My grandfathers stockman!

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

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Sep 28, 2005
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This morning I was handed a box of pictures and other artifacts from my grandfathers estate, as he passed away at the wonderful age of 94. A good life, a good death, his funeral wasn't very sad, but an exposition of his life.

Now I wish I could say I remember him carving on the porch, or cutting me apples with it, or really any memory of him with it, but today is the first time I can recall laying my eyes on it. After my dad died when I was 8/my brother 6 months old, my dads family basically disappeared from my family's life for the next 10 years. So it was kind of hard asking for the knife when I felt little claim to it, however I was sure nobody else would want it and did not want it to get thrown away! When I was first playing with the idea of making knives I showed him my profiled blanks- his main comment was they were way too thick- at 1/8" or mostly 3/32" thick!! But this was long before my foray into the Traditional Forum, so the initial person to teach me "thin is in" was my grandpa.

Without further ado I show a very well used DE Imperial stockman- incidentally my first DE!!
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I tossed it in my pocket, with my today carry knives:
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Looks like grandpa used a corundum stone, not very sharp, but the "Spey" has a nice toothy edge to it still. Don't think grandpa sharpened it very often.

Well, that is my story for today, hope you like the knife, any information about it would be appreciated, and feel free to post your dads/grandpas/etc knife here if you would like!
 
Great looking old Stockman. Your lucky to have it. Enjoy, and thanks for posting the pic.

Jim
 
Great story and nice knife! A "heritage" knife like that is something to treasure.

-GT
 
CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
...Now I wish I could say I remember him carving on the porch, or cutting me apples with it, or really any memory of him with it, but today is the first time I can recall laying my eyes on it....
Click to expand...

I am the first of my lineage to carry a knife regularly and enjoy cutlery. My dad, just as his dad was, is constantly doing something electrical, working with tools, or construction related. He honestly isn't content unless he is working on something. Oddly though, he has never carried a knife. Nor, did my grandfather. I write all this to say, while you may not have the visual memory of your grandfather using the stockman, it was his and carries his story. I would say you have a treasure just in that.

I gave my dad an one armed charlow. He carries it now but I will not be surprised if he loses it. I do hope to get it back one day in whatever condition, it wont matter. I may never even see him use it but, if I do get it back, I will think of him. That is one of the reasons I enjoy the history of these simple machines, a memory can be triggered, and to me, that is a part of why I carry one.

Hold on to your treasure, it is a great stockman.
 
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This is a picture of my dad's old Old Timer:

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He bought it in the early 70s when he was working on the railroads. In the early 80s I guess there was a big railroad layoff in Chicago and my dad lost his job. Luckily, he quickly found employment as a salesman selling these new fangled home computers. That worked out pretty well for him, but it didn't require him to carry a knife on him regularly. He put it away in a drawer, and just dug it out earlier this summer when I got into this pocket knife kick. I cleaned it up for him and he's back to carrying it every day. I don't have any memory of him carrying this knife, as I would have been 2 or 3 when he got into computers. However, just knowing that he carried an 8OT in his days before I came along gives them a place in my heart. I found an old 8OT that I carry in my pocket now. It's not even his, but every time I dig into my pocket and feel it it reminds me of him and makes me smile. My point is, your not having memories of your grandfather carrying that knife doesn't preclude you from having an attachment to it. To me, the sentimentality comes from the knowledge that this person that you cared about spent so much time with this item. In some weird way I guess I believe that part of him is transferred over to that item. That's what makes it special. The memories are nice, but not a requirement.
 
Well-said, Cory. Great story about your dad, his knife, you, and the interrelationships.

-GT
 
Beautiful piece of heritage you have there. I'm so glad it made its way into the hands of someone that will care for it and appreciate it.

I have memories of my dad with a number of knives over the years, unfortunately he had a habit of loosing then from time to time. The first knife I remember him with and using was a small stockman Old Timer. The only knife of his that I have or is left that I know of was an old sailor's knife with marlinspike and boat wrench. I don't remember him ever carrying it but it holds a special place in my heart. I wish I had one of the knives he carried and used but it was not to be.

I also remember walking through the orange orchards with my best friend and his grandfather as a small boy. His grandfather would pick us navel oranges and use his pocket knife (an uncle henry stockman if I recall) to peal one end for us to squeeze and drink the juice. I can almost taste that sweet juice now just thinking of it. The memories that bring a smile to your face.

Sorry for the thread hijack, but thanks for sending me on a stroll down memory lane, it brightened my day.
 
Great story - thanks for sharing. This is a great looking knife and well loved.

I love pics of these old "battlehorses" that have countless hours in a man´s pocket.
 
Thanks for all of the responses all, it was a very nice honor being able to take his pocket knife on, and that it was a new type to add to the collection is just icing on the cake! I think I'm going to take detailed pictures of the sharpening jobs he did on each blade, then make them sharp to me and drop it in my pocket for a while!!

But grandpa- a California clip and no punch?!? I tell you, some people....

;)
 
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