I turned 82 this past winter, while staggering around and learning to walk again with a new all titanium knee. The doctor spoke with forked tongue, and it wasn't a quick 6 to 8 week recovery. At 6 weeks while still in rehab, I braced him with the point blank question of how long is this going to take, and he said th 6 weeks was until I was ambulatory. Full recovery was up to a year. Great. I'd think I would have learned by now when a doctor tells you there will be some post op discomfort, it means stock up on whisky and pain killers.
Anyways, here I am, mostly functional at 4 1/2 months post op, and doing the usual fishing, some woods walks with the better half and dog, some day trips. I haven't been around much, but I think of all the great folks here on the porch, and thought I'd drop in. And make a few comments on an old farts knives. It seems I'm so much busier these days, with still being a bit gimpy, the wife dropping stuff in my lap for me to fix. It seems like I need a small Phillips driver daily. My pocket knife of choice is the small SAK, a classic or executive, and it seems like I'm tinkering with stuff everyday that needs a bit of tinkering. Toasters, blow driers, home goods, dog toys, whatever. I think I'm busier now than ever. I don't know when it happened, but somewhere the decision was made that everything use a small Phillips screw to hold it together. The little SAK is needed overtime I tinker with something.
But being a former knife nut, the need for a dedicated cutting tool is still a powerful thing. As much as the whole knife thing faded for me as I got old, like the gun thing, and others things, I still like a real knife. Not a pliers tool with a knife blade attached, or a knife with some tools and a knife blade in there someplace. I tried to go with just a multitool out of the need to cut down on pocket stuff carried, but I still feel the need for a dedicated cutter. Like for those times where you pull the tab on the package marked "Pull " and it comes off in your hand, or you just want a slice of cheese off that block you brought home with the groceries and is encased in plastic that will keep until the next century, only a knife will do. Sometimes you just need to cut something. So what does a ancient old guy carry?
The Case peanut;
With my passion for Maximum Minimalism, partly inherited from my father and still active, the old peanut is a standby. I have a well used old yella handle CV bladed one that gets carried now and then. The blades are a bit narrower than when new, and they are a dark mottled grey with some iridescent blue tinge from fish guts and other stuff. Theres a weird felling of comfort from it when I cut something. Lots of history there and memories of dad.
Christy knife;
Another hold over form dad. The last ten years of his life he carried one and they are a handy little thing. Like a razor bladed utility knife in the pocket, it cuts like the dickens. Again, my feelings are much based on sentimental memories wit this one. Like the Peanut, it fits in the watch pocket and disappears. A mandatory factor at this stage of my life.
Sardinian Resolza;
This is another one that has sentiment. A gift from forum member Fausto, this little horn handle beauty has been carried a log way in a wide variety of situations. I can't look at it and not think of this forum and my many friends here. Like Fausto. And it fits in with my Love of friction folders. The flat ground blade cuts like the dickens.
Old Timer dog leg jack;.
Like the Resolza, a gift from a forum member Glen, this little cutter has those great stag scales and a blade that ha turned a dark blue/gray with use. And like the Peanut class of pocket knife, it fits in the coin pocket with room to spare, is easy to open, and cuts like the dickens. The bit over 2 inch blade cuts all I need to cut at this stage of my life, like fishing line, bait, plastic packaging, jute twine in the garden, and cheese and pepperoni when needed.
Opinel number 5.;
Like the Resolza, a simple friction folder of European origins, it gets the job done with no fanfare but slices like a razor. Weighs almost nothing, and that is important. As I got older, I found pocket space got more dear, with meds, and various articles of life that I never paid much heed to in my younger days. I won't go into that, but you guys will find out as you get here that more "stuff" is needed to get through the day. Hopefully the RONCO pocket defibrillator won't be needed anytime soon! The Opinel number 5, like the Resolza, can be dropped in a shirt pocket and not be noticed. And with the Magellan fishing shirts that have become my daily wear, the right hand pocket zips shut. No dropping the knife if I bend over. The dog hates it when I bend over to put her leash on and something bonks off her head. Oh, did I mention that the Opinel cuts like the dickens?
Thats about it for our knives. A few inches of blade in a small package that you can forget about in the pocket. If I need more knife, theres the Buck 102 Woodsman in the daypack that goes fishing, woods walking, and day tripping with us. Karen has her daypack with her Swedish Mora fixed blade in it, so we both have sturdy fixed blades somewhere in reach if needed. If theres food prep to do we'll use the sheath knives.
Anyways, here I am, mostly functional at 4 1/2 months post op, and doing the usual fishing, some woods walks with the better half and dog, some day trips. I haven't been around much, but I think of all the great folks here on the porch, and thought I'd drop in. And make a few comments on an old farts knives. It seems I'm so much busier these days, with still being a bit gimpy, the wife dropping stuff in my lap for me to fix. It seems like I need a small Phillips driver daily. My pocket knife of choice is the small SAK, a classic or executive, and it seems like I'm tinkering with stuff everyday that needs a bit of tinkering. Toasters, blow driers, home goods, dog toys, whatever. I think I'm busier now than ever. I don't know when it happened, but somewhere the decision was made that everything use a small Phillips screw to hold it together. The little SAK is needed overtime I tinker with something.
But being a former knife nut, the need for a dedicated cutting tool is still a powerful thing. As much as the whole knife thing faded for me as I got old, like the gun thing, and others things, I still like a real knife. Not a pliers tool with a knife blade attached, or a knife with some tools and a knife blade in there someplace. I tried to go with just a multitool out of the need to cut down on pocket stuff carried, but I still feel the need for a dedicated cutter. Like for those times where you pull the tab on the package marked "Pull " and it comes off in your hand, or you just want a slice of cheese off that block you brought home with the groceries and is encased in plastic that will keep until the next century, only a knife will do. Sometimes you just need to cut something. So what does a ancient old guy carry?
The Case peanut;
With my passion for Maximum Minimalism, partly inherited from my father and still active, the old peanut is a standby. I have a well used old yella handle CV bladed one that gets carried now and then. The blades are a bit narrower than when new, and they are a dark mottled grey with some iridescent blue tinge from fish guts and other stuff. Theres a weird felling of comfort from it when I cut something. Lots of history there and memories of dad.
Christy knife;
Another hold over form dad. The last ten years of his life he carried one and they are a handy little thing. Like a razor bladed utility knife in the pocket, it cuts like the dickens. Again, my feelings are much based on sentimental memories wit this one. Like the Peanut, it fits in the watch pocket and disappears. A mandatory factor at this stage of my life.
Sardinian Resolza;
This is another one that has sentiment. A gift from forum member Fausto, this little horn handle beauty has been carried a log way in a wide variety of situations. I can't look at it and not think of this forum and my many friends here. Like Fausto. And it fits in with my Love of friction folders. The flat ground blade cuts like the dickens.
Old Timer dog leg jack;.
Like the Resolza, a gift from a forum member Glen, this little cutter has those great stag scales and a blade that ha turned a dark blue/gray with use. And like the Peanut class of pocket knife, it fits in the coin pocket with room to spare, is easy to open, and cuts like the dickens. The bit over 2 inch blade cuts all I need to cut at this stage of my life, like fishing line, bait, plastic packaging, jute twine in the garden, and cheese and pepperoni when needed.
Opinel number 5.;
Like the Resolza, a simple friction folder of European origins, it gets the job done with no fanfare but slices like a razor. Weighs almost nothing, and that is important. As I got older, I found pocket space got more dear, with meds, and various articles of life that I never paid much heed to in my younger days. I won't go into that, but you guys will find out as you get here that more "stuff" is needed to get through the day. Hopefully the RONCO pocket defibrillator won't be needed anytime soon! The Opinel number 5, like the Resolza, can be dropped in a shirt pocket and not be noticed. And with the Magellan fishing shirts that have become my daily wear, the right hand pocket zips shut. No dropping the knife if I bend over. The dog hates it when I bend over to put her leash on and something bonks off her head. Oh, did I mention that the Opinel cuts like the dickens?
Thats about it for our knives. A few inches of blade in a small package that you can forget about in the pocket. If I need more knife, theres the Buck 102 Woodsman in the daypack that goes fishing, woods walking, and day tripping with us. Karen has her daypack with her Swedish Mora fixed blade in it, so we both have sturdy fixed blades somewhere in reach if needed. If theres food prep to do we'll use the sheath knives.
