The thread by STEVENKIM and the posts within got me to thinking some about the old " pro's from Dover" that I've seen over the years. We got to talking about Chuck Yeager, a genuine American hero if ever there was one, and if he really carried a sak executive. That go me to thiking about some of the knives I saw in the old Field and Stream and the old tv show "The American Sportsman" before they turned the fire hose on it and watered it down for political correctness.
Two names come to mind, Grits Gresham in his old trademark weather beated stetson, and Curt Gowdy. (I can't remember if thats with a k or a c.)
Some of you may not be old enough to recall Grits, but he was a regular on the American Sportsman, as well as a contributing editor of the Field And Stream magazine for many years. Hunting Caribou in Alaska, or pheasent in Nebrasca, he seemed right at home just about anywhere. He was such a recognizable person for so long, it stood out when he was in a photo someplace. I recall seeing one of those "The Knife I carry" blurbs that had him in it. He was holding up a Gerber Micro-LST as his favorite pocket knife. It grabbed my attention as it was such a small little thing, so I read what he had to say about it in the short paragragh. It seems like alot of people he does not like alot of weight in his pocket, and the tiny mini LST fit that bill. He also expressed that in case of loss, he liked that he could replace it cheap and easy. this from a man who shoots fine rifles that cost more than most of us made in a month. But for him it worked and did what he wanted.
Then there was Kurt Gowdy. I don't know if the would have been any better spokes person for the hunter than him. He was everyplace. hosting the American Sportsman, writing for Field and Stream, Sports Afield, and testifying in front of congress at to the impoertance of the American hunter in the role of conservation. And yet again when I saw him in the "Knife I Carry" in a very old knife magazine, it was a small two blade serpintine jack from Schrade he was holding out in his hand. He said he carries a regular hunting knife when hunting, but the little Schrade did everything else in the way of cutting.
The name Peter Capstick should be familar to most hunters. autor of Death In The Long Grass", Death In dark Places" and others of the same ilk, he was one of the last of the old Kenya white hunters. In his time he'd gone after everything up to and including roque bull elephants and man eater lions. When asked what his favorite knife was he replied without thinking, a sak.
The name Charles Lindberg is familiar to history and aviation buffs. Being one of my childhood hereo's and the inspiration for me to take flying lessons when I was in the army, I read everything I could on him. He actually was quite a sportsman, loving hunting and fishing growing up in rural Minnisota. Even as an older man, he loved to travel and camp his way across what ever country he was visiting. While living in Europe in the 50's attempting to stay away from American press, he bought a Volkswagon beatle in 1957 or so. Over the next decade, he drove that car all over Europe, and the African contenents camping and exploring. There is a funny tale his daughter Reeve Lindberg tells of him picking up two Massai tribesmen in a remote part of Kenya and giving them a lift. The Massai spears would not fit in the VW so he got the tribesmen into the car, then with the door closed he had them hold the spears outside of the little bug. Later he used the same bug to explore the backroads of the U.S., camping out and sometimes sleeping in the vw by taking the two rear bolts out of the seat on the passenger side so he could recline it and sleep diagognally across the inside of the bug. In the book "Under A Wing" Reeve tells of her fathers liking for a Swiss Army Knife, and a small "pen Knife".
And then there's the afor mentioned Chuck Yeager.
I'm not going to voice any opinion here, but its interesting to see what some experianced outdoorsmen and explorers carried in their pockets.
Two names come to mind, Grits Gresham in his old trademark weather beated stetson, and Curt Gowdy. (I can't remember if thats with a k or a c.)
Some of you may not be old enough to recall Grits, but he was a regular on the American Sportsman, as well as a contributing editor of the Field And Stream magazine for many years. Hunting Caribou in Alaska, or pheasent in Nebrasca, he seemed right at home just about anywhere. He was such a recognizable person for so long, it stood out when he was in a photo someplace. I recall seeing one of those "The Knife I carry" blurbs that had him in it. He was holding up a Gerber Micro-LST as his favorite pocket knife. It grabbed my attention as it was such a small little thing, so I read what he had to say about it in the short paragragh. It seems like alot of people he does not like alot of weight in his pocket, and the tiny mini LST fit that bill. He also expressed that in case of loss, he liked that he could replace it cheap and easy. this from a man who shoots fine rifles that cost more than most of us made in a month. But for him it worked and did what he wanted.
Then there was Kurt Gowdy. I don't know if the would have been any better spokes person for the hunter than him. He was everyplace. hosting the American Sportsman, writing for Field and Stream, Sports Afield, and testifying in front of congress at to the impoertance of the American hunter in the role of conservation. And yet again when I saw him in the "Knife I Carry" in a very old knife magazine, it was a small two blade serpintine jack from Schrade he was holding out in his hand. He said he carries a regular hunting knife when hunting, but the little Schrade did everything else in the way of cutting.
The name Peter Capstick should be familar to most hunters. autor of Death In The Long Grass", Death In dark Places" and others of the same ilk, he was one of the last of the old Kenya white hunters. In his time he'd gone after everything up to and including roque bull elephants and man eater lions. When asked what his favorite knife was he replied without thinking, a sak.
The name Charles Lindberg is familiar to history and aviation buffs. Being one of my childhood hereo's and the inspiration for me to take flying lessons when I was in the army, I read everything I could on him. He actually was quite a sportsman, loving hunting and fishing growing up in rural Minnisota. Even as an older man, he loved to travel and camp his way across what ever country he was visiting. While living in Europe in the 50's attempting to stay away from American press, he bought a Volkswagon beatle in 1957 or so. Over the next decade, he drove that car all over Europe, and the African contenents camping and exploring. There is a funny tale his daughter Reeve Lindberg tells of him picking up two Massai tribesmen in a remote part of Kenya and giving them a lift. The Massai spears would not fit in the VW so he got the tribesmen into the car, then with the door closed he had them hold the spears outside of the little bug. Later he used the same bug to explore the backroads of the U.S., camping out and sometimes sleeping in the vw by taking the two rear bolts out of the seat on the passenger side so he could recline it and sleep diagognally across the inside of the bug. In the book "Under A Wing" Reeve tells of her fathers liking for a Swiss Army Knife, and a small "pen Knife".
And then there's the afor mentioned Chuck Yeager.
I'm not going to voice any opinion here, but its interesting to see what some experianced outdoorsmen and explorers carried in their pockets.
