Campbellclanman
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2007
- Messages
- 15,870
Happy new year to you forum friends.
I have just come back from a brilliant trip,where my partner Sue, and our four kids each went camping.
Part of my holiday, was for me to have time, read, and to sharpen my knives.
Now this trip takes us to a lovely spot where we are right on the beach...literally one step, and you are on the sand, no power, no showers...a long drop loo, and one tap
...its great....
Some time ago I sent Ed Fowler a neat old sheath that I thought was pretty special, Ed commented on it very favourably, and after some time, I sent it to him..it was nice to hear this fantastic person speak so deeply about this old sheath...it meant something to me, I also felt what it was like to recieve the generosity from a forum member here, and I wanted to pass that fantastic feeling on to someone else.
Upon recieving the sheath, in return Ed sent me his signed book etc...again...this meant a lot to me, he didnt have to do this, so the story continues...
Well, since the arrival of traditionals in my life, they have taken over my life almost completely, I read Eds' book this holiday the second time, I took 4 knives with me, my camp knife, my crkt which I use in the kitchen all the time, and two of my special Traditionals - my G.E.C and my Sheffield HUMPRIES RADIANT.
I suspect that Ed has taken many of you on a journey of thought..maybe you were lucky enough to speak to Ed in person, maybe you are like me and read his writings, well his writings and the whole of my Traditinal family here have taken me to a place I am extremely happy to be, I sat down this weekend, and read, thought, and read again..then got my two knives, and sharpened them.
I have not been able to sharpen a knife nicely yet, but this weekend, I sat with my board, my stones, a old leather sheath that I used as a strop, and I sharpened these two knives like I never have before...it just felt right, and it just went right!
My G.E.C, you know how I love this knife,the patina on its well used blade is looking prettier every day, but now could no longer serve as a usefull knife, this bought a fear in me that is hard to explain...this was gifted to me, and this knife and I are pretty hard to seperate, and I wanted to sharpen this knife myself - spoken with NO offence to my good knife mate Sean...as he sharpens my knives-and very well I might add!, But I want this knife to be mine, and I want it to do what I give it to do, so I want to sharpen my knife...this is important to me.
I sharpened the Sheffield first, this knife had cleaned up beautifully from its past life...it had sharpening before and showed its past, but wore it well, well when I finished...with one stroke..this knife literally shaved the hairs off right along my arm with just one pass, after stropping removing the slightest burr...it was scaryingly sharp...this alone was such a massive thing for me, sharpening my knives gives me something that completes the relationship between knife, and owner.
Then I picked up my G.E.C, .. now I have to admit, I was very anxious, and somewhat scared...as I do NOT want even one unsightly sharpening mark on this knife, when I picked up that jack, every single stroke was so even with speed, angle and pressure...well when I finished, that knife is sharper than it ever has been, the sharpening line is something out of a text book, sooooo straight and even..not quite as sharp as my Sheffield..it was harder to get that edge as wicked as my Radiant but is still very very sharp.
The beginning of this journey probably started some time back, but has taken such a very important step, a damned great journey, with great company
with knife makers, knife collectors, knife users, and just good fellows here that so far have helped me, thank you, thank you so much.
Lift your head up from sharpening the knives...and this is the view :thumbup:
I have just come back from a brilliant trip,where my partner Sue, and our four kids each went camping.
Part of my holiday, was for me to have time, read, and to sharpen my knives.
Now this trip takes us to a lovely spot where we are right on the beach...literally one step, and you are on the sand, no power, no showers...a long drop loo, and one tap
...its great....Some time ago I sent Ed Fowler a neat old sheath that I thought was pretty special, Ed commented on it very favourably, and after some time, I sent it to him..it was nice to hear this fantastic person speak so deeply about this old sheath...it meant something to me, I also felt what it was like to recieve the generosity from a forum member here, and I wanted to pass that fantastic feeling on to someone else.
Upon recieving the sheath, in return Ed sent me his signed book etc...again...this meant a lot to me, he didnt have to do this, so the story continues...
Well, since the arrival of traditionals in my life, they have taken over my life almost completely, I read Eds' book this holiday the second time, I took 4 knives with me, my camp knife, my crkt which I use in the kitchen all the time, and two of my special Traditionals - my G.E.C and my Sheffield HUMPRIES RADIANT.
I suspect that Ed has taken many of you on a journey of thought..maybe you were lucky enough to speak to Ed in person, maybe you are like me and read his writings, well his writings and the whole of my Traditinal family here have taken me to a place I am extremely happy to be, I sat down this weekend, and read, thought, and read again..then got my two knives, and sharpened them.
I have not been able to sharpen a knife nicely yet, but this weekend, I sat with my board, my stones, a old leather sheath that I used as a strop, and I sharpened these two knives like I never have before...it just felt right, and it just went right!
My G.E.C, you know how I love this knife,the patina on its well used blade is looking prettier every day, but now could no longer serve as a usefull knife, this bought a fear in me that is hard to explain...this was gifted to me, and this knife and I are pretty hard to seperate, and I wanted to sharpen this knife myself - spoken with NO offence to my good knife mate Sean...as he sharpens my knives-and very well I might add!, But I want this knife to be mine, and I want it to do what I give it to do, so I want to sharpen my knife...this is important to me.
I sharpened the Sheffield first, this knife had cleaned up beautifully from its past life...it had sharpening before and showed its past, but wore it well, well when I finished...with one stroke..this knife literally shaved the hairs off right along my arm with just one pass, after stropping removing the slightest burr...it was scaryingly sharp...this alone was such a massive thing for me, sharpening my knives gives me something that completes the relationship between knife, and owner.
Then I picked up my G.E.C, .. now I have to admit, I was very anxious, and somewhat scared...as I do NOT want even one unsightly sharpening mark on this knife, when I picked up that jack, every single stroke was so even with speed, angle and pressure...well when I finished, that knife is sharper than it ever has been, the sharpening line is something out of a text book, sooooo straight and even..not quite as sharp as my Sheffield..it was harder to get that edge as wicked as my Radiant but is still very very sharp.
The beginning of this journey probably started some time back, but has taken such a very important step, a damned great journey, with great company
with knife makers, knife collectors, knife users, and just good fellows here that so far have helped me, thank you, thank you so much.
Lift your head up from sharpening the knives...and this is the view :thumbup:
