Sometimes it's a hard thing to keep it simple.
Mankind has an inborn leaning to get things too complicated. Maybe it's the curse of the intellegent being. But sometimes simple is best.
It's an amazing thing to think that most of the basis for our modern technology was all invented between 1890 and 1910. Men like Henry Ford, Orville and Wilber Wright, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone all were brilliant men. But they had a vission.
What I found interesting was that they were in some cases, friends. Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford were great fans of the outdoors, and spent a good deal of time camping out. They outfitted one of Fords vehicles as one of the first RV's. On many outings fishing, along rivers and lakes, they sometimes were accompanied by a guy named William Coleman. A name that would become well known for camping gear. He was the designer of the modified Ford they used.
When I was at the Ford Museum some years ago, they had one of the origianl model T Fords that had been one of thier camping vehicles. A display was set up with alot of thier original gear, and among it all were some pocket knives. it was interesting to say the least.
Henry Ford was a thrify man to say the least. He didn't believe in having anything more than what was really needed. Among his effects was a simple single blade slip joint pocket knife that was said to have been his personal knife that he carried on his person. I couldn't make out the name on the tang as it was laying in the display case, but it was a single blade knife, wood handles, well worn and dark with time, a very dark grey blade, and about 4 inches in handle. A single blade jack, sort of like a TL-29 without the screwdriver blade. Simple. And this from a man who could afford anything.
There were some old grainy photo's from the time, one showing Ford, Edison, and Firestone, all sitting by some river shore in folding camp chairs, smiling at the camera, glasses of something in hand. They didn't look like corporate heads, or men of means. They did look like some older gentlemen enjoying the outdoors. I can only guess that in each one of thier pockets was a slip joint pocket knife.
Here were captians of industry enjoying an afternoon fishing by some lake or river, and in my minds eye, I can see them taking out a slip joint pocket knife for some odd chore. Trimming a bit of line, cutting a piece of bait, a snack, or even cleaning thier catch. From what I have read about him, Ford was a fiend for simplicity. The whole design of his car was so the regular working Joe could fix it himself if need be, with a simple tool kit. This philosophy carried over to his fishing, and he cleaned his catch himself. Probably with that wood handle pocket knife. I think if he were around her on this forum, I have a feeling he would have liked sodbusters and daddy barlows.
Of the pocket knives in the case, all were of the single or two blade jack design. One of the two blade jacks about 3 1/2 inches was tagged as belonging to Harvey Firestone, maybe Henry's best friend in later life. It had plain sawcut bone handles, and looked somewhat like a barlow without the longer bolster. It was also well worn, and seen alot of real use. Blades sharpened down maybe 40%. No pocket queen there. Because of some pitting and very dark staining, I could only make out the last letters of the name; -----ble.
Sometimes a simple design is too good to improve on. Like the mousetrap, it works well at what it's supposed to do. Here were some men who were the kings of thier own empires, fishing on some shore with bamboo poles, modified camping vehicle, but with a humble tool in thier pockets.
There's some sort of lesson there.
Mankind has an inborn leaning to get things too complicated. Maybe it's the curse of the intellegent being. But sometimes simple is best.
It's an amazing thing to think that most of the basis for our modern technology was all invented between 1890 and 1910. Men like Henry Ford, Orville and Wilber Wright, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone all were brilliant men. But they had a vission.
What I found interesting was that they were in some cases, friends. Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford were great fans of the outdoors, and spent a good deal of time camping out. They outfitted one of Fords vehicles as one of the first RV's. On many outings fishing, along rivers and lakes, they sometimes were accompanied by a guy named William Coleman. A name that would become well known for camping gear. He was the designer of the modified Ford they used.
When I was at the Ford Museum some years ago, they had one of the origianl model T Fords that had been one of thier camping vehicles. A display was set up with alot of thier original gear, and among it all were some pocket knives. it was interesting to say the least.
Henry Ford was a thrify man to say the least. He didn't believe in having anything more than what was really needed. Among his effects was a simple single blade slip joint pocket knife that was said to have been his personal knife that he carried on his person. I couldn't make out the name on the tang as it was laying in the display case, but it was a single blade knife, wood handles, well worn and dark with time, a very dark grey blade, and about 4 inches in handle. A single blade jack, sort of like a TL-29 without the screwdriver blade. Simple. And this from a man who could afford anything.
There were some old grainy photo's from the time, one showing Ford, Edison, and Firestone, all sitting by some river shore in folding camp chairs, smiling at the camera, glasses of something in hand. They didn't look like corporate heads, or men of means. They did look like some older gentlemen enjoying the outdoors. I can only guess that in each one of thier pockets was a slip joint pocket knife.
Here were captians of industry enjoying an afternoon fishing by some lake or river, and in my minds eye, I can see them taking out a slip joint pocket knife for some odd chore. Trimming a bit of line, cutting a piece of bait, a snack, or even cleaning thier catch. From what I have read about him, Ford was a fiend for simplicity. The whole design of his car was so the regular working Joe could fix it himself if need be, with a simple tool kit. This philosophy carried over to his fishing, and he cleaned his catch himself. Probably with that wood handle pocket knife. I think if he were around her on this forum, I have a feeling he would have liked sodbusters and daddy barlows.
Of the pocket knives in the case, all were of the single or two blade jack design. One of the two blade jacks about 3 1/2 inches was tagged as belonging to Harvey Firestone, maybe Henry's best friend in later life. It had plain sawcut bone handles, and looked somewhat like a barlow without the longer bolster. It was also well worn, and seen alot of real use. Blades sharpened down maybe 40%. No pocket queen there. Because of some pitting and very dark staining, I could only make out the last letters of the name; -----ble.
Sometimes a simple design is too good to improve on. Like the mousetrap, it works well at what it's supposed to do. Here were some men who were the kings of thier own empires, fishing on some shore with bamboo poles, modified camping vehicle, but with a humble tool in thier pockets.
There's some sort of lesson there.
