One does get used to things. Humans may be one of the most versatile creatures on the planet. We populate the place from the frozen arctic wastes and life in igloo's, to the burning Sahara of North Africa and house of thick adobe and high vented ceilings to protect against the heat. After being stationed for a few years at sunny and warm Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas in my youth, the army in its wisdom sent me to Ft. Devons in Massachusetts where it started to snow in early November and didn't stop until mid March. I had to get acclimated to the color white and outside temps that were bone chilling. I did get acclimated, but it wasn't fun!
I guess its the same with tools. When I made the transition from a Buck stockman to a Case peanut after my dad passed away, it was strange, but after a while when I went back to try to carry the old stockman, it felt like a stone in the pocket and clumsy when I went to cut something. I had acclimated to the peanut, and for the next several years, the little Case peanut was my main EDC pocket knife. Day in and day out, that little 2 inch blade opened packages, cut twine, sliced a bit of cheese off the block of chedder in the fridge. I had downsized all other stuff in my life in line with my decades long obsession of how small can an object be and still function at its intended task? That from my ultra light backpacking that I got into after being 50% disabled after some injuries to my right foot and ankle while on active duty with the Army Engineers. Kind of like 'how low can you go?' Like going to a single AAA little light from a two AA magnate, or to a NAA mini .22 revolver from a 5 shot S&W .38. Or to a small monocular from small binocular.
Now since last August, I've been carrying my little classic for my EDC pocket knife. So far, its not failed to open Amazon boxes, plastic blister packages, cut twine for the tomato and pepper plants out back, zipped open all kinds of plastic bagged snacks out in the woods, cut monofilament fishing line, trimmed my nails while sitting on a shady river back waiting for a bite, and plucked a thorny burr out of my dogs paw. I've got sooooo used to the little 58mm, that now, when I go get my old Wenger SI out of the drawer, it feels like a monster. I've acclimated to the 58 totally, and anything else feels just too bulky now. It's like when I went to the peanut after my stockman and did the cold turkey thing, the peanut became the norm. Now my new norm in the 58mm. Only the alox bantam, excelsior, and cadet seem still pocketable. And for my 99% suburban life, they serve very well. Maybe its just this stage of life. If I were still a young guy in the army, I'd be packing my Wenger, or if I were a rancher riding herd on a bunch of cow critters, a stockman would be in my pocket. But for a retired machinist who does a lot of fishing, I don't need much pocket knife. If I need a back up, the Leatherman squirt works out well. It has a heavier duty blade than my classic, but also has tools. I've gotten acclimated to having those little pliers on hand, and I really don't want to do without them.
I guess I've become acclimated to another stage of life.
I guess its the same with tools. When I made the transition from a Buck stockman to a Case peanut after my dad passed away, it was strange, but after a while when I went back to try to carry the old stockman, it felt like a stone in the pocket and clumsy when I went to cut something. I had acclimated to the peanut, and for the next several years, the little Case peanut was my main EDC pocket knife. Day in and day out, that little 2 inch blade opened packages, cut twine, sliced a bit of cheese off the block of chedder in the fridge. I had downsized all other stuff in my life in line with my decades long obsession of how small can an object be and still function at its intended task? That from my ultra light backpacking that I got into after being 50% disabled after some injuries to my right foot and ankle while on active duty with the Army Engineers. Kind of like 'how low can you go?' Like going to a single AAA little light from a two AA magnate, or to a NAA mini .22 revolver from a 5 shot S&W .38. Or to a small monocular from small binocular.
Now since last August, I've been carrying my little classic for my EDC pocket knife. So far, its not failed to open Amazon boxes, plastic blister packages, cut twine for the tomato and pepper plants out back, zipped open all kinds of plastic bagged snacks out in the woods, cut monofilament fishing line, trimmed my nails while sitting on a shady river back waiting for a bite, and plucked a thorny burr out of my dogs paw. I've got sooooo used to the little 58mm, that now, when I go get my old Wenger SI out of the drawer, it feels like a monster. I've acclimated to the 58 totally, and anything else feels just too bulky now. It's like when I went to the peanut after my stockman and did the cold turkey thing, the peanut became the norm. Now my new norm in the 58mm. Only the alox bantam, excelsior, and cadet seem still pocketable. And for my 99% suburban life, they serve very well. Maybe its just this stage of life. If I were still a young guy in the army, I'd be packing my Wenger, or if I were a rancher riding herd on a bunch of cow critters, a stockman would be in my pocket. But for a retired machinist who does a lot of fishing, I don't need much pocket knife. If I need a back up, the Leatherman squirt works out well. It has a heavier duty blade than my classic, but also has tools. I've gotten acclimated to having those little pliers on hand, and I really don't want to do without them.
I guess I've become acclimated to another stage of life.
