I went to Crete for 2 weeks of hollidays.

N

NirreBosse

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Jan 7, 2003
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For my fourth time I was back in Crete with my family. We go back to the village of Maleme near Chania eatch time and meet with my siblings and their familys. Man Have I eten good food this two weeks. Last time my projekt was to find a good backgammon/tavli board and this time I wanted to by a good original cretan folding knife. This was not on small budget so I thought I could find one good Cretan knife. We vere into chania And I searched the city and we went driving with our rental cars up to mountain villages with small stores. Sadly I can tell I didnt find a single knife that was better than the lowmark. Some salesmen tryed to tell me that they sold handmade knifes but they gave up when they understood that I knew what I wanted and understod what I saw. None of them had a secret storage of better knifes inside their shops and I went home with emty hands.

Crete is much about food and fruit so of course I brought two simple knifes to use that didnt bother me to much if they got lost. Here they are. The small one has been in the pocket all the time, a few times also in the salt water of mediteranian. The big one has been in our kitchen.



Bosse
 
NirreBosse said:
I brought two simple knifes to use that didnt bother me to much if they got lost. Here they are. The small one has been in the pocket all the time, a few times also in the salt water of mediteranian.



Bosse
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In salt water? :eek: And it didn't melt into a puddle or wood pulp and rust mush!?! ;) :D

Sounds like a great trip. Sorry about the bad luck finding a new knife.

-- Mark
 
Well Bosse, you had a great holiday my friend, that's the main thing -now you can sit back and think juuuuuust what knife you are going to buy with that money!
 
Thanks for the sympathy Mark.
I was realy convinced that I could find a nice cretan knife. I saw a friktionfolder before my eyes. Stag, horn or some local wood, perhaps olivewood. The search for a new Item is a good feeling, kind of the hunters thrill. Im a little dissapointed but more than that confused that a handmade Cretan knife of deasent quality was imposible to find when I had a bunch of money to spend. The hunt for the Tavli/backgammon last time was easyer as there is a broad availibility from 10 euro junk to 1000 euro masterpieces. I then found and bought a good but not fantastic tavli with bernstone bricks and exelent dices for a little stretched budget. If you have been to Crete you know they sell lots of knifes there but its all low budget. The best ones I ever saw was Opinel and Victorinox, good knifes of course but not local and unice.

As for carrying a carbon Opinel into salt water its no problem. They get a little darkened of course but thats the way of Carbon steel. fruit, blood etc do it the same way, but they dont get destroued if they get maintainence. I had an ocational spot of brown rust on bouth of them but I wash them in frech water when available and there are always a drip of oliveoil for the pivot area close by at eatingtimes. Theese two knifes are not heirlooms to be hesitated about using, just workknifes that are brought to be carryed everywhere and anytime I want a knife. I have bouth of them with a easygrip notch to be able to pinch the blade open when the handle has swolen from water and the blade moves stiffer. Actually I like my Opinells to be a little wet as I like them better when the blade doesnt swing open easyly.

I have read your posts Mark so Im almost convinced you see it in a simular way but I never the less wanted to express that a opinel or almost every knife with carbon steel blade can be used under less than perfect conditions. Even brown rust is a small problem on a EDC. If we use the knife regularly the rust never get deep to hurt the knifes performance.

Bosse
 
I have had the bigger no 8 for many years and it has followed me as kitchenknife at at least three Cretan trips and some other times, never carryed in the pocket just being in different kitchens with my less than perfekt wife when it comes to taking care of my knifes.(Extraordinary in other aspects)
The small number 6 is good size for carrying in pockets and light to carry to. This was its first real use beside pealing fruit and potatoes but I confess I liked it more than I thought I would.

Bosse
 
NirreBosse said:
As for carrying a carbon Opinel into salt water its no problem. They get a little darkened of course but thats the way of Carbon steel. fruit, blood etc do it the same way, but they dont get destroued if they get maintainence. I had an ocational spot of brown rust on bouth of them but I wash them in frech water when available and there are always a drip of oliveoil for the pivot area close by at eatingtimes. Theese two knifes are not heirlooms to be hesitated about using, just workknifes that are brought to be carryed everywhere and anytime I want a knife. I have bouth of them with a easygrip notch to be able to pinch the blade open when the handle has swolen from water and the blade moves stiffer. Actually I like my Opinells to be a little wet as I like them better when the blade doesnt swing open easyly.

I have read your posts Mark so Im almost convinced you see it in a simular way but I never the less wanted to express that a opinel or almost every knife with carbon steel blade can be used under less than perfect conditions. Even brown rust is a small problem on a EDC. If we use the knife regularly the rust never get deep to hurt the knifes performance.

Bosse
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I, I know. :) My post was a bit of a joke.

We're of a similar mind, for sure. Sailors and fisherman and guys who worked around water (yes, even saltwater), used good old carbon steel knives for centuries before decent stainless was invented. And Opinels, in my mind, were made to be pushed hard. Like you, I don't mind when my no. 8 carbon gets a little wet -- it just makes it work a bit more like a true friction folder. And like you, I have a no. 8, and a no. 6.

-- Mark
 
Have ben keeping a #6 carbon and #8 stainless in the kitchen for a few weeks now. They seem to be my go to knives now, even though I have a rack of super cheap serrated SS plastic handled monstrosities nearby. Those old SS serrated things are probably going into the goodwill basket soon.
 
You can't talk about Crete (one of the most beautiful places on earth) without showing some pictures, lets see those pictures. Here's some of mine.









 
Wow, I think Crete just made my short list of places to visit. :D
 
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