Cool Knife Find After Junkie Grossness

Earlier this week, I went to see what the cops had done about the junkie encampment I had reported last week (went down to Police HQ, called up to dispatch, they said they get people on it).

Not surprisingly, nothing had been done at all, and it had in fact become more entrenched.

So, I took pictures of the area, and went down to the newspaper to give them a lead on a story (they say they may do so as part of a bigger story).

















On the way to the newspaper station downtown though, I passed by a convenience store where the junkies of the crackhead and meth variety buy their crack/meth pipes, and all types of junkies buy their cigarettes. In the window, I saw some old-timey slipjoint knives, nestled by the windowsill.

So, I went in and bought them.
Got all three for $20.





The Medford Marauder that had been in my pocket makes for a great size comparison shot.



You can see the Richards logo here pretty clearly.



This one is a true jack-knife...previously owned by a guy named Jack!



You can see that the Confederation knife was sharpened freehand the way many old-timers did it.



The small one seems to have seen the most use; rounded blade tips, and engraved so as to not get swiped as easily.

The Confederation knife saw a fair bit of use too.

The 3 blade Scout model saw zero use at all! It had never even had an edge put on it...dull as a butter knife, just the way it shipped initially.

All three had not been oiled in quite some time; these pics are from after I washed them in hot soapy water, towel and blow-dried them, and then soaked them in mineral oil.

Given the area I bought them in, and the fact they all seem to have come from the same collection (all made by Richards of England), my theory is that some sketchy junkie probably traded in his grandfather's pocketknives for some cigarettes and a crack pipe.

 

For sure.

There had been a large tarp shelter just down the path from there, that at one point had 4 people living in it.
I helped them out with some food and warm clothing...they limited themselves to beer for their enjoyment purposes.

They packed up after surviving the coldest weather we've had in over a decade; don't know how they managed it (minus 24 degrees Centigrade at night sometimes!). They were there for about 2 months.

Then, some junkie scavenged stuff from the area and elsewhere and started littering the place with syringes, which is where I draw the line. Inconsiderate people spreading disease just pisses me off.

 

I was happy to have found those knives; if I were to buy them at the local pawn shops, they would have searched the internet for the highest prices that they were going for in pristine condition.
They probably would have tried charging $65 for the 3 blade Scout model alone.
I know, for I thought to go look there before, and I walked out with nothing, because I don't enjoy being ripped off to that degree.

 

That area is at the end of a trail that people use most of the year for walking their dogs.
Generations of teenagers used it to have drinking parties.
Young adults sneak under the edge of the bridge to pound a few drinks to get their buzz started, before heading out to the clubs downtown.
Kids sometimes would head down there after school or on weekends.
And university and college students head there to get photos of the graffiti.

Many opportunities for someone to get jabbed with a needle.

It is truly a public space that should be kept clear of such blatant junkie hazards.

If the city won't step up, I'll have to go dispose of the syringes after getting some more extra thick rubber gloves.
I cannot clear out the junkies themselves though...but perhaps the newspaper can shame the bylaw enforcement and police into doing something. They managed to do that with another area back in the summer.

 

I know, I was surprised that people kept sleeping outdoors, and surviving the cold!
I don't know how they manage.

That is sad.
I recently got the Naloxone nasal spray kit for if I run across overdose victims.

 

I think it's a good idea.
I know I'll be keeping my eyes open for any more finds like this.

 

You are one of those who see the positive in any situation.

 

Yesterday, went back by the store and saw a tiny knife that had been hidden by others, so I had to get it too.

 

Persistence paid off!

It's been fun to go from not knowing about Richards as a knife company to owning four of their knives in so short a time.

 

There is a needle exchange right downtown, so they should be able to get clean syringes.
They must be getting new ones fairly often, or they wouldn't have so many to throw on the ground.
There are also sharps disposal boxes in the bathrooms at the Tim Hortons about a block from the giant mess, so there is no excuse for them to just leave them on the ground.

Most of the fast food places have sharps disposal boxes in their bathrooms now.