Ever have an old knife bring back memories?

[Flint Hills]

I bought this Case Medium Stockman with CV blades when I was 16 with money from my first job. I carried it every day until I got a couple of other knives years later. Then it was "in the rotation." As a boy, wiping it on my pant leg after use was as much care as this knife ever got. It cut through any and everything I ever wanted it to, saved me from a really bizarre attempted kidnapping in my early 20's (long story), and was always there when I needed it. It had a couple of rust spots, a chip in the main blade and I forced a patina on it a while back to try and prevent any further rust, so the blades were almost black. The yellow delrin handles had darkened quite a bit and the bolsters were very scratched up. I sent it in to Case, along with another knife, to see what they would do with it.

After opening the package and seeing the knife look so much like it did back then, it brought back a lot of memories and made me realize that I've had this knife for over half my life now. Like me, once it met its maker, it was made new again with only a few noticeable scars to remind of its previous life.

We went on vacation this past week and I took it with me. I couldn't help but pull it out and show it to a few family members, I'm so proud to have my old friend back.

 

[pipedreams308]

Yep. Many memories. Tradiional knives seem to hold them better than more modern blades. Thanks or sharing yours.

 

[rockgolfer]

Its what brought me to this subforum :thumbup:

I moved a few years ago across the country. In the midst of moving around a bit until we got a house a few boxes remained unopened. A little over a year ago I was up in the attic looking for something and happened to open the last of the boxes. One was MY box of stuff I had packed years before when I left my Dads house. When I opened it this knife was staring back at me.

I purchased this knife new at the age of 13 on my first trip to the general store on the first day of my first summer camp in boyscouts. Oh how the memories flew back to me when I opened this one up. I carry it occasionally but do not want to risk loosing it. In retrospect I should have just went on the bay and found another to edc and been happy as can be but noooo, instead I had to start poking around here......

 

[jimmyd1982]

I had a clip blade Barlow as a kid. I don't have any really great stories associated with it but Barlow's always give me a sense of nostalgia.

 

[akadave2]

Every traditionial I handle takes me back. Old creaky wooden floor country store in the middle of rural TN about 100 years old and still running when I was a kid. Case knife displays here and there, the smell, that first real honest to goodness pocket knife bought by my dad! Every traditional I have makes me go there, to that place.

 

[whetrock]

Looks great, Yellow Delrin/CV is a killer combo, and yours looks as good as ever the 3318, is quite possibly the most popular folding knife in my neck of the woods.

 

[Jack Black]

Many times, I only have to SMELL an old knife to be instantly transported back to my childhood and the smell of my father's overalls when he came home from work.

 

[jc57]

Well yes, but not quite in the same way. When I was a policeman in my younger days I carried a Buck 110 on my uniform belt with the intention of using it as a seatbelt cutter in case I ever came upon someone trapped in a vehicle in a traffic accident. I later replaced it with a Gerber Bolt-Action Hunter drop-point for the same purpose. I never needed either knife for those purposes and of course I still have them both, and still never use them for anything, and I've been out of law enforcement for over 20 years.

So due to their connotation with my job in they do tend to bring up memories from those days which I don't normally think about otherwise, but it's not really a sentimental connection.

 

[winchester73]

Yes. My father owned a country store when I was growing up. Not many of those around anymore. He had a card of Schrade Old Timers hung above the counter that he sold. He gave me two 8Ot's that unfortunately I lost. When I got back into knives, I had to have an 8OT again. Too bad I could never find the ones I had.

 

[Doug Add]

. . . Old creaky wooden floor country store in the middle of rural TN about 100 years old and still running when I was a kid. Case knife displays here and there, the smell, that first real honest to goodness pocket knife bought by my dad! . . .

Oh yeah, I know that scene well. Except for me, it was in small town Indiana. The hardware store still operates today, and still bears the name of Mr. James who owned it when I was a boy. I had to walk right by James Hardware on my way to the grocery for my mom, and a 10 minute trip to the grocery often became a 30-45 minute affair as I stood in front of those knife cases and dreamed!

It is now run by a friend of mine who started working there part-time when we were teenagers. Last time I was home, back in March, I had him pull a few knives out of Case display that I was considering buying for my son. I pulled the peanut out of my pocket to show him what I was carrying now. He pulled out the peanut that has been in his pocket every day for the last 30 years.

When I was a boy I could only afford longing looks through the glass of the Case display, but I did eventually save enough money from delivering newspapers and mowing lawns to buy a Colonial barlow.

Still have the knife, but its clip on handles have been replaced by smooth marigold bone. It does bring back many childhood memories whenever I use it today.