What does your knife say about you?

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pinnah

Joined
Jul 28, 2011
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I've been on the ride of sticking with a single carry since before the beginning of the year to chum along with Rsmith's challenge.

It's gotten me thinking about knives and buying knives. This was going through my head recently when I rewatched "The Story of Stuff". Here's an expanded quote highlighted in that film from Victor Lebow, one of the architects of the post WWII economy.

Our enormously productive economy demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfactions, our ego satisfactions, in consumption. The measure of social status, of social acceptance, of prestige, is now to be found in our consumptive patterns. The very meaning and significance of our lives today expressed in consumptive terms. The greater the pressures upon the individual to conform to safe and accepted social standards, the more does he tend to express his aspirations and his individuality in terms of what he wears, drives, eats- his home, his car, his pattern of food serving, his hobbies.

These commodities and services must be offered to the consumer with a special urgency. We require not only “forced draft” consumption, but “expensive” consumption as well. We need things consumed, burned up, worn out, replaced, and discarded at an ever increasing pace. We need to have people eat, drink, dress, ride, live, with ever more complicated and, therefore, constantly more expensive consumption. The home power tools and the whole “do-it-yourself” movement are excellent examples of “expensive” consumption.
Click to expand...


I'm still here. Still trying to learn more about knives. But, I'm getting increasingly suspicious about the effects of it all.

My nearly constant carry.


EDC Pair 2 by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
Today, as is often the case, I'm carrying my Grandfather's Dwight Divine Scout. I guess that says that I'm old-fashioned, but not obsolete.

trickscout.JPG


It also says, "Walt, you overthink things. Stop fooling around on BFC and get back to work."
 
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I don't know if my knife says anything about me other than I like beautiful, well-made things.



- Christian
 
All it says about me is that I like certain things that others find dangerous or silly to own, by the masses. That's fine, I never was one to follow the crowd,,,, especially these days.
 
Words Mr. Wordworth! Simply words! Your an anachronism. Logic is an enemy, and truth is a menace.
 
The fact that I carry a pocketknife says I still adhere to the old ways, that I am a dinosaur! OH
 
It better not be saying anything! I thought it and I had an agreement. Why, what have you heard? :eek:
 
Sometimes it says: I work in the oil fields. I can tell by the oil stains around your pants pockets. :D
 
You know, the title of the thread doesn't really match the content of the original post. So I'm going to respond to the post, not the title.

Like pinnah, and in imitation of Rsmith_77, I've also been carrying the same two traditional slipjoints every day this year, or at least since Jan 3rd. Case Small Texas Jack and Victorinox Alox Cadet. It has been fine. I haven't needed anything different. I just carry them, use them when needed, maintain them when needed.

One result (or maybe just concurrent behavior) is that I have not purchased myself any knives at all this year. It's not like it was a conscious decision, it just worked out that way. Maybe I'm in remission. Or probably that irrational part of my mind that kept me buying knives finally said to the rational part, "hey dude, I think we have enough now." :o
 
jc57 said:
You know, the title of the thread doesn't really match the content of the original post. So I'm going to respond to the post, not the title.

Like pinnah, and in imitation of Rsmith_77, I've also been carrying the same two traditional slipjoints every day this year, or at least since Jan 3rd. Case Small Texas Jack and Victorinox Alox Cadet. It has been fine. I haven't needed anything different. I just carry them, use them when needed, maintain them when needed.

One result (or maybe just concurrent behavior) is that I have not purchased myself any knives at all this year. It's not like it was a conscious decision, it just worked out that way. Maybe I'm in remission. Or probably that irrational part of my mind that kept me buying knives finally said to the rational part, "hey dude, I think we have enough now." :o
Click to expand...

Or, maybe the carrying everyday of those same two knives, you got the idea that we don't really need all those knives we accumulate. The fact that you haven't switched around, or rotated your knives shows you that just like our grandfathers, we can get by with one or two pocket knives very well. The world still went on, and you learned something.

Carl.
 
I have an assortment of knives...Opinel #8, Case Finn, Buck 110, SAK Farmer, several machetes from working class brands, Condor HB knife and probably a few others. So am I a dupe of the marketing machine like a monkey dancing to the organ grinder or am I a guy who wants quality at a lower price point and know my limits of need and want? Sometimes I wonder which it is so that's probably a sign that I am not guzzling the cool aid but maybe sipping now and then.
 
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I'll let you in on a little secret. A good knife will last decades, maybe even a lifetime depending on its use. Your grandfather would've considered it folly to own dozens of knives. He'd also probably shake his head at the fact that you're online talking about them.

I have maybe twenty slipjoints. More than enough for my needs. I haven't bought any new ones in a year and a half, but I wouldn't hesitate to grab another should it catch my eye. Excessive? Certainly. That's okay, I was blessed with a big family. Lots of nephews and nieces. I have one child and am hoping for another. One day I am going to have grandchildren. What's my point to all this? Nothing really, but those kids are going to need knives some day. The small accumulation of knives I own has given me an education of sorts. Exposure to them has left me with the knowledge of what type of knife to give a kid. I know whether to give a stockman, a trapper, a barlow, and so on and so forth. I know which ones will appreciate stag, which ones wood or bone, and which ones are best left with plastic. (Gasp!) I doubt I would've learned all that without the cigar box of knives on my dresser.

Every kid should have an uncle/dad/grandfather who is a knife guy. It's a tough job, but one that I am happy to accept. :D

- Christian
 
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