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Central NY a balmy 24 and sunny!
Happy New Year knifenuts! Be safe!
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")
- Thread starter jackknife
- Start date
Central NY a balmy 24 and sunny!
Happy New Year knifenuts! Be safe!
meako
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
- Messages
- 9,950
Dan-sorry to hear about your flu based dilemma Perhaps you should have gone to the doctor earlier-and that goes for all of you rascals.
Eat more garlic and ginger.
The photo of Julia seems to be saying "Great! now I'm 10 months old I can really get up to some mischief".
:thumbup:
Glad you were right for Christmas anyway.Sometimes we just have to be undeterred
sorry that's an old Bondi beach joke.
Paul-Border Collies and Blue cattle dogs are problem solvers and very smart dogs-my guess is shes thinking "oh look they've got enough to do already without worrying about me, this'll soon get better."
Still I'd be getting her over to have a proper look .
Sitflyer-my son Ryan made a Sterling engine at scouts-they used a travel sweet tin,examination glove,rubber bands,wire and a CD-plus a couple of other bits. A lot of the scouts lost interest because they did it over two weekly gatherings. Ryan was absorbed by the process of construction and followed the instructions most carefully. Adjusting,retuning,adjusting again-his ended up one of only two that really worked.Yours is a beauty.
cheers
all.
Eat more garlic and ginger.
The photo of Julia seems to be saying "Great! now I'm 10 months old I can really get up to some mischief".
:thumbup:Glad you were right for Christmas anyway.Sometimes we just have to be undeterred
sorry that's an old Bondi beach joke.Paul-Border Collies and Blue cattle dogs are problem solvers and very smart dogs-my guess is shes thinking "oh look they've got enough to do already without worrying about me, this'll soon get better."
Still I'd be getting her over to have a proper look .
Sitflyer-my son Ryan made a Sterling engine at scouts-they used a travel sweet tin,examination glove,rubber bands,wire and a CD-plus a couple of other bits. A lot of the scouts lost interest because they did it over two weekly gatherings. Ryan was absorbed by the process of construction and followed the instructions most carefully. Adjusting,retuning,adjusting again-his ended up one of only two that really worked.Yours is a beauty.
cheers
all.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2013
- Messages
- 1,123
This holiday season has been an interesting time for me in more ways than I could begin to go into. But members here on the Traditionals sub-forum have had an influence. From Carl's stories to the things I've learned here and the fine knives I've been turned on to. Reflecting on everything, looking at new acquisitions, and reading some of Carl's writing, I felt I needed to put something down myself. I don't claim to be a story teller or a writer by any means, but here's what came out.
The Conversation
"Do you need anything, Sam? Water?" she heard the old man ask from the kitchen.
"Spare a beer, Mac?" She replied. "Sure!" came the voice again.
She had just finished taping up another box of momentos and that had belonged to her biological mother, when she looked up to see Mac walking in carrying two unopened bottles of beer followed by a blue-eyed Australian Shepherd. When she tried to twist the top off the beer the old man stopped her.
"I guess you asking for a beer kind of threw me. I rarely see you drink anything other than water. I forgot to open these," he said as he reached into his pocket. Even in her late 40's Sam still had the build of a competitive runner and took very good care of herself just like her mother did. Mac's eyes drifted from Sam's face to the picture on the table of her and her mother. They looked so much alike in that picture, and her mother was so proud of her Olympian daughter with the medals hanging around her neck.
Mac pulled a little leather pouch out of his pocket, and Sam saw it was actually a small sheath for a pocket knife. She knew the old man had collected knives for years and took care of them regardless of what shape they were in when he acquired them. Her mother had indulged him.
"Why the pouch?" She asked.
"Well, normally it's to keep them from getting banged and scratched up, but in the case of this one, it's because of the horn on that blade". By now he had used the cap lifter on the knife to open the bottles and was pointing to the end of the main blade of the knife.
He then handed the knife to Sam who was obviously curious about it.
The handle was a plain tan canvas micarta, smooth from years of use. But the grey main blade was not like the others of his she had seen. This one reminded her of a razor with the straight spine of the grey blade coming to a sharp point above the actual point of the blade.
"Mac, out of all the pretty knives of yours I've seen, why are you carrying this? It's kinda ugly".
"Shortly after you and I met, I let my stupid foolishness get the better of me and she and I split for a time. It was my fault really. I knew I had made a mistake when I walked out that door," he said as he shook his head. "A guy sent this to me a few days later. It's a one-armed knife," he said as he demonstrated how to hook the horn of the blade on the seam of his jeans to open the blade. "She was my right arm. I felt crippled without her. It was appropriate then. An ugly knife for an ugly time in my life. I've hung onto it to remind me to be a better man".
"She forgave you," Sam replied. "And, you had many happy years together after that".
"I know," he said as reached into another pocket to pull out another leather pouch. From it he pulled out a little knife and handed it to her. She had seen this one briefly many times before and remembered how he seemed to have such reverence for it. This was the first time she had really gotten a good look at it because it's small size made it easily disappear in the old man's large hands. It was a pretty little thing. At under three inches it had nickel silver bolsters and shield, brass pins and liners, and beautiful bone covers that had a warm, golden, antique color. Had some age to it, but she suspected he polished it every night due to the way it gleamed.
"She gave me that a few weeks later," he said. She noticed his chin quiver a bit as his eyes got misty. "Just a few days before Christmas. Funny thing is I had seen that and wanted it, but never told anyone. Out of all the things she could have gotten me, she choose something I didn't let her know I wanted. She always managed to find her way into my head when I least expected it".
"She wanted the love of her life to have a pretty knife to remind him of her love," Sam told the old man.
Mac smiled and said, "You were the only thing I think she loved more".
"Well, the Steelers..." Sam retorted, as they both laughed.
"I wish I'd had been able to spend more time with her. I can never repay her for the life she gave me giving me up for adoption." She said as she ran her hand across the picture of her and her mother taken at an Olympic ceremony.
"She loved you and wanted the best for you. She knew at the time she did it she was not in a place to give what she wanted for you. As a result you got the best in education, athletic training, and a big family who loves you dearly", he said as he took out a cloth to lovingly rub down the tiny little knife.
"She looked out for both of us," Sam said smiling, proud of having such a caring parentage.
"So... what now?" she asked the old man.
Mac smiled and patted the dog at his side as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Tomorrow, Barlow and I head to Point Dume to say our goodbyes. Then we head up PCH to Monterey. Your mother and I loved that drive".
Sam started gathering the boxes they had packed, then turned to give the old man a hug.
"You promise to be careful, right?" She more said than asked.
Mac grinned that sly smile Sam knew her mother was never able to resist, and replied "I make no promises".
"Excuse me? Thanksgiving? Her chipotle brownies?"
His smile softened, seeing Her in the face of her daughter.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world" He said.
"Oh, and Mac?"
"Yeah?"
"Get rid of the ugly knife. It's done its job".
The Conversation
"Do you need anything, Sam? Water?" she heard the old man ask from the kitchen.
"Spare a beer, Mac?" She replied. "Sure!" came the voice again.
She had just finished taping up another box of momentos and that had belonged to her biological mother, when she looked up to see Mac walking in carrying two unopened bottles of beer followed by a blue-eyed Australian Shepherd. When she tried to twist the top off the beer the old man stopped her.
"I guess you asking for a beer kind of threw me. I rarely see you drink anything other than water. I forgot to open these," he said as he reached into his pocket. Even in her late 40's Sam still had the build of a competitive runner and took very good care of herself just like her mother did. Mac's eyes drifted from Sam's face to the picture on the table of her and her mother. They looked so much alike in that picture, and her mother was so proud of her Olympian daughter with the medals hanging around her neck.
Mac pulled a little leather pouch out of his pocket, and Sam saw it was actually a small sheath for a pocket knife. She knew the old man had collected knives for years and took care of them regardless of what shape they were in when he acquired them. Her mother had indulged him.
"Why the pouch?" She asked.
"Well, normally it's to keep them from getting banged and scratched up, but in the case of this one, it's because of the horn on that blade". By now he had used the cap lifter on the knife to open the bottles and was pointing to the end of the main blade of the knife.
He then handed the knife to Sam who was obviously curious about it.
The handle was a plain tan canvas micarta, smooth from years of use. But the grey main blade was not like the others of his she had seen. This one reminded her of a razor with the straight spine of the grey blade coming to a sharp point above the actual point of the blade.
"Mac, out of all the pretty knives of yours I've seen, why are you carrying this? It's kinda ugly".
"Shortly after you and I met, I let my stupid foolishness get the better of me and she and I split for a time. It was my fault really. I knew I had made a mistake when I walked out that door," he said as he shook his head. "A guy sent this to me a few days later. It's a one-armed knife," he said as he demonstrated how to hook the horn of the blade on the seam of his jeans to open the blade. "She was my right arm. I felt crippled without her. It was appropriate then. An ugly knife for an ugly time in my life. I've hung onto it to remind me to be a better man".
"She forgave you," Sam replied. "And, you had many happy years together after that".
"I know," he said as reached into another pocket to pull out another leather pouch. From it he pulled out a little knife and handed it to her. She had seen this one briefly many times before and remembered how he seemed to have such reverence for it. This was the first time she had really gotten a good look at it because it's small size made it easily disappear in the old man's large hands. It was a pretty little thing. At under three inches it had nickel silver bolsters and shield, brass pins and liners, and beautiful bone covers that had a warm, golden, antique color. Had some age to it, but she suspected he polished it every night due to the way it gleamed.
"She gave me that a few weeks later," he said. She noticed his chin quiver a bit as his eyes got misty. "Just a few days before Christmas. Funny thing is I had seen that and wanted it, but never told anyone. Out of all the things she could have gotten me, she choose something I didn't let her know I wanted. She always managed to find her way into my head when I least expected it".
"She wanted the love of her life to have a pretty knife to remind him of her love," Sam told the old man.
Mac smiled and said, "You were the only thing I think she loved more".
"Well, the Steelers..." Sam retorted, as they both laughed.
"I wish I'd had been able to spend more time with her. I can never repay her for the life she gave me giving me up for adoption." She said as she ran her hand across the picture of her and her mother taken at an Olympic ceremony.
"She loved you and wanted the best for you. She knew at the time she did it she was not in a place to give what she wanted for you. As a result you got the best in education, athletic training, and a big family who loves you dearly", he said as he took out a cloth to lovingly rub down the tiny little knife.
"She looked out for both of us," Sam said smiling, proud of having such a caring parentage.
"So... what now?" she asked the old man.
Mac smiled and patted the dog at his side as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Tomorrow, Barlow and I head to Point Dume to say our goodbyes. Then we head up PCH to Monterey. Your mother and I loved that drive".
Sam started gathering the boxes they had packed, then turned to give the old man a hug.
"You promise to be careful, right?" She more said than asked.
Mac grinned that sly smile Sam knew her mother was never able to resist, and replied "I make no promises".
"Excuse me? Thanksgiving? Her chipotle brownies?"
His smile softened, seeing Her in the face of her daughter.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world" He said.
"Oh, and Mac?"
"Yeah?"
"Get rid of the ugly knife. It's done its job".
5K Qs
Gold Member
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- Jul 20, 2014
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Dan, your post shows that you're a fantastic father and a splendid son, but your self-healthcare skills need some serious work, man!
Glad you're feeling better and that the holidays went well, despite some unpleasant surprises. Congrats on your birthday; as a math guy, I always think of the powers of 2 as special birthdays, and you just hit 2^5! I'm looking forward to 2^6 myself next December.
- GT
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- Jul 10, 2013
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Thank You very much Meako.
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- Feb 14, 2012
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- 5,768
my good buddy is turning 40 and i decided to drive out to see him. he just-so-happens to live about 40 minutes from Great Eastern Cutlery. i am going to stop in and check it out. i have been wanting to get there for a couple years. this it the excuse i've been waiting for!
it will take about 9 hrs to get out there from VT. time well spent, if you ask me.
there really is no point to this post. i'm just excited, and i expect some of you folks would understand.
as you were....
it will take about 9 hrs to get out there from VT. time well spent, if you ask me.
there really is no point to this post. i'm just excited, and i expect some of you folks would understand.
as you were....
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- Feb 14, 2012
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- 5,768
Ohhhh noooo. I could not find shop hours online, so i just called. They do not have regular hours on the weekend. The rep said i could call and if the owner is there, then he will open the shop. sigh.
i've already made travel plans, so i will give it a shot....
i've already made travel plans, so i will give it a shot....
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- Jan 3, 2013
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Pics!!!!!!
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
- Messages
- 1,884
It would be great if you could make it on a weekday and get to see the people at their workstations. Also get to meet a few of them maybe. William, Chris and Patti anyhow. If not, you may be able to make arrangements with Bill ahead of time, to meet. It's worth it however you get there!
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- Dec 11, 2011
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BACON BAR!!!!!!!!!! Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' bout! New years resolution....eat more bacon!:thumbup:
Will Power
Gold Member
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- Jan 18, 2007
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- 33,363
Well off topic, for three days now I can't log in to Photobucket, keep getting a white page with log-in options, connect via Facebook (don't go in for it) attempts to contact them impossible as you merely get this "whoops! something wrong here!" Yes, I know, but what is going on????
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- Jul 30, 2006
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- 43,246
I haven't had any difficulties and am currently logged in there. You might try clearing your cookies. You might also try a different browser. I find that different browsers behave differently with photobucket. I have the best luck with Firefox. IE works, but is a bit funky on that site.
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- Dec 11, 2011
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Bacon micarta!
black mamba
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2009
- Messages
- 23,120
I got dotdefendered yesterday, but rebooted and then it was OK. Had no idea what it was all about?!