Tools for obsession

[matt1987]

Well it all started when I was about 8 or 9 years old. My grandpa gave me my first knife, a Swiss army knife. I was super excited and kept playing with the different blades and cut my hand on the wood saw. Well, my mom got scared and took it away from me(thanks mom!).
So I was knifeless until I was about 12 or so and my grandpa gave me a buck 303. I carried that for a few years. Then I got into my midteens and carried a one hand open/closing knife for awhile. Of course I had to with the kind of people I hung around with. After that I decided I wanted something more traditional so I picked up a buck 112. From there it's been downhill ever since.

That's my story what's yours?

 

[thejamppa]

It all started by MacGyver. I saw where MacGyver saved the day with Victorinox I had to get one too. Soon they multiplied slowly. Then I went high school,a rmy and such and I forgot knives really. In army I used USMC Ka-Bar and puukko. Never sharpened them. Puukko became like butter knife.

Few years ago I got part time job and I had some money and I wanted to have some quality knife. I bought Spyderco Tenacious, its been down hill since. I discovered that I really liked traditionals more than modern folders just this spring I am sliding heavily donw the slippery slope

 

[Nightshifter]

Got my first knives when I was in Scouting back in the 60's. Wish I still had those now. Anyway, I have always carried a knife or 2 everyday since then. The best tool MAN ever invented IMO!

 

[lotoblades]

My Love for knives started when my grandpa gave me my first little pocket knife when I was 5 years old. It was just a cheap no brand pocket knife with a wood handle,brass bolsters and a single blade, which he filed the point off of before he gave it to me, but it helped me learn the value of a pocket knife. My tastes have changed from time to time, started out with slipjoints, the lockbacks, then for a short period of time got into the more tactical knives. After trying most of em out I've settled on a traditional slipjoint, stockman or sak for EDC, when in the woods add a Mora or other small fixed blade. My "collecting" has actually calmed down the last few years...finally Now I pretty much only have knives that I use, or that have sentimental value to me.

 

[Railsplitter]

My passion for knives began when I was very young and I used to watch my Grandpa use his pocket knife. My first knife was one that I bought myself but I don't remember the brand. Probably an off brand.

In my early twenties I started to aquire a small collection of knives while serving in the military. I had maybe 10 or 12 knives. Then one day my off-post mobile home caught fire and took all my knives with it. After that I stopped collecting but still always had a knife on me.

About 24 years later, or 3 1/2 years ago, my wife asked for a SAK for Christmas. The process of shopping around for that SAK is what rekindled my passion for knives. I immediately started my own collection of various knives and have never looked back. My wife keeps the SAK I got her in the console of her car. Just last weekend we took a short drive and she picked up that SAK and said "so this is what started that expensive hobby of yours huh"? I said "yep, it's all your fault".

 

[jackknife]

I don't think I ever had a chance.

As my dad was off during the WW2 years, mom and I lived with his family down on Marylands eastern shore. They were hard working watermen, and every man had at least one knife on him. I was very little, but granddad raised me like his own, to include taking me out on his crabbing/oyster boat on the Chesapeake Bay. Eveyone on the Lady Anne was a working hand, and that included a little boy. On the way out to his crab pot bouys, my job was taking the old semi rusty bait knives that were kept in a tin bucket under the aft sorting table, and giving them a lick on the big old dished in carborundum stone on the work table. Quite a feat for a small boy on a pitching boat. I was constantly exposed to both pocket knives and sheath knives down there. I was exposed to jackknives, barlow knives, stockmen, trappers, and the Little Finn pattern of sheath knives that were popular in the 1940's and 50's. Later, when I was a wee bit older, I spent my summer vacations down on the bay, and I would ride my bicycle down to the local store for a cold Coke. This store was the headquarters for the local liers circle, consisting of illeagal trappers, poachers, chicken thieves, and general scalywags. They all carried at least a pocket knife, most often a little finn sheath knife.

My own father (when he returned home) made an evening ritual of kicking back in his chair after dinner and stropping his little Case peanut that he used for just about everything. Some of my earliest memories of life have a knife in them.

I don't think I ever had a chance.

Carl.

 

[axe]

I can't really remember when there wasn't a knife. Dad is ex-ranger, ex-cop, ex-plumber so there were always knives and guns. carried all kinds of knives but eventually bought a higher end production folder, whose name currently escapes me, which then led to a sebbie and eventually a strider. didnt really start hunting till i turned thirty. on one hunting trip, a guide left us out in a storm. as i knew absolutely nothing about survival, i soon found myself in the early stages of hypothermia (confusion, etc). when i got back home, i decided to learn all i could about survival. that finally of course led to bushcraft, etc. bought some rat knives which led me here. oh, i was all happy with life till i happened upon this forum. after reading jacknife's stories and ghosting here awhile, i realized that slippies are far more beautiful than g10 one handers and have much more to offer to those that want to be a little different and a lot more self reliant. the "old guys" still have a lot to teach us and i am ready to learn!! forgive the bad pics, but included are some new toys and my new edc, the large case stockman. sorry to ramble!!

 

[JC in SC]

It all started by MacGyver. I saw where MacGyver saved the day with Victorinox I had to get one too...

My story is similar. Makes me wonder how many knife enthusiasts were born out of the MacGyver series. I loved knives growing up. I remember drooling over the AG Russell catalogs. I used to carry a stack of them around until they were so tattered and torn my Mom would thow them out. Then high school and college and I slowly got away from knives. A few years ago a venture back into bow hunting got me looking at knives again. Within 6 months I had forgotten all about the bow and was fully immersed in my original obsession, knives.

 

[Rupestris]

My knife lust had a couple points where it was started and restarted.

My uncle gave me one of those hollow handle $5 survival knives when I was around 10. That was the actual beginning.

As for slipjoint/traditional knives, I had done some trading and somehow ended up with a Taylor Seto Butterfly knife that I really had no use for. I took it to a flea market and tried to sell it. I was offered a better deal if I traded it so I did. I ended up with a Parker Edwards small trapper with smooth white bone made in 1987. It was when I saw the light and was drawn away from the "tactical" or modern offerings.

 

[DITCH]

I had slippies as a kid. Started training in Kenpo, then it was balisongs, and tacticals.
Now, I've come full circle.
There is something very satisfying about using a nice, traditional folder.