Primble
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2014
- Messages
- 8,640
As some of you might know, I was the winner of Stephen's knife give away, titled "Whats in a Name - Part II"
When I found out that I won, I mentioned that I had never won anything.
A short time passed and a strange feeling came over me.
I guess I had always expected to lose and that somebody else would win.
I wondered if Stephen had noticed on my first entry, after I had made a bunch of edits, I mentioned in those tiny letters: Reason for Edit: "not really an entry".
Maybe I would send him a private message and tell him to pick another winner.
I thought about that for a good while and that did not seem right either.
I was learning that I knew how to deal with losing a prize, but, had never dealt with winning a prize.
I later reasoned that since I had never won, I guess maybe it was time to win - maybe it was OK to accept his gift.
I sent him a private message, sent him my regards, and gave him my mailing address.
I remember when I first started reading threads here - back in the cold of winter - I had not registered or anything - I just liked all the threads about knives and the pictures and all. I remember seeing some threads by Old & In The Way and I thought that was a pretty cool name. I thought, well I guess he is getting old like me and how when you get older, some people just think you are old and in the way.
Yesterday afternoon, I came home from early morning fishing and found a USPS Priority small box laying on my side carport doorstep. The same kind of box all of us knife lovers are quite used to receiving, however, usually at a great cost. I picked it up and noticed a return address from the great state of Alabama.
As I started to cut the tape on the box, somebody knocked on my door and it was neighbor, wanting me to help diagnose his ailing outboard engine. I laid the box on the counter and went to his house with him. I knew from the return address that there was a pretty little red knife in the box, no rush to open.
I spent a good while next door and was hungry for my lunch when I returned. I ate a sandwich, all the while my eyes felt heavy from getting up at 0430 hours. I noticed the box again, but, my will to get some "afternoon sleep" was stronger than my will to open the box - anyway - I knew what was in it.
I slept a couple hours and the telephone woke me up. It was my son on the phone and we talked a bit. I recalled that my yard needed mowing and after hanging up, I did the necessary yard work - all the while - I had forgotten about the box.
I went to the diner, near the lake where I fish, like I usually do every Saturday night. The catfish there is excellent!
I got back home around 1945 hours and noticed the box. I finished cutting the tape and finally got the well sealed box open, only to find a GEC tube and another well sealed smaller package. There was a letter in the box and I chose to read it before opening anything else. It was a beautifully written note from Stephen (Old & in The Way) and a P.S. - I have included an additional gift that I hope you will be able to use to help fill up that beautiful old Primble display case.
Now most of us here in Kentucky believe in southern hospitality, but, this kind of hospitality must get stronger the further south you go. I saw that the location was on the gulf coast - so that is about as far south as one can get.
I started feeling like I did the night I won, not quite knowing how to feel. I chose the easy open tube first and pulled this out of the wrapping paper:
I was amazed at the beautiful rich Crimson color of the knife - I thought I had won a bright red knife. I recall thinking, "Now why would a man from Alabama, who I already know is a "Bama" football fan, give away a beautiful knife that mimics that beautiful Crimson Tide color we get to see on the football helmets, it seems nearly every year, in the National Championship race. (I and many other Kentucky folk I know have a great respect for that football team from the far south - it is their tradition that is so impressive)
I remembered that Old & in the Way had just recently given away three really nice knives and now I was thinking that he must be the St. Nicholas of the south!
That Bullnose immediately reminded me of an old Black Sodbuster that I carried for many years, during my high school years - only this was much more beautiful.
It was one of the two knives that I have lost in my lifetime, however, I never replaced it. I moved on to fancier stag Case XX's.
Now the final package, which was wrapped tightly with newspaper and clear tape. While opening the other knife, I had time to think about it and thought that this was a "special gift", to be careful with the small SAK scissors as I opened it. After the tape was gone, I carefully unrolled the paper and found the following:
Yes - a very very beautiful John Primble Belknap bone handled stockman at 3 1/2 inches closed, probably a 1940's-1960's era knife.
I was stunned by it's beauty.
I don't think Stephen will mind, but, he will probably notice a difference in the knife he sent. I dulled the bright finished bolsters, shield, and blades down with a careful, time consuming, light sanding technique I use often on my old non-Case knifes, similar to a Case/Bose finish. I think it makes for a pretty finish and it now matches the finish of many of my other old knives. It can be undone and brought back to shiny pretty easy if I ever desire to do so.
I then spent a while rubbing up the old bone with a clean microfiber towel, as I sat under a shade tee in my back yard, this afternoon.
I kept pondering on how to thank him properly and what I could come up with for the P.S. in my thank you note, to accompany a coin being sent to the south shores.
I reckon he will just have to deal with it like I did.
Thank you Old & Not in the Way! I will always cherish the wonderful gifts you bestowed upon me.
P.S. - For those of you that don't know - I know from reading another thread that Stephen isn't really too old.
When I found out that I won, I mentioned that I had never won anything.
A short time passed and a strange feeling came over me.
I guess I had always expected to lose and that somebody else would win.
I wondered if Stephen had noticed on my first entry, after I had made a bunch of edits, I mentioned in those tiny letters: Reason for Edit: "not really an entry".
Maybe I would send him a private message and tell him to pick another winner.
I thought about that for a good while and that did not seem right either.
I was learning that I knew how to deal with losing a prize, but, had never dealt with winning a prize.
I later reasoned that since I had never won, I guess maybe it was time to win - maybe it was OK to accept his gift.
I sent him a private message, sent him my regards, and gave him my mailing address.
I remember when I first started reading threads here - back in the cold of winter - I had not registered or anything - I just liked all the threads about knives and the pictures and all. I remember seeing some threads by Old & In The Way and I thought that was a pretty cool name. I thought, well I guess he is getting old like me and how when you get older, some people just think you are old and in the way.
Yesterday afternoon, I came home from early morning fishing and found a USPS Priority small box laying on my side carport doorstep. The same kind of box all of us knife lovers are quite used to receiving, however, usually at a great cost. I picked it up and noticed a return address from the great state of Alabama.
As I started to cut the tape on the box, somebody knocked on my door and it was neighbor, wanting me to help diagnose his ailing outboard engine. I laid the box on the counter and went to his house with him. I knew from the return address that there was a pretty little red knife in the box, no rush to open.
I spent a good while next door and was hungry for my lunch when I returned. I ate a sandwich, all the while my eyes felt heavy from getting up at 0430 hours. I noticed the box again, but, my will to get some "afternoon sleep" was stronger than my will to open the box - anyway - I knew what was in it.
I slept a couple hours and the telephone woke me up. It was my son on the phone and we talked a bit. I recalled that my yard needed mowing and after hanging up, I did the necessary yard work - all the while - I had forgotten about the box.
I went to the diner, near the lake where I fish, like I usually do every Saturday night. The catfish there is excellent!
I got back home around 1945 hours and noticed the box. I finished cutting the tape and finally got the well sealed box open, only to find a GEC tube and another well sealed smaller package. There was a letter in the box and I chose to read it before opening anything else. It was a beautifully written note from Stephen (Old & in The Way) and a P.S. - I have included an additional gift that I hope you will be able to use to help fill up that beautiful old Primble display case.
Now most of us here in Kentucky believe in southern hospitality, but, this kind of hospitality must get stronger the further south you go. I saw that the location was on the gulf coast - so that is about as far south as one can get.
I started feeling like I did the night I won, not quite knowing how to feel. I chose the easy open tube first and pulled this out of the wrapping paper:
I was amazed at the beautiful rich Crimson color of the knife - I thought I had won a bright red knife. I recall thinking, "Now why would a man from Alabama, who I already know is a "Bama" football fan, give away a beautiful knife that mimics that beautiful Crimson Tide color we get to see on the football helmets, it seems nearly every year, in the National Championship race. (I and many other Kentucky folk I know have a great respect for that football team from the far south - it is their tradition that is so impressive)
I remembered that Old & in the Way had just recently given away three really nice knives and now I was thinking that he must be the St. Nicholas of the south!
That Bullnose immediately reminded me of an old Black Sodbuster that I carried for many years, during my high school years - only this was much more beautiful.
It was one of the two knives that I have lost in my lifetime, however, I never replaced it. I moved on to fancier stag Case XX's.
Now the final package, which was wrapped tightly with newspaper and clear tape. While opening the other knife, I had time to think about it and thought that this was a "special gift", to be careful with the small SAK scissors as I opened it. After the tape was gone, I carefully unrolled the paper and found the following:
Yes - a very very beautiful John Primble Belknap bone handled stockman at 3 1/2 inches closed, probably a 1940's-1960's era knife.
I was stunned by it's beauty.
I don't think Stephen will mind, but, he will probably notice a difference in the knife he sent. I dulled the bright finished bolsters, shield, and blades down with a careful, time consuming, light sanding technique I use often on my old non-Case knifes, similar to a Case/Bose finish. I think it makes for a pretty finish and it now matches the finish of many of my other old knives. It can be undone and brought back to shiny pretty easy if I ever desire to do so.
I then spent a while rubbing up the old bone with a clean microfiber towel, as I sat under a shade tee in my back yard, this afternoon.
I kept pondering on how to thank him properly and what I could come up with for the P.S. in my thank you note, to accompany a coin being sent to the south shores.
I reckon he will just have to deal with it like I did.
Thank you Old & Not in the Way! I will always cherish the wonderful gifts you bestowed upon me.
P.S. - For those of you that don't know - I know from reading another thread that Stephen isn't really too old.
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