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

It seems like I always use a knife when I'm around my grandfather, a cutting chore will come up and I'll get it done. We've done a lot of gun work together and many a time we'll call on the edge of a pocket knife. We work almost in complete silence, we both know what needs done, and if I have a question, he usually answers it with a grunt before I can get a word out. I'll have the right tool out of his tool box before he even mentions that he needs it, so we work pretty quick too.

So when we get a chance to pull out a knife and use it, it's almost a race, we'll start digging in our pockets to find one and have it out before the other one does. He used to beat me every time, I wouldn't even think about getting my knife and he'd have his out and ready. Well, I changed tactics. I stopped carrying my change, and handkerchief in the same pocket as my knife. It's a habit my grandfather has had for years, so he'll never change. He'll be rattling around in his pocket trying to find his knife and I'll have the job done already.

He's getting older now too, so he's definitely slowing down. There was a time that if a gun jammed, I'd have to hand it to him so he could dissect the problem, and prevent it from happening again. Now, he hands me the gun, the first time it happened I almost cried. The strong bull headed man I looked up to wasn't invincible anymore, he was as mortal as anyone else. But all legends are mortal, and thats what he is to me.

I'll never forget the many memories made on a lake shore, or river bank, fishing the day away, the times spent BSing until the bobber left the waters surface. We've swapped more than a couple knives, and I think we're both always happy with the outcome. He's always had a deep love for single bladed knives, so for a long time I wanted nothing else, but I expanded my horizon and got a stockman. It opened my eyes a little, and I started trying different patterns, but I still enjoy those single blades, I guess it's a bond. One time we we're siting a new rifle in, I needed to move the sight, but I didn't have a penny, it's not the right tool for this job, but it's what we've always used on the farm for this particular chore. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my peanut, I clicked the site over with the pen blade and the job was done. My grandfather shook his head, and I think was even impressed. A good score for the two bladed little nut.

P.S.
With this peanut in my pocket, and the rain falling, I just feel like reminiscing, and I know Jackknife is the Peanut master, but I have a couple memories I want to get off my chest. I hope you guys don't mind.
 
I can't really think of much use in carrying a handkerchief everywhere
Click to expand...

This heat must not be affecting you like it is me. My handkerchief finds its way to my brow pretty frequently!
 
johnny twoshoes said:
One time we we're siting a new rifle in, I needed to move the sight, but I didn't have a penny, it's not the right tool for this job, but it's what we've always used on the farm for this particular chore. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my peanut, I clicked the site over with the pen blade and the job was done.
Click to expand...

I have to admit, that part made me wince a little bit. For the sake of your peanuts blades, go on by Sear's and get one of their keychain 4-way screwdrivers. Only .99 cents, but can save a broken blade tip.:thumbup:

Right tool for the job.:D

Carl.
 
thesouthernguitarist said:
I enjoyed the read! Also, call me crazy, but I can't really think of much use in carrying a handkerchief everywhere. Maybe I'm missing something?
Click to expand...

A bandana has a thousand and one uses. It's kind of like duct tape or WD-40. Shouldn't be without it. Dust mask, snow goggles, sun shade stuck in the back of a hat and hanging down the back of the neck, sweat band, pot holder when camping out, emergency bandage, carry bundle for small objects, knife blade cleaner, wash cloth, cool neck wrap when wet, and about a zillion other things.

Carl.
 
I did enjoy reading ur story too :thumbup:
As a sidenote, I have a way with bandanas (I told this on another thread in the outdoors section): I have found myself owning more than a dozen bandanas, most of them I don't even remember buying, some of them I never use...but they are useful for sure (in any weather I guess).
Fausto
:cool:
 
Jackknife, I should have worded that better, or have been more descriptive in my story.
It was a scoped rifle, so all we had to do was move it over a couple clicks. The scope had a little groove that you stick a penny, or screw driver into to turn it. I used the back of my peanuts pen blade, barely any torque was needed.

I still should go out and get one of those 4 ways.
 
jackknife said:
A bandana has a thousand and one uses. It's kind of like duct tape or WD-40. Shouldn't be without it. Dust mask, snow goggles, sun shade stuck in the back of a hat and hanging down the back of the neck, sweat band, pot holder when camping out, emergency bandage, carry bundle for small objects, knife blade cleaner, wash cloth, cool neck wrap when wet, and about a zillion other things.

Carl.
Click to expand...

Carl you would be an amazing salesman. I guess I never really thought about all of the uses for a bandana. After reading all of your posts I started carrying a Peanut, and now I may pick up a handkerchief to accompany the peanut :D
 
The snow was falling very softly when I first looked through the window, I thought it would fine morning to get a late season squirrel. We were all dressed for a chilly Pa deer hunt, but we were armed with squirrel medicine. As we pulled up to the farm we'd be hunting that morning, I had to jump out to undo an electric fence that kept the beef cattle in. I took a second to look around and I marveled at the beautiful white scenery, I don't think the cows were happy with it's arrival though. I got back in the truck with my brother, and dad. When the warm air hit me, I realized how cold it really was, we parked the truck and "Got Legal". That fluorescent orange takes on a beautiful hue when surround by falling ivory white snow. We made it to the hollow and took a minute to pick out our trees, when the choices were made, we split up. My brother would be in the middle and Dad and I would be the flankers.*
*
I couldn't bring myself to sit on the frozen ground, so I just leaned against my tree. The snow continued to fall, as I scanned the limbs over head, hoping to catch a*glimpse of game. The freeing wind picked up and my hands were stinging, I slipped them into my warm pocket and closed my eyes. I had a little jack knife in my pocket so my hand wasn't bored, I just enjoyed the jigged scales and the warmth it shared with me. I thought about the seasons past and the ones yet to come, the memories made, and those yet to be shared. A little snow flake put me back into the present when it landed on my nose. I opened my eyes to see the snow was picking up. I looked at my dad's tree, and he sat huddled up with his hands tucked away in his big coat. I looked for my brother but he wasn't at his tree, he was slowly making his way to a tree in front of mine, I was kind of surprised that he would be in my shooting view. I couldn't figure out what he was doing until I saw his head dart back and forth, I knew we had game. He made his way around the little hollow in front of my tree, and*disappeared from view. I listened for his shot but, I heard nun. I waited, and watched for him to return but I still didn't see him. Finally I just assumed he found a better tree to sit at, and was posted again. I resumed my watch only to find a beautiful old Fox squirrel at full attention. He was looking at were my brother had entered the hollow, with his attention drawn I eased away from the tree and I raised the 20 gauge my grandfather gave me for my birthday.*
*
The 20 seemed to roar like a cannon in that snowy hollow. The shot echoed off in the distance and soon it was lost, the squirrel fell. He was a little over ten yards when I shot, so I knew I had a good chance at bagging that late season squirrel. The snow was already beginning to stick to his fur when I reached him, it was a beautiful old red that had called this hollow home for years. I celebrated his life, and thanked God for the memory. It wasn't long till my brother and Dad were by my side. With this being the only action of the morning, we decided to call it quits and head for home. It was still pretty early in the morning when we reached our farm, but it was making out to be a beautiful day. I took my mornings prize down to show my grandfather who I knew had been up for hours. He congratulated me on the old bushytail, and I headed for a warm breakfast and a cozy home.*
 
Cool story. You are very good at writing, so you should keep all of them on a flash drive or something so you can watch your writing progress. And also just to keep all of em.
 
Also, @ Jackknife. I have read a few of your different post's related to carrying a bandana. I have one question. You have mention rolling it up and sticking it in your pocket vertically, so your knife ride's beside it, and you have mentioned just cramming the whole bandana in your knife pocket. Which is better?
 
thesouthernguitarist said:
Also, @ Jackknife. I have read a few of your different post's related to carrying a bandana. I have one question. You have mention rolling it up and sticking it in your pocket vertically, so your knife ride's beside it, and you have mentioned just cramming the whole bandana in your knife pocket. Which is better?
Click to expand...

It all depends on what knife I was carrying.

If I was carrying something like my old Buck stockman or one of my Opinels, I liked to use it rolled up to keep the bigger knife vertical in the pocket. But these days, with my trusty peanut, like any small knife, I like it loosely wadded up and on top of the knife. The wadded up is more useful with a smaller knife to make sure it stays put.

Carl.
 
Sardinia, late 1950's...

Easter family lunch at the old farm house. Spring has come, and few white clouds are running in the light blue sky.
A boy of 10 is walking outside the house...inside, in the kitchen, his grandmother and mother are cooking a meat and tomato sauce, putting aubergines in the oven, getting the table ready for the whole family to have lunch, even if it's still early morning. They want to leave everything ready before they go to church at 11.
So the boy walks bored towards the back of the house. His cousins haven't come yet, and anyway they're just 7 years old...he is 10. Almost a man, in his dark green eyes, while the others are just kids...he doesn't really like Easter. Any regular Sunday with his friends is better...
Outside is his grandfather, a man in his seventies, at work on a lamb. It's his job after all, he's a butcher, but today he's doing it for his family, so he's even more dedicated to it.
The lamb has already been killed and skinned (he did it at dawn), and now the man is working on the animal's guts, he has to take them away in a definite way (they will be cooked and prepared in the kitchen) before putting the lamb to cook near the big fire on the corner of the house.
The man is short and thin, with strong hands and a grey moustache, his face and dark eyes always looking serious unless when he smiles and suddenly he doesn't seem that tough anymore...but this doesn't happen too often.
The boy gets closer to watch the whole ritual, the man looks at him gently and then, without a word, goes on. But the kid is bright, he wants to talk, even tho his grandpa seems not interested in chatting.
The old man pulls a knife out of his pocket, its handle made of bone, and unfolds it. For the first time, even tho he has seen this knife before, the kid realizes that the blade is incredibly narrow. Less than half the width it's supposed to be. The boy has seen other knives in his life, but not quite this used, narrowed by countless sharpenings, long and thin in his grandfather's hand.
The boy has found it. A topic to start talking, and messing with his old man.
"Why don't u get a new knife?that one is old and worn out and ugly...and you're a butcher...what will other people think of you when they see it?"
The old man goes on like he didn't hear him. The boy gets a kind of chill in his bones, and shuts up.
A minute passes by, and the man lifts his head and gestures towards the boy, to get closer.
The boy has no idea of how a lamb is made inside..he just knows he likes the grilled ribs, and the meat when his mom cooks it with olives. So to him, his grandfather's hands seem lost in a labyrinth of nameless pink and white guts.
The man takes a short pause, to get the kid's attention, and then puts his knife back into the animal, turning the whole lamb a bit upwards so that the boy can see better.
As inside the bottom of a cave, the kid watches the knife find its way to a tiny little and almost invisible space. The man can hardly insert his knife horizontally in the space, then turns it 90 degrees up, and starts cutting. And as in a reverse jigsaw, the pieces of the animal start coming out one by one, each one in its wholeness and separated from the others.
The man puts them on a big metal tray, cleans his knife with a piece of brown paper, and puts it back into his pocket, looking right into the kid's eyes.
The boy's ashamed for what he said, and the man knows he is. So no chiming on his grandson now. He grabs the knife again, opens it, and starts talking to him:
"You see, this knife is indeed old and worn, and I could sure get a new one...but with time I learned that for some tasks this is better than new wider knives, because.............."
The kid listens to his old man all the way, and smiles. Easter is not that bad after all...


Fausto
:cool:
 
Last edited:
After getting an 85 Toyota pickup on the road a week or so ago, I was pretty perturbed to come out of work last night, and find out that the clutch went all the way to the floor. Slave cylinder went up. At least it got me home safely from the beach, and if this is the worst thing I have go through this year, it will be a blessing. I was still kinda touchy, and it got me thinking about two things.

First, while on the boardwalk, I saw sandals with a bottle opener on the sole. Now, I would guess that, someone a little hammered, pulling off their sandals to open a bottle of beer, wouldn't be too bad. Just doesn't seem natural to me. Interesting, just not natural. I was pleasantly surprised to hear my cousin, after family commented on it, just pull out his Vic SAK I gave him and state "Why use that, when you got a Swiss army knife on you." Yes, there is hope for the world after all.

Second. Driving old pieces of junk, you tend to be at the mercy of the program director of the radio station you listen to. I usually listen to a local radio station, 98 Rock. I grew up in the 90's, as hair metal was following the dodo, and grunge came, saw and went. My three favorite bands are Metallica, Soundgarden and the Offspring. I just can't stand what they are playing on this station lately. I am not happy unless I have some blues or bluegrass on. I am going deaf, at 32, but I really can't stand the new music these days. I thought this was a long way down the road ;):D. I'm just mad because the classic rock station will probably close down. There used to be a good oldies station in Baltimore, which changed formats. Also, a good oldies station near York PA, in Red Lion PA. Changed formats too.

Simple solution, bypass buying a CD player or iPod, buy a whole new truck :eek:. And a shorter commute...
 
hi,

i'm not sure if this question belongs in this forum. if it does not, i certainly understand why it may be moved...

am wondering how many others get away with carrying a small to medium traditional in their shirt pocket instead of their pants pocket. recently, i've been carrying my case yellow med. stockman in my shirt pocket but feel sort of strange doing so but find it works out pretty decent--especially when seated. must say the only other tings i carry in this pocket is a parker jotter and a levenger pocket briefcase--a great note pad.

in closing, i hope this question is not too off da wall!

all best regards to everyone in this forum,

brian
 
If I recall correctly, Tony Bose used to or still does carry a single blade swayback in his shirt pocket.

I've never personally considered carrying a knife that way though I might if I was seated at my workbench doing a project of some sort.

I don't think I'd ever leave the house doing so, however. It'd turn me into a nervous wreck (with OCD style patting of the shirt pocket every few seconds ;)).
 
I'll carry a smaller folder in my shirt pocket at home sometimes - it's quite convenient that way, but won't carry one that way out and about. Way too easy to loose it out of most shirt pockets (my shirt pockets that would be pretty secure (deep with flaps) are also the ones that would be more trouble to get to the knife than carrying in a pants pocket).
 
When deer hunting from a stand I carry a folder in my breast pocket because it is so much easier to get to with little noise or movement.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top