I've found that sharpening a knife usually puts more wear on it than using. That's why, when I discovered crock sticks some 25 years or so ago, it was a revelation! I could get and keep my knives razor sharp without grinding away at 'em with bench stones. I take 'em to the bench (i.e., a GATCO) a lot less now. Plus I have a lot more knives to pick from for daily carry, enough to last a bunch of lifetimes, actually.
Back in my mechanic days, I used a knife hard. They took a beating from stripping wire and scraping gaskets and performing various other tasks around the shop. I do much less of that now.
My current job still allows me to use my knives for a wide variety of things. I teach biology so I get to dissect a lot of different critters. Always nice to use a good sharp knife when slicing into the head of a squid.
This semester I will be teaching invertebrate zoology. Lots of critters to slice and dice.
In the summer, I do field biolgy. I use everything from my machete to prune research plots to the scissors on my SAK to mulch up material for chemical analysis. I also do some trail clearing (and making) for local nature centers and my machetes, hatchets, axes, and saws get a lot of use there.
I also built a gazebo last summer and this mean street was brand spanking new when I started. The nice thing is that it doesn't show nearly the abuse I put it through. Besides a variety of different cutting jobs, I also used it to pry staples and roofing nails. There are better tools for this but the MS held its own.
Hoodo's really big pic of his MS
The Mean Street held up better than I did.
My hunting knives don't show nearly the abuse they used to, because 1) deer hunting became a problem due to a shoulder injury that put a crimp in my archery 2) my job allows for less time in the field during deer season and 3)I have a lot more hunting knives than I used to so no one knife does it all anymore. At the moment, I'm confined to butchering small game. I also prepare "study skins" of small mammals for the university where I work. Did a groundhog this past semester.
My Spydie Catcherman cleaned a boat load of fish last summer, though, and it should be doing the same this winter but it's 10 below right now and I decided not to go ice fishing this morning.
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Hoodoo
I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 12-28-2000).]