The well worn knife

[not2sharp]

We see them at every show, flea market, and garage sale. Old well worn knives that are well past their prime. I suspect that some of these had simply grown comfortable in their owners pockets, and were simply used until they reluctantly had to be replaced. Now they turn at odd corners of our trading tables, perhaps in a cluttered plastic bucket, or an cigar box. The sign on the box might read please take me for a $1.00 I am retired and unwanted.

When do you usually retire a knife?

Let's share some pictures of our retired knives.

n2s

 

[not2sharp]

Cought,.... uhmmm,... has anyone actually used a knife?

n2s

 

[3nails]

I wish I could post pics...
I have retired two knives. The first is a no named fixed blade that I bought over 30 years ago. I bought it at an auction when I was 12y/o. The blade is about 3 1/2in long and it had some type of hard plastic handles on it. I used it in the woods cutting and hacking around like I was king of the jungle when I was young. I also used it to clean animals that I killed and eat as well as fish.

The metal was soft and required alot of sharpening but it was my knife and I bought it myself and I was proud to own it. It served me well for over 20 years. Finally the handles came off and I still used it for a while like that. I had other knives by then but I still enjoyed using my first. Now it sits in a box waiting for new handles. I have a large cow bone that I have had for years (I found it in a field while deer hunting) waiting to be new handles for the old knife. I still get it out from time to time and remember. I still have the old leather sheath with the knife. The only other knife that I have retired is an old metal handled two blade jack knife that my grandmother had and I got it after she past away. The blades are dark and well used but it stills has plenty of use but I just let it rest.

I don't usually retire a knife but I thought those two diserved a rest.

Dean

 

[Tightwad]

Old pocketknives very often carry years of memories for the owners.
That ,to me, is what makes slipjoints so special.

I buy , clean, and recycle old knives at fairs and do well with it. But
I've noticed that the fellas that buy them often pickup a knife rolling
it around in the hand thinking and talking as if they are waiting for the
strories it holds to be told to them. I've seen some very tough farmers
get a meloncloy look handling these knives.

 

[Dr van Nostrom]

Man, its threads like this that remind me why I collect slipjoints.They seem to absorb part of the owners character. One of those "if they could only talk" situations. There is something magical about an old pocketknife,

 

[Ebbtide]

Here is a quartet of well worn knives...

The Imperial at the bottom has been brought out of retirement (polished and sharpened) and is back in the rotation.