Hey old man, empty your pockets

In my dads' pocket (he's 69) he has a Grohmann single blade stag handle. Nice and light, fantastic stainless.
H360S.jpg
 
All the older men in my family are gone now. My dads dad died before I was born. My moms dad died when I was 6. My dad has been gone now for 12 years. But I do know what he carried every day. Keys, hanky(YUK!) a yellow change holder that said, "Smile Jesus Loves You" with a smiley face on it. Of course his wallet. And finaly he carried this Schrade Stockman.

DPP_012.jpg


I remember him carrying this one for ever. But my older sister said before this one it was a large trapper with stag handles. I forget the brand. But it also had a cork screw on the back side.

His stockman was used and abused. It has chips out of two of the blades. I am sure he was prying something. One of the blades has a dark bluesesh color to it. I am sure he was either sorldering with a acedeline torch or welding and was using the knife to hold something. He was a mechanic. That was dad. He did not baby his knives. To him they where tools to be used. And he did. But they where always very sharp.

I do also remember a small pen knife that was his dress up, Sunday go to meeting knife. I had that one, but it was stolen. :mad:

What a great thread that helped bring back memories. Thanks.

Bill
 
My Dad carries a CRKT M16 clipped to his back pocket, and a Russell Barlow in his front pocket both of which were gifts from me.
 
Caught up with my dad this weekend. Didn't get him to empty all his pockets but he was carrying the Schrade 108 OT that I gave him years ago. He and my brother just shook their heads when I broke out my five pocket knives.
 
My dad carries a Buck 301, a Utica mini-kutmaster multi tool and a Benchmade Stryker every day. I gave him all 3. :) He also carries a very well-worn S&W 317 that I covet.
 
Oh yeah, my dad carries a CRKT m16 EDC, a fisher bullet pen, a cell phone, a moleskine notebook, and a moneyclip
EDIT:And of course keys. Doh!
 
Last edited:
Me and my dad both carry the same Benchmade/Emerson CQC-7's. I've had mine since this summer when i got it new in box off ebay, he's had his since 1996 when he got it as a fathers day present from my mother. My G10 is like a file, his is buttersmooth, the finish on his blade is worn off from black to complete gray. Other than that he always has his money clip/ badge holder. A huge keychain, with all kinds off stuff including a 50 cal. casing he keeps on there as a thumper, i told him it's a Kabuton and he told me to stop speaking like a foreigner. In the woods around good company he carries his Glock 19, when hes working security at the hospital part time he carries his kimber custom shop, on duty it's a Glock 23, and his normal concealed carry is a NAA .22 revolver. He is technically a one knife guy, as that Benchmade has been in his pocket everyday since he got it, no joke. And before that were only two other knives, a Buck 110 his father got engraved for him (my dad has kept that) and an old spyderco all serrated rescue knife with D2 steel that he got once he went in to the military because he wanted a one handed opener.
 
Aside from keys, phone and wallet, my Dad carries a keychain flathead screw driver. He's had it since the seventies, maybe longer. No knife, though.

My Zeda, Dad's Dad, carries a Buck 112, the same one since the seventies or eighties. He said he found it sitting on a pile of boxes that a warehouse worker that had left it there. It has processed game, picked splinters, sliced sandwiches, broken down boxes, and even used as a hammer and pry bar at different junctures. It's been back for warranty once or twice for a broken tip too. Wonderful knife. Turned me onto Bucks, although I'm more a 303/309 fan.
 
My Dad has an old Finnish Puuko, which an older friend (now deceased) took from a dead German soldier during WW2. It was given to him after the war ended. He also carries a Schrade stockman from his childhood. My Uncle carried a Buck 110 on his belt. Don't know what happened to the knife. My Mom carries a little Swiss Army knife she bought at a rummage sale.
 
Aside from keys, phone and wallet, my Dad carries a keychain flathead screw driver. He's had it since the seventies, maybe longer. No knife, though.

When I grew up, everyman who didn't carry a TL-29, had one of those keychain screw drivers on his keyring. I think the 1950's was the high point of keychain tools and gadgets. There were keychain screw drivers, keychain nail clippers that served as fishing line nippers, light wire cutters, phillips screw drivers, and other make do tools. Keychain bottle/can openers.

Then there were the keychain knives. Mostly little equal end jacks with cracked ice celluloid scales.

Carl.
 
My father carried a PAL easy open jack (which I have) & an older Queen 2 blade jack with ebony scales. The Queen is beat to crap but it's my piece of crap. I also have my grandfathers (dad's dad) knife - its a Anvil brand small 3 blade stockman. I don't remember ever seeing him use it, but I remember seeing it on his dresser. I believe 'Anvil' was one of the Camillus brands. Not sure about my mothers side, her father passed away when I was 5 or 6.
 
My grandfather carried a Case peanut stockman. My other grandfather usually carried an Imperial of some sort or a Camillus electrician's knife. My father isn't old, but he carries a Kabar Dozier these days due to MY recommendation.
 
My stepfather carries a small Victorinox classic in his wallet and a variety of knives in a toolbox.. I recently gave him a singleblade grohmann and I know he has it on his desk for admiring and using when needed without losing it (TSA keeps taking Vic classics from him haha).

My grandfather used to carry a small black lockback.. he didn't even care what brand it was. Possibly a case or buck 3" or sub 3" knife. He's had it since I can remember.
 
Several years ago, I built a stockman slip joint from a kit. It was my first attempt at a knife of any type. I spent quite a bit of time getting everything right. I stabilized some antlers from the first buck I ever got and used it for the scales. It wasn't a Loyd or anything, but it turned out to be a pretty neat little knife. I gave that to my father for his Birthday. He always liked traditional knives and he was really proud of that knife. It made me very proud that he liked it so much. He kept it on the mantle and would go an just look at it from time to time. He passed away shortly after I gave it to him. We buried him with it in his pocket (he would have wanted a pocket knife on him). I never took a picture of that knife.... I kind of wish I did, but no matter. The memory is more important than a picture.
 
My dad doesn't carry everyday, but when he does he carries a Frost Cutlery Barracuda. He loves that knife. I never met his father. He passed before my time. My mom's dad carried a knife from the time he was 8 years old until the day he died when he was 66. I only remember him carrying 2 knives: a Case Medium Stockman and a Schrade Stockman. I remember one time I asked him if he had his knife. He said "You always ask me that. Stop asking me that. I always have my knife. Ask to use it instead." From then on, I never asked if he had his knife again.
 
Good topic!

I don't recall my Mom's dad ever carrying a knife, though I know that he always had one nearby. He did occasionally carry a Zippo knife or something of that sort, but not as a constant companion. My Dad's dad always carried a small Old Timer, 108 OT or something in a similar size. It got lost/forgotten/tossed after he died. But he always had it on him. And he had a brand new backup in the box in his desk...just in case. My wife's grandfather carried a 108 OT or Buck 305 Lancer. Both of these, fortunately, are still around. I see a pattern in these old guys carrying small knives. Two of them were tradesmen, and the other a farmer, so they did honest work with their knives. I suspect, though, that if they needed to do something bigger than these blades could handle, that they reached for other/bigger tools.
 
Just needed to bump up this thread too. Dad carried an Old Timer small stockman usually when he was working in the greenhouse business. A hanky, a pen and notepad and a small magnifying glass to check plants for any insects. In his later years he had a small Buck 503 or a small Imperial black handled pen knife. I still have those. He was kind of thrifty with his money, something I did not really appreciate until I got older. I wanted the biggest, best, newest, shiniest, most powerful whatever. Not him. I had a .357 mag, or a Beretta 9 mm. He had a S&W model 10 in .38 spl. I had Remington 1100, he had his old model 12. That was just dad, low key and unassuming.
 
Back
Top