How old were you, when you got your first knife, and what was it?

R

rev_jch

Joined
Jul 29, 2002
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Seeing how most of us here have carried knives most of out lives, how old were you when you got your first knife, and what was it?


For me it was 1973, I was 4, MyGrandfather had died and right after his funeral Grandma gave me his old two bladed, tortoiseshell swell end jack (I think it was a cattaragus?). I whittled with that knife for 3 days before loosing it :( It is what gave me my love of whittling and pocket knives. My wife likes to tease me and say that is why I have so many knives now (that Im still looking for it). Its intetresting how times change. When I was young knives were not considered weapons, I still do not consider them that. We carried them everywhere, school, church, etc. etc. etc. I dont think its helped much with all the "fighting knife", "defensive knife" nonsense that has been advertised by cutlery companies these last 16-17+ years? It seems to hurt our cause (knife collectors, enthusiasts, etc,) when knives are advertised in such ways. I grew up with the idea that knives were tools, not weapons. Even in the military we had the M-7 bayonets, the F/U which are made for both purposes, but knives were the last resort as a weapon (in combat). Oh and we also had the gool old MIL-K, "US" four blade utillity knife.
 
had to be as soon as I joined Cub Scotts ( about 35 year ago).
been carrying at least one (sometimes up to four) with me every day since.
that included going to school, serving jury duty a few times and even thru airports. last year I couldn't even get into an amusement park with one
(legaly).
 
I was the same age as you Rev. Dad gave me an Imperial stockman on my 4th birthday along with a bolt action 22 Remington. He and my uncle had cut some of the stock off and I grew they dowelled and glued pieces back on. Almost 46 years later I still use the rifle and still carry the knife. The knife still takes a decent edge on all three blades and the .22 is a tack-driver that is still a blast to shoot.

The odd part is that I was a normal kid in that most stuff was lost, broken or blown up :D and I still have that knife for some reason. I guess I was destined to be a knife collector eary on since I have only lost one knife in my life. For the life of me I still do not know what happend to the Cub Scout knife.

I still laugh inside when I hear talk of defensive knives. The odds of using one defensively and proving that drawing the knife and using it was the only resort are next to nill.
 
I don't remember exactly, but I had a Colonial Swiss Master that my dad sort of let me perminantly borrow before I was 10 (my first and most notable scar is from this one :eek: ). My first one that I remember being giving (I somewhere around 10 years old) was a Colonial Barlow in a box with an Arkansas Soft stone from my Great-Uncle Guy* who cut and sold stones. I've long since lost the box but still have the Barlow and stone. (I have almost as many stones as I have knives.)

*On a side note, Uncle Guy let me come work with him one week when I was 18 and showed me how he ran his shop, cut and shape stones. I have a three stone set (Washita, Soft, and Black Hard) that I got to cut and shape myself. Ruined many a mediocre blade with that set :D Unfortunately, I wasn't in any finacial shape the buy his equipment when he passed away, so another family tradition has passed as well. :(
 
I think the first knife I ever had was a Imperial jack knife. Carbon steel blades that would take a hell of an edge.
 
Three bladed stockman for Christmas. I have no recollection of its' make nor do I still have it. I do know I've never been without a pocketknife on my person since then, ever. I quit flying the day they announced nobody could carry a pocketknife on an airplane anymore, argueably the stupidest decision any government ever made.
 
11, the classic Scout knife. Still have it, it still cuts like a laser, even though it's as beaten and scarred as its owner. :)
 
Sword and Shield said:
11, the classic Scout knife. Still have it, it still cuts like a laser, even though it's as beaten and scarred as its owner. :)
Click to expand...

Ditto -- in every respect.
 
Birthday# 7. Daddy gave me a John Primble peanut.Still have the knife, and still have the love for knives that came with it. Both of my sons( 15&8), have already started their collections, and I hope I have instilled in them the same love and respect for knives that my Daddy gave me. :cool: :D
 
Grandpa gave us all Old Timer knives, that our mother put away until we were in Cub Scouts. I lost the original, but bought another just like it. The start of an addiction...

-Bob
 
You know its interesting, we have a common "thread" here. The upbringing that a knife is a "standard" tool and to be used as such. Many who have never grown up with, or been familar with knives believe all the nonsense they see on TV. I grew up going to my Granfathers farm during the summer. Also from living in Arkansas, where most of the state is rural, "tools are tools". We carried pocket knives, we could walk down out in the country with our rifles and go hunting. We could go out our back doors and target shoot. Its true, the old saying that "ignorance breeds ignorance". People are scared of what they are not familar with, or what they do not understand.

Like my old mentor from the ministry once told me. We were talking about cultures, the differences of people. He being from North Carolina, me from living so many years down south, we related well.

He told me once, "brother John, you and I could sit on the porch sipping ice tea, whittling and work out any differences we might have."
 
My first knife was a yellow-handled Case stockman that my grandfather gave me when I was six or seven. I seem to remember it fit my hand pretty well, but I lost it. Of course. When I was old enough to know what I'd lost I went and bought another one like it. Fit and finish weren't as good, but that CV still sharpens up really well.

James
 
My Grammy gave me a Case Barlow that belonged to my grandfather. I think I was 5 or 6. I eventually lost the knife but it got me started collecting.
 
My Dad gave me an Old Timer Stockman when I was 8, and I did something stupid with it to get it taken away shortly thereafter.

I got it back soon enough, and I still have one today, though I'm not sure if it is the original.

Kind of sad I won't be able to get my boys the same knife soon...

Regards,

Jeremy
 
Jerok said:
My Dad gave me an Old Timer Stockman when I was 8, and I did something stupid with it to get it taken away shortly thereafter.

I got it back soon enough, and I still have one today, though I'm not sure if it is the original.

Kind of sad I won't be able to get my boys the same knife soon...

Regards,

Jeremy
Click to expand...

Plenty still available now.
 
rev_jch said:
When I was young knives were not considered weapons, I still do not consider them that. We carried them everywhere, school, church, etc. etc. etc.
Click to expand...

Read a great post on another forum in this regard. Guy pulled out a 4 inch bladed Mayo to cut up an orange at work. Someone asked him how he could carry around a weapon like that. He replied, "Its not a weapon, its a tool." Although I only carry relatively small slip joints now, that is going to be my standard reply.

My first knife was a Case XX senator in brown bone, carbon steel blades. When my dad broke off the tip if the small pen blade he gave it to me and together with the help of a hand cranked grinder, turned the small blade into a sheepsfoot. Maybe I'm destined to be a maker as well as a collector some day. I still have the knife somewhere, but have not been able to find it in over a year. Breaks my heart. I have a couple of Shadley senators, and I carry one of those for old times sake until I find my Case again.
 
11 years old... fifth grade, a Buck Stockman.
got it confiscated in school the very next day. The asst. Principal liked it so much he got himself one as well. He wasn't going to confiscate it at first, but he found out I was picking my scabs with it. I got it back when I graduated from grade school a year and a half later...
 
wow, that was nice. Most people woild not have given it back!!! Especailly not my principal...what was her name....Sister...something. I carried a pocket knife, most of us di, but if we were not causing problems it was usually overlooked. I do not remember if it was specifically against the rules.
 
When I was about 8 years old I had 3 or 4 little folders (now lost), toys/keychains with engraved advertisements rather than really functional blades. So what I consider to be my first real knife was a gift from a friend when I was 10 or 11: a spanish SAK-type made by Aitor, now retired from active duty but still in good condition.


Jaime Orozco.
 
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