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

knarfeng said:
Ick. Jury duty. I have been knifeless all day.
Imagine that. At the end of the jury selection process, I was excused... How normal.

Several decades ago when my occupation was listed as "chemist", I was always selected.
Now that my occupation is listed as "aerospace engineer" I am always excused from the proceedings.

I do know a few engineers who can only see black and white. But most see Gray just fine, thank you.
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Rsmith_77 said:
i got jury duty monday :(
hopefully when i call in sunday evening, they will have settled out of court and wont need me

wish me luck!
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I have been to Court more times than I can remember but I will never be called for jury duty. Isn't that odd.
 
jc57 said:
Thought you were between jobs, so what's the problem? Jury duty is really interesting, you should look forward to it. If you've never served on one, it is an educative experience.
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between jobs, but i am keeping the dogs, taking my wife to and from work, and i am a smoker and a knife carrier
none of those things matter to a court. just a dang inconvenience really

lest anyone think i am one to shirk my civic duty, i AM a veteran, a former military cop of all things
wonder what the lawyers will make of that ....
 
Rsmith_77 said:
between jobs, but i am keeping the dogs, taking my wife to and from work, and i am a smoker and a knife carrier
none of those things matter to a court. just a dang inconvenience really

lest anyone think i am one to shirk my civic duty, i AM a veteran, a former military cop of all things
wonder what the lawyers will make of that ....
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In the UK, like me, you would not be allowed to do jury duty for this reason.
 
pmew said:
In the UK, like me, you would not be allowed to do jury duty for this reason.
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I'm a former civilian cop in the US, but it's not an automatic excuse. In fact, the one time I was called up no one ever asked me about my former career. They wanted to know my current job title, which happens to have the word "Engineer" in it, which doesn't seem to be an automatic exclude either.

The main value from being on the jury (to me anyway) was a first-hand experience of exactly how law and justice is meted out in society, at the nuts and bolts level. Your financial future (in a civil case) or freedom (in a criminal case) is entirely in the hands of 12 randomly selected strangers. The inner workings of a jury room are a fascinating view into how people in groups come to decisions, how leadership forms, how factions and cliques form, and how much or how little people will sacrifice their own well being (getting it over with and getting home) versus fighting for justice for a stranger (standing up if you think the majority of the jury is wrong).

There's a reason why lawyers spend so much time on jury selection.
 
G'day:D
Tomorrow Monday 26th January is Australia Day commemorating the arrival of the first fleet in 1788 and the claiming of Australia in the name of King George 3rd.
The whole business of discovering the place and colonising it took a bit of doing and so should be commemorated I think.

Many Australians see it as little more than a commemoration of public drunkenness/a chance to push some political wheelbarrow.The fact is we love public holidays and if you want to call it "invasion day" or "lesbians with chainsaws day" or "lets get a new flag day" or whatever-No worries, just get another date.Happy to get the day off and ignore the cause completely.

If anyone is keen ,how about posting some fact or fiction about Australia that you know of.
eg -Did you know that Vegemite makes an excellent substitute for sunscreen? just smear it on,crack a beer and get the meat on.
GOOD ON YA.
 
Have a nice Australian Commemorating Day, meako. :)
Thanks for the historic background. In Germany, we also love public holidays (well, who doesn´t?!)

Cheers, have a beer more, Sir!
 
First off...I would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome I have received and for all the knowledge that I have gleaned from the forum. Who knew there was so much to learn about folders?

That being said, I joined recently because I have always liked knives and ALWAYS carried one. Usually a very inexpensive knife that was given to me by my children but were always more than capable of doing the task at hand. Also, i own a couple custom fixed blades from a builder that I went to church with...a fine rough duty knife which is precisely what I need. I live on a farm and a sharp knife is a necessary tool.

Over the past several years I have gotten into sharpening pretty much anything that could benefit from a nice edge. Shovels, axe, machete, kitchen knives, mower blades, bush hog blades, chainsaw chains etc. Pretty much anything that would sit still long enough for me to put an edge on. Some were famously successful...others not so much. Either way, I found myself on bladeforum.com and began looking at all the traditional folders and thought...wow...I could use a new hobby. One that while it can be very expensive, it is nothing like custom mandolins (Some custom mandolins can go for 30K and those guys have a waiting list). I thought Case would be pretty cool to collect because I have owned a couple over the years and they wont break the bank.

So I picked up a couple in short order. First I picked up the medium stockman. Loved the looks of it and thought it would be a great everyday carry. Then I bought a yellow Sodbuster Jr. Loved that one as well. Then came the black Sodbuster, Jr. Then a black fullsize Sodbuster. Then a yellow sodbuster. (I saw that thread where the fella had about 100 sodbusters and thought it was pretty stinking cool) Then a few more Vics, bucks, etc.

Now I have a very modest collection of pretty cool knives but they stay in the drawer because I reach for the yellow Sodbuster, Jr. exclusively. I have tried to carry the others but I like to be familiar with my tools and I am most familiar and comfortable with the SB, Jr. Does most everything I could possibly need from it. I almost wonder what I am doing with all the other knives (Dont get me wrong, I like being able to pull them out and look at them but at the same time, I am not the type to buy a tool to "look" at.

Today at Tractor Supply, I had a 50 dollar gift card that my brother gave me. I thought I would buy one of the yellow trappers. Then I got to thinking...I am just going to grab the SB, Jr. when I put my pants on in the morning. Why not spend that money on some feed. And that is what I did.

I am still going to hang around here and look at all the cool knives and live vicariously through some of you guys but I dont think I am going to be buying any more knives until something really strikes my fancy AND is able to unseat the SB Jr. from my right front pocket.

Does anyone else every feel this way? Sorry to be so long winded.

Byrdmando
Coleman Falls, Va.
 
Probably some do and some don't - cool thing about knife collecting/using/accumulating is that you can set yourself down anywhere on the spectrum that you are comfortable with (and move when and if you want to). I got along for 35+ years with the same basic group of about 8 or 9 knives, then about six years ago I started accumulating lots of knives (fast). I'm more discerning now, but will NEVER use up all I have. I give some away as gifts, and trade away some occasionally, however I speed up or slow down buying as I feel like it. I think there is no "right" answer or opinion - the valuable one is the one you hold. OH
 
Byrdmando said:
I am still going to hang around here and look at all the cool knives and live vicariously through some of you guys but I dont think I am going to be buying any more knives until something really strikes my fancy AND is able to unseat the SB Jr. from my right front pocket.

Does anyone else every feel this way? Sorry to be so long winded.

Byrdmando
Coleman Falls, Va.
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I don't know how many times I've had those same thoughts. Just about every time I buy a knife to be honest. I really only need one knife and I know that but I usually fail at convincing myself of that and I purchase more knives anyway. They're just so dang nice. I can't help it. I do enjoy it though so that is how I justify it and many of them do get carried.

I hope you have better luck than I do. If not, just put them all in your EDC rotation and enjoy them all a little bit at a time.
 
About a year and a half ago I had an epiphany. I enjoy learning about and hunting for vintage traditional knives more than I like owning them.

I was constantly on the lookout for that rare knife being sold for pennies at a yard sale. I've scored a couple nice ones too. I've traded and sold some and what I ended up with is a collection of stuff I never use. I pocket a Case yellow delrin Peanut or a Wenger Soldier and have stopped hunting and collecting.

I like off the shelf Buck 110's, Swiss Army Knives, Moras and Peanuts (there, I said it).

I still like learning about knives. I still admire the knives posted here. I still buy a new one once in a while.

The cool part is, someday I might change my mind and start buying everything in sight.

Where you are now is just where you are. You have no obligation to be a collector. You do have to do what makes you happy.
 
I have a feeling this thread will be closed or moved soon due to the lack of knife discussion.

However, I agree ,I only need 1, but I may want others. The battle for need and want is always an ethical line that must be decided on the personal level. I suppose any collecting does.

For me, I have been having the same thoughts and will be thinning the herd soon. As you decided to spend your gift card on feed, I need to check my value system and ask if I need 2grand or more worth sitting in a box?

Accumulation is always fun but not always needed.

The hobby is truly fun, interesting, and educational, but easily a temptation to lose control, or even perspective. It really does depend on the variables of the individual.
 
Good post. If I were to make a choice like you did between buying feed and a knife, it would be feed hands down.

One knife is enough if you are working on a farm and taking care of your livestock and putting food on the table for you and your family. :thumbup:

Kind Regards,

Mark
 
Very good post, and a good chance for many of us to reflect if we have our priorities straight.

That being said this is a outstanding hobby in my book, and you do not have to be accumulating knives to enjoy it as there are plenty of good people and interesting information etc. here.
 
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I think the lounge is a better place for this discussion.
 
My apologies for posting in the incorrect section. Still learning my way around. If I need to do anything to move thread, please let me know.

Byrdmando
Coleman Falls, Va.
 
May not be my place to say, but no apologies needed. A lot of us have posted in similar ways. As far as fixing anything, the moderator took care of that. You posted a great thought and hope to see other's take on it.

Have a great one.
 
Railsplitter said:
I don't know how many times I've had those same thoughts. Just about every time I buy a knife to be honest. I really only need one knife and I know that but I usually fail at convincing myself of that and I purchase more knives anyway. They're just so dang nice. I can't help it. I do enjoy it though so that is how I justify it and many of them do get carried.

I hope you have better luck than I do. If not, just put them all in your EDC rotation and enjoy them all a little bit at a time.
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I hear ya.:)
 
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