First knife I chose for myself, maybe 1983, 10 years old

[Goofcat]

Nearly got kicked out of Jr. high for making throwing stars in metal shop.

 

[jacksterp]

A fun and enjoyable thread!

 

[cchu518]

Treasure Island in Gun$et and Tip Top in Park Slope were the pluuuuug!

My Man!!!! 55th street between 6th and 7th...you?

 

[metsfan]

cchu518 52 y 3rd ave homie! El Coliseo on 53rd and 4th was a hot spot just like 49th street was back In the day. Still remember Woolworth between 53th and 54th, Buster Brown...man, da hood was poppin back then.

 

[Boombats]

Ayyyy, while we're getting nostalgic about NYC and knife purchases of yore, how about Canal Street? I haven't been in a minute but I hear it's changed. For all of NYC's restrictive knife laws, I bought a damn switchblade in a military surplus store there pre-9/11. It was an old school Inox style push-button stiletto, like the real deal. If you're wondering how an illegal knife was sold out in the open in NYC of all places, it was sold as a "Magic Knife" and it came as a kit, completely disassembled. It was only 14 bucks! I was like is this for real? I felt like I was on Candid Camera when I took it to the register. I gave it to a friend some years back or I'd post a photo. Those were the days I guess!

 

[Jody744]

 

[315]

@Hickory n steel My first knife is the SAK in the first row, the boy-scout Camillus 72 is to the left of it.
View attachment 1361647

So that’s where all the Camillus Utility knives are...

 

[MayHemAndHaw]

Nearly got kicked out of Jr. high for making throwing stars in metal shop.

So did I! We also had "dugout confiscations" in wood shop. Some kids had a regular cottage industry going making those and pipes. One kid had a woodburning iron at home and would do a pretty decent "OZZY" or "AC-DC" on your shop-made dugout for two bucks. This was mid-80s, try that now and you'd probably go to jail.

 

[metsfan]

Delancy street was were everyone went for clothes and gear. Canal street was where you went for “street hardware”, and 007s were a staple in NYC for decades

 

[JPD1998]

So did I! We also had "dugout confiscations" in wood shop. Some kids had a regular cottage industry going making those and pipes. One kid had a woodburning iron at home and would do a pretty decent "OZZY" or "AC-DC" on your shop-made dugout for two bucks. This was mid-80s, try that now and you'd probably go to jail.

Friend of mine in HS threw one of those home made ninja stars at a class room door, guess who got caught retrieving it?

 

[eveled]

So that’s where all the Camillus Utility knives are...

lol. Only about half are Camillus. AFAIK, I have every manufacturer. There are no duplicates.

 

[cchu518]

cchu518 52 y 3rd ave homie! El Coliseo on 53rd and 4th was a hot spot just like 49th street was back In the day. Still remember Woolworth between 53th and 54th, Buster Brown...man, da hood was poppin back then.

One of my favorite luncheonettes was right by you. I would order the chicken or pernil and they always had free chicharrones at the counter. 5th Ave had piraguas, the Greek Shish Kabob guys, King's for squares and Johnny's for slices, Zekes for Roast Beef sandwiches in the other side, the cuchifrito window with the red heat lamps where I would go for morcilla and bacalaitos. Woolworths made the best shakes and you would go there for your Halloween costume. Of course as you got older you'd chip in w/ your crew and order a huge crate of eggs from the live chicken spot and go to war with the other kids in the hood, lmao. Or light up any new store fronts. What great times!!!

Ayyyy, while we're getting nostalgic about NYC and knife purchases of yore, how about Canal Street? I haven't been in a minute but I hear it's changed. For all of NYC's restrictive knife laws, I bought a damn switchblade in a military surplus store there pre-9/11. It was an old school Inox style push-button stiletto, like the real deal. If you're wondering how an illegal knife was sold out in the open in NYC of all places, it was sold as a "Magic Knife" and it came as a kit, completely disassembled. It was only 14 bucks! I was like is this for real? I felt like I was on Candid Camera when I took it to the register. I gave it to a friend some years back or I'd post a photo. Those were the days I guess!

Brass knuckles, nunchuks and 007s aka the flick knife!

 

[Boombats]

Man you don't see a good numbchunk street fight anymore thanks to gentrification

 

[cchu518]

Man you don't see a good numbchunk street fight anymore thanks to gentrification

This kid stole my bike when I was 10 and my older brother went out, found him and cracked his head open with a set of nunchuks.

 

[Stelth]

Numbchunks?
Sounds like a frostbite hazard.

 

[Boombats]

Numbchunks?
Sounds like a frostbite hazard.

Well in the old days we didn't have any wood so we had to chain 2 pieces of frozen dog poop together...

 

[sopwithcamelus]

Ayyyy, while we're getting nostalgic about NYC and knife purchases of yore, how about Canal Street? I haven't been in a minute but I hear it's changed. For all of NYC's restrictive knife laws, I bought a damn switchblade in a military surplus store there pre-9/11. It was an old school Inox style push-button stiletto, like the real deal. If you're wondering how an illegal knife was sold out in the open in NYC of all places, it was sold as a "Magic Knife" and it came as a kit, completely disassembled. It was only 14 bucks! I was like is this for real? I felt like I was on Candid Camera when I took it to the register. I gave it to a friend some years back or I'd post a photo. Those were the days I guess!

Ah yes. I remember the ads. I believe the company was called The Edge. They sold numerous front and side opening kits. Where I lived, you could buy switch blades and gravity knives as long as you were a "collector." You couldn't legally carry them. But people did.