How did you first get into knives?

Can't believe I'm going to admit this, but....

I was quite young and very enamored of samurai swords - how they were made, the complexities, history, bushido, etc.
Since I knew quite quickly that I wouldn't be able to afford a 'real' one, I was looking around to see if there was something that could be the 'next best thing'.
My first knife (I was actually underage to purchase it), was a limited production Cold Steel Special Ops Tanto. (Saved my money to buy this one!)
When Cold Steel was still making their tanto knives (w/ ~6" blade) with the brass fittings, this one had all stainless steel fittings (guard, pommel, etc.) It was also one of the earliest Cold Steel knives to be offered with a Cordura sheath (not leather).

I still have that serial numbered knife, but my collection has definitely moved in much different directions since that 'starter' knife.
 
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I probably caught the bug from my dad. Dad always carried a simple pen knife usually a schrade or craftsman brand. He always had a few demo knives and TL-29s about. I also remember watching the old Tarzan movies and was fascinated how Tarzan carved a life out of the jungle with just a loin cloth and a knife. I built a little collection growing up but it got lost along the way. Carried a buttrfly knife in highschool as they were all the rage back then. Made do with a Vic hiker and 7-OT for years until one fateful day a few years ago when I spied a Case Russlock at the local Lowes. Man that did it. About thirty pounds of cuttlery later there is always another knife that needs to be added to my collection.
 
I guess mine came from being in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. I found my first knife at a boy scout camp meeting when I was about eight years old. It was a military demo pocket knife and I picked it up off of the ground and I was hooked. I thought as long as I have a knife with me I could do or survive anything. I still have that knife, made by Camillus, dated 1968.
 
Kaizen1 said:
How did I get into good knives? After watching a Cold Steel video I started doing research and found Blade Forums.
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A friend had a Ti-Lite and then I looked up CS. Yep, except I eventually ended up dislikeing Cold Steel.
 
shunsui said:
When I was a kid, the department stores in downtown San Francisco had sporting goods departments that included guns, knives, fishing equipment, etc. The Roos Brothers store (later Roos Atkins) on Market street even had a couple of gunsmiths in the basement. They all had nice collections of fixed blade knives and folders for sale. Took the Hunter safety course at the Roos Brothers store and got my first hunting license at the minimum age. Abercrombie & Fitch had a real nice sporting goods department back then too.
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I have been trying to find the name of the instructor who gave the hunter safety instructor courses at the Roos Atkins store in San Francisco in 1973. Would this be around the time you went? Would you have any information?
 
J.Mattson said:
My love of knives probably comes from my scout days and the SAK. I had a SAK in my pocket every day from as long as I can remember until just recently when I picked up a leatherman juice, having a hard wire cutter in my pocket is a god send at work. But I still love my SAK’s not only do I have a sizable collection but buying those opened up the door for me to collect a boat load of other knives.
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Yah me to man a Vic or some sort or another right now a Swiss champ….

Like Hillbilly.223 & Mike C………
I was pretty much brought up around guns and knives my whole life. My dad , grand dad uncles , friends etc. etc. everyone I knew had knives. As long as you have both, you should never have to go without food or shelter and you will always have some way of defending yourself.
 
It all goes back to the woodworking merit badge in the boyscouts.

I've been a knife guy ever since.
 
oh gee, as a kid growing up in canada eh, i was exposed to knives through papa's biker friends. they'd compare buck 110's and the custom handle work. it was always "see, but no touch"...can't blame them though.
 
I grew up on a farm and lived in the country most of my life, and hunted and fished when I was younger, so I've been around knives as tools most of my life. The earliest knife I can recall owning is a two blade slipjoint a family friend who owned a hardware store gave me when I was 7 or 8. The next one was a single locking blade buck knockoff a few years later. I've used them on different jobs for the last 20-25 years and have been building something of a collectin for the last 10-15 years.
 
when I was 12, we were in New Zealand, and we stopped to look at the view at the time... well, of course, there was a frigging huge bungee jumping center... we went in, and then i was looking at all the business merchandise... and i found a little folder... it had a small knife, and a little nail file. I begged my parents, and eventually they caved in.

I still have it somewhere.

before we bought it, i remember asking some kiwi kids if they had knives. they said EVERY kid had a knife...
 
When I got my job at Sportsman's warehouse and now I know more about knives than anyone in the store.
 
My dad always had a SAK on him. I always assumed that every adult carried one along with his wallet and keys. I bought and started carrying a SAK when I was in 8th grade ('88). Always had a knife on me since then, upgraded to a Spiderco in '99, a Benchmade in '05, and now carry a Sebenza. :)
 
When I was 5 years old, on a fishing trip in Maine, my Dad gave me my first knife. A small folder. It was called a campback, or backcamper, something like that. I've been into knives since.
 
My dad always had a good old timer, case, schrade, etc. He gave me a pocket knife here and there for my birthday when I was a kid. I lost lots of'em but I still have a couple. Ironically I learned how effective they could be years later. I got an original buck 110 stuck in my back years ago. It made me realize that they can really be a good defense weapon too. :) I've bought lots of good Spyders, benchmades, etc. since then. Law Enforcement can be rough. :)
 
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My dad gave me a Wenger SAK when I was 8. used it a lot during the summers when we went on adventures with my neighbors.
When I was 12, I saw a knife on display when we were on vacation. I used up all my money to get the knife. It cost me P700 or US$17. Handmade fixed blade.
But now, all I buy are folders.
 
SAK was my first legit knife from my dad when I was 12. I did not tell him I bought an imperial fishing knife off a friend, and stabbed myself in the forearm, still have the scar to this day, a litttle half moon about 1/4". I never knew what type of knife it was till I went on bladeforums. Anyways, my dad would always use his knife to sharpen lumber crayons, cut rope or twine and had a navy issue pocket knife, all steel, not exactly sure what they call them, but it was cool. My dad is still cool. I found a queen city jack 2 blade 60's era at an estate sale, polished it up,sharpened it, and gave it to him last father's day. My older brother was so jealous of my gift, I feel like I made a good choice.
 
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