- Joined
- Aug 13, 2010
- Messages
- 2,548
I had an experience last night that kinda blew me away - nothing earth shattering, but feel compelled to share it with "knife brethren", as no one else will get it ...
My youngest son is 14, an active Boy Scout on the road to Eagle, and I am an Assistant Scoutmaster in his troop. Like most of us with this affliction, I am also known as the "knife guy", and I teach whittlin chip and totin chip to the scouts as part of their training ...
So last night, I'm at the weekly meeting and chatting with another leader, who loves to show me every new knife he gets - usually Kershaw or CRKT or something along those lines, and as always, I nod and smile and comment on the "good value" kershaw represents (which is true) ... and then he asks what I'm carrying - I happened to have my CRK Small Sebenza so I show it to him, knowing full well the difference will likely be lost on him for the most part, and as he's admiring it, a 12 year old Scout, new to the troop who happened to be standing nearby asks me "Is that S35VN steel?" .... and my jaw dropped open ... "why yes, son it is ... and how in the world would you come to that conclusion from 6 feet away?" ... "I heard you mention it was a Chris Reeve" he says ... again, shaking my head ... now this kid has my attention - but it gets better .... "Are you a knife collector?" says I ... "well, I only have two" says he ... "So what do you carry?" I ask ... and Brothers, this kid pulls a Camo PM2 out of his pocket and says, "just a Paramilitary 2" ... Just? Just? I wanted to hug this kid! (can't do that of course) ... 12 years old, and he "gets it" better than almost all the adults I know ... so we started talking knives and the kid knows steels, and makers and models - don't get me wrong, he's no expert here, but he definitely has some research under his belt and he carries a PM2! He asked if I would bring in some of my other knives to show him and I said sure and we parted ways ... and I've been grinning ever since.
Don't get me wrong, my Sons all know a good bit about knives - how could they not? And they each have small respectable collections themselves - but this kid, all on his own (single Mom scenario) is a "from the heart" knife guy ... !
Evidently the next generation is alive and well ....
My youngest son is 14, an active Boy Scout on the road to Eagle, and I am an Assistant Scoutmaster in his troop. Like most of us with this affliction, I am also known as the "knife guy", and I teach whittlin chip and totin chip to the scouts as part of their training ...
So last night, I'm at the weekly meeting and chatting with another leader, who loves to show me every new knife he gets - usually Kershaw or CRKT or something along those lines, and as always, I nod and smile and comment on the "good value" kershaw represents (which is true) ... and then he asks what I'm carrying - I happened to have my CRK Small Sebenza so I show it to him, knowing full well the difference will likely be lost on him for the most part, and as he's admiring it, a 12 year old Scout, new to the troop who happened to be standing nearby asks me "Is that S35VN steel?" .... and my jaw dropped open ... "why yes, son it is ... and how in the world would you come to that conclusion from 6 feet away?" ... "I heard you mention it was a Chris Reeve" he says ... again, shaking my head ... now this kid has my attention - but it gets better .... "Are you a knife collector?" says I ... "well, I only have two" says he ... "So what do you carry?" I ask ... and Brothers, this kid pulls a Camo PM2 out of his pocket and says, "just a Paramilitary 2" ... Just? Just? I wanted to hug this kid! (can't do that of course) ... 12 years old, and he "gets it" better than almost all the adults I know ... so we started talking knives and the kid knows steels, and makers and models - don't get me wrong, he's no expert here, but he definitely has some research under his belt and he carries a PM2! He asked if I would bring in some of my other knives to show him and I said sure and we parted ways ... and I've been grinning ever since.
Don't get me wrong, my Sons all know a good bit about knives - how could they not? And they each have small respectable collections themselves - but this kid, all on his own (single Mom scenario) is a "from the heart" knife guy ... !
Evidently the next generation is alive and well ....
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