- Joined
- Mar 5, 2014
- Messages
- 6
(If you just want pics, as I sometimes do, feel free to skip the story and scroll down to the bottom for the goods. :thumbup: )
I'm a knife noob. I'm not even entirely sure that this is the correct forum for this post, but I just wanted to share.
I have a Buck Endeavor fixed blade that I use for camping, but I have never been an EDC kind of guy...until now.
A brief history: I visited Spain last summer. One of the locations that we visited was Toledo. I think this is where my interest in blades was born. There, almost every single storefront is filled with blades of all kinds: folders, fixed, kitchen knife sets, swords, daggers. I was immediately hypnotized by the patterns found in the Damascus blades. But I was with my wife and we were on a tight schedule to see all the sights in the city, so I moved along all the while while looking into every storefront window along the way. Our rush-rush got the best of me, and I left Toledo knife-less. But that night at the hotel, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why were there so many knife shops there?" It was then that I learned about Spain's rich knife-making history, and I was instantly regretful for not buying one "when in Rome." Or Toledo, in this case.
Fast forward to about three weeks ago. I had one of my random "darn it, I should have just bought one while I was there!" missed opportunity moments, and I began researching Spanish knives again. I quickly learned that there is not much information in the USA regarding Spanish knives in general, and that most of the info that is available talks about larger brands like Muela and Cudeman. I then found some online Spanish storefronts. I began to browse. Do I want another fixed blade? No...I already have my Buck that makes a fine beater. I wanted something with a little more...class. A gentleman's folder that I would carry with me every day, one that is not too "tacticool" or so intimidating that it would elicit glances with raised eyebrows if I were ever to take it out to open a delivery at the office. That's just not really my style. Yes...a small gentleman's folder would be my prize. And the more I browsed, the more I felt like a lockback would be proper for me, a worry wort, so that I could use it with peace of mind. After all, I wanted something that I would actually use.
I browsed for days, and then found one that sang to me. Its lines, richly-colored wooden scales, lockback mechanism, and reasonably small blade that would be appropriate for office carry. All of these things called out, "this is the one."
It turned out to be the Nieto Scout. It was a little more expensive that many of the other Nieto folder offerings...but I didn't care. This was the one. I ordered it. I waited 3 weeks for delivery (a small hiccup delayed things by 1 week...pure torture.) Finally, it arrived. I tore it open and admired it. I held it in my hand, and it felt wonderful. But boy, was the action rough! On top of that, it was a bear to unlock...I would have to press down with both thumbs to release the blade to be able to fold it back up.
I researched and read. I eventually came upon Sentry Solutions Tuf-Glide lubricant. Ordered. I cleaned the joints with soapy water to remove what I could of the obviously rubbish factory oil. I let the knife dry, and then applied the Tuf-Glide and worked the mechanism for a few minutes. WOW! What a difference! The knife operates like a dream now, and the lockback mechanism has begun to loosen up to the point that I can activate it with one thumb. I am optimistic that it will continue to loosen up a bit more to a more comfortable level.
So, after all of that, I've formed kind of a bond with this, my first folder. It's far from perfect. The scales don't match perfectly, the action still isn't buttery smooth like I thought it would be. But I feel that these things add character. And from my history of knife interest beginning in Toledo, searching for and finding a Spanish blade that I missed out on last year while in Spain, to cleaning it out and applying my own lubricant with love and care...I think I might be hooked into this little hobby.
Thanks for listening to my blabbering! Without further ado, here are the goods:
I'm a knife noob. I'm not even entirely sure that this is the correct forum for this post, but I just wanted to share.
I have a Buck Endeavor fixed blade that I use for camping, but I have never been an EDC kind of guy...until now.
A brief history: I visited Spain last summer. One of the locations that we visited was Toledo. I think this is where my interest in blades was born. There, almost every single storefront is filled with blades of all kinds: folders, fixed, kitchen knife sets, swords, daggers. I was immediately hypnotized by the patterns found in the Damascus blades. But I was with my wife and we were on a tight schedule to see all the sights in the city, so I moved along all the while while looking into every storefront window along the way. Our rush-rush got the best of me, and I left Toledo knife-less. But that night at the hotel, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why were there so many knife shops there?" It was then that I learned about Spain's rich knife-making history, and I was instantly regretful for not buying one "when in Rome." Or Toledo, in this case.
Fast forward to about three weeks ago. I had one of my random "darn it, I should have just bought one while I was there!" missed opportunity moments, and I began researching Spanish knives again. I quickly learned that there is not much information in the USA regarding Spanish knives in general, and that most of the info that is available talks about larger brands like Muela and Cudeman. I then found some online Spanish storefronts. I began to browse. Do I want another fixed blade? No...I already have my Buck that makes a fine beater. I wanted something with a little more...class. A gentleman's folder that I would carry with me every day, one that is not too "tacticool" or so intimidating that it would elicit glances with raised eyebrows if I were ever to take it out to open a delivery at the office. That's just not really my style. Yes...a small gentleman's folder would be my prize. And the more I browsed, the more I felt like a lockback would be proper for me, a worry wort, so that I could use it with peace of mind. After all, I wanted something that I would actually use.
I browsed for days, and then found one that sang to me. Its lines, richly-colored wooden scales, lockback mechanism, and reasonably small blade that would be appropriate for office carry. All of these things called out, "this is the one."
It turned out to be the Nieto Scout. It was a little more expensive that many of the other Nieto folder offerings...but I didn't care. This was the one. I ordered it. I waited 3 weeks for delivery (a small hiccup delayed things by 1 week...pure torture.) Finally, it arrived. I tore it open and admired it. I held it in my hand, and it felt wonderful. But boy, was the action rough! On top of that, it was a bear to unlock...I would have to press down with both thumbs to release the blade to be able to fold it back up.
I researched and read. I eventually came upon Sentry Solutions Tuf-Glide lubricant. Ordered. I cleaned the joints with soapy water to remove what I could of the obviously rubbish factory oil. I let the knife dry, and then applied the Tuf-Glide and worked the mechanism for a few minutes. WOW! What a difference! The knife operates like a dream now, and the lockback mechanism has begun to loosen up to the point that I can activate it with one thumb. I am optimistic that it will continue to loosen up a bit more to a more comfortable level.
So, after all of that, I've formed kind of a bond with this, my first folder. It's far from perfect. The scales don't match perfectly, the action still isn't buttery smooth like I thought it would be. But I feel that these things add character. And from my history of knife interest beginning in Toledo, searching for and finding a Spanish blade that I missed out on last year while in Spain, to cleaning it out and applying my own lubricant with love and care...I think I might be hooked into this little hobby.
Thanks for listening to my blabbering! Without further ado, here are the goods:
Last edited:
)
