When I first began hanging around these parts I was fascinated by all the warm and worn bone handles of your American traditionals. It was a handful of old slip joints that I inherited from my grandfather that brought me here after all. I have always been a traditional knife guy, and more importantly, I have always been a knife guy. I've loved, dreamed about, and carried pocket knives since I was wee lad.
When i showed up here to explore my addiction with like minded folks I gravitated towards wood and bone handled American classics by Case, Buck, GEC, and other brands. But time after time pictures and threads would pop up that celebrated the affordable traditional knives of the world. I bought an Opinel. Loved it. Bought a Mora. Loved it. Bought more Moras. Bought more Opinels. Loved them all. Then I began exploring other knives. The Douk-Douk popped up often, but something about the folded metal handle and the strange blade shape kept me from buying one.
Then one day I got the itch that only a new knife could satisfy. I started googling, and eventually I found a store within one mile of my front door that carried Douk-Douks. I didn't go that day. But a couple weeks later I was in that part of town with some friends and when we passed the store, it was my friends that wanted to stop in! It was serendipitous! I knew instantly I would be leaving with a Douk-Douk. I chose the smaller of the ones available, a 3.5" guy. The edge was rough, but promising.
When I got it home i put it right to work cutting cheese, apples, and baguette (something I hope all Douk-Douks get to do regularly). I continued to carry it daily, but only as a back up, not my primary knife. This week, as I was packing for a Thanksgiving road trip I struggled to decide what sharps to pack. My selections swelled and shrunk in the days preceding my departure. On the day I was set to leave I finished packing and began filling my pockets. I stopped, and I said to my self "efficiency, only pack what you need." So I slipped my Boys knife in my watch pocket and tentatively slipped the Douk-Douk into my shirt pocket where its slender frame disappeared immediately.
While on the trip I used my Douk-Douk constantly as it was the easiest knife to get to while in the car. I just reached into my shirt pocket and I was immediately cutting apples, slicing cheese and salami. While home i pulled it out at every meal to prepare my food while staying in a house with a monopoly on dull knives. i used it to cut twine to fasten a christmas tree to a friends car and even used it to pry pebbles out of the tread of hiking shoes after returning from a hike.
It is fair to say that over the holiday, I have fallen head over heals for the small, sturdy, and useful Douk-Douk that is too inexpensive not to add to your collection. I have grown to love the funny shaped carbon steel blade that gets hair popping sharp! I also love how the lack of nail nick means that food doesn't get stuck in it when used for spreading!
And now for the obligatory pics...
When i showed up here to explore my addiction with like minded folks I gravitated towards wood and bone handled American classics by Case, Buck, GEC, and other brands. But time after time pictures and threads would pop up that celebrated the affordable traditional knives of the world. I bought an Opinel. Loved it. Bought a Mora. Loved it. Bought more Moras. Bought more Opinels. Loved them all. Then I began exploring other knives. The Douk-Douk popped up often, but something about the folded metal handle and the strange blade shape kept me from buying one.
Then one day I got the itch that only a new knife could satisfy. I started googling, and eventually I found a store within one mile of my front door that carried Douk-Douks. I didn't go that day. But a couple weeks later I was in that part of town with some friends and when we passed the store, it was my friends that wanted to stop in! It was serendipitous! I knew instantly I would be leaving with a Douk-Douk. I chose the smaller of the ones available, a 3.5" guy. The edge was rough, but promising.
When I got it home i put it right to work cutting cheese, apples, and baguette (something I hope all Douk-Douks get to do regularly). I continued to carry it daily, but only as a back up, not my primary knife. This week, as I was packing for a Thanksgiving road trip I struggled to decide what sharps to pack. My selections swelled and shrunk in the days preceding my departure. On the day I was set to leave I finished packing and began filling my pockets. I stopped, and I said to my self "efficiency, only pack what you need." So I slipped my Boys knife in my watch pocket and tentatively slipped the Douk-Douk into my shirt pocket where its slender frame disappeared immediately.
While on the trip I used my Douk-Douk constantly as it was the easiest knife to get to while in the car. I just reached into my shirt pocket and I was immediately cutting apples, slicing cheese and salami. While home i pulled it out at every meal to prepare my food while staying in a house with a monopoly on dull knives. i used it to cut twine to fasten a christmas tree to a friends car and even used it to pry pebbles out of the tread of hiking shoes after returning from a hike.
It is fair to say that over the holiday, I have fallen head over heals for the small, sturdy, and useful Douk-Douk that is too inexpensive not to add to your collection. I have grown to love the funny shaped carbon steel blade that gets hair popping sharp! I also love how the lack of nail nick means that food doesn't get stuck in it when used for spreading!
And now for the obligatory pics...
