Knife wisdom from a MO farm boy

[mckgreg]

There are still many places here in East Tennesee where the older, and some younger, gentlemen gather to whittle. Sometimes there is a place like an old bus stop where the bus doesn't come by any more, or a shed or barn that is kinda close to town. They gather to talk about football, politics and old women and maybe chew a little tobacco. Sometimes young women will raise and eye brow if one should happen to walk by. They'd gather mainly just to whittle. The Greeks have "Worry Beads" that they fondle and flip around but in the South, folks whittle. Mailnly with Sheepfoot blades and without any particular form or objective in mind other than just whittlin' a stick down to where there ain't nothing left of it and grab another and start again. Decades ago, these same gentlemen had ancestors that would gather on the Court House steps and pretty much do the same thing. Whittle and Talk. Chew a little tobacco. The difference between now and then is, when they hung around the Court House steps whittlin' and such the main reason they were there was to see who went into and out of the Court House. When the Carpet Baggers from the North took possesion of land and property in the South they had to file new ownership papers at the County Court House. So, for a Yankee to walk up the steps to the Court House to file claim on local properties, they were in full view of the Ol' Boys of the area. In other words, they were pegged. Same with tax collectors.
Some were hung or shot by unidentifiable highway men. Some were hung "and" shot out in the woods by other concerned citizens. The Court House steps was the place to be for concerned citizens of the South a few decades before the turn of the last Century. Lot's of whittlin', cutting up chewing tobacco with the popular bent in the middle 4 bladed knives that had no less than 2 sheeps foot blades in them. The Sheeps Foot was good for whittlin' and cuttin' plug tobacco. The South had their own Congress and it was on the Court House steps. Somethin' to think about should you decide to put it all together.
Greg

 

[Peter Parker]

Making me home sick for east TN Greg!

 

[WA Martin]

Yep. Usually carry a Buck 110 and a Leatherman Super Tool on the belt. No one pays attention to a black nylon pouch but use the brown leather pouch one day - EKE, all the pantywaists flip out. Have run into the fixed blade thing too. What gets me is when someone tells me I can't have the knife on the belt. Sometimes I oblige them and smile because they have no clue I've got another five or so blades with me - including large sodbusters, one with a liner lock...

 

[ptradeco]

Old Guys Rule.
Greg

This is quite true. And we are now, or will be, the Old Guys. It is very important what we pass on. There are many qualities of the old timers ways that need to be preserved and it is our responsibility to do so. A quick look around will tell you this is not happening enough.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I am from a smaller town in Central Washington. I grew up with knives. I took a knife to school ever day from 3rd grade on!!!!!

I attended one weekend over night school outing. Hiking, and digging up roots etc. One of the teachers came up to me and said "I hear you have a Machete in your bag.......Can I borrow it?" This was in 5th or 6th grade. I went and got it for her (expecting to be in some trouble for it). She used it and gave it back to me for the rest of the trip!!!!!

This would not happen today. Today it would be an instant expulsion and all sorts of trouble!

I always have a pocket knife at least (usually a folder these days, and usually a traditional folder). Some times a small fixed blade or "tactical folder". Just depends on the day.

I have moved back to that small town after more than 13 years away. It is nice to see plenty of people walking around with folders and fixed blades.

I work in the Court House (lawyer). And have to leave the knives outside in the car. But I still constantly see people come into court with knives clipped to their pockets. I just tell them to go put them back outside, or at least slip them in their pocket. There is no security, just signs at my court house, so I don't break the rules even though I have had one of the court employees tell me not to bother with the pocket knives (leaving them out in the car, or check them with the sheriff's office. I had one of the employees tell me they don't even care to check the folding knives........but the signs every where say it is illegal, and I don't ever want to be the guy who gets charged......).



Every time I see stories where some one chokes to death on their scarf in the escalator .....or similar story, just because no one around them is carrying any kind of cutting tool.........I am amazed).

 

[thatotherguy]

But man-o-man!!! Just imagine the fun and hilarity that would ensue if you tried to walk around here with a fixed blade knife of *ANY* kind attached to your belt. No way that would be tolerated!!!

I'll make my obligatory shout out for my Opinel #8. It never causes a stir when I use it at work (like, daily) while a smaller Buck 112 or any modern tactical will get "weapon" comments.

I've actually gotten away with carrying a fixed neck knife around these parts with no more than a dirty look or two.
I guess the way I carry myself tells people I don't care what they think about me, they can insult me to their face if they want to, and as long as they don't insult my friends or parents, I'm OK with it.
Also, around here, generally wood or bright colored handles get no negative looks or comments.

 

[FuriousPace]

This is quite true. And we are now, or will be, the Old Guys. It is very important what we pass on. There are many qualities of the old timers ways that need to be preserved and it is our responsibility to do so. A quick look around will tell you this is not happening enough.

This is very true, which is why I always watch how the old guys do things. My grandpa was a master carpenter and I started working summers with him when I was 5 years old. I work in an office now and he has been gone for a couple years, but I still do carpentry work on the side. I don't know how many times I have been questioned on how I learned to do some type of carpentry task because the way I was doing it was so different and better than the way most carpenters have been doing things these days. I always tell them I learned it from my grandpa and he was the best I've ever seen.

 

[mdsmith]

There are still many places here in East Tennesee where the older, and some younger, gentlemen gather to whittle. Sometimes there is a place like an old bus stop where the bus doesn't come by any more, or a shed or barn that is kinda close to town. They gather to talk about football, politics and old women and maybe chew a little tobacco. Sometimes young women will raise and eye brow if one should happen to walk by. They'd gather mainly just to whittle. The Greeks have "Worry Beads" that they fondle and flip around but in the South, folks whittle. Mailnly with Sheepfoot blades and without any particular form or objective in mind other than just whittlin' a stick down to where there ain't nothing left of it and grab another and start again. Decades ago, these same gentlemen had ancestors that would gather on the Court House steps and pretty much do the same thing. Whittle and Talk. Chew a little tobacco. The difference between now and then is, when they hung around the Court House steps whittlin' and such the main reason they were there was to see who went into and out of the Court House. When the Carpet Baggers from the North took possesion of land and property in the South they had to file new ownership papers at the County Court House. So, for a Yankee to walk up the steps to the Court House to file claim on local properties, they were in full view of the Ol' Boys of the area. In other words, they were pegged. Same with tax collectors.
Some were hung or shot by unidentifiable highway men. Some were hung "and" shot out in the woods by other concerned citizens. The Court House steps was the place to be for concerned citizens of the South a few decades before the turn of the last Century. Lot's of whittlin', cutting up chewing tobacco with the popular bent in the middle 4 bladed knives that had no less than 2 sheeps foot blades in them. The Sheeps Foot was good for whittlin' and cuttin' plug tobacco. The South had their own Congress and it was on the Court House steps. Somethin' to think about should you decide to put it all together.
Greg

Hmmm.... doesn't GEC make a pattern called "The Courthouse Whittler". And aren't those "bent in the middle 4 bladed knives" that the south's own congress used called a congress? Interesting.

 

[tomsch]

I grew up in Northern California and we had a small sized walnut orchard (21 acres). My dad always had a Case or Western trapper in his pocket as well as a Buck 110 on his belt. Never a big deal around the small town we grew up in. I too was in the scouts in the early 70s. Always had a scouting knife with me. My dad passed two years ago and I stil have his two very well used trappers. Don't use them but they are a nice reminder of him. These days I work in an office of a large company (engineering manager) and still use a knife daily. Walking around the building I see pocket clips sticking out even though there is a "no knife" policy. Guys that I work with also typically have SAK type of knife on them.

 

[Texas_T]

My grandfather was a farmer and he always had a 2 blade jack knife on him. He'd tell me to use the big blade because the small blade was SHARP. To this day all my small blades are always the sharpest. If I have a stockman the castration blade doesn't ever get used so it's scary sharp and the sheepsfoot is 2nd and most used. I never saw him with a fixed blade unless we were butchering and then it was a butcher knife from the kitchen. He wasn't a knife knut it was just a tool, nothing expensive....picked them at at the feed store from a jar on the counter. I have the last one he had, I think it's an imperial. I don't carry it because i'd be crushed if I lost it. Actually it's the only pocket knife I remember him having and he died when I was 16.

I passed the love on to my son, he's grown up with a pocket knife. The sad thing is he forgot it in his coat pocket and went to school. Luckily he gave it to a teacher that he trusted and she rushed it out to her truck and called me. I met her at the school and she gave it to me and told me how she grew up with boys having pocket knives and if he had given it to another teacher he could have been suspended with charges or at the least put into a spcial class for problem kids. Funny how things change

 

[midnight flyer]

I have carried a knife in my pocket for years and would feel completely naked without one. Like some here, I am really surprised at how many men don't carry any kind of blade or even a small gentleman's knife. How do they get by if no one is there to lend them a knife at their time of need?

My BIL is an oil field engineer, and even he doesn't carry a knife. He has a great Rigid peanut, and a nice medium stockman (both gifts from me and my Dad) and he won't carry either of them unless on a whim. He grew up in a farming community in Ohio, and I guess they didn't carry knives in his town.

Down here in South Texas, I carried a knife all the way through high school. Granted, that was about 40 years ago since graduation, but still, the rule was that you weren't supposed to have a knife in your pocket. But if you didn't take it out, they didn't know. It was kind of an early "don't ask, don't tell" program. It worked great as most of the time I went to work right after school and used my knife on the different jobs I had.

Leaving my house now without a knife in my pocket would be like leaving my right hand at home.

Robert