The Truth Will Set You Free

harronek

harronek

Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Messages
2,493
They say that the truth will set you free , but it also can hurt like hell .
I have realised recently that my knife requirements can be fulfilled by just a small number of knives .
When I'm honest with myself all I require is a large Multitool and a smaller folder .
My Surge is my work tool and I have no reason to carry anything else during my working day . It can handle any cutting job that confronts me and the pliers and other tools get frequent use .
After hours a SAK takes over and again it seems to handle everything that comes along in the cutting department and the tools have their role to play opening bottles and turning the odd screw , also a mention must be made about its public friendly face , and how no one seems frightened by it .
I do feel that at times a single blade locking knife is an asset and I've dug my small Seb 21 out of the cupboard and have been giving it some shirt pocket time as a partner to both the SAK and Leatherman .
So those three knives are all I require .
But , and its a huge BUT .
What about all my other knives that are sitting doing nothing . I have a number of faithful Traditional knives that have served me well , but I can see no real reason to carry them again :grumpy:
I'm not a collector of fine knives , so that aspect of knife ownership doesn't come into it for me , my knives are tools and I've realised my toolbox doesn't have to be very big .

The truth will set you free :)

Ken
 
My truth is that save for a couple of orange Spyderco PM2's, a custom Case sod buster, less than a handful of Case knives, and one GEC Charlow (all of these are strictly collector knives), I find that I have focused strictly on collecting and carrying/using SAK alox knives. I wish I knew I loved alox a few short years ago, and bought all the available colored alox knives, but the reality is if I had all those exotic alox Pioneers, Farmers, etc now, then I wouldn't have this hobby of searching for all these hard to get "grail" knves SAK put out. A day doesn't go by where my Farmer doesn't do something useful...well, I do open up a lot of beer bottles daily, but that's another story. Today, I used the saw on my Farmer to cut and cube a couple of loaves of French bread that were crusty as all get out, for use in baking a batch of homemade croutons. I used the Farmer to tighten up some screw bolts on the Adirondack chairs on the porch. I've used the Farmer many a time to scale some fresh rainbow trout. Have I ever mentioned that there really isn't anything a Farmer can't do?:D
 
The truth is a good thing. Sometimes.

Sometimes not.

The church was going to burn Galileo att he stake for heresy when he told the truth about the earth not being the center of the universe. Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth. Even if it's true.

I have very few knives these days after some downsizing, but I still have more than I need. I have more guns than I need. If I want to target shoot, all I need is a nice accurate .22 rifle. Or even a very nice match grade air rifle. I can exist off of bean sprout salad and bottled water if I had to. I'm sure my blood pressure would please my doctor, but it wouldn't be fun.

Life has to have some self indulgence here and there. A nice steak on the grill and a glass of whiskey on the side is way more fun than going vegetarian and singing 'We shall Gather At The River' with the temperance union. So, a few more knives that I really don't need is not big thing in the over all scheme of things. If truth be known, I could get by very well with only an alox SAK. It's a knife, it's some basic tools, and it won't break the bank to replace it. But then I'd maybe miss rubbing a little linseed oil on the wood scales of the Northwoods stockman. Or enjoying the feel of the horn handle of the Sardinian resolza. Sometimes pleasure is in the fine details that defy logic.

I love my SAK's. I can get by with just a SAK, and in fact have gotten by in far off places where I've flown with just the SAK I mailed to myself prior to departure date. And I got by just fine. Great in fact. That one single pocket knife cut bait out on the flats, slice limes for cold gin and tonics, cut the ends of a nice hand rolled Dominican cigar, and popped the tops off some cold Corona's. It even adjusted the carburetor on the Honda rental scooter that was running like it was on it's last gasp.

But the pleasure of the feel of a damascus peanut, or any other nice pocket knife is in another realm.

So there's the truth, and then there's whats between the lines.

I'm often conflicted myself.
 
Well, after losing all my SAKs but one in '06. I decided I'm not ever going to be there again if I can help it. My daughter and grand-kids can worry if I had too many.
 
Nice Ken, truth can be a funny thing, myself, I'm infected, seriously infected I'm afraid with the steel virus, It'll go into remission from time to time, but it continues to resurface.

These days, gotta have a SAK...or two, in the kit, Electrician and Executive mainly, plus a Swiss Tool in my carry bag for those heavier chores or need of an implement, such a good multi-tool that is. As to other knives, I do happen to carry more than a few every day, right now my current friend is a Boker Impetus designed by Michael Burch, great feeling knife and while folks do raise an eyebrow, it's more of a WOW interesting factor than a WHOA scary factor, they are all pretty impressed by it and how smoothly it open and closes. Then there is the Opinels right now carrying the Slim models, a #10 Olivewood and a #8 Oak, wicked cutters both, using them more for food stuffs than EDC.

Over the years I've had many a knife, and like you, I'm not a collector in the true sense of the word, well, except for the #8 Opinel Slims, they are modestly priced and are easy enough to collect with all the handle variations, so barring that, I'm not a collector and move through knives far too often, always hoping to be happy with the grouping that I have and as of today, I'm pretty close ;) those knives I don't keep are moved to help fund the knives I want to try out.

Bottom line, yep, trimming back and being honest about what do we really need to carry is sometimes a good thing, but it isn't often easy....

as they say "Indecision may or may not be my problem..." ;)

G2
 
You guys aren't exactly making my reformed , clean conscious , honest , pure new life very easy to hang on to :)


Ken
 
The yin and the yang. Or, water is good, but whiskey is fun.

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Sure we can all survive with far less than we have that's for certain. I've never been a collector and don't want to be. I do appreciate fine pocket cutlery though, so indulge myself with a small rotation of traditional pocket knives which I enjoy very much. The therapeutic effect of an enjoyment in whatever hobby or interest a person may have has a value to it that sometimes can't really be explained or measure very well.

Having 5, 10 or 20+ pocket knives is just fine if they're something you enjoy and they bring you happiness. As for me? I have less than 20 myself and sometimes I feel like it's too many of course. I haven't been able to part with any of them of late and don't intend to as some have special meaning to them. I carry two pocket knives nearly always. Of the ones I have I carry a several of them very often if not every day. The others I carry at least occasionally because I enjoy mixing it up a little just for fun.

I've set for myself a goal to keep "around a dozen +/-" that way they will all get some if not a lot of use and I've not got tons of money invested in so many that I can't possibly ever enjoy them all the way they should be enjoyed.
 
The journey of a knife nut!

Right now I have
- Vic Pioneer plus 2 back ups
- Leatherman Charge tti
- ESEE 6
- Vic Deluxe tinker
- Vic Tinker that got run over by a truck, only keeping it because it was my first knife
- Vic Manager (if you want to count that)


Those are all that's left. I've had so many knives from so many brands pass through my hands and in the end I've arrived at just the few I have now.
I don't regret spending the money I did spend, all my knives were part of the whole learning experience.

The only reason why I'm so satisfied and appreciate what I have now is because I now know what makes a good knife, what good fit and finish looks like and all the very subtle details that manufacturers put on their knives.
 
Here is some more truth that will hurt Ken:

1. You don't need to be on this forum. Your life will be simplier if you are not on any forums.

2. You don't need to have a computer, or at least you don't need to be using it to look at knives.

Now please hand your collection over so we can divide up the booty while your hard drive cools down. ;-)
 
SirJames said:
Here is some more truth that will hurt Ken:

1. You don't need to be on this forum. Your life will be simplier if you are not on any forums.

2. You don't need to have a computer, or at least you don't need to be using it to look at knives.

Now please hand your collection over so we can divide up the booty while your hard drive cools down. ;-)
Click to expand...

Here's the actual truth: Need food! Need shelter! Need clothes! Need propagate gene pool! Everything beyond that is a smorgasbord. I like toys. Don't you? :D
 
I must stay true to my beliefs , I must stay true to my beliefs
I must stay true to my beliefs , I must stay true to my beliefs

Ken

PS - I just bought another SAK , but don't tell anyone :)
 
harronek said:
I must stay true to my beliefs , I must stay true to my beliefs
I must stay true to my beliefs , I must stay true to my beliefs

Ken

PS - I just bought another SAK , but don't tell anyone :)
Click to expand...

...and which one you slipper; yes you, the sakaholic who fell off the Swiss cheese & wine cart hauled by Swiss Mountain dogs?:D
 
Aaaah, I came to a similar realization for myself the other day. I wrote down the knives I had and the ones I didn't need, then the ones i liked, the ones that friends had given me and.... I can't get rid of any of them lol
 
harronek said:
You guys aren't exactly making my reformed , clean conscious , honest , pure new life very easy to hang on to :)


Ken
Click to expand...


Well sir, that's about on par with a fellow that frequents a pub, lots of friends there, plus the ever present drink. And then saying to his 'friends' " I think I'm going to cut back on my drinking, whaddya think?" of course they can sympathize ;) but like here, most are enablers so you are not likely to get a lot of the help you really need :)

So...have another! lol I think I might too, well, maybe just ONE more won't hurt...where's the harm in that? See, and I have a similar problem, but that's how it goes, still, you need to try.

And, what one did ya get btw ? :)
G2
 
harronek said:
They say that the truth will set you free , but it also can hurt like hell .
I have realised recently that my knife requirements can be fulfilled by just a small number of knives .
When I'm honest with myself all I require is a large Multitool and a smaller folder .
Click to expand...

Want to know how many pairs of skis I own? About 10 at last count. Maybe 12. I try to ski on them all each year. I'm down to 2 bikes. I consider adding a 3rd again. Backpacks? Well north of 6. Stoves? Let's just stop...

The internet is like the crack cocaine of advertising. We become aware of variations and specialization which lead to just the right one, whatever that means.

Did you ever watch the show "Northern Exposure". Towards the end, Joel goes native and hangs out with a medicine man and they play golf in the Alaskan wilderness with a single club. One of the best depictions of simplicity ever.


Micra, locking folder in my pocket. Multi-tool in my day back for around town. Fixed blade car trunk with my other hiking ready stuff for the few times I really want one (not often).

"Need" is such a slippery slope.
 
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