The Pocket Knife Tradition

Pygmalion

Pygmalion

Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
988
I remember getting my first pocket knife. I was in first grade, and it was a Case Cub Scout knife. I remember it had a large blade, a screwdriver, a bottle opener, and I think a leather awl.
It was a big deal for me when I was allowed to have that knife. It was almost a "coming of age" event. I was eventually allowed to carry it to school for show and tell, and then I could carry it to school daily. It was never an issue with the school (late 1960's), and I never got in any trouble with it.
Today my pocket knife is as much a part of my daily adornment as my watch. That tradition has changed, though, with the times. It's a sad change, but I guess it had to happen. The gang/thug mentality began to see the pocket knife as a weapon instead of a tool.
Is carrying a pocket knife a dying tradition? I wonder what percentage of the population today would have a pocket knife in their pocket on any given day.
 
It is for kids still in school... Like you, I grew up with a pocket knife, and a sheath knife on me (not at school), and my 22 rifle or pistol. After school if I had my chores done, I would go down to the river and shoot until I ran out of shells.

My 13 year old son loves knives, and carries one of his slip joints a lot. Its one of the first things he makes sure he has, if we are going camping, fishing or hunting
 
It is against the law to carry a knife in Australia . In Victoria $1000 fine on the spot guilty before proven innocent . I will keep on carring UL has seen some video of me in the hospital with my last child being born . I have a 125ot that UL gave me on . Has a UL tang on a Old Timer . I carry this one all the time . If I go to take pictures I put this one down near them to hold the material down also to say goodbye to what i'm selling . sort of a lead horse so to speak ,settle down the other mustangs for market.
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Jamo...I gave you that knife to take to the hospital cos Samantha <the tough little trooper that she is> told me you used your teeth on her previous birth umbilical cord...after 6 kids I thought it about time she had the luxury of a sharp Schrade......and you have all called me Uncle Larry= UL ever since and I'm proud of that title......she tells me you now use it on your cattle births as well..and at the Bar B Q to prepare the steaks....they breed them tough as Texans out Western Queensland where Jamo hails from....
I have about 2000 USA Schrades that all speak with Aussie strine accent like yours....all caught in the same cultural warp mate....Hoo Roo....
 
Jamo said:
a 125ot that UL gave me
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Jamo - It sounds like that is one knife with a whole lot of history behind it. It will be a great present for one of your grandchildren one day. You should write down some of the history of the knife, like some of the things Uncle Larry wrote about in the post above this.
 
Pygmalion said:
Jamo - It sounds like that is one knife with a whole lot of history behind it. It will be a great present for one of your grandchildren one day. You should write down some of the history of the knife, like some of the things Uncle Larry wrote about in the post above this.
Click to expand...

Hello UL yes it is my second favorite knife ,but must be my favorite as I wear it all the time . I try not to call it UL as I called my 897Uh UH when I was a kid . But yes I have a few knives off UL , have written down and kept even copys of his listings for the Great Great Grandkids unless they fight and hock them early .
UL I won your M-7S survival knife back last week ,spoke to the seller who won it off you last year ,he's nice bloke .
Thanks again UL for UL . Love the carbon taste it puts on a apple as well .
It still goes to town,BBQ even nutted a few this year with it . I give UL a touch up on a whet stone then steel . You can shave with him .
Here's a few that I was lucky to collect of UL .
also my kids love him . Sent my eldest a Navitool my wife a mint USA Sabre also heaps of presents support etc . I have that much information and friends ,contacts from UL you wonder why I say Schwade Schwade .
Thanks Mate hope to catch up soon and get pissed .
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Are there any knife manufacturers in Aussie land? Ever? Being a retired educator from mostly rural schools I can tell you if I tried to take knives away from students I probably would have been hanged from the closed tree. But then the Country was not in a state of paranoia like it is now. This is just one of 1,000 reasons I retired in the late 90's.
 
No Manufacturers that I know of as we used the have Schrade suppying every produce ,saddlery outpost in the land . There was a couple of runs of Toledo Australia that I have the rest of . There is heaps of custom makers that have pulled together for a common goal . They have a Guild as well .http://www.akg.org.au/
When you all had your limited editions we were only allowed to have a certain amount imported to Australia usually with the larger bolster or individual number .
My fathers mate was Greg Grant and was the biggest importers that I knew of in Australia .
I remember finding out that a number I found on a tang that had over 1 million was its actual number so one of the reps told me as a kid, pat # . When I asked that question there was about 13 million in Australia's population . As for kids some don't respect themselves so they won't respect anyone else then .
Here is one of those Toledo's .
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what more can you tell me about Toledo Australia ? The lockback given to me by NSWFB was the start of my knife& in particular Scrade collection.
cheers.
 
Not much I've only had Schrades since I was a little bloke .
I have heard they were made in Northern NSW in the 1980's . Toledo make tools as well and still do .
Does your lockback have a steel bail on the end & Steel handle ?
What year were you presented with it?
I think they are rough as guts compared to Schrade but they are better than chewing nuts off .
 
I got it around 93. Its closed length is 4.5 inch opening to a skwidge over 8.5.
it has brass bolster & timber scales. Yes I would agree that it is rougher than a robbers dog compared to Schrade. Nevertheless a solid workmanlike knife. One of my colleagues has a similar one which was presented to him . Similar but not as heavy as mine. Northern NSW -thats interesting.Briefly, I unearthed this knife from a toolbox after many moves of home -it was in a filthy state-cleaned up & a nice new handmade leather belt pouch it became my work carry. My boss is country boy & showed me a bit about sharpening.Then I discovered EBAY-may the gods have pity on my worthless soul.
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also the "TOLEDO AUSTRALIA" & "420 STAINLESS" are etched not stamped.
 
Thanks Meako ,was curious it looks a similar size to a LB7 and not as rough as the one I have above .
I also had in the 70's a Toledo full tang hunting knife with a red handle .
I bet you have some Schrade to show off?
 
i'm cursing that tidgey little picture tho. Yes I have . Some run o the mill & a couple of unusual. i'm a novice here in this company i think.You've inspired me to take a group photo of them.
cheers mate.
 
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I carry my LB7 everywhere. My first Schrade was an LB8 given to me for my 15th birthday and man what a gift that was to me from dad. I think he paid around 35 dollars for it back in '85. Came in a brown box with black leather sheath and serialized. Still have it but use the LB7 daily. I also have a new 7OT that will most likely go to one of my sons. Heck, I might just buy more. It's a disease.
 
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