Goodbye to old friends (aka I'm an idiot)

RaptureRaptor

RaptureRaptor

Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
306
Hi folks,

Some of you probably remember my story last year of an elderly gentleman who gifted me a victorinox tinker out of the blue:


And before I could repay him in kind, he passed.

Well, now I feel lower than a snake's belly, because I've let it get taken. I left it with my keys and wallet on the sink in the toilet, and then had to rush out to deal with an abusive customer (I'm in security) when I returned, that tinker and all the cash and both my cards from my wallet were gone. It was only $10 and I cancelled my cards, they left my wallet and keys, but the tinker was something I never wanted to lose. I hold out hope that it will be found with the thief when he tries to use my cancelled cards, but the chances are slim.

Just wanted to share, have any of you lost a special knife, one that was more than just steel? One that had that "substance" we so often talk about here in traditionals, one with a "soul"? Did you get it back, or was it gone for good?

Thank for reading
Sam
 
THAT is absolutely GUTTING to hear- I do remember your story.:mad:
:thumbdn: to the POS who stole that.
 
yep, i've lost a few but i'm old too so chances are as you age you'll lose a few too.
a Christmas gift to myself years ago Cadet Alox. i jumped outta the boat, my keys and the knife all went to the botttom of Lake Taneycomo.
Smooth white bone 4 blade Bulldog Congress. prolly disappeared during one of my insane/depressed/manic periods. Thank God they're gone with the knife.
found a few knives over the years. could never make up for what i lost but hey...

buzz
 
just look at it this way, somebody (insert !!!!! label) got a great knife and the old man had the satisfaction of knowing you recieved his wonderful gift.
don't invest any grief or angst in this, nothing to be gained from that.
"easy for me to say"you say.
you learn this kinda stuff the hard way and the sooner you learn it the better. you'll see.
the
 
markv said:
just look at it this way, somebody (insert !!!!! label) got a great knife and the old man had the satisfaction of knowing you recieved his wonderful gift.
don't invest any grief or angst in this, nothing to be gained from that.
"easy for me to say"you say.
you learn this kinda stuff the hard way and the sooner you learn it the better. you'll see.
the
Click to expand...

+1

embrace the good memory of the old gentleman and the Tinker. get another Tinker or another SAK to relive it still. Don't let the bad vibes get you down...
 
Thanks guys, it's a bitter pill to swallow knowing that lowlife has it and knows nothing of it's story. I just hope he doesn't use it fir anything nefarious and further degrade the memory in that knife. I planing getting another vic, I'm trying to find an alox electrician but there don't seem to be many around my part of the world. Thanks again for the support.
 
I agree with markv and swaybacksteve. As for lost pocket knives, I lost my dad's pocketknife about 10 or 15 years ago after he passed.
 
Very sorry to hear that Sam, hope against the odds that you get your knife back :thumbup:
 
@RaptureRaptor
I can understand your feeling, I've been also stolen a SAK that was important to me while working.
It was a heavy and expensive one with the leather sheath, the compass and the grinding stone. I used it daily for my job, cutting wires or bread, etc.
Once we were on location, I left it on my working table as always, was no more there when I came back. Problem is that I did not realize on the moment, only days after when I searched it in my working bag. Too late... The only thing I kept is the compass that I'd put on top of my tank bag (and still have).
I had bought that SAK in Land's End during a trip to Cornwall with my parents and my daughter. The only time that I took them on holidays, giving them back a tiny bit of what they gave me everyday.
Boussole.jpg
 
I remember that touching story very well so I can understand your feelings, I can only give you my sympathy and hope it can ease a little the bad feeling.
Mike
 
The knife's journey through life continues !
It could be that the thief quite likes 'his' new knife and will look after it properly. Or sell it to someone for a few $ and that person will 'care' for it.
I'm sure many of the vintage knives we collect have amazing stories could they talk.
Appreciate as you do, the old man & this knife as part of your ever changing life.
kj
 
kootenay joe said:
The knife's journey through life continues !
It could be that the thief quite likes 'his' new knife and will look after it properly. Or sell it to someone for a few $ and that person will 'care' for it.
I'm sure many of the vintage knives we collect have amazing stories could they talk.
Appreciate as you do, the old man & this knife as part of your ever changing life.
kj
Click to expand...

I was going to post something similar. Odds are the knife will not stay in the thief's possession very long.
 
I know the pitiful feeling of knowing a cherished object is gone, my parents once gave me a camera, but carelessly lost it within a few days (it already had some important photos on it). But the knife was only a symbol of your bond with your friend, and no one can take that away. As for the knife, it will be having its next adventure.
 
Sorry about your loss; that sucks! I lost two Victorinox Outward Bound Tinkers. The first one on the loop rollercoster at Sixflags Over TX. The second one was on a part time security job I was working to supplement my truck payment I couldn't make working as a military police officer. On this second one it was stole from my said truck due to debris covering it when I survived an F3 tornado in Nashville, TN spring of 98. I was about 100 yrds. from the only fatality! I haven't owned one since.
 
Sam, I remember when you posted the story and it still is one of the best I have read on here. While it sucks that it has carried over this way I wouldn't let it ruin it. A story like that carries with you with or without the actual knife.

Having worked third shift security in the past you had to respond and no fault of your own.

Keep what the gesture meant and forgot the thief all together.
 
swaybacksteve said:
+1

embrace the good memory of the old gentleman and the Tinker. get another Tinker or another SAK to relive it still. Don't let the bad vibes get you down...
Click to expand...

This. I went back through your posts and read the story wow, what an experience. I would get another SAK of the same model and enjoy it and realize you wouldn't be using it if you had not met the man who gifted you your first one.

Back when I was just getting into knives as a hobby, I received several knives as gifts from extremely generous people here on Bladeforums, including a SAK. I feel your pain.
 
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Years ago I purchased a Buck 112 to replace the one that a mechanic stole when he was doing a brake job on my car. I had the knife sitting in a tray at the base of the dash of my Ford. The new knife just is not same, I still get pissed off when I think about it. It has been about 35 years and part of me still hopes that the punk grease monkey accidentally slipped and stabbed himself in his family jewels or something worse. Maybe he lost the knife and it was found by someone that gave it to their son or daughter and they now have wonderful memories using that knife on hunting trips of their own. One can hope.

After reading the above comments, I can see that I have had the wrong attitude all these years. I should have been using the new Buck and telling people why I have that knife and focus on all the great times I had growing up and using a Buck 112 on the hunting trips with my father.
 
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