"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

I.N.F.K., and Frank, you two are truly blessed to have had those experiences!
Gary, thanks for the mention of the Rose-Breasted grosbeaks, I need to keep an eye out for them, they are not common here, but I do spot them only during migration times. I do so love to watch birds...
 
We occasionally get rose-breasteds on our feeders, this one from las summer.

Rose-BreastedGrosbeak07_zpsc12db074.jpg~original


Rose-BreastedGrosbeak04_zps7a0dffbc.jpg~original
 
sitflyer, seeing your avatar and reading the conversation on birds, I remembered one of my late cats and his bird watching. Bird catching really. I saw him lounging about ten feet away from a tree, his tail moving almost of its own accord. All of a sudden he sprang to his feet, and in one motion was off and running, legs seemingly not touching the ground. He glided up the tree trunk at a hundred miles an hour, and launched himself off the tree branch that a bird had just alighted off of. In mid air upside down, he caught that bird like he was catching a pass. I stared at him in awe, and he must've thought I wanted some of his meal, because he gave me a low yowl, as if, "why don't you launch yer fat keester out of a tree and catch yer own meal".

Karma does rear it's head I guess, because I also have a funny memory of a hawk crying over head, and the same cat, several years later, running under the eaves of the house and looking up at the sky. I guess a hawk had tried to catch him mid air... ;)
 
In my general area, there were two knife shows, both put on by the local knife clubs. The Mason Dixon knife show, first in Frederick, MD and now in Hagerstown MD, put on by the Mason Dixon knife club of Pennsylvania. The other show, the Chesapeake show in Timonium, a suburb of Baltimore MD, put on by the Chesapeake Knife club, is no more. Show vendors were dismayed to have their table deposits refunded to them.

The Hagerstown show is primarily geared towards slipjoints, with a few traditional knives mixed in, ala military knives and traditional fixed blades. The Chesapeake show was more custom knives, and high end modern. Few slipjoints to be found, a few traditional fixed blades. Are there any other knife shows in the southern PA, MD, DE area geared towards slipjoints and traditional knives? Or they have a large portion of traditional knives? Local gun shows have gone down hill. I have heard that the Harrisonburg and Chantilly VA knife shows are very good, but that is a long distance. I've been thinking about the Easton PA show, the Lewisburg PA show, the Harrisonburg VA show, but it's too far. Blade is out of the question right now.
 
Glenn of Wolfs Knives said his deposit was refunded in a show email a couple months ago. Other dealers and makers confirmed it on Facebook. Hopefully Ted will sell it or his son will take over.
 
Dan, that is a very cool story about your cat! They are such athletes, mine are indoor only, they have the screened in deck to lounge on all day, and watch the birds and squirrels at the feeders and water.
 
Jeff Very beautiful Finch at your feeder, a handsome bird! We don't have that type of Finch in my part of Europe but he looks similar to the Brambling who are arriving here from the extreme North. No two are the same and they have beautiful mottled brown and black plumage. Not unlike jigged bone! Bird migration is a fascinationg subject but still ill-understood. Some Martens and Swallows come to scandinavia from S.Africa, Rose Finches from Asia as far off as Vietnam! Then there's bat migration and even butterflies. The large Camberwell Beauty migrates from scandinavia to Britain apparently.

sitflyer It's kind of paradox being a bird fan and cat enthusiast! I'm glad yours are unable to get out at the wildlife. I'm an admirer of cats but they can take a horrible toll on songbirds and ground species. Yes I know it's in their 'nature' but it's the same with dogs, I disapprove of owners who irresponsibly allow their pets to slaughter wildlife just because it's their 'instinct'. Pet ownership in the western world is at record(epidemic...) proportions and wild species are suffering, we are all diminshed by species loss. My late parents' last cat, a stray like them all, was an enormous uncastrated marmalade Tom Cat. Perhaps because he was an alpha-male he never made the slightest attempt to catch birds or rodents. Indeed when a young squirrel got in the house he actually fled in terror from the little mite. However, despite never to my knowledge catching or killing prey he hated cat invaders, his attitude was if he couldn't make love to another cat then he was going to batter it. He even chased large dogs out of the garden who just wandered in, we roared with laughter the day a huge but friendly German Shep just dropped in, she fled in astonishment when the cat tore after her, even if she could've killed the cat with no problem. The element of surprise. Needless to say he was covered in scars and had a chunk of ear missing. He made it to 14/15 before his kidneys failed and he had to be put down, he loved humans and was always friendly to people even strangers. Still missed!
 
I know that some of the pipe-smokers here have difficulty picking up pipe tools, so if I come across them I usually snap them up to pass on. Came across this Richards model earlier. It was only when I got home that I realised it had my initials engraved on! :D

 
Jack Black said:
I know that some of the pipe-smokers here have difficulty picking up pipe tools, so if I come across them I usually snap them up to pass on. Came across this Richards model earlier. It was only when I got home that I realised it had my initials engraved on! :D

Click to expand...

There ya go, Jack! It was ordained by a higher power that you were supposed to have that. :D

It's true that we don't see that many pipe tools over on this side of the big pond. I can't remember when the last time I saw anyone smoking a pipe in public, and when I do, some people and all the kids stare at me like it's a bizarre carnival act! Very sad. I can only hope the cigar thing fades a bit and more younger generation guys discover the bliss of the brier.
 
I can't think of anyone but two people smoking a pipe in recent years. Carl and Scott Gossman. Everyone else either smokes cigarettes or cigars. I seem to remember a coworker, I didnt' know them, who was smoking a pipe at my old building. I've never smoked, but I hang out with the smokers on break. They were looking at the man like he had three heads. I am of the impression that smoking a pipe wouldn't be as bad as smoking a cigarette, but still not good for you.

As this diabetic finishes his Italian ice... ;)
 
That's a beauty Jack, I use the one you gifted me. I don't often smoke, once every couple of weeks maybe.





On a different note, I was just watching a television program about winter gardens and one of the presenters was demonstrating how to take cuttings and set them up in window boxes. The fella was using what looked like a good carbon bladed budding knife (Looked a bit like a Tina). At one stage he was trimming the stem of a cutting and used the phrase "...and with a very sharp knife..." whilst trying to mash his spatula sharp blade through the poor mangled stem. Oh the disappointment.

:(
 
jackknife said:
There ya go, Jack! It was ordained by a higher power that you were supposed to have that. :D
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Unfortunately Carl, not content with having his initials on one side, the guy scratched 'J.Barstow' on the other side! If we have a J.Barstow here, I have your knife! :D

jackknife said:
the bliss of the brier.
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I like that :)

pmew said:
That's a beauty Jack, I use the one you gifted me. I don't often smoke, once every couple of weeks maybe.





On a different note, I was just watching a television program about winter gardens and one of the presenters was demonstrating how to take cuttings and set them up in window boxes. The fella was using what looked like a good carbon bladed budding knife (Looked a bit like a Tina). At one stage he was trimming the stem of a cutting and used the phrase "...and with a very sharp knife..." whilst trying to mash his spatula sharp blade through the poor mangled stem. Oh the disappointment.

:(
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Thanks Paul, I'm glad you get some use from that tool my friend :thumbup:

A dull knife is a horror indeed! :eek:
 
Wow, that is a very neat design for a pipe tool, Paul! How is it retained in the tube? Just a friction fit?
 
Parke1 said:
Wow, that is a very neat design for a pipe tool, Paul! How is it retained in the tube? Just a friction fit?
Click to expand...

When the three sections are pushed together inside the tube, they exert pressure outwards like a spring. It's a very compact and unusual design. I'm rather fond of it (thanks Jack!).

:)
 
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