Project Grandson

The Burgh

The Burgh

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Jan 22, 2015
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Assembling a "Knife Time Capsule." Having a blast, not spending in excess and hopefully creating a knife library for my little guy to appreciate in 3-5 years and beyond..

I'm slowly starting a small knife collection intended eventually for my ( age 3) Grandson, and hope to have various knives with various blades (damascus, flat hollow, etc.), scales (G10, titanium, wood), locks (liner, frame, axis), steels, shapes and manufacturers. All are ~ 3" inch (pocket) blades. Cost from $5 to $200 - emphasis on real value/bang-for-the-buck. (Those are also learned skills!) I am putting much thought and research into this. This forum has been especially helpful!

Right now, no specific "kniving" purpose is intended for any of them. They will be strictly learning tools for him (and, hopefully a kind remembrance of me).

Just bought the Boker Plus Damascus Gent II (Example of gentleman blade, damascus steel and ebony wood handle).

If you were to buy ONLY ONE knife for this purpose - fitting the above selection criteria - what would buy for your Grandson?

Help?

Thank you for your wisdom!

P.S. Please see Post #16 below for more detail.
 
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What a cool idea. Cheers to you, Grandpa. Your little guy will appreciate and cherish the knives and the thought that you are putting into this project.

I will suggest one of my favorites, and a great example of a budget hard use knife: the Ontario Rat 2. You can find this knife all over the place for ~$30. It is not perfect, but my Rat 1 (same design but longer blade) does everything it is supposed to do and does it well. Also, considering the price, it is a great blade for your grandson to learn on; if he makes a mistake and damages it in some way the financial exposure is limited.

I know you said only one, but I am also going to suggest getting him one fixed blade knife also. When I was growing up, my father started me off with a typical Boy Scout folder, then a Camilus lock-blade (which I still have 35 years later), and finally a 4.25" fixed blade knife. As a kid, the progression to a fixed blade was a big deal, and made me feel like I was becoming a "man."

Again, hats off to you, Grandpa. I am sure that your grandson thinks you are awesome.
 
I think you have to throw a trapper in there. Case or moore maker maybe. My first knives were a SAK and then a little puma folder. Both solid options also. A spyderco endura migjt have to be my pick for one though. That knife, probably 20 years ago, started my obsession. Very cool idea by the way.
 
I would definitely put a GEC 15 Boy's Knife I'm there. Very classy and classic knife.
 
Lol Burgh,I thought that same thing.Last week my only grandchild turned 1 years old. Being in my 60's I know all to well that we colud be like two ships crossing paths in the sea of time.I'm also working on sort of a journal of life for him. I bought a large piece of pvc with end caps to cement when I'm done. So far I've put my old fixed blade Camullus,Victorinox Farmer and a compass in the pipe.
 
Get an OD-1 or OD-2 from Kershaw. Really cool mechanism that may not be around forever. Both are great values too.
 
Splendid idea Grandpa ! I hope your grandchild has lots of fun with his time capsule ! As a benchmark for very little money and high value I would add a Case Sodbuster, an Opinel or a Douk-Douk... (folders) or a Cold Steel Finn Bear, Roach Belly or Pendleton Lite... (fixed blades). I think it's enlightening how much use and fun one can get out of very, very affordable knives if they are just done right.
 
How about some of the Salt series Spydercos? They're historic in that they're pretty much the first widespread use of H1 steel. Dragonfly 2 or Salt 1 would be my recommendations.

And a side benefit is, no worries about rust while sitting in the capsule :-)
 
Great idea sir! You Grandson will love it. I think one particular knife that is representative of this period in folding knives is the titanium frame lock. They have been all the rage now for several years and will be for more years to come. I think a very good bang for your buck for this type of knife would be the Spyderco Sage 2.
 
I had the same thoughts when I found out I was going to be a Grandpa. He's due here on 02/07/15 so it could be any day now.

I am Ronnie II, named after my father. My son is Ronnie III, carrying mine and my dads name forward. My Grandson will be Ronnie IV.

So I put this set together for all of us that will end up in the hands of R the 4th at some point down the road. I use mine frequently and so does my son. By the time they get to R4, they'll have plenty soul in them.

I pictured him standing there one day 50 years from now with serial #02 and #03 in his hands, thinking about me (his grandpa), and his dad, and then pulling #04 out of his pocket.

Now I'm going to start my own capsule for him after reading this thread and put some more blade related items in it.

Thanks for posting this. Got me thinking about my dad and my own sons and grandson. Great idea.
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An Opinel #8 Not every knife is considered one of the best designed anything of all time.
Also consider picking up a handmade fixed blade. The forum member makers do some amazing work.

Just a thought..if you want it to have meaning and not just be a box of knives that he may or may not like make sure you use at least some of them. Inheriting Grandpa's Knives is much more awesome than Box of Stuff. Write a letter which says what each one is and why it was chosen. If you used the knife say that too.
 
Great idea!

I would put a BK11 or BK24 with handles in there. Great small fixed blade that he can learn all the basics with, and belt or pocket carry as he grows up.

For reference, my son(4) grip on my 11 with scales;
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skyhorse said:
I bought a large piece of pvc with end caps to cement when I'm done. So far I've put my old fixed blade Camullus,Victorinox Farmer and a compass in the pipe.
Click to expand...

I think the PVC pipe is a GREAT idea...for a time capsule. Good work, friend.
Don

p.s. Do NOT get him any backlocks. I got mine a Cold Steel backlock and his DAD and I both had a hard time in opening it.
Since then, I've got him a RAT 2 in digi-camo, a Zancudo, a Spyderco Techno, a 3" custom fixed blade and sheath for hiking, and a Kingdom Armory Mini Samaritan (over-budget). He'll have to grow into some of these, but I only have just so much time to gift him.
I think he likes the smaller, cheaper ones the best... What can ya do? :)
Have fun with it, and spend time with him...in the woods when you can. He'll remember those times the best, IMO.
 
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Kudos to you! That is an incredible idea!

I think a Spyderco Delica would be a great addition. The Endura was already mentioned for the same reason. Either would suffice, but one or the other should be included.

Good luck on your project!
 
OP here.

When I do gift this set of knives to my Grandson, I will place a paper copy of this thread with the set. He deserves to see what a fabulous community can build up around any hobby, a global community of open, honest, sharing, experienced individuals who are more than willing to help each other grow in knowledge and satisfaction in the hobby. I myself have had these experiences on Rimfire Central (RFC) and Budget Light Forum (BLF).

I'll briefly share my own childhood experience that spawned this idea. My Dad was very generous with his time in sharing his small game/dearhunting skills (and friends) with me. From equipment selection, respect of nature, skills, equipment maintenance, game butchering and beagle training, I was at his side. He always had this lockback with him and used it for everything, then an already worn down, sharpened down buckhorn 2-blader with a metalic shield inlaid into the buckhorn. He told me that he had found it (when he was in his 30s) while deer hunting, kicked it while walking with the sun glinting a small beam on the blade - it was already worn. It bacame mine when he died. My home burned down - I found it unburned, inexplicably nestled amongst some broken china. Ten years later, I now hold it in my hand as I write this tome. The only identifier is an imprint at the base of the blade clearly reading Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co

My Grandson Gift will probably contain ~ 20 knives (including my SAK and the Hibbard) exhibited in an aluminum carry case atop eggcrate foam. Each time we go to the woods together (behind my house), we'll select our knives for that trip. Each time we return, we'll clean, inspect and perhaps sharpen that day's knives before returning it to the case.

Thanks for listening!
 
That's an awesome idea. My son is going to have quite a collection of his own one day. He is 10 days shy of turning one. I have several in mind to give him when he's old enough but the first is my buck 55. I bought it when my wife was pregnant and I knew I would eventually pass it on to him. I also have a few of my great grandpas case knives and I know one will go to him.

Here is a picture I took of Brooks with his first knife when he was only a month or so old

 
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