The old fart's penknife.

[Bastler]

I lived for years with two pocket knives and one kitchen knife. Now I enjoy selecting a knife for the day that suits my mood, but I miss the familiarity of the knife that went everywhere with me.

 

[lambertiana]

Yep, as time goes by I want more and more to simplify my life and remove a lot of clutter. And I have always felt that a large knife was not necessary for day to day living.

 

[Hal]

Paring down is one of the hardest things to get started doing.
I'm going to be 69 in a couple of weeks & have been trying to motivate myself to start cleaning out my lifetime of accumulated crap since I retired 10 years ago.

We are building a new house in the coming year so - maybe I can scrape all the crap off the sole of my "boot of life" and not have a ton of crap to move.

 

[cbach8tw]

There is a good feeling, almost a a release, when letting go and simplifying things, collections or life. I look at my collection and ask myself how did I get to this point? Letting go of some of the knives in my collection is the hard part, will I miss them? But there is also a good feeling that maybe they will go to a home where they can be enjoyed and used, as they are meant to be used rather that sitting around in a drawer or box. I remember something Chuck Yeager used to mention in his book, not a quote, but when you get older and you cannot do a lot things you used to do, you find something else you can do and go from there, just keep pressing forward.

 

[jackknife]

There is a good feeling, almost a a release, when letting go and simplifying things, collections or life. I look at my collection and ask myself how did I get to this point? Letting go of some of the knives in my collection is the hard part, will I miss them? But there is also a good feeling that maybe they will go to a home where they can be enjoyed and used, as they are meant to be used rather that sitting around in a drawer or box. I remember something Chuck Yeager used to mention in his book, not a quote, but when you get older and you cannot do a lot things you used to do, you find something else you can do and go from there, just keep pressing forward.

Yes, it was a great feeling to let go of stuff and simplify my life from too many material possessions. It is also a continuing great feeling to see many of those knives and guns in the hands of my kids, grandkids, nephews, and old friends when we meet up.

And Yeager's quote is very similar to one by one of my favorite presidents, Teddy Roosevelt. He said to "Do the best with what you're got, wherever you are."

Age doesn't leave us much as time goes on, but I can still fish, take shorter hikes, work out back on the garden, go on road trips. And doing that, I'll still have a sharp knife (or two) in the pocket.

 

[JPD1998]

I'm nearing retirement age , 3-5 years away. And I know my income will drop, I won't be able to just buy anything on a whim.
If God permits, I will sell off anything I've accumulated and don't plan on ever using.
I'll focus on collecting.

There are plenty of retirees that trade/sell/buy knives as a hobby and I'll try to do the same.

As far a the "old fart" knife, I've always known that a simple slipjoint is all you need in your pocket.
I've been carrying one since I was a boy. The first knife ever taken from me by NYPD ( at 16 y/o) was a two bladed Case jack knife.
Yes I was doing something I shouldn't have been....

My daughter bought me another one just like it last Christmas, she didn't know I had one as a boy.

 

[bayouace]

Great thread.
Never quit. Never give in. Never stop giving. 75 here I come.

 

[Legendary_Jarl]

That was a nice post. Reminded me of when I read Siddharta by Herman Hesse. He was looking for happiness throughout his life and realized he was the happiest with the bare minimum. Something to do with trying to escape the endless circles of Samsara... something like that. My tastes have changed with age as well and for urban life I think a gentlemen's pocket knife is sufficient to cover most needs. I'm in fact looking to get something similar to the Buck 379 but not made in China. Any suggestions?

 

[Venice]

That was a nice post. Reminded me of when I read Siddharta by Herman Hesse. He was looking for happiness throughout his life and realized he was the happiest with the bare minimum. Something to do with trying to escape the endless circles of Samsara... something like that. My tastes have changed with age as well and for urban life I think a gentlemen's pocket knife is sufficient to cover most needs. I'm in fact looking to get something similar to the Buck 379 but not made in China. Any suggestions?

The Case Pen Knife is a nice small knife but has 2 blades. Made in USA.
My personal favorite, and I think jackknife will back my up on this, is a Christy. All handmade by a family owned business in Ohio started in the late 1800s. Great slicers with lots of history. Available in a couple different finishes including brass. Also opens with one hand to 3 different blade lengths.

 

[353]

I look back on it all, and I wonder what the heck happened?

What was it all about?

For most of my life, I was a knife nut. There, I said it and mean it. I’d read any knife publication I could get my hands on. Knife magazines, Knife annuals like Ken Warner’s knife books. I’d ‘accumulate all kinds of knives that I had no use for. I had a nice little collection of Randall’s, Jay Hendrickson’s, Ralph Bone, George Stone, Rudy Ruanna, and other customs and semi customs. Lots of folders from Case, Hen And Rooster, Buck, Boker, and anything that caught my eye. I even had a Pacific Cutlery Company Balisong that I played with in the 80’s. I had pen knives, stockman knives, trappers, Barlow’s, Douk-Douk’s, Opinels, Mercators, and SAK’s. I’d go to knife shows to see if there was anything I was overlooking, and absolutely couldn’t do without.

I was the obsessive knife nut looking for the grail. The next shiny object. The next new knife rush.

Then it all went away.

Not at once, but in the course of a few years, it all mostly, about 98%, faded away as I got through middle age and started into the dreaded senior citizen years. I started looking harder at who I was, and where I was in life, and most of all, what I was doing. I stared to look at it all, and wondered “what the hell was I thinking?” I sold off the Randall’s and other custom stuff, and being Randall’s and such with a cult flowing, I made a nice sum of money off them. The high end and other stuff soon followed, and had a feeling of dread lurking that I would regret this action. That I would suffer some sort of ‘sellers regret.” It didn’t happen. In fact, I felt unexpectedly good. I felt a definite feeling of liberation. Weird.

Then I did the big downsize. I set aside my old standby’s from before knife nut set int. My SAK’s, a few Opinels, a Buck fixed blade. Everything went but them. It took a year or two, but I felt like, well, it hard to describe. It was like comping out of a long period or temporary insanity and seeing the real world again. Or like coming off a really long drunk, and seeing the world while sober again. It felt great.

Now, as a retired old fart living in Georgetown Texas, I find myself going about my day with a small SAK in my pocket, and a Leatherman squirt on my keyring, and I’m fine. No matter if going about a Harry Homeowner project, fishing on the San Gabriel river, doing a car trip to California to see family and fishing at Mammoth Lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains, or a three day trip to San Antonio to cruise the river walk and live it up a bit, I find I don’t need much knife in a life in suburban America. But I still feel a knife is a mandatory thing to have on you as you go about that urban/suburban life.

Most of all, I haven’t missed any of the knives I sold off at all. I did the same thing with my gun accumulation, and I haven’t missed any of them. I kept a few revolvers for self and home defense, and my wife has her one and only S&W 317 that is on her bedside. I’m not sure how it relates to age, but it definitely does. When I was a young man, I had all kinds of “What if’s?” On my mind. Now as an “older” gentleman of leisure, I can look back on it all and see that it was actually kind of silly. I guess I at least am thankful that I collected items that were actually useful, and could be dropped in a pocket and used, unlike a stamp collection, or a beer can collection, or a toy car collection.

Maybe age finally brings some reality to thinking. I know that the odds are that I will not be skinning a moose these days, or surviving in the Amazon jungle on the spur of the moment, or taking out enemy paratroopers while yelling “Wolverines!” I’m not 007, The Lone Ranger, or the Caped Crusader defending Gotham. I’m just a retired machine shop guy in a 21st century town in suburban Texas. Most days I don’t need anything more than a Victorinox Classc or my Leatherman squirt. Some days if my wife and I are on an outing, and food is involved, an Opinel or 84mm SAK works fine.

I guess only now I understand the old farts I’d seen when I was a kid, and wondered why they carried a dinky little pen knife that fit in the coin/watch pocket of the jeans with room left over. They just reached a point in life that they realized they didn’t really need any more knife. Like my friend Howard. Howard is an old time Texan and life long oil rig worker. Rough as an old cob, but with a plain spoken attitude that is refreshing. His choice of pocket knife for decades has been the little Buck mini Buck. It fits in his watch pocket and does the job. When I asked him about it, he said if he was going hunting, he carries a ‘huntin’ knife and when he goes fishing, theres a ‘fishin’ knife in the tackle box. For around town, he doesn’t want to be bothered by a larger knife in his pocket. At 80 years of age, he seems to have got by with that attitude. Now, having turned 80 earlier this month, I reached that point. Now as a newly minted octogenarian, my knife of the day fits in the coin pocket, and is a keychain size knife. It just makes more room in the pocket for the RONCO pocket defibrillator in case of a vapor lock on me or another old fart close by. With the CCW of the day, that cuts out the right front pocket for other use anyways. Now a days, one of the more rigorous uses for my pocket knife of the day, other than opening boxes and cutting off the plastic tags from my wife’s purchases, is spearing an extra olive for the martini. Or slicing some lime for the vodka tonic.

Looking back on it all, my perfect pocket knife has changed so many times. The changes in life between 50 and 60 made one pocketknife better. The further changes between 60 and 70 were greater, while going through the 70’s, things really changed. You come to the realization that you will never be doing now what you did 10 or 15 years ago. But also, you realize that you don’t really want to do those things. By old age, hopefully you’ve done your bushwhacking/backpacking/big game hunting/rough travel. Its nice to sit on the veranda of the Yellowstone Lodge with a nice cocktail in hand watching Old Faithful erupt. Or riding the tourist train around Yosemite with a guide telling you all the high points and then dinner at a nice lodge with linen table cloths. My heavy duty knives have all long since been retired and the kids and grandkids have them now. These days the little Leatherman squirt combined with a small Opinel or Victorinox SAK seem to all fill my need the coin pocket knife.

Horror upon horrors, I’ve become the old guy with the little pen knife!

That was a fantastic read, thank you sir.

I see myself in you allready at the age of 41!

My current day to day EDC is a SAK + a Squirt in the coin pocket.

 

[jackknife]

The Case Pen Knife is a nice small knife but has 2 blades. Made in USA.
My personal favorite, and I think jackknife will back my up on this, is a Christy. All handmade by a family owned business in Ohio started in the late 1800s. Great slicers with lots of history. Available in a couple different finishes including brass. Also opens with one hand to 3 different blade lengths.

I'll definitely second the Christy knife!

Growing up in the 1950's, they were a lot more common than now, and dad was a huge fan of them. He made sure everyone in the family had one, and after mom passed away, we found a nice thank you letter from Christy thanking dad for the purchase of 50 of them to hand out to his people when he was section chief in his organization. When my sister Anne was in her early 20's, she turned the tables on a would be rapist with her Christy knife. Dad had taught her how to protect herself.

Thin razor sharp blade cuts like the dickens.

 

[Venice]

I'll definitely second the Christy knife!

Growing up in the 1950's, they were a lot more common than now, and dad was a huge fan of them. He made sure everyone in the family had one, and after mom passed away, we found a nice thank you letter from Christy thanking dad for the purchase of 50 of them to hand out to his people when he was section chief in his organization. When my sister Anne was in her early 20's, she turned the tables on a would be rapist with her Christy knife. Dad had taught her how to protect herself.

Thin razor sharp blade cuts like the dickens.

Mr. Christy still sends a personal letter with each knife. Very classy.

 

[Whitedog]

Great read!

 

[jackknife]

Mr. Christy still sends a personal letter with each knife. Very classy.

Yes they do. I recently bought another one and I got a nice letter signed by both Hal and his wife. Hal is running a one-man show these days, as Christy has shrunk from what they used to be 40 years ago. I really sincerely hope he continues to make it in todays market. It would be a shame to see such a unique bit of cutlery history go out.

With the history they have in both WW2 and the Cold War after, every knife nut should buy a Christy knife just for that.

 

[DocT]

I started getting rid of a lot of stuff this year. That motorcycle accident (hit and run) a couple of years ago that busted me up and really has slowed me down. I had a huge library, but nobody to give it to, so I started slimming it down. I do not want it to be a burden on my wife. Spyderco listens to its customers and I was one of the ones that bugged them about producing a UK Penknife slip joint in LC200N. They have done so. Once that comes out, I am going to start selling off my Benchmades and Spydercos and Bucks etc. I am trying to get simpler. I do not want my wife to have to dispose of all of that if something happens to me.

 

[jackknife]

I started getting rid of a lot of stuff this year. That motorcycle accident (hit and run) a couple of years ago that busted me up and really has slowed me down. I had a huge library, but nobody to give it to, so I started slimming it down. I do not want it to be a burden on my wife. Spyderco listens to its customers and I was one of the ones that bugged them about producing a UK Penknife slip joint in LC200N. They have done so. Once that comes out, I am going to start selling off my Benchmades and Spydercos and Bucks etc. I am trying to get simpler. I do not want my wife to have to dispose of all of that if something happens to me.

Doc, thats a very real problem. We spend a lifetime accumulating all this stuff that doesn't mean that much to the rest of us, then we die and our family is burdened with the problem of conflicting emotions on getting rid of stuff that they knew you loved, but doesn't mean a lot to them in whatever lifestyle they will be living.

In our latter years, we owe it to our family to simplify.

 

[SteeleJ1976]

Great post. I don't know if I qualify for old fart status as I am in my mid 40s but I just don't have time for a lot of knives. I didn't carry a knife for 20 years and just got into them in the last year or so. I carry a Leatherman Wave for work that has 2 knives on it and after work and on the weekends I carry a Tinker and Rambler or Super Tinker.

I used to open boxes with my keys which was always a pain and I just wanted a knife on me for out and about. I enjoy looking at all the traditional knives on here and would like to get a nice GEC or Case knife but beyond that I am completely satisfied with the knives/multitools I have.

 

[jackknife]

Great post. I don't know if I qualify for old fart status as I am in my mid 40s but I just don't have time for a lot of knives. I didn't carry a knife for 20 years and just got into them in the last year or so. I carry a Leatherman Wave for work that has 2 knives on it and after work and on the weekends I carry a Tinker and Rambler or Super Tinker.

I used to open boxes with my keys which was always a pain and I just wanted a knife on me for out and about. I enjoy looking at all the traditional knives on here and would like to get a nice GEC or Case knife but beyond that I am completely satisfied with the knives/multitools I have.

Steele, I hate to say it on a knife forum, but it sounds like you're all set for living real life. I'e found a small multitool works great for out and about in the world. You've got cutting covered as well as a few tools to deal with those unexpected little bumps that life loves to toss in your way.

 

[rustyspike]

Basically I am a Archer. Started hunting in my 40's when I lived down south. I could just drive 15 mins and be at Public land that permitted hunting. I just liked carrying a weapon in the woods. So I bought my first nice fixed blade. Thought if you are in the woods alone you need to have tool. (Helle Egan $55. at the time. They are double that now.) I have a knife in my center console and 2 tool boxes in the hatch. I rarely put one my belt anymore. I have key chain SAK on my key ring and rarely need to use it.

On my desk; where I spend a lot of my time now. I have a SAK and a Microtech OTF. Love the one handed open. Nice laws are rude in PA. I live about 3 miles from NE Philly.

Any way I will be 65 next month.

Rich K.

 

[Velitrius]

Well J jackknife you have the "long-ass-rambling-story" part of being an old fart down pat.

Before my grandmother passed away, she set about shedding her material stuff. Sold her house and gave away the stuff that her family wanted to them and moved into an apartment. She had a set of dishes, her rocking chair and her TV.

I thought she'd gone mad. But she was happy and liberated, knowing that the decades of crap she accumulated wouldn't be a burden on anyone after she passed.

It also allowed her to focus on family activities and things she liked to do, without having any worry about other stuff. I think there's a lesson for me from her.

I'm trimming my stuff down nowadays as well. I have eschewed "tactical" and focused on "practical", and have noticed that less is more.

But I don't think it has anything to do with my age...... 50 is the new 20, Baby!