So the other evening we get invited over an acquaintance of Karen's, and I've never met the husband, so I brace myself to make conversation with a stranger. We get there and over a drink, it comes out that "Sam"is a knife collector. Karen exclaims so am I and next thing I know we're off to the den to see his collection. I'm enthused, and looking forward to seeing some interesting knives, as he said he collects Case pocket knives. In my thoughts, I'm looking forward to examining some old XX knives, maybe some real antique stuff. We get to the den, and there is was; display cases of Case knives. They were Case all right, lots of them. Maybe a hundred of them. Elvis Presley Case's, Johnny Cash Case's, Brooks and Dun Case's, John Deer Case's, Barb wire Case's, and just about every special edition Case that has ever been made. All in glass covered cases, with red velvet lining. There was green bone, red bone, and some bone I had no idea what to call the color. At least anything polite.
"Sam" is standing there grinning ear to ear, so all I can say is wow. I really meant it, the wow. I had nothing else to say. Really. So "Sam"opens up a case lid and says "Here, one my lastest ones!" And he puts on surgical latex gloves from a box there by the case, and holds the box out to me. I gather I'm supposed to put on rubber gloves before handling any of his priceless beauties. After I examine it politely, I hand it back to him and he gently polishes any contamination off with a snow white soft cloth, and puts it back in it's special spot in the special glass covered display case. He doesn't want human hands to touch them. I try to be as polite as I can, but I wonder about it. They're mostly True Sharp, for Pete's sake!
Is it just me, or do you all not see the collector thing to that degree?
I love knives as much as the next guy, but usually when I get a new knife, I can't wait to break down a cardboard box, or whittle on a stick, or something, to see how it cuts. I'm even not above taking some Scotchbrite and deburing the edges of the liners and back springs. Then I drop it in my pocket and use the heck out of it.
I just do not understand the glove thing.
Are those special edition Case's really valuble ? I have to confess I always thought of them as the cutlery version of beenie babys.
Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about something.
Carl.
"Sam" is standing there grinning ear to ear, so all I can say is wow. I really meant it, the wow. I had nothing else to say. Really. So "Sam"opens up a case lid and says "Here, one my lastest ones!" And he puts on surgical latex gloves from a box there by the case, and holds the box out to me. I gather I'm supposed to put on rubber gloves before handling any of his priceless beauties. After I examine it politely, I hand it back to him and he gently polishes any contamination off with a snow white soft cloth, and puts it back in it's special spot in the special glass covered display case. He doesn't want human hands to touch them. I try to be as polite as I can, but I wonder about it. They're mostly True Sharp, for Pete's sake!
Is it just me, or do you all not see the collector thing to that degree?
I love knives as much as the next guy, but usually when I get a new knife, I can't wait to break down a cardboard box, or whittle on a stick, or something, to see how it cuts. I'm even not above taking some Scotchbrite and deburing the edges of the liners and back springs. Then I drop it in my pocket and use the heck out of it.
I just do not understand the glove thing.
Are those special edition Case's really valuble ? I have to confess I always thought of them as the cutlery version of beenie babys.
Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about something.
Carl.
How utterly sterile and that's the word.
(And for Elvis & Duke Case knives?? wow...) 
