- Joined
- Jun 30, 2003
- Messages
- 1,797
Today, we had a picnic/cookout in the forest preserve. We invited a couple neighbor families to come. One family couldn't make it, but the other family did.
I was packing my Vic One-hand Trekker plain edge and my Benchmade Mini Griptilian. I checked the sausages for doneness with the Trekker and opened a couple packages. I assigned my daughter to get deadfall for fire wood. She was able to get some big branches. I put the saw into service to get them to a more manageable size. I went back to cooking duty, and I noticed the neighbor's daughter (14) was hacking away on a branch with what appeared to be a SAK saw. She was not making much progress.
I got closer and asked about her knife: "It's a Swiss army knife I got at Niagra Falls". It was a souvenir Chinese one; a poor copy. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the saw was dull. I looked closer, and cannot be sure if it was actually a fish scaler or saw. The thing was just pitiful, but the girl was proud of it anyhow. She told me she collects knives; has four of them. Then, she showed me a generic tactical folder she got from her dad. it was pretty bad. Bad action, no-name on the knife or steel, and the liner lock was iffy too.
These kids are growing up without their father present; he left the family to move back to Poland without them. :-(
I thought about it awhile, and asked her mom if it would be OK if I gave her a good Swiss army knife. She couldn't believe it. It seemed like these are an expensive luxury. She said no, because it is too much. I assured her that no, it's not too much; in fact, I have about 40 of them, as I'm a collector. She agreed it was OK.
As they were leaving, I gave her my beloved One-hand Trekker (plain edge). She was blown away; delighted. Like her mom, she didn't feel like it was OK to accept it at first. But she finally did. Now, she has her first genuine SAK, with a safe lock for the blade and a sharp saw.
I felt really good about it, as I remember when I got my first SAK, an economy Recruit that my grandpa brought back from Switzerland in about '86. I felt the same way, like it was somehow too good to use. I carried it only a few times over the years, I was "saving it" for something. Didn't want to lose or damage it. I was the only one out of 6 grandsons who didn't lose his. A few years later, (I think I was 12) my uncle gave me a SAK; a Small Tinker, with black scales. It was the one with the contoured Phillips with the can key. That was my prized possession for years. Since I was holding back the Recruit, I allowed myself to carry this one. I learned how to sharpen on it, rounded the tip off in the process. Cut a lot of stuff, opened some cans. It was just a constant companion. Finally, I lost it.
I hope Julia feels the same joy about her 1st SAK as I did, but I do hope she uses it.
Later, I got home and looked online to try to replace it. It seems this model is no longer made. The only plain-edged One-hand Trekker I could find is the camouflaged one that Swiss Knife Shop carries. (and I don't like camo, as it would actually make the knife hard to find if I were to drop it in the grass or in the woods) The rest are all serrated. Their serrations are very good, but not good for whittling, which I do a fair amount of when I'm out in the woods with this knife.
Maybe it is a blessing in disguise though? I do have a Wenger Ranger that was their entry for the Swiss army's contract, and it has a better saw. (trying to hold that one back, since it's a mint Wenger) Workchamp too, though I lose the one-handed blade. I also have the new Soldier my ex parents in-law gave me back in '10 or so. (no T&T on this one though) Time to put some miles on them.
The girl's younger brother would love a SAK, but he's not quite ready. He's 11, but pretty impulsive and not very careful. On the other hand, he's very smart and is a quick learner... He's studying German now, because he thinks it's cool. I'm thinking of getting him the GAK version, and give it to his mom with a Band-Aid and instructions to give it to him when she thinks he's ready.
Thanks for reading. I guess the moral of the story is to not be stingy. We are all knife-rich and can afford to give them away, even if they're just Classics. You will feel really good about it, and the kid will have a great little high quality tool and fond memories of you.
I was packing my Vic One-hand Trekker plain edge and my Benchmade Mini Griptilian. I checked the sausages for doneness with the Trekker and opened a couple packages. I assigned my daughter to get deadfall for fire wood. She was able to get some big branches. I put the saw into service to get them to a more manageable size. I went back to cooking duty, and I noticed the neighbor's daughter (14) was hacking away on a branch with what appeared to be a SAK saw. She was not making much progress.
I got closer and asked about her knife: "It's a Swiss army knife I got at Niagra Falls". It was a souvenir Chinese one; a poor copy. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the saw was dull. I looked closer, and cannot be sure if it was actually a fish scaler or saw. The thing was just pitiful, but the girl was proud of it anyhow. She told me she collects knives; has four of them. Then, she showed me a generic tactical folder she got from her dad. it was pretty bad. Bad action, no-name on the knife or steel, and the liner lock was iffy too.
These kids are growing up without their father present; he left the family to move back to Poland without them. :-(
I thought about it awhile, and asked her mom if it would be OK if I gave her a good Swiss army knife. She couldn't believe it. It seemed like these are an expensive luxury. She said no, because it is too much. I assured her that no, it's not too much; in fact, I have about 40 of them, as I'm a collector. She agreed it was OK.
As they were leaving, I gave her my beloved One-hand Trekker (plain edge). She was blown away; delighted. Like her mom, she didn't feel like it was OK to accept it at first. But she finally did. Now, she has her first genuine SAK, with a safe lock for the blade and a sharp saw.
I felt really good about it, as I remember when I got my first SAK, an economy Recruit that my grandpa brought back from Switzerland in about '86. I felt the same way, like it was somehow too good to use. I carried it only a few times over the years, I was "saving it" for something. Didn't want to lose or damage it. I was the only one out of 6 grandsons who didn't lose his. A few years later, (I think I was 12) my uncle gave me a SAK; a Small Tinker, with black scales. It was the one with the contoured Phillips with the can key. That was my prized possession for years. Since I was holding back the Recruit, I allowed myself to carry this one. I learned how to sharpen on it, rounded the tip off in the process. Cut a lot of stuff, opened some cans. It was just a constant companion. Finally, I lost it.
I hope Julia feels the same joy about her 1st SAK as I did, but I do hope she uses it.
Later, I got home and looked online to try to replace it. It seems this model is no longer made. The only plain-edged One-hand Trekker I could find is the camouflaged one that Swiss Knife Shop carries. (and I don't like camo, as it would actually make the knife hard to find if I were to drop it in the grass or in the woods) The rest are all serrated. Their serrations are very good, but not good for whittling, which I do a fair amount of when I'm out in the woods with this knife.
Maybe it is a blessing in disguise though? I do have a Wenger Ranger that was their entry for the Swiss army's contract, and it has a better saw. (trying to hold that one back, since it's a mint Wenger) Workchamp too, though I lose the one-handed blade. I also have the new Soldier my ex parents in-law gave me back in '10 or so. (no T&T on this one though) Time to put some miles on them.
The girl's younger brother would love a SAK, but he's not quite ready. He's 11, but pretty impulsive and not very careful. On the other hand, he's very smart and is a quick learner... He's studying German now, because he thinks it's cool. I'm thinking of getting him the GAK version, and give it to his mom with a Band-Aid and instructions to give it to him when she thinks he's ready.
Thanks for reading. I guess the moral of the story is to not be stingy. We are all knife-rich and can afford to give them away, even if they're just Classics. You will feel really good about it, and the kid will have a great little high quality tool and fond memories of you.
