Nothing like a trusted tool

kamagong

kamagong

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Jan 13, 2001
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You know how they say that fine wines get better with age? I’ve learned that this principle also applies to good guns and nice knives as well. I have a 1911 that has been reliable and accurate from the day I took it out of its box. Now that I have a couple thousand rounds through it, shooting this gun has become almost effortless. It’s scary how good this gun makes me look; if you didn’t know any better you’d probably think I was a halfway decent shot.

I have a couple of knives that have improved in a similar manner. When I first received them, a KHnutbuster and a Schatt & Morgan Harness Jack, I was pretty floored with how nice they were. The KHnutbuster was my first custom and the HJ is still the nicest production slipjoint I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning. These two knives immediately took over my daily rotation and were the ones I carried most the past few years. Obviously they are no longer mint. Both have developed patinas on their blades and have picked up some scratches and dents along the way. I even chipped one of the scales on the KHnutbuster when I dropped it on the street one day. Despite these “imperfections” I feel that these two knives are better now than when they were new. The goldenroot bone scales on the HJ and the antique bone scales on the KHnutbuster have smoothed out a fair bit and now have that pocketworn feeling. The color of the scales has improved as well, and in the right light they have a glow about them. But the best thing of all is that I now have the edges I want on these knives. I don’t always sharpen new knives, only the ones that need it. I sharpen as needed (so as to conserve steel and lengthen the life of a blade) and over time like to convert the edge to convex. It took a while, but these two now cut like razors.

What’s the point to all this? I guess that I just wanted to remind myself that as nice as it is to own and admire a bunch of beautiful, minty specimens I get the most enjoyment from my users. They might not be the prettiest knives out there, but they definitely have a charm all their own.

schattmorganharnessjack.jpg


mykhnutbuster.jpg
 
That's the reason why I try to avoid buying many folders. I want to have something that I can faithfully keep in my pocket, use it and get the "imperfections" over the years. I always admire those stories of people (usually non-collectors) who have story to tell about their olde trusty pocket knife.
 
Nice post, kamagong. I too believe a perfect knife can only get more perfect with age and use.

-- Mark
 
Lovely knives Christian, I think you might have just put me on the road to getting a Harness Jack.
 
Those are some fine, well used and loved friends!

For me it takes time to get down to the one item. For example, I have worn the same watch pretty much every day for the last four years, same credit card holder for the past three and pocket flashlight. But other things, I need to have more than one but not too many. I rotate between three pairs of boots (mainly to avoid wearing out the soles too quickly) and I usually carry one of two Menefee knives every day and I would eventually add a couple more but that would be it. It's hard I tell you to choose just one.
 
Thanks for the comments guys, they are much appreciated. Don't misunderstand me though, these knives are in no way EDCs. I'm as much a knifenut as the rest of you and I get a bit antsy if I carry the same knife for too long and will want to switch it out for a bit of a change. I think of these two as being more along the lines of primary carry knives. I may have others but these two have the places of honor in my rotation.

I have semi-retired the KHnutbuster though and mainly carry it around the house. This knife is the only one with any sentimental attachment for me as it was made especially for me to carry the day of my wedding. It fell out of my pocket while commuting on the train one day and I would've lost it if not for the honesty and sharp eyes of the woman next to me. I've set the KHnutbuster aside for my daughter when she gets older. An Ohta modified wharncliffe has taken its place.

- Christian
 
It takes time to earn trust.

I have a few that have been the whole trip with me, and sometimes I just revert back to them. I enjoy playing with a peanut, or other nice pocket knife, but sometimes when I'm going off on a trip, or someplace I've never been before, I have a tendency to grab one or two of my old standby's. Even with some nice newer knives around, I'll still take my old war horse Wenger SI or old Buck stockman, or even my old yella CV sodbuster in a pocket. I have an old Ruger standard model that's old enough that I paid the original retail of 39.95 for it. I can't begin to guess how many rounds have been down the tube in that gun, but it's a companion. There's not much blue left on it, and it has some ding's, but it reminds me of a lot of places, people, and events. I guess it's to me, what the woodsman was to dad.

Sometimes things can be old friends that won't let you down.

Carl.
 
Here's a picture of the Ohta that I mentioned earlier. It hasn't yet achieved the status of an "old reliable" but it's getting there. The stag is starting to mellow and IMO the polished bolsters are starting to look better as they pick up microscratches and lose their brand new look.

hiroakiohtawharncliffe.jpg


- Christian
 
I like your taste in knives AND guns, Christian!
My experience is similar; I never shot better than when I only owned one pistol, and I never feel happier, than when I am very good friends with the knife in my pocket.
 
This thread is great reading and requires answering.

Now what to write? There were many things that grabbed me, not just knifes.

I have two rifles I use a heym 6.5 55 swedish mauser and a anschutz 22 lr, Im now 44 and got the 22 together with my brother at age aprox 15 to hunt birds and bought the 6.5 when turned 18. In sweden its rifles one own, very difficult to own pistols and living in sush an environment with that rules sunken into the personality I dont se any need for a pistol eather. I also have a 6.5 i inherited from my brother. The two first rifles is all I need for my purposes and Im almost grown together with them, I have never felt a need for anything else.
Im not owning more boots, backpacks, tents, throusers, binoculars etc than I need eather.

Knifes I own more than needed,
I have mabye 15 fixed blades, 10 carpentars knifes, 3 butherknifes, 5 modern folders a few lockbacks and 40 slipjoints. I could cope with a few fixedblades and slipjoints as it is what I actually use together with the carpentarsknifes and the butcherknifes witch I have what I use of. But I feel this connection with them that makes them feel like a treasure of mine. The slipjoints is the hart of this treasure, Its some older EKAs and more than a few SAKs but the most liked ones is the ones i got in hold of since I joined this forum. I realy like the american made knifes. I have 4 cases, a queen, two schrades and a remington togeter with my two pumas and a gerber fs 1 lockback. This makes a total of more than 10 slipjoints I realy care for. Due to sizes and prefered patterns for EDC I rotate 5 of them. This is more than enough for the rest of my life but I cant realy rest into that. I have a few knifes still I want to own and carry. Next one will be a KH custom. (waiting, waiting, waiting ;) )
But inspired of you Kamagong I can say its my rather new Case (just a few years) medium stockman cv and my puma 667 prospector that are those special knifes. The Puma was a result of extensive savings for a teenager and the case was given to me by Sunnyd. It boils down to bouth terrific patterns and the story around them.
For me the knifes will be to many If they dont carry a personal story or can be remembered individually.

Bosse
 
That was a great post Bosse. I have a few pistols and a few rifles. I have a couple I shoot more than the others, a .22lr CZ 452 and my 1911. I've become very attached to those two, and while I still value the others I consider them as nothing more than tools.

7rip13a said:
Lovely knives Christian, I think you might have just put me on the road to getting a Harness Jack.
Click to expand...

Hard to go wrong with a Harness Jack Leo.
 
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