Then I turned and walked out the door, my hand on the new team in my pocket, smiling as another tear rolled. Time to go to to this new job.

Having grown up with the utility of Boy Scout knives and as an early adopter of multi-tools, I can relate to this post.

Like you, I found that camper pattern knives just don't work for me in terms of EDC. Too brick-like and, for me, not enough utility since they lack pliers. So, like you, I ended up carrying a plier based tool but then, like you, found them to be too heavy and cumbersome for EDC.

My solution is similar to Carls in spirit but takes on a different tools. Different daily lives demand different tool selections. I've found that for me, I...
+ I don't need pliers on my person - having them in my day pack is enough.
+ I prefer to have scissors with me that are stout enough for zip ties and heavy plastic packaging
+ I prefer to have a good basic selection of screw driver blades on me - particularly a very small one for screws on electronics
+ I must have a bottle opener. This is a must. A non-negotiable. YMMV but I demand it.
+ I don't need a can opener. <shrug> When I open cans, it's always in a kitchen (or stocked campsite). This is NOT the case when I open bottles, btw.
+ I prefer to have a tool to deal with broken or chipped finger nails and to tweeze out splinters (and to be honest, rogue ear hairs)
+ I prefer a minimum of tools on my person. I strongly prefer having all of this functionality condensed to a single tool.
+ I prefer to have a light and durable tool that delivers this mix.

Can any single tool do all that? For me, the answer is yes. It's the Leatherman Micra, which I carry in my off pocket opposite of my traditional pocket knife.
image by Pinnah, on Flickr

IMO, the Micra is the perfect companion to traditional pocket knives. The secret, for me, has been to carry it in the pocket and not on the key chain. My EDC knife choice varies. Most days, it's an Opinel. Lately, my Buck 500 has been getting a lot of carrying time. At weddings, I'm likely to carry the Schrade. It varies. The Micra in my LFP does not.

For those who absolutely must have pliers on their person, there is the LM Squirt or Gerber Dime, but to be honest, I'd just rather stick a full sized MT in my pack (or desk or car) and go get that then deal with tiny pliers. Entirely YMMV though.

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

I can fully understand how hard it is setting the "old team" aside. I had that same experience lately with my beloved Case mini-trapper. After some shuffling around and trying a few different loadouts (When it gets to being called loadout it's getting to be too much stuff.), pocket, and cutlery arrangements, I ended up back to the smooth chestnut bone Case mini-trapper I've been carrying daily for a few years now with few exceptions, and most of the time prior to that. The main difference is I bought jeans with watch pockets that can hold the Case and in my left pocket a SAK Alox Farmer took over the place of the little worn and battered SAK Classic that had ridden there for a long time.

I was content with this. Until the 2014 Stag Jack showed up. About the same size as the MT, fit and carried neatly in the watch pocket, and it sure is a fine looking knife, as is that little Case. After putting a fine edge on the Stag Jack I decided that I wanted to carry that as my everyday, always on me, never leaves the pocket except to cut things or occasionally show off, knife.

It really was quite emotional and difficult to pull that little Case MT out and not carry it. I've been carrying it long enough that I felt almost a sort of emotional/physical pain that was almost panic at the idea of not having it on me. Rotation folks may not quite understand and maybe even laugh at the idea, but anyone who has carried the same knife, or knives, each and everyday for long periods; the person who just has built a connection with that bit of cutlery to the point it's part of who they are will understand. It's real separation anxiety.

I have other knives laying around here and there all the time and more stashed away. I can move those in, out, and around the room and not worry about it. However, my beloved Case mini-trapper resides on my desk in front of the keyboard where I can always see it. Where I can pick it up and use it, or just fondle it. It's become my official desk knife I guess you could say. I just can't bear to shove it in a drawer or a knife case and not have it around and use it occasionally.

So I do understand and appreciate the post. Folks should take heed. If you really do settle down and carry a single, or even a brace of knives each and everyday for long periods, they become part of you and it's tough to pull them out and not carry them.

The sweet side of bittersweet though is that the Stag Jack has settled in well in the watch pocket and we've bonded. The blade is developing a patina the honest way. It's now on it's way to becoming "my knife" and that same extension of me as the Case MT was/is.

I have two adult boys, okay three, but the one is severely autistic so not getting a knife. Of the two other boys though, I've already given them a variety of knives. However, I want to hand down a few things, such as this Case MT and the Stag Jack showing carry and honest wear. I want them to see, feel, and know that each of these knives has stories and were constant and well loved companions of mine throughout each day. The other knives may be cool or interesting. I want these two to be quite special.

Appreciated the story and fully understand. Good on ya. Both for writing it and for experiencing it.

 

[5K Qs]

I can fully understand how hard it is setting the "old team" aside. I had that same experience lately with my beloved Case mini-trapper.
...
Rotation folks may not quite understand and maybe even laugh at the idea, but anyone who has carried the same knife, or knives, each and everyday for long periods; the person who just has built a connection with that bit of cutlery to the point it's part of who they are will understand. It's real separation anxiety.
...
Appreciated the story and fully understand. Good on ya. Both for writing it and for experiencing it.

I guess I'm sort of a hybrid. I have a couple of knives I carry every day (well, OK, 3 if I count a Vic Classic on the keychain), and then another 1 or 2 that change on a weekly basis. So i'm not laughing at the idea of separation anxiety, but as a semi-rotation guy, I probably don't quite understand, because if I ever "retire" one of my regulars, I at least have the consolation of knowing we'll be together every so often as part of the rotation.

I appreciate both your stories, bt and Amos. Best wishes for the adjustment period!

- GT

 

[btmccutcheon]

Today at work I had to build some ethernet cables and out of habit reached for the Skeletool CX. The scallops on serrated section have always been perfect for taking the jacket off of Cat 5 cable. Instead I felt the peanut and boys knife in my pocket. Yeah, I know they could have done the job, but that's the job of the crimpers in the tool bag. I had gotten into the habit of using the trusty Skeletool for this years ago when I had to work with crimpers that didn't cut. Now I've got better tools in my bag, I don't have to rely on it like I used to. The peanut and boys knife will still have plenty of work ahead in the future.