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

I started to post a thread about this, but I figured I'd just put it here.

I've been carrying my chestnut bone peanut for the past 3 months now and I'm really loving this little knife. The more I carry this thing, the more it begins to feel like "my" knife. The thin CV blades slice so easliy, and they have developed as nice patina. The only disapointing thing at this point is, it doesn't look very pocket worn yet :D
 
thesouthernguitarist said:
I started to post a thread about this, but I figured I'd just put it here.

I've been carrying my chestnut bone peanut for the past 3 months now and I'm really loving this little knife. The more I carry this thing, the more it begins to feel like "my" knife. The thin CV blades slice so easliy, and they have developed as nice patina. The only disapointing thing at this point is, it doesn't look very pocket worn yet :D
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I keep hearing that about case peanuts (both CV and SS models)...I bought off a forum member a washboard caramel bone I believe its called peanut in stainless, its put away though cause my missus dont want me playing with it till christmas (same with my forum knife when it arrives :().

Post a pic up, we all love sharing images of our knives :D
 
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:Way to go Cardinals !!!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Carl, I've been reading your stories off and on lately, and I have to say that you are a great storyteller. Have you considered publishing a book of your short stories? I think it's a great idea, and I would definately buy one, and I'm willing to bet that some other folks 'round here would buy one to. :D
 
Yes, it's on my ' to do' list. I keep meaning to get to it, but enjoying life keeps getting in the way. I need to settle down and do it. I have a book already in mind.

Carl.
 
From whence we came.?

I was sitting here, after too many glasses of Evan Williams Honey Reserve, wondering, from where did most of us come from?

Being that knife knuts are the great, vast minority of the society at large, how many of us had an Uncle Paul, or a Mr. Van, in our young lives that influenced us toward our affliction, that of knife knutitus. What made most of us a knife knut. Are we born that way, ever in lust of the next knife to end the search for the perfect knife? Or did we inherit some errant gene that gave us the obsession for pointy sharp objects? Did most of us have a father or uncle that indulged and cheered us on, or did that parents look at us strage and think we needed help?

And in particular, when did you feel the urge to go traditional? To turn your back on black zytel and bead blasted stainless steel for jigged bone and old fashioned carbon steel that (gasp!) darkens with age and will rust if neglected?

Talk to me of your mentor.

Carl.
 
i never really had a knife mentor. In fact, my father and wife both think I am crazy and/or watch too much TV
I guess my knife mentors would be you guys here on the forum.

I started edc'ing a knife when i was in the military, as a military cop i found myself needing something sharp, started with a gerber gator and moved to a gerber LST (despite what everyone says about Gerber knives, these guys stayed with me and have yet to fail). After I got out, I picked up a SAK and carried it ever since, replacing it when needed. Then I found this place and that was all she wrote....

So I suppose I should "thank" you guys for my obsession :p
 
No one got me started, a few people have pushed me in the "right" direction. My father always had a little pen knife on him, mainly for small jobs, usually cleaning his fingernails before church, or in church. His knives always ended up on the dryer, if you needed a knife, you could always find one on top of the dryer. They were always Old Timers too.

One of our neighbors gave me my first real knife, my father had given me Colonial Daniel Boone knives over the years (real knives too). This neighbor gave me a Schrade Cave Bear, of which I promptly accidentally broke the tip off of (cutting hay bales, then jamming it into the top of a fence post, and breaking off the tip while removing it).

When I got my license, I was always stopping at this flea market about ten minutes from home, buying 50 bucks worth of junk knives, when I could. Of course, all of these junk knives were crap, and I was aimlessly buying junk knives before I found Bladeforums. Then I started aimlessly buying good knives, which can add up really quickly.

I met Scott Gossman on here, and he has taught me a lot about knives, both how he makes them, and inadvertently introduced me to a lot of knowledgeable knife nuts.

I have never turned my back on the tacticool knives, but I have found most enjoyment in a well made slipjoint and custom fixed blade.
 
After getting some pitting on my CV and 1095 slipjoints, I am looking for a way to get a forced patina. I have seen suggestions covering mustard, vinegar, horseradish, apples, pears etc. Any ideas?
 
I like to use vinegar. I wipe it on with a paper towel, wipe it off after a few minutes, and reapply. It takes about half an hour to get a consistent non-blotchy patina. If any part gets too dark, some of the patina can be wiped off with a dry paper towel.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
My father always had a little pen knife on him, mainly for small jobs, usually cleaning his fingernails before church, or in church. His knives always ended up on the dryer, if you needed a knife, you could always find one on top of the dryer. They were always Old Timers too.
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Well, at least it sounds like your dad had good taste in pocket knives.:thumbup: Old Timers with great 1095, time tested old patterns, and there was always one where you could find it.

For a forced patina, most of the old timers in my day stuck the new knife in a potato over night. I've had good luck with fish bellies. Something about the fish guts gives a very nice blueish iridecence to the blade.

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
From whence we came.?

I was sitting here, after too many glasses of Evan Williams Honey Reserve, wondering, from where did most of us come from?
Being that knife knuts are the great, vast minority of the society at large, how many of us had an Uncle Paul, or a Mr. Van, in our young lives that influenced us toward our affliction, that of knife knutitus. What made most of us a knife knut. Are we born that way, ever in lust of the next knife to end the search for the perfect knife? Or did we inherit some errant gene that gave us the obsession for pointy sharp objects? Did most of us have a father or uncle that indulged and cheered us on, or did that parents look at us strage and think we needed help?
I figured it out myself. My grandfather had a couple of neglected scout knives in his basement that he let me keep when I asked him. I never got any advice, information, or encouragement but I wasn't discouraged by anyone, either

And in particular, when did you feel the urge to go traditional? To turn your back on black zytel and bead blasted stainless steel for jigged bone and old fashioned carbon steel that (gasp!) darkens with age and will rust if neglected?
I still like and use zytel, g10, and micarta handled knives...I also have never wanted anything that will patina and probably never will...it just seems wrong to me, but I have grown to love ss slipjoints with bone, wood, or plastic handles.
Talk to me of your mentor.
I never had a knife mentor I had to figure it out on my own. As a result the preferences/prejudices I have are purely my own.
My dad isn't a knife guy and my grandpa, if he was, never discussed it with me. As long as I can remember I've always been fascinated by knives.
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Frank
 
My dad bought me my first knife. I was 7 years old and in the Cub Scouts. The knife was an official Cub Scout knife. I'm pretty sure it's still around here somewhere. This was in 1957. He taught me how to use it, how to sharpen it and keep it clean and oiled. We did alott of camping, hiking and fishing when I was growing up and always had our knives with us.

I had two boy cousins that lived in Western PA (we lived in Ohio at the time). We were one year apart in age, Rich was one year younger than me, Mark one year older. My family spent allot of time in PA during the summer, both my mom and dad's families lived there. Mark, Rich and I with were the three musketeers and like "summer brothers". We all liked knives and were forever trading and admiring each others sharp items as we grew up. Those idyllic summers of my childhood are some of my fondest memories.

I never grew out of my love for knives and although I've owned and carried many that weren't traditional, my first knives were traditional and they have a special place in my life.


My dad passed away in 2005.I asked my mom if I could have his pocket knife. He'd put it on his dresser every night when he emptied his pockets, and put it in his pocket every morning when he got dressed. It's a United Boker Copperhead that is well used. It will be handed down to one of my sons when I'm gone.

Nice thread Carl.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
After getting some pitting on my CV and 1095 slipjoints, I am looking for a way to get a forced patina. I have seen suggestions covering mustard, vinegar, horseradish, apples, pears etc. Any ideas?
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Stand it in a cup/glass of tomato sauce for a little bit. I've never heard of anyone but me using that method, but if you try it and it works for you we could be on the leading edge of a world-wide forced patina revolution :cool:

As far as mentors go, I never had one. My grandpa gave me my first knife when I was fairly young. It was a three-blade Camillus. I remember carrying it to school when I was in second grade. My dad taught me how to sharpen it. That's the only encouragement I ever received. I've just always been drawn to knives.
 
jackknife said:
From whence we came.?

I was sitting here, after too many glasses of Evan Williams Honey Reserve, wondering, from where did most of us come from?

Being that knife knuts are the great, vast minority of the society at large, how many of us had an Uncle Paul, or a Mr. Van, in our young lives that influenced us toward our affliction, that of knife knutitus. What made most of us a knife knut. Are we born that way, ever in lust of the next knife to end the search for the perfect knife? Or did we inherit some errant gene that gave us the obsession for pointy sharp objects? Did most of us have a father or uncle that indulged and cheered us on, or did that parents look at us strage and think we needed help?
Click to expand...

I think a lot of my knife knutiness was on me, but was helped form and grow from a few influences in my early childhood...my grandfather always carried a knife, he had a logging axe that could shave hairs with no effort, he showed me how to sharpen while telling me stories about the war which my grandmother hadn't heard (and never did). Also guess my obsession from a young age with times long past made me seek out tools which meant life or death, look at the remains of most early homo-sapiens and they were buried with their stone knife, it was a very personal item in our genome from the rise of our existence.

And in particular, when did you feel the urge to go traditional? To turn your back on black zytel and bead blasted stainless steel for jigged bone and old fashioned carbon steel that (gasp!) darkens with age and will rust if neglected?

Talk to me of your mentor.

Carl.
Click to expand...

I've always preferred traditional knives, my first knife was a traditional and I kinda regret that I neglected it and lost it somewhere along the way...I do enjoy modern type folders but end of the day I prefer a traditional knife, a lot of modern folders feel souless, like those grey faceless mannequins. A slipjoint is like those old mannequins with a big smiling face and warm features that don't creep kids out. :D

PS. on the note of forced patinas just use them in the kitchen for a week and they'll go black. ;)
 
Went to a pumpkin carving party yesterday. Took my EO Jack. Worked great, but this was one thick (gourd?). Broke a cheap kitchen knife (really?). And then finally had to bust out the dremel. Hope everyone has a great halloween.

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Hi Dan -

Very nice!

You probably should not have been batoning gourd with that kitchen knife.... :p :)

Cute pictures - thanks for posting them!

best regards-

mqqn
 
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