Has Your Knife Become a Talisman?

straitshot

straitshot

Joined
Mar 18, 2006
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My Craftsman stockman at 3 1/8" closed seems small, but has lasted way beyond any expectation. Over the years, it's been in my pocket through building 6 homes for my family during spare time and weekends. It was used for stripping electrical wire, trimming moulding, scraping plastic pipe, trimming flooring, cutting insulation, cutting tie down rope, making door shims, opening all manner of containers, picked splinters, made sandwiches, and a hundred others. The only other one used was a utility knife for roofing, scoring drywall, and other abusive tasks. The little knife never failed. I lost hammers, chisels, wrenches, and screwdrivers, but not the little Craftsman.
During the same 30 years, it has cut radiator hoses and fan belts, scraped gaskets, trimmed auto upholstery, scraped battery terminals...
The last fun thing it did was dress a turkey in the Zuni Mountains of New Mexico. It functions as well as ever, only looking pocket worn and having black patina back springs. The only part that failed was the shield fell off in my pocket and was glued back on. If it was to be graded, Very Good would be appropriate.
I won't leave home without it believing it's GOOD LUCK in my pocket.
Does anyone else have such a companion? My friends don't seem to know what I'm talking about... use 'em up, get another.

NOTE: I just posted to add a photo for those who asked below. Scroll down.
Regards, ss.
 
That is my goal, but I can ever seem to carry a knife straight through a week. Let alone years! I really think all us knuts would like that, BUT we think we have to find IT(the do all end all EDC). We find it for a few days, or weeks, then BAM a new fancy pancy caly 3 ZDP comes out. Well now all us addicts run out and get one, thats the new EDC for a few days or weeks. Then BAM kershaw comes out with a Titanium ZDP cyclone, well then we run out to get that one, because that one is really going to be the ONE< well you see what I'm sayin? Most knife knuts are always on that search for the ONE, but we will not ever find it, because we really don't want too. The search would be over, and now thats not very fun.

I'm happy to hear you was able to carry one knife for so long, as I love the look of a well used knife. If you can I would love to see some pics of that beast. I think your kids will think that knife is worth way more than any other knife nomatter of the cost(money wise). Its about that tool being there for you. That may sound weird, but any knut will know what I'm trying to say.
 
I don't think of it as a talisman but you would be hard pressed to find me without a couple of knives in my pocket.
 
I haven't carried any one knife for a long period of time. However I do have a couple that have earned a place of honor. I have a SOG SEAL 2000 that went through hell and back and now rests peacefully beside my desk until a really good task forces me to pull it out. (cut a coconut open with it the other day). This is the knife that spent the most time on my hip when I was active duty. With it is a Buck Nighthawk that has been retired.

I take them out and oil and sharpen them, but I can't remember the last time I actually wore one of them.

What I carry in my pocket now rotates regularly.
 
I have a Victorinox Soldier that I bought before my wedding. Bought two, gave one to my best man.

I'm too young for it to have quite the same stories as your Craftsman does, but we're getting there a little at a time :)

Mike
mscantrell at gmail.com
 
I'm never without 1 or 2 knives, but what I carry rotates constantly now that I'm "collecting." :)

For about 10 years, though, I EDCed a Vaquero Grande. Retired the first one and bought another. The first one works fine, but it was scratched, dinged, and resharpened. VG was the closest I've come to a "talisman blade."
 
"Has Your Knife Become a Talisman?"

Interesting thought... shades of Excaliber and all that...
Maybe a knife always carries a little bit of everything it ever touched.

Years ago I worked at Arizona Cine'- me and another peon were always bugging an older guy to borrow his knife for this and that, so one day he gives us both our own little cheap knives.
I used it for years, still have it- retired and stashed away now.

I think your kids will think that knife is worth way more than any other knife nomatter of the cost(money wise).
Click to expand...

ditto.
 
Are we talking about the Steve King sense of "Talisman" and all that?

Because in a sense... Yes. However, it's a very useful tool above all else!
 
In 1991 I found a new Vic Rucksack in a marine supply store in Bermuda. Being an Eagle Scout I was familiar with SAKs but this was the first 111mm model I'd ever laid eyes on. I bought it immediately. It was my constant companion while at sea and at home until about 2 years later up in Northern Ontario I let a "friend" borrow it "for a minute". Bye Bye. I was obsessed until I could replace it. It took a month or two because this design wasn't coming into the US in great numbers yet. I finally located one and it hasn't left my side since. My other gear rotates and gets scaled up or down but Ruck II is a trusted friend.
 
I have a SAK Tourist that was in the pocket of my tux when I got married, and in my pocket there at the birth of both of our kids, so I guess you could call it a talisman.

But in actuality, I think of any knife in my pocket as something of a good luck charm. I won't leave home without one. Because I need to cut something every day? Well, not really, although obviously there's that. But to be honest, I sort of consider it bad luck not to carry one.

BTW, sounds like a great little knife you got there, straitshot. Got any pics to post?
 
I have a Buck 313 Muskrat that I purchased in 1972 which was, I believe, the first year of issue. While I have not built any homes my Muskrat has led a life very similar to your Stockman and means as much to me as I am sure your knife does to you. So, yes it is my talisman.

John
 
Nice looking stockman, staitshot. Better start saving your pennies for another one, though. Looks like that one only has another 25 or 30 years of life left in it. ;-)
 
Thanks for the pic, it really has been through it. It still looks great though.

Keep on, keepin on
 
"Are we talking about the Steve King sense of "Talisman" and all that?

Because in a sense... Yes. However, it's a very useful tool above all else!"

Ah, I have to admit, that--yes, in some very specific situations, it's behaved as such.
 
I've had a victorinox in my pocket most every day (except boot camp) for the past 20 odd years. Various models, changing with my tasks in life, always "regular" size or a lockback.

The last while it has been a victornox outrider. But my older cybertool and huntsman are never far. And i still have the tinker from BSA days.
 
Spyderco Military that has Tritium incerts and I have had slightly customized. Carry it everyday.....It keeps tigers away!!!!! I have YET to see one tiger around me, and by gosh if that knife didnt do it what could have:confused:
 
I had a Buck 110fg that I carried everyday for 10 or 12 years. I really liked that knife and it was a good luck charm of sorts. I am still fond of 110's in general.
Now days I have so many knives and switch around so often that I really haven't developed the same sort of attachment. Knives that were recieved as gifts are however very special to me. Buck 303 and a Victorinox tinker from my mother. A Case mini trapper and pen knife from my wife, a Schrade stockman from my daughter. These were picked out by non-knife lovers 'who love me' in the hope that I would like them. That makes them special.
 
For close to 50 years now I have always carried a variant of a good old Boy Scout Knife. At first is was a basic 5-blade Kutmaster that I bought for .98 at the drug store. I moved up to official 6-blade models that included a phillips head. Eventually I switched to the Victorinox equivalent, the Tinker. I tried a Wenger equivalent with a locking blade, but that was badly made. Finally I discovered the ultimate, the 111mm Adventurer with locking blade. I have used those ever since.

I am a nut for sharpness and wear through blades faster than most people. I don't get too sentimental over any one knife so I get a new one whenever I have reduced the blade width by about .1 inch. I do feel a little disloyal when I switch over and keep the old one around. They end up in tool boxes or glove compartments.

My only lucky talismans are some very old switchblades in my collection. It is a special day when I pack one of those. They are around 40 years old.
 
I have the Gerber LST in my pocket every day. I wear business suits to work and it fits perfect. I've had it for 6 years now and I love the thing. It does everything I put it to and still looks and feels very good.
 
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