Being the only knife nut in my family growing up, I can tell you flat out what the non knife people think of us; we're nuts!
Back when I was growing up, just about every an who had pants on, had a knife. It was part of a man's stuff. Didn't matter if you were a delivery truck driver, mail man, store clerk, mechanic, preacher, or cop. You had a pocket knife in a pocket someplace on you. Without fail it was one of those smallish two blade little jacks or pen knives that didn't cost much, and could be replaced easy. All the five and dime stores had a stand up cardboard display up by the cash register that had a couple rows of the things for something like 2.99 each. About 2 3/4 to 3 inches closed with a couple of thin carbon steel blades that actually could hone very sharp and stay that way for a good while.
Back then you actually needed a knife everyday. Packages came wrapped in that heavy brown paper and tied up with white cotton twine. Most people didn't work in office cubicles and life was a little more 'hands on' back then.
BUT...a very big three letter word, after most men had a knife, they just kept on keeping on with that knife until it broke, wore out, or got lost. Then they went to the five and dime, or hardware store and got another one. If a man took very good care of his life audit was a nice Case to Schrade, it could last for many years. The man had "a knife" so he wouldn't go buy another knife. That would have been considered foolish and wasteful. My dad had "a knife" and my grandfather had " a knife" as did my Uncles and cousins. That knife was a personal possession and got taken good care of, but that was it. Same for guns. They had a Shotgun or rifle behind the kitchen door. That gun was a small game gun, varmint gun for garden intruders, deer gun, and home defense gun. That one gun had a many role mission.
My family and friends thought I was plain dog nuts for my knife obsession. Even my best friend Danny, would joke when he saw me with a new knife that I needed to be committed for my own good. We hunted some, fished a lot, camped out and drank too much on those outings, but had fun. We all carried a scout knife when we were kids because we were boy scouts. Those scout knife were made by camillus, PAL, Ulster, Imperial, and few others. They did everything we needed and for most guys, they stayed with them. Danny, after high school, moved up to the Swiss Army knife for the rest of his life. For hunting, his needs were met by a nice little carbon steel Schrade. Deer, fish, small game it did everything well. When I came home with a Randall I had spent almost 200 dollars on, (Prices back then were lower) he and the rest of my friends were actually shocked. I rember Danny getting very close and looking me in the eyes and asking, "Carl, are you okay?" Even my old scout master, Mr. Van was a bit shocked. He was a retired Marine with real world experience at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and few other unpleasant places in the Pacific. To him the knife world revolved around the Kaybar. At the time I bought the Randall 14, a brand new Kaybar was like 12.95 at the Army Navy store in town. Mr. Van thought I needed counseling. This from a man who saw real harsh warfare on jungle islands in a vicious war.
It took a lifetime to come to the realization that they all were right. Our obsession on the knife thing and our accumulation is nuts. It has no rationale reason, and that 200 dollar Randall didn't do anytime my later issued Camillus M2 didn't do. The same for stamp collecting, coin collecting, beer can collecting, matchbox toy car collecting, gun collecting, matchbook collecting, and any other compulsive collecting of things to excess. We are nuts by all standards of society. Once I had that scout knife when I was kid, most my lifetime pocket knife needs were met. I haven't really needed 99% of the knives I bought. For the messy stuff like fish guts, and before I quit hunting, deer guts, a sheath knife was needed. Fine, my old Buck 102 woodsman was a great fish and game knife. Looking back on it all, I wasted a lot of money on knives that I didn't need. Same with guns. At least the guns I got the money out of and mad a profit on most of them. Same with my couple Randall's I sold off once I realized they were not that great a knife. The wife and I took a great around the country trip with the cash.
BUT...that little word again...if we're not hurting anyone, does it really matter? As long as our bills are paid, the kids have shoes on their feet and are not going hungry, and everything in our lives is on track, what should it matter to anyone how we choose to spend our money on stuff? Even if we don't need it. That's a personal choice we have the freedom to make. We're entitled to a little irrational behavior now and then, as long as it doesn't interfere with the rest of our lives. Most of us in modern day urban/suburban life do not need much knife. Most of us could get by with little box cutter or Victorinox classic. Those larger fancier over built tactical one hand wonders that get fondled and caressed like Gollum and his "precious" are classic examples of over kill. But that's our choice, as long as it doesn't harm your life and your kids are taken care of.
Everything needs to be kept in a perspective. It's okay to collect, but if it starts ruling your life, then it's time to take a step back. We all here on this site are a bit nuts and obsessed or we wouldn't be here to talk endlessly about knives. Our families and the rest of the world thinks we're nuts. But at least a knife is a lot more useful than a matchbook or paper stamp to have in the pocket. Sometimes you do actually have to cut something.
John
