I blame it all on Jackknife.......

cj65

cj65

Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
36,489
I was on site today at a park in Los Angeles, working with the LA Co. staff maintenance worker approx 10 to 15 yrs. my senior. He and I were stripping irrigation field wires and inserting them to the irrigation controller. I pulled out my swayback jack to cut the insulation all the way around and proceed to tug slightly as it slipped off exposing the shiny copper wire. My contact is very calm, pleasant, and a pleasure to work with. I showed him this little gem, and I commented that it is easier to strip with a nice yellow handled Klein stripper, (great tool), but it is just not old school like this. He looked at it, and mentioned that he has never carried a pocket knife in his lifetime. He did not even own one. I was shocked, and did not know really what to say.

We continued working firing off valves, wetting cars and joggers as random valves turned on. We had to identify which ones worked, and which did not. The park patrons really did not seem to mind. I do have a great job. So, the day went on, and we worked through lunch without stopping. I realized that he was really doing me a favor with that. It started to bug me that he did not have a knife.........

So, I thought, CJ.......

WWJK do?

Jacknife would forward this knife to this man. So, I did. I told him, I cannot let you live the rest of your life without carrying a pocket knife. I have alot of them, and I really like this one, but I think you need it more than me. Please take it as a gift, and just promise to carry it and use it. He gave me this smile, and then a "really" look came over his face. He said thank you, as calmly as was his conversation, and we finished our day. I hopped on the 405 FWY from Los Angeles to the 118 fwy up over the Sepulveda Pass towards home, and man, it was a bad commute, but I just thought of how happy it made me feel to give that one away. I will have to replace it. I saw a damascus stag swayback in that pattern, it looks great, that is what I will do, when I have the money to do so, or ask for it for Father's day. Anyways, to any of you knife knuts out there who are blessed as I am to have too many knives, do not feel bad about giving one away to someone who deserves it, and is not expecting it. It really can brighten you up. Gifting gives more to the gifter than the reciever.

Happy Friday all!

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Parting with this one hurt just a little, but I gained more spiritually, than I lost materially.
 
You've done your part to make it a better world. Good on you!

I'm still trying to digest someone being 10-15 years older than you, though!:D

Seriously, though, you made me smile a bit tonight, and for that, I thank you.
 
You know CJ that was a good thing you did. I am sure your workmate will use it and carry it for the rest of his life, especially when he is around you. If you don't mind me hijacking your thread for a minute...I did roughly the same thing for one of my friends. It was Holloween and my suitemate in school, his gf, my gf, and our friends were all carving pumpkins. Well they all used my knives. He especially got into it so I made a mental reminder to give the Amber Bone Case Trapper to him. Come christmas he had a good present. He carries it almost every day and I even taught him how to sharpen. So I know what you mean by how good it feels to give. I hope I can do it more as my life goes on. Once again good on you CJ.
 
That was very nice of you. My Swayback Jack is so dear to me I don't know if I could ever give it away and I've given away plenty of knives.
 
Kbrasmodeler said:
You've done your part to make it a better world. Good on you!

I'm still trying to digest someone being 10-15 years older than you, though!:D

Seriously, though, you made me smile a bit tonight, and for that, I thank you.
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:D Hee Hee. At 44, non smoking for 5 yrs. and sober for 7, I have more energy than my kids. I hike faster than my pre teens that have Xbox thumb callouses.
 
crbauhs said:
You know CJ that was a good thing you did. I am sure your workmate will use it and carry it for the rest of his life, especially when he is around you. If you don't mind me hijacking your thread for a minute...I did roughly the same thing for one of my friends. It was Holloween and my suitemate in school, his gf, my gf, and our friends were all carving pumpkins. Well they all used my knives. He especially got into it so I made a mental reminder to give the Amber Bone Case Trapper to him. Come christmas he had a good present. He carries it almost every day and I even taught him how to sharpen. So I know what you mean by how good it feels to give. I hope I can do it more as my life goes on. Once again good on you CJ.
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That is a great story. That is not a hijack at all. I guess after editing my original post about 3 times, then deleting it and starting over, I forgot to say at the end: "Tell me a similar story if you gifted one unsuspectingly".:o I would have felt bad today if I did not give it away. That is what was peculiar.
 
Great story and a very nice thing done. I have given away a few knives but I would have a hard time parting with my chestnut bone swayback jack.

Dan
 
Good on you CJ... There is a lot of satisfaction in giving something to a friend.
Especially if its something that you liked a lot..
At the same time, it will always hold a special place for your friend too.
What he got was probably one of Case' most popular knives over the last year or so.... :thumbup:

Its not something we do everyday, but when the time and situation is right you will know it
 
Very solid gesture. I hope your work-mate not only uses the knife, but comes late in life to knife obsession, that would be really excellent!
 
well done CJ....I love Case knives, and have given a couple of folders to some family members. it's always nice to see them pull out a knife I gave them when something needs cutting.
 
Well done....well done indeed.

The great wheel of karma is constantly turning and an act of goodwill is always repaid in kind. I have gifted away more knives than I can remember but the feeling of doing something right has never diminished. As a matter of fact it can become downright addicting.
 
cj65 said:
Parting with this one hurt just a little, but I gained more spiritually, than I lost materially.
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cj, you've done good!:thumbup:

My old man always said to try to leave the world a little better than you found it on any given day. Sometimes this can be done by a simple gift of something, to someone who doesn't have whatever it is. Maybe even they need it, but have not yet discovered that. The giving away of material objects is fun, and in a spriritual way, a rewarding feeling. Things are just things. Maybe its best not to covet something so much that you can't bear to part with it. In most cases, you can get another one. If not, something close is around.

cj, you're a class act! Heck, now I feel like a bit of a piker. I give away vic classics, you give away a Case swayback. :D
 
Nice goin CJ! I'm sure your coworker appreciates the gift and the thoughtfulness of the giver.
 
Awesome gesture! I haven't given away a knife in about a year; it is a nice feeling.

The last knife I gave away was a an Oldtimer linerlock 1-blade trapper. I got it as a gift from a forumite and I in turn gave it to a very old friend who had owned (and broke) that same knife as a teen and hadn't carried a knife since.
 
Good one CJ, now your friend has a nice knife with a great story to go along with it.
 
Good job, CJ and the rest of you, too. This giving thing can really make a fellow's day. A year ago I met someone on this forum that was experiencing some hard times and he thought a hunting knife would help him get some meat for his family. I sent him about 5 old, rare, common, user, new, etc. fixed blades, which blew his mind. He sent me back a CASE jack that was well used by his father. I sharpened it up and a couple days ago, lo and behold, here was another needy old guy. You should have seen his smile when I slipped it into the breast pocket of his bib overalls. Yessir, this giving thing does work.
 
great gift cj & the ole timer will probably show it off to his friends. its a warm feeling to brighten someones day.
 
I've given both my dad and brother knives on more than one occasion in hopes that they'd become "knife guys". No dice. Some people just don't get it. I hope the guy you gave that Case to does "get it" and carries it from now on.
 
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