It was a sunny crisp day, and with school out for the holidays, I took the grandkids to the zoo. The Washngton zoo has had some very big renovations recently and we made a trip down. Yes there's knife content here, hold on.
Durring our meandering, I got a cup of coffee for me, and cokes for the kids and as we walked I finished off my coffee. As I walked over to a trash can, I saw an older gent like me, with what could only be his grandson. They were by the trash can and the grandad had bought a little something for the boy at the zoo gift shop. Of course it was in one of those plastic blister pack things that are designed to defeat any accsess exept for proffesional demo experts. Or someone with a sharp knife.
The older gent had a small pocket knife in his hand, and was telling the boy that it was an important thing for a man to have a pocket knife, and that it did not have to be big, just good quality and sharp. The boy was listening with very rapt attention as his grandad slit open the package. As I tossed in my empty styrofoam cup I could not help but to say to the both of them "more true words have never been spoken".
The old man held up what looked like a two blade jack and proudly told me that he'd had that knife for almost 25 years. I took an interest and he showed me what turned out to be an old Kabar carbon steel jack about 3 1/4 inches. Both blades showed alot of wear, but no abuse, and were very sharp. In turn I took out my little Case peanut and he examined it with relish. As he handed it back to me, he said almost sadly "There ain't many of us left"
I knew to what he was refering, and I told him about this site, and the guys who still loved the old style knives, but most of all that there were some of the young guys coming over to the traditional side. This cheered him up and we talked old guns, old cars, knives, and the grandkids, both his and mine listened well. His grandson was a bit younger than mine, and Ryan showed the mans grandson, named Mike, his own Case peanut in a very proud mannor. Mike's grandad promised him a pocket knife on his next birthday.
I'd like to think that we're saving some of the future generation from being assimilated into the ranks of the sheeple. It did my old heart good to see another grandad with his grandkid, teaching him some of the good stuff. He and I made plans to get together in the future as we're not far apart in the Maryland suburbs, to get the kids out for fishing and airgun practice together. Bob, (the gent) has an old Benjamin he's been teaching some basic airgun marksmenship to the boy, as I have been with Ryan since he turned 9, with an old Crossman 760. I hope one day Ryan will inherit my Fienwerkebau.
Today I felt some hope for the future generations.
Durring our meandering, I got a cup of coffee for me, and cokes for the kids and as we walked I finished off my coffee. As I walked over to a trash can, I saw an older gent like me, with what could only be his grandson. They were by the trash can and the grandad had bought a little something for the boy at the zoo gift shop. Of course it was in one of those plastic blister pack things that are designed to defeat any accsess exept for proffesional demo experts. Or someone with a sharp knife.
The older gent had a small pocket knife in his hand, and was telling the boy that it was an important thing for a man to have a pocket knife, and that it did not have to be big, just good quality and sharp. The boy was listening with very rapt attention as his grandad slit open the package. As I tossed in my empty styrofoam cup I could not help but to say to the both of them "more true words have never been spoken".
The old man held up what looked like a two blade jack and proudly told me that he'd had that knife for almost 25 years. I took an interest and he showed me what turned out to be an old Kabar carbon steel jack about 3 1/4 inches. Both blades showed alot of wear, but no abuse, and were very sharp. In turn I took out my little Case peanut and he examined it with relish. As he handed it back to me, he said almost sadly "There ain't many of us left"
I knew to what he was refering, and I told him about this site, and the guys who still loved the old style knives, but most of all that there were some of the young guys coming over to the traditional side. This cheered him up and we talked old guns, old cars, knives, and the grandkids, both his and mine listened well. His grandson was a bit younger than mine, and Ryan showed the mans grandson, named Mike, his own Case peanut in a very proud mannor. Mike's grandad promised him a pocket knife on his next birthday.
I'd like to think that we're saving some of the future generation from being assimilated into the ranks of the sheeple. It did my old heart good to see another grandad with his grandkid, teaching him some of the good stuff. He and I made plans to get together in the future as we're not far apart in the Maryland suburbs, to get the kids out for fishing and airgun practice together. Bob, (the gent) has an old Benjamin he's been teaching some basic airgun marksmenship to the boy, as I have been with Ryan since he turned 9, with an old Crossman 760. I hope one day Ryan will inherit my Fienwerkebau.
Today I felt some hope for the future generations.
