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

I found this picture I took when I sold most all of my Modern Folders and started collecting Traditional knives two years ago. These are what I started with, with the exception of a few more I had that I don't know why I didn't put them in the picture. and though I had a lot of Moderns I had always kept a traditional in my pocket. I remember it blew me away when I started selling off the Moderns as to just how much money I had tied up in them. I have bought, sold and given away a lot of traditional knives this last two years as well as been the recipient of several as gifts. I have also discovered what I like and don't like. For example I really like Barlows but I don't like two blade Trappers with the secondary a spey. I have really enjoyed collecting and learning about Traditional pocket knives and all you folks here on the porch. The second I took this morning I have about twenty more in an oak box including my fixed blades that I just couldn't put my hand on this morning. Guess I'm getting old and forgetful. But this is basically my collection I've built in the last two years.

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Randy, the first looks like a good collection start. The second like a "what have I done?" Or another good start. Lol
 
I don't post often these days, I tend to browse the forum as one might browse a familiar magazine in a waiting room. Now that I've two wains to contend with, time is more precious.

I was out in the garden today with Rory, all of two and a bit years old, sawing some timber for some raised beds we're putting in. Rory took my tape measure and meticulously went around the yard carefully measuring everything he could find. He doesn't even know how to read the numbers, but he was so content. He then watched fascinated as I unfolded my knife and peeled an apple then sliced it up for us to share. Those are memories that I will treasure.

On a completely unrelated topic, I was chatting with an old boy I know who works as a professional timber carver. He uses chainsaws and chisels mostly but carries a pocket knife too - a spear pointed otter messer. We were having a blether and he mentioned that in his younger days he was a fisherman by trade, which I didn't know, and that in the Western Isles a knife the like of which he carries is known by the fishermen as a 'gut n mend'. As in; for gutting the fish and mending the nets. Useful to know, I would be totally flummoxed had someone previously said to me "here Paul, can I borrow your gut n mend?"

Anyways, glad to see that everyone is still doing ok more or less :)
 
At my heaviest I was 450, I got stuck at 410 for a while. Then lost a ton of weight actually eating healthy and was surprised to find I was 365. Then I went back up to 390, back in November when I started this journey to bariatric surgery. Today, I was surprised to see that I am 357. This must be a sign that I should treat myself to a Ruger SP101 that I didn't buy at 250 bucks at a gun show ten years ago. My white whale, I found one at a certain outdoors store, used, for 400! Most of them go for 625 brand new.

Goal weight is 250, maybe I should buy a rifle in .22-250 (do I have the wrong caliber in mind?). Anyway, fast food and carryout food withdrawal is a thing, probably not as bad as withdrawal from drugs or alcohol.

I would say I would treat myself to a knife, but I have one on order from Manuel Saldana, a barlow, and two puukko style knives from Turtle Knives. And now I'm looking at the Bark River ULB.

Opinels at REI, in Inox steel, whew. Enough to give you palpitations...

I want a hamburger sub so bad, but I want to through hike the AT more. Hopefully by next year or so I will have pics of my peanut/sak/micro Kephart on the Trail...
 
pmew said:
I don't post often these days, I tend to browse the forum as one might browse a familiar magazine in a waiting room. Now that I've two wains to contend with, time is more precious.

I was out in the garden today with Rory, all of two and a bit years old, sawing some timber for some raised beds we're putting in. Rory took my tape measure and meticulously went around the yard carefully measuring everything he could find. He doesn't even know how to read the numbers, but he was so content. He then watched fascinated as I unfolded my knife and peeled an apple then sliced it up for us to share. Those are memories that I will treasure.

On a completely unrelated topic, I was chatting with an old boy I know who works as a professional timber carver. He uses chainsaws and chisels mostly but carries a pocket knife too - a spear pointed otter messer. We were having a blether and he mentioned that in his younger days he was a fisherman by trade, which I didn't know, and that in the Western Isles a knife the like of which he carries is known by the fishermen as a 'gut n mend'. As in; for gutting the fish and mending the nets. Useful to know, I would be totally flummoxed had someone previously said to me "here Paul, can I borrow your gut n mend?"

Anyways, glad to see that everyone is still doing ok more or less :)
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That's a great story about the tape measure. Reminds me of my daughter. She was about 3 when she would want to "use the measure thingy". I let her. She would measure all kinds of stuff everything was "85 long daddy". "It's 85 long daddy" still brings fond memories.
 
Paul I was thinking of you the other day because I was ogling through my knife collection wiping and oiling and I found a little Case blue pocket hunter. The same as one that I sent to your place.I cant for the life of me remember you saying whether it arrived or not. ?? On to more important matters...just watch out the little fingers and thumbs on the edge of the tape measure.They can cut.Sounds like a good time to introduce the concept of counting.:)
 
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My dad turned around once to see me holding the end of a 6' tape measure, spinning around in circles as fast as I could to see how far I could make the tape extend in midair. By the time he got to me, I already had it out past the end of the spring. It ended up in the trash can. It's really a wonder my dad never killed me.


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Trout Hound said:
My dad turned around once to see me holding the end of a 6' tape measure, spinning around in circles as fast as I could to see how far I could make the tape extend in midair. By the time he got to me, I already had it out past the end of the spring. It ended up in the trash can. It's really a wonder my dad never killed me.


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It's a special feeling growing up with a man with patience for stuff like that as a dad. If it wasn't for a patient dad, experiences like that would have led to punishment and belittling and not knowledge and growth. I hope I continue to be like that with mine but it takes a concision effort.
 
SVTFreak said:
It's a special feeling growing up with a man with patience for stuff like that as a dad. If it wasn't for a patient dad, experiences like that would have led to punishment and belittling and not knowledge and growth. I hope I continue to be like that with mine but it takes a concision effort.
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There's no doubt my dad exercised great restraint when I was young. I could have broken an anvil back then.


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Trout Hound said:
My dad turned around once to see me holding the end of a 6' tape measure, spinning around in circles as fast as I could to see how far I could make the tape extend in midair. By the time he got to me, I already had it out past the end of the spring. It ended up in the trash can. It's really a wonder my dad never killed me.


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My Dad came home from work one day and caught me running around the neighborhood using his Mac timing light as a ray gun....He was not happy! I think that was the beginning of my lessons in the care and maintenance of tools.
 
jackknife said:
The scooter are gone.

for the very first time since I was 16, I am without two wheel motorized transport. I find it a little shocking, a little sad, but also somewhat liberating.

I guess it's al part of getting older; the desire to do something that you enjoyed for so long, sooner or later comes under the heading of 'been there, done that' and it's time to move on. Maybe we'll get a mini convertible or a Mazda Miata and just put the top down!
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Jackknife, sounds like you made a good decision. Your mention of a Miata caught my eye. Here's mine:

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As is often the case, there's a story here. I was always a hot hatch guy, MkI, MkII and MkV VW GTIs. With each new one power increased, and driving a FWD became less and less satisfying. I was thinking about a VW R, an all wheel drive uber-GTI when it happened. It was a November day in 2011 when I went into our local garage/used car dealer to get an oil change over lunch. As I sat in their 1-car showroom I kept looking at this Miata, a '99 10th Anniversary limited edition, on the floor, top down and 5 feet away. Didn't pay much attention at first, then I noticed how it looked so much like a 4/5 scale Jag E-Type. Mind, I'd always though of these as the hairdresser's car, and hadn't a sliver of interest in convertibles. But by the time my car was done however, I knew I had to try it out.

Now, I couldn't drive it that day since we had had an early snow, and this car was a low-miles garage kept summer car. (Sort of a safe queen as it were:)) But I went home and just talked about it all night with my wife, who all the while kept giving me very good reasons why we didn't need it. By the time we went out for our usual Saturday morning breakfast date, I'd all but given up. At the table my wife causally mentioned we should go over and look at it. Now it was my turn to say what a dumb idea this was. It was then that she pulled out a purchase agreement and said 'let's go get your car'! I just about fell out of my seat.:p She's a good catch to say the least.

Since that time I've put about 10K miles on the clock. I can say I was completely won over. I've ridden bikes before, nothing steady but know the feel. I think this is better. Put that top down, no helmet needed, and you are liberated indeed. The rear wheel drive is such a difference from AWD & FWD. While not high on HP, it's light and loves to rev. With the manual shift every gear is a treat. Sometimes I feel like she found me, and not vise versa.

While I've not driven the latest edition I hear it is very good. Give it a try!
 
Gary, I too am hypothroid, being diagnosed 6 years ago. I too was finding it difficult to stay awake, especially after lunch. I believe that the synthetic hormone we take is not quite as good as the real thing.

I agree that getting enough quality sleep is key, and fortunately I don't have problems on that front. Two things that really helped me was to eat light lunches (no more double bacon cheeseburgers:D) and to place an espresso machine in my office. While I drink only 2-3 small cups a day, I find that an espresso after lunch really helps to head off the head-bob. If I'm going out on the town that evening I may even have another later. Curiously, unlike when I was slurping coffee all day, that little bit of espresso never keeps me up.

At any rate, hope you can get your CPAP squared away.
 
We've been having beautiful spring like weather the last few weeks with temps in the mid 60's to low to mid 70's. Now there's an old saying "it ain't over til it's over". Needless to say winter "ain't over" around here as we woke up to this today. I opened up the back door stood inside and shot this. One thing about being retired and Sunday to boot I don't have to go anywhere but the coffee pot for a second cup. :D


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Bugdoc said:
Gary, I too am hypothroid, being diagnosed 6 years ago. I too was finding it difficult to stay awake, especially after lunch. I believe that the synthetic hormone we take is not quite as good as the real thing.

I agree that getting enough quality sleep is key, and fortunately I don't have problems on that front. Two things that really helped me was to eat light lunches (no more double bacon cheeseburgers:D) and to place an espresso machine in my office. While I drink only 2-3 small cups a day, I find that an espresso after lunch really helps to head off the head-bob. If I'm going out on the town that evening I may even have another later. Curiously, unlike when I was slurping coffee all day, that little bit of espresso never keeps me up.

At any rate, hope you can get your CPAP squared away.
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Thanks for sharing your story and suggestions, Tom. :thumbup:
Light lunches (half an apple and a handful of grapes at my desk) have been part of my routine for years, so I've got that covered. ;)
I'll have to think about the espresso. Just over 2 years ago I finally quit a 45-year nicotine addiction, and I'm kind of reluctant to move to a caffeine addiction (which I developed when I first moved to my current job in 1984, and realized I was getting headaches each weekend because I didn't make coffee at home but swilled it constantly at work - so no coffee for me since November 1984). But I HAVE occasionally been eating 9 or 10 dark chocolate covered espresso beans the past few months when the sleepiness gets really hard to fight. Often I can also fight it off by chewing gum (at least until my jaws get tired :p).

r redden said:
We've been having beautiful spring like weather the last few weeks with temps in the mid 60's to low to mid 70's. Now there's an old saying "it ain't over til it's over". Needless to say winter "ain't over" around here as we woke up to this today. I opened up the back door stood inside and shot this. One thing about being retired and Sunday to boot I don't have to go anywhere but the coffee pot for a second cup. :D
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Quite a "wake-up call", Randy! :eek: I don't envy you at all, but the forecast is that I'll see the same sight out my back door Monday morning. :( I'm more than ready for some of those 60s and 70s you mentioned!

- GT
 
r redden said:
We've been having beautiful spring like weather the last few weeks with temps in the mid 60's to low to mid 70's. Now there's an old saying "it ain't over til it's over". Needless to say winter "ain't over" around here as we woke up to this today. I opened up the back door stood inside and shot this. One thing about being retired and Sunday to boot I don't have to go anywhere but the coffee pot for a second cup. :D


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We had a respite a week or so ago. Now it's 10 degrees. I gotta agree with you Randy. Being retired comes with a few benefits. Staying home when the weather is lousy is one for sure.
Here's a peek at our winter view south of Syracuse.
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Bugdoc said:
Your mention of a Miata caught my eye. Here's mine:

NNN79NG.jpg


As is often the case, there's a story here.
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Now that is a love story, in so many ways!

I love the story, and the car, and the part where all this (evidently) happened in Wisconsin!

Nothing says "Mazda Miata" quite like Wisconsin. :D

Good, good stuff.
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[I have similar feelings about my Convertible Tank, an '06 Wrangler-- a (predominantly impractical) delight, especially once the top and doors come off....]

C'mon, Spring.

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~ P.
 
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