What do you do with your old knives?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
I have a drawerful of old knives which hold special memories for me.

I can't bear to dispose of them. Some of them are in a decrepit condition. For example, the one which was previously owned by my late grandfather.

He used to be a hunter and I suppose it must have accompanied him on his many hunting trips.
It is now in a sad condition. Everytime, I looked at it, I can almost feel the memories that go with it.

That's the trouble with these old knives. They had seen better days. There's not much you can do with them and you just can't bear to throw them away! :)
 
If they no longer suit me I pass them on to friends and family. I have a couple of my Grandfather's knives, I'll probably take those to the grave with me. Otherwise, I send them on their way.

Frank
 
I have two folders, one my grandfather's and one my father's, that I care for like they are my children. Pamper, oil, work the mechanisms, etc. One of those will go to my daughter and one to my son when they are grown and responsible. They will also each get one of my current knives.

Otherwise I agree with the Fox. If I ain't using them, I know many friends who can use a good knife.

Sometimes I trade 'em too. ;)
 
I have an old hunting knife that my Dad gave me a few years ago. This knife is a simple, carbon steel clip point hunter made in Solingen about 60 years ago. Nothing fancy, and has the leather washer handle, thin brass guard and duraluminum buttcap. The handle is almost falling off, and the buttcap is wobbling around. The fit of the guard was never very good to begin with either. But, the blade is very well ground of some really good forged carbon steel and takes and holds a wicked edge. My Dad used this bigger knife to do all the heavier cutting when hunting. He had a smaller finland knife for the skinning chores. When he gave me these knives, he told me that he would break my arm if I sold or traded either of them. Well, we wouldn't want that, now would we?

So, no trades or sales will ever be considered. However, I am very tempted to handrubb a nice finish on the clip point hunter and fit a better guard and rehandle the knife with a nice piece of stag. What say you guys? Leave it alone, in it's really poor condition, or recondition it for the next generation of Ungers to enjoy and use?
 
Danbo, I say get it worked on. I think your dad would enjoy you creating a usuable heirloom, rather than let the knife decay into uselessness. I always believe the soul of a knife is in it's blade anyway, and what better way to share it than to allow someone who appreciates it use it.

My dad carries several different knives, and I look forward to receiving them some day.(hopefully not too soon) They'll probably just sit in a box, but enjoy the fondling I'll give them on occasion.

If a knife has no real sentimental value, I have no problem giving them away, or just tossing them in the circular file, if they have no further use. I do have several knives that my sons will get someday, though.

DD
 
If, nothing else comes to mind, use them. You might be surprised how well they work. They might be used, but few of them are actually worn out. Just be careful with the sheaths, many of them are not safe and they never were.

n2s
 
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Those knives that transend simply being a knife,
i.e. "Everytime, I looked at it, I can almost feel the memories that go with it." should be cared for
for what they really are.....heirlooms. All the
rest of the knives that we've tired of got to
market.
 
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