To keep it - give it away

S

sm2

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Dec 17, 2006
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Now I am just a over 50 Southern Boy, raised poor. Back when one made do, did without, and took care of tools, like knives. We did not have credit cards, we did use lay-a-way, and "if" we signed a ledger at the local grocery store, hardware store or Druggist, we paid it off on payday.

Folks pretty much had one knife, and with that one knife they did everything.
Time passes and maybe a knife would be given as a gift, or won at a raffle.
Still, most folks had just a knife or two, usually a Trapper, Stockman, Peanut, or Sodbuster type in my parts.

Like many, over the years I had accumulated some knives; be these I bought for spares when out of town, gifts, or won in raffles or competitions I participated in.
I had some nice gifts, from Mentors and other folks in my life.

Life is Life and fire destroyed , more than once, some material things, including knives. Being honest, the sentimental value was greater to me than the material things themselves.
Other "life mishaps" occurred as well.

Recently some old friends from out of town came through, and I was messing with a small Douk-Douk, they have.
I don't "need" one still I "want" one as my small Douk-Douk is gone.

They had a surprise and this was a box, with some items I thought had been destroyed, including knives.
These were mostly Case knives, and have the Steel blades. I prefer the CV, and this is what I use, the CV.

They too had some of the same knives, as we had run together back when and these seem to be the "gifts" and "prizes" of the times. Mine ended up being where they were, and recognized as being mine...

We were raised right, and they had some folks in mind.
Some folks coming up, having to start over due to some life mishaps.

They passed forward these knives they had.
Family, and a shotgun passed forward, and with Deer Season, the old boy had a knife to hunt with, and one to carry daily.
Wife got her something to use everyday.
Little girl flat out cried getting a brown handled , two bladed pen knife "my size".

You did not read a little Tomboy that hates pink cried.
Still little hands sharpening a pencil, with assistance, and "this is so much better than that stupid pencil sharpener!" *grin*

"Wait, wait!" She remembered her nickel to give me, and then gave mom and dad that "folded arm smug look" she does.


I ran across a Veteran buddy I'd not seen in awhile and just chewing the fat, catching up with old times "got a knife handy, I lost mine due to a hole in my pocket".
I guess I was supposed to have that knife that day, and "hey bro" and this nickel...well..."They do that when you get a propane torch too close to them".
He gets a knife, I get a "blue nickel" - I came out ahead.


I have a few others that are ear marked for some folks, one never knows in this journey called life why things turn out as they do.



To keep it - give it away.


Steve
 
Good sentiments and well said, Steve.

Though not Southern by birth, we did without for many years as well. My parents never had a checking account (let alone a credit card) until I was already an adult and many years on my own.

I agree with you that some of the best feelings I've had with knives have come from giving them away. In fact I've given away my most expensive customs to those that matter to me.

Sounds like you have things in perspective imho. Well done.
 
Thanks Steve.

I haven't been over to THR to read your posts in quite a while. I've still tried to follow your lead.

My Brister "Shotgunning" book that I had about worn out has found a new home with a friend who's kids are stepping into the sport.

Still got my Crossman 760. Minus front and rear sights of course.

All the best to ya Steve.

Chris
 
Blues,
Thanks for the kind words.

Chris,
How are you doing!
You still need your own copy of Brister - I'd hate to see you get stumped by a kid asking questions. *grin*


It is rewarding to see someone appreciate something, and them use it.
Words cannot convey this interaction.

Chris is referring to using a BB Gun to teach shotgunning, and there are some kids /parents with BB guns, with the sights busted off.
I still see BB Guns being used going back decades, and simple slipjoints these kids received from me, and mine and making Vienna Sausage Sandwiches.

Kids are bigger know, still they know it only takes 3 "cuts" to slice the seven sausages that comes in a can for the sandwiches.
They still have the knives too...


Steve
 
Great story Steve. Never had fancy knives growing up either and it was always just one knife - the usual slip joint all us kids had. Still don't have fancy knives to this day even though I now can afford to if I so desired. Guess it just reminds me of the simpler (and in my opinion better) times growing up. Kids with knives were not a menace back then - just kids with knives. A lot of the knives I still carry today are 20, 30+ years old with a LOT of memories and sentimental value. Losing those knives would rip my heart out.

Mark
 
I think there is truth in the saying "It;s better to give than to receive."

I can't begin to explain the joy it gave me, to give away the knife accumulation of years to my family while I was still around to see the joy of receiving on ther faces. I think we have to go through stages of life to get there. Eventually, if we are lucky, we get to a point where material possesions don't mean that much to you anymore. Maybe it's age and not getting out as much or going as far as you did when you're young, maybe it's a growing spiritual awareness because you're alot closer to the end than the begining. Or maybe something I'm not even aware of. But I know Karen feels the same, we just don't feel the need to or even want to own alot of the stuff we accumulated as younger people. Sometimes this happens slowly, or it can be a sudden thing.

I have this friend Ed. Ed and his wife lived in a mobil home up in Frederick county. One night his mobil home catches fire in the wee hours of the morning from an electical short. He and his wife have just enough time to through a few things out the window and get out. They lost about everything exept the clothes they got out with. Ed said later that it was a blessing in disguise. He took stock of his life and said most of what was lost was just all the junk they had accumulated. When the insurance company paid them off, they never replaced most of what was burned up. Ed bought a simple shotgun to hunt with, and one handgun for target and defence. His only knife is the Old Timer stockman that was in his overalls pocket. Less than 1/4 of the clothing was replaced. Ed said it was a good lesson for them in what they didn't need. He said he don't miss any of it.

I think too many people have fallen into the credit card trap fueled by the push to buy all this stuff they don't really need. Greed, glitz, and tinssel have taken over too much of the values that our grandparents had. Maybe thats why the traditional pocket knife is popular with some of us, its a tangible reminder of a simpler and better time.

When we give a knife, or anything of ours, away its a good feeling. We're doing something for somebody we care about. But deep down inside someplace, I suspect that we are doing it for ourselves. The very act of giving is getting something out of our life and making it just a tad simpler, is it not?

And having been all the way around that circle, I can tell you that a simpler life is a good thing.
 
jackknife said:
I can't begin to explain the joy it gave me, to give away the knife accumulation of years to my family while I was still around to see the joy of receiving on ther faces.
Click to expand...

Truth be told, I'm looking forward to being able to give away some of my knives to people I know will be happy to have/use them. But right now, there's really no one. However, I do have two nephews who are almost of the right age (and I live far enough away to dodge the wrath of their moms, my big sisters), and my daughter is almost 5 and my boy is 2. Both show a lot of interest in my knives. Someday! :)
 
I agree with both Jackknife and Mnblade about the pleasures of giving and the pointlessness of excessive acquisitiveness. My own experiences in such matters might be of some interest.

Not too long ago I had a pretty extensive collection of pocket knives that included a fair number of Queen, Robeson, and Schatt & Morgan knives along with some nice Cases, Bulldogs, Cripple Creeks, and some other brands that I cannot recall, at the moment. I enjoyed obtaining and owning these knives but nearly all of them were "safe queens" for me.

When Smoky Mountain Knife Works began its "Knife for a Soldier" campaign I had a brainstorm. Why not donate these knives to the campaign? A couple of phone calls to SMKW established a course of action whereby I would ship off my knives to the company and then they would apply the value of the knives to knives that would be useful in Iraq and Afghanistan. This was done.

I cannot begin to tell you how many heartfelt "thank you" notes and gifts that I received from service people "in country". These remembrances have meant far more to me than the knives ever did. However, even if these messages had not come I still would have felt good about making some small gesture that might make a service man or woman's life a bit easier under some very tough conditions.

In addition, many other knife collectors got a chance to obtain some very nice knives that they might not have had access to, otherwise. This fact didn't feel bad to me, either.

I have also taken to sending "baby gifts" of pocket knives to young mothers who are either related to me or who are good friends or who are the daughters of good friends. These knives are to be given to the child when he or she is "old enough". I personally think that this is a fine thing to do. The reactions on the part of the new mothers is kind of fun to watch, at times, too. I also have been known to either "discount" or give knives to folks who seem to need certain knives more than I do.

By the way; SMKW still is running its "Knife for a Soldier" campaign. You might not wish to donate your knife collection to the effort but a little "long green" thrown in that direction might be appreciated by some service person who just might be "in harms way".

The few knives that I still have are now largely "users", either actually or potentially, with a few "held in reserve" for gift purposes. While I am still very interested in knives and I do not for a moment regret the fact that I was once collector I feel much better, now, about my new relationship with knives and what they can "mean".
 
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