I was just sitting here thinking about the post by fellow menber 4Mica, on gift pocket knives for family this coming Christmas season.
We the afflicted, that is we who have the incurable infection of knifitus fanaticosus, love knives of many types, shapes, sizes. We can't help it, we're incurable knife knuts. It has nothing to do with needing a cutting tool to open our mail, plastic blister packs, UPS boxes, even dressing that deer. We accumulate knives like some women accumulate jewlery or shoes. And we love to share the love.
But when we go to give a knife as a gift, its a thing to be done very carefully. It seems to me, a knife is like a pipe, or a pair of boots. A really personal choice.
Given that, it seems like one can hardly go wrong with a nice pocket knife of modest size. The hunter in the family probably has his pet knife that he carries afield, and it has the meory of many past hunts attached to it. But a general use pocket knife is a little different. Nobody is going to pose being photographed with that freshly opened UPS box, or the new bills in the mail just opened. The mundane pocket knife is a tool for daily life. The little jobs that get no glory, no special photos of the deed. But they are there, day in, day out, rain or shine. Get up in the morning and put on the pants, and the pocket knife is there.
And that makes the daily pocket knife actually more special than that once a year hunting knife that was made by a custom maker, or high end market company. Its always there when you need it. And to do that, it has to be easy to carry. A comfortable daily companion.
I knew this young lady who was a store manager for Chesapeake Knife and tool, before they went under. We were talking on the subject of knives once, and she told me an interesting thing. Her customers were sharply divided into two groups. The first was the young studs, who overwhelmingly went for the locking blade tacticals. The other, the older men or office types in suits, who wanted a knife but didn't want to be bothered by it untill it was needed. That is, not even know its there till needed. They usually went for the small sterio typical two blade pen knife. The younger office guys would buy a sak classic or something like that, while the older guys bought Schrade, Camillus, or 300 series Buck's. She sold alot of Buck Companions and Boker pen knives.
I have an idea, not saying I'm right, that the best knife to give someone is the basic pocket knife that is small enough that they can carry it anywhere. Or given the political climate these days, almost anywhere. A small knife that will in the years to come, be even more appreatiated with the use it will give. Just by being the small one, it will be there every single day, opening mail, doing small but nessesary cutting jobs. It will became a companion. Then on weekends it will go along on picnics, family gatherings, camping trips, vacations. One day it may whittle a perfect hot dog stick for his son, or make a whistle from a piece of cane by a creek bottom, for his grandson. Then, one day, he will realize it is a very special knife because it's been with him every single day since he got it, and all kinds of memories have attached themselves to it. And not only to him, his kids will years from now, say about it, "Dad always had that little peanut (or butterbean, Eisenhaur, mini trapper...) on him. Remember on that fishing trip..."
An artifact has been created.
My friend Wayne was given a little Buck companion by his wife, and he carried it for many years. Used the heck out of it. When he thought it was lost, he went to a very great length to retrieve it, because it meant so much to him. He could have stopped at any sporting goods store and bought another, and his wife would never have known. But it was that special to him, no other would do.
I can't think of a better Christmas gift than a nice Case pocket knife of modest size. Given our great suburban/urban society, even a suit guy can find a small sharp knife a handy thing to have. I don't think it will matter if it's a small stockman, peanut, baby butter bean or even a penknife.
Who knows, it just may start an infection.
We the afflicted, that is we who have the incurable infection of knifitus fanaticosus, love knives of many types, shapes, sizes. We can't help it, we're incurable knife knuts. It has nothing to do with needing a cutting tool to open our mail, plastic blister packs, UPS boxes, even dressing that deer. We accumulate knives like some women accumulate jewlery or shoes. And we love to share the love.
But when we go to give a knife as a gift, its a thing to be done very carefully. It seems to me, a knife is like a pipe, or a pair of boots. A really personal choice.
Given that, it seems like one can hardly go wrong with a nice pocket knife of modest size. The hunter in the family probably has his pet knife that he carries afield, and it has the meory of many past hunts attached to it. But a general use pocket knife is a little different. Nobody is going to pose being photographed with that freshly opened UPS box, or the new bills in the mail just opened. The mundane pocket knife is a tool for daily life. The little jobs that get no glory, no special photos of the deed. But they are there, day in, day out, rain or shine. Get up in the morning and put on the pants, and the pocket knife is there.
And that makes the daily pocket knife actually more special than that once a year hunting knife that was made by a custom maker, or high end market company. Its always there when you need it. And to do that, it has to be easy to carry. A comfortable daily companion.
I knew this young lady who was a store manager for Chesapeake Knife and tool, before they went under. We were talking on the subject of knives once, and she told me an interesting thing. Her customers were sharply divided into two groups. The first was the young studs, who overwhelmingly went for the locking blade tacticals. The other, the older men or office types in suits, who wanted a knife but didn't want to be bothered by it untill it was needed. That is, not even know its there till needed. They usually went for the small sterio typical two blade pen knife. The younger office guys would buy a sak classic or something like that, while the older guys bought Schrade, Camillus, or 300 series Buck's. She sold alot of Buck Companions and Boker pen knives.
I have an idea, not saying I'm right, that the best knife to give someone is the basic pocket knife that is small enough that they can carry it anywhere. Or given the political climate these days, almost anywhere. A small knife that will in the years to come, be even more appreatiated with the use it will give. Just by being the small one, it will be there every single day, opening mail, doing small but nessesary cutting jobs. It will became a companion. Then on weekends it will go along on picnics, family gatherings, camping trips, vacations. One day it may whittle a perfect hot dog stick for his son, or make a whistle from a piece of cane by a creek bottom, for his grandson. Then, one day, he will realize it is a very special knife because it's been with him every single day since he got it, and all kinds of memories have attached themselves to it. And not only to him, his kids will years from now, say about it, "Dad always had that little peanut (or butterbean, Eisenhaur, mini trapper...) on him. Remember on that fishing trip..."
An artifact has been created.
My friend Wayne was given a little Buck companion by his wife, and he carried it for many years. Used the heck out of it. When he thought it was lost, he went to a very great length to retrieve it, because it meant so much to him. He could have stopped at any sporting goods store and bought another, and his wife would never have known. But it was that special to him, no other would do.
I can't think of a better Christmas gift than a nice Case pocket knife of modest size. Given our great suburban/urban society, even a suit guy can find a small sharp knife a handy thing to have. I don't think it will matter if it's a small stockman, peanut, baby butter bean or even a penknife.
Who knows, it just may start an infection.
