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

Fodderwing said:
“Baby I just went through that bucket and there’s nothing there.” I’m telling my wife. We are at a yard sale. She smiles and stoops to look through the bucket. Later as we are driving away she shows me a super cool old scout knife she bought for two dollars. “Where did you…?” Her grin stops me in mid sentence. I change the subject.

A couple of months ago we happened on a “upscale” flea market in the yuppie section of downtown. You know the place; complete with vegan cafe, coffee freshly ground and straight from the goat’s … Anyway, we always split up. She goes one way and I the other. This is to cut down on the…”oh honey would you look at this …”. Now this place has some awesome stuff. If I had a couple thousand just laying around I’d love to get that rocking chair… It is a retail museum for the well-healed. On auto-pilot now. “Nothin to see here folks… lets keep it moving.” We meet up about mid way. “Baby there is absolutely nothing here anyone in there right mind would consider a bargain.” I say. She smiles.

We walk out with a vintage made in USA Gerstner and Sons eleven drawer wooden tool chest in excellent condition. Price - $125.00 (it’s marked as “homemade” and today all items in booth are 50% off).

My wife is always smiling.

Today we loaded the Jeep on a trailer and headed north to Snowball. Even by Arkansas standards Snowball is remote. By jeep from there we drove west. After a terrible dirt rub -board few miles in the Ozark “mountains” a old wagon road leads off to the north. In a little while this trail arrives on the east bank of Richland Creek. It’s been hot and dry. At two feet deep the creek is easily forded. From here on it narrows and the trees form a tunnel of green mile after mile. We creep along at 10 mph. Now the path hugs sheer rock rising 250 ft straight up and in one place (known as the “narrows”) this bluff narrows to three feet on top. At its base flows the Buffalo National River on one side and the path we are now traveling on the other. Eventually the bluffs give way and you arrive at Woolum Ford on the Buffalo. Pulling up out of the river on the far bank we hang a right and run along a smooth sandy track about a half mile dropping over a ledge and down to the rivers edge again.

Never have I known anyone to love nature more than my wife. She and Willow (see avatar) disembark. After skipping rocks awhile and investigating the area I sit down and ponder the river rocks at my feet. Sculpted at a glacial pace the artist never satisfied with his work.

I hear the crunching of footsteps and feel her cooling shadow on me as she stops. When I look up at her she has a smile on her beautiful face. The smile turns into a broad grin. “What is it?” She is pointing down at the ground right beside me. Eighteen inches from me lies a pocket knife. It’s a very nice SOG Flashback Mini.
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Great story and well told, Dwight! I enjoyed reading every bit of that. Reminds me a lot of my own better half.:D
 
oldtymer said:
You can do it now in 62 hours, just some trivia Transcontinental RR completed 1869- Men on the Moon 1969
Makes you wonder what humans are really able to accomplish
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My first cousin flew a B-58 Hustler, one of his buddies flew NY to LA and back in a little under 5 hours. That was in 1962.
 
I have a lot of catching up to do, having been gone since the 28th. I've been shopping from Boukville/Madison to Little Falls NY. Oops, and Salamanca NY on the way back. That's where I got the Utica Sportsman and the big one.
The big one is Pakistani, but still cool and worth every penny of $23.55 including tax.
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Let me at least list them for now. Left, top to bottom:
What I believe to be a deluxe Utica Sportsman, with heavier blade and swedged clip, but they're never marked;
What I believe to be a more deluxe Utica Sportsman, with bone handles, but they're never marked. This one is, but it says "Outdoor Sportsman" with no maker's mark.
A Utica skinner, the first I've seen, too bad the cel handles have to go.
A German simulacrum of the common Imperial. Flat ground both sides.
A Utica Forge utility kitchen knife
A JA Henckels Twin Works slicer

R, T to B
Case XX folding hunter with miracle edge skinning blade and heavy clip ($25, I just have to say)
Southington Cutlery jack, I have to research them, but it looks old
Death-throes Camillus stockman with punch instead of spey (all done but affixing shield and grinding down proud pivot pins)
Camillus stockman with shrunken scales removed (not shrinky-dink but not cel either)
Lifetime Premium (?) stockman
Camillus 72, pocket-worn handle but fresh blades.
Hammer Brand pen
Camco cattle knife
White Cub Scout (logo other side)

Standing lower right: Kutmaster stockman and solid-handled Imperial scout.
 
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Thanks, Jack.
The "Lifetime Premium" is actually a Premier Lifetime, wholesaled/imported from Germany from the 1920s to the 50s, per BRL2. And lowly sought after.
The Southington was made in Southington Connecticut and distributed by Meriden of Meriden CT from 1867 to ca 1914, again per BRL2. This one highly sought after. I got it for 20% off $25. I may have passed on it myself last year because of the wiggly liners (I don't remember last year's price). But you don't see the wiggly liners unless you peer at the knife sideways, and they don't affect function at all.
 
scrteened porch said:
I've been shopping from Boukville/Madison to Little Falls NY. Oops, and Salamanca NY on the way back. That's where I got the Utica Sportsman and the big one.
The big one is Pakistani, but still cool and worth every penny of $23.55 including tax.
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If you can't find it on NYS Rte 20 you're unlikely to find it anywhere. Nice haul!
 
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Hey everyone first I want to thank all of you for the well wishes it meant a lot to me you folks are the best.
Second I'm home they let me out of hospital this morning. First thing I did was to take a shower because they wouldn't let me take one at the hospital because of all the wires and heart monitor they had hooked to me. The last shower I had was last Wednesday so I guess I was getting pretty ripe.:eek::D I'm feeling good just a little tired but it seems I am a survivor on the way to total recovery which is great because just 3 months ago I had a mini stroke.
So again thank you all for the thoughts and prayers.
Randy
 
r redden said:
Hey everyone first I want to thank all of you for the well wishes it meant a lot to me you folks are the best.
Second I'm home they let me out of hospital this morning. First thing I did was to take a shower because they wouldn't let me take one at the hospital because of all the wires and heart monitor they had hooked to me. The last shower I had was last Wednesday so I guess I was getting pretty ripe.:eek::D I'm feeling good just a little tired but it seems I am a survivor on the way to total recovery which is great because just 3 months ago I had a mini stroke.
So again thank you all for the thoughts and prayers.
Randy
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Good to hear you're home and recovering Randy! My thoughts are with you.
 
Glad to hear you're back at home Randy :) Wishing you a speedy recovery my friend :thumbsup:
 
r redden said:
Hey everyone first I want to thank all of you for the well wishes it meant a lot to me you folks are the best.
Second I'm home they let me out of hospital this morning. First thing I did was to take a shower because they wouldn't let me take one at the hospital because of all the wires and heart monitor they had hooked to me. The last shower I had was last Wednesday so I guess I was getting pretty ripe.:eek::D I'm feeling good just a little tired but it seems I am a survivor on the way to total recovery which is great because just 3 months ago I had a mini stroke.
So again thank you all for the thoughts and prayers.
Randy
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Thanks for the promising update, Randy! :thumbsup::thumbsup: So glad you're back home again, and enjoying "Showers of Blessings". ;):cool::thumbsup: (Coincidentally and appropriately for a knife forum, lyrics by Daniel Webster Whittle. :D)

- GT
 
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