I'm a semi-old fart social security retirie, and have about 58 years of knife carrying under my belt/ For all of that, It's been a traditional pocket knife. A stockman by Buck, Case peanut two blade jack, Case sodbuster, Camillus scout knife dad bought me when I became a boy scout, and some sak's here and there. I never bit on the lockblade thing because growing up there simply was no lockblades around. Oh, exept for the eye-talion James Dean switchblade thing. Growing up in the 1940's and 50's, all the men I had as role models used the standard two blade serpintine jacks of the day. Imperial, Case, Schrade, Camillus, Keen Kutter, and the like.
But things change.
Getting 'older' one encounters things like arthritis, tendon problems that need surgery on the hand, and other inconvienient stuff that robs you of hand dexterity.
So now I'm about a month post op from my last hand surgery on a tendon problem, and for the past few months I've been using a lockblade. A good friend gave a used but nice shape Buck squire, and a fellow forum member sent me a old style henckels locking blade sodbuster with wood handles. The soddie is a little big and is more of a coat pocket knife, so the squire has been my main knife.
It took some getting used to only having one blade on hand, but I got there. I've become very fond of the squire, and it's done all I needed from a pocket knife. Most of all, it's easy for arthritic old hands to pull open. My old Buck stockman is retired to the sock drawer untill I get around to giving it to my grandson. It's just a strange twist of fate that I, who used to look down on lockblade knives as limited and nt nessesary, end up using one as the main edc pocket knife. But like I said, things change in life.
Now i seem to be fated for knives I can pinch between thumb and index finger and pull open. No more slipjoints for old jackknife. It's been freezing cld up here in Maryland, with temps in the 20's and windchill in the single digits, so the old fingers get stiff and painful. But the lockblade is so easy to deal with it's almost like it was made for senior citizens. Us seniors need perscrition bottle without childproof caps, thicker pens to write with, and in general things that don't need too much manual dexterity. Good thing I love my S&W revolvers; just open and drop a round in each hole, then close and you're ready to deal.
Sometimes simple is good. Make that easy, is good.
After all these years of using a Buck stockman and cadet, I'm finally using a Buck lockblade. But I do miss my little Case peanut. Maybe I'll have to get a small Buck like a smaller version of the squire, a knight I think it's called. I looked at a mini buck, but I'm still old school enough that I don't like black plastic.
But then theres always my little Hartsook if I want small and lightweight.
But things change.
Getting 'older' one encounters things like arthritis, tendon problems that need surgery on the hand, and other inconvienient stuff that robs you of hand dexterity.
So now I'm about a month post op from my last hand surgery on a tendon problem, and for the past few months I've been using a lockblade. A good friend gave a used but nice shape Buck squire, and a fellow forum member sent me a old style henckels locking blade sodbuster with wood handles. The soddie is a little big and is more of a coat pocket knife, so the squire has been my main knife.
It took some getting used to only having one blade on hand, but I got there. I've become very fond of the squire, and it's done all I needed from a pocket knife. Most of all, it's easy for arthritic old hands to pull open. My old Buck stockman is retired to the sock drawer untill I get around to giving it to my grandson. It's just a strange twist of fate that I, who used to look down on lockblade knives as limited and nt nessesary, end up using one as the main edc pocket knife. But like I said, things change in life.
Now i seem to be fated for knives I can pinch between thumb and index finger and pull open. No more slipjoints for old jackknife. It's been freezing cld up here in Maryland, with temps in the 20's and windchill in the single digits, so the old fingers get stiff and painful. But the lockblade is so easy to deal with it's almost like it was made for senior citizens. Us seniors need perscrition bottle without childproof caps, thicker pens to write with, and in general things that don't need too much manual dexterity. Good thing I love my S&W revolvers; just open and drop a round in each hole, then close and you're ready to deal.
Sometimes simple is good. Make that easy, is good.
After all these years of using a Buck stockman and cadet, I'm finally using a Buck lockblade. But I do miss my little Case peanut. Maybe I'll have to get a small Buck like a smaller version of the squire, a knight I think it's called. I looked at a mini buck, but I'm still old school enough that I don't like black plastic.
But then theres always my little Hartsook if I want small and lightweight.
