Your first knife....

Grew up with a dad an uncle who got me outdoors early and often. My dad ran an auto parts distributorship in 10-uh-C.
In 1959 he had some knives made (Imperial Stockmen) with with his business' info as Christmas presents for his customers. He gave me one that Christmas when I was 4.

Now I was a semi normal kid who broke, lost, gave away or blew up most everything, but for some reason I have managed to hang onto that knife. I use and carry it today some 48 years later. Been lucky to be able to pick up too many nice knives since then, but that stockman is still one of the most cherished for me. It represented a lot of trust in me and faith in the lessons taught.

A tie in to jackknife's smells of a .22 thread, earlier that year dad and my uncle gave me a Remington bolt action .22. They sawed off part of the stock and as I grew older over the years they pinned and glued pieces back on and a little later on they put a peep site on it. That Remington to this day is one of my favorites and still is a "tack driver".
 
Great thread.

My father gave me my first knife when I turned 10 in 1968. He took me to the local hardware store, which had a display case of Belknap John Primble slip joints. I picked out 4" 4-blade congress. I'm not sure, but I think I decided on the congress because it had the most blades. :rolleyes: I carried that knife everywhere for years. One of the larger sheepsfoot blades has been sharpened down quite a bit. Anyway, I still like the congress pattern, and a couple of years ago got a couple of Queen congresses (cocobolo and stag bone) that are basically the same size. I've bid on the exact same knife a couple of times on fleabay, but always got outbid.

I still have the knife, but I don't have a digital camera. Maybe if I'm extra nice to daughter she'll let me borrow hers. ;)
 
My first knife goes way back to when I was about 3 years old. Mom was terrified when she found me digging in the back yard with one of her kitchen knives. The knife was put away, but I repeatedly 'stole' it from the kitchen when I could find it. Dad took the knife and ground off the edge and rounded the tip a bit and then just let me keep it. I was facinated with shiny metal objects at an early age.

Later I had a folding jack knife with a 3 inch blade, and some other small knives including a box cutter. In the late 60's when I was 10 Dad bought me my first good fixed blade made in Mora Sweden. I carried it for years until I lost it on a highschool camping trip. I still remember looking down at the empty sheath on my side and it bothers me when I think about it to this day.
 
My Dad brought two of these beauties back from the Korean War. He probably got them in Japan. Gave one to me and one to my brother. I was probably about 3 or 4. My Mom put them away in her cedar chest. She gave them to us about 30 years later when Dad passed away. As you can see the quality is outstanding. (yeah, right)
I was kind of afraid to post this picture because when Totally Judy see the purple handle she will try to sweet talk me out of it.

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Great thread! :thumbup:

My first knife was a pretty typical Scout knife. I don't remember much about it, but it had a red, plastic handle. My parents gave it to me when I was maybe 9 or 10 and in Cub Scouts. Unfortunately, I lost it a long time ago.

The first knife that I bought for myself was a sort of fake switchblade stiletto with a "kris" shaped blade (it was a lock back with a nail nick opener, though it looked like an auto). I was around 11 or 12 years old and went into a cutlery store by myself to purchase it. The guy behind the counter just asked if I had my father's permission to buy it and I said yes (which was true). I still have that knife and occasionally take it out to look at it.
 
My first knife was an Uncle Henry LB7. I still have that knife. It has plenty of scars from being abused, but works like it did new.

Great to look back at your fist knife and remember all the time.


John
 
The first one that made an impression on me was a Schrade LB7... I still have the original sheath, but I've had to replace the knife 3 times. Now I've got an old 4-pin in that sheath. Very sharp, and very seldom used. Too-damn heavy and seems to scare the heck out of people when I open it.
 
Really good thread:thumbup:

I inherited as it were, some old knives from Sheffield with bone and tortoise scales.These were knocking about the house and belonged to my grandfather in the early part of the last century.Very thin blades worn down by use. Then I used them on my pipes when I smoked, just right for reaming. Then during a move they vanished from the face of the earth, like a lot of stuff does.

Like to know which knife of today would you give as a first knife? Kids like multiblades (some of us grow out of that..) so a SAK I suppose? Case soddie would be better though:D
 
This is the response I was shooting for on the other site..Its great to hear all the stories about your first blade..the one that got it all started!!
 
The one I can remember is an Official Boy Scout utility knife that I won as a Cub scout for selling Jamboree tickets. I proudly carried it on my belt clip. I don't recall really using it that much. What happened to it, I have no idea. Lost, traded, who knows. And, yep, sure wish I had it today. I'd probably carry it.
 
Sunnyd, Sorry I don't have the equipment to send a pic.
sunnyd
Gold Member Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: In the cypress swamps of the great peninsula, USA
Posts: 1,881

Quote:
Originally Posted by STDK
I still have my first knife, it's a Sabre Daddy Barlow. I remember riding my bike up to the neighborhood Dollar General store when I was 12 or 13 and buying it with no problems. This was back in the early 70's, now you have to be 18 to buy a knife. Sometimes I miss the good old days.

Perhaps you would post a picture of that first knife of yours? I love seeing those old Daddy Barlow's.
__________________


"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage the morale and undermine our military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged".. Abraham Lincoln
 
I have the first one I bought still
My dad was with me when I handed my saved up money over for it , and boy was I proud ..

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there is a long story to it , I loved the blade and the edge it holds , still do , I can peel clean and section up a goat with it , no need for re-sharpening 1/2 way thru

the butcher knives we were buying at the time were good , if they were constantly steeled , but I hated that , still do :) I dont like the business of killing and butchering , and just wanted it over n done , grandpa had no problem with a break in proceedings for a contemplative moment steeling his knife before starting again tho .

that little knife would keep its edge where the "professional" ones didnt .

I wanted more like it and so began the learning about knife steels , eventually making my own blades even , but still that little knife kept bugging me , it was cheap , solid , and kept a scary sharp edge . I wanted more of them to give my friends , more just for me , just MORE ... by this time tho , they were no longer available in AU ...

After playing silly buggars with HSS blades and knocking out more than a few , I realized that this little folder is STILL my favorite knife despite the ones ID bought or made swapped traded etc ...

So I sat down and found the makers , the rest is history , Im their dealer for Australia . OK , Im only small time , and dont even have a shop myself , but for me and this brand , its a life long relationship kinda , its not everyone who gets to deal their favorite knives :)
 
my 1st knife was a cheap throwing knife handed down to me from my dad when i was around 11 years old.....I still have it though its terribly pitted/corroded....

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thats cool :)

My dad taught me throwing with a ordinary knife , Ive never used a throwing knife tho .
 
Yep I still have my first knife. Its a Ranger medium stockman.
My Dad got it for me 30 years ago this November.In those days we went to deer camp on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Friday morning I went with Pop to run his errands one stop was at Bills Sport shop for the usual odds and ends a guy needs and I spied the card of Rangers behind the gun counter.
Pop said it was about time i had a pocketknife since this year I was a to become a hunter notjust a tag along.
Knowing my dads frugal nature even at the tender age of 11 I picked the smallest cheapest 2 blade jack on the card.Don't get the wrong impression, My Dad has a heart the size of a bushel basket but he also has the natural conservatism of a man who has busted his butt for every nickle he ever made.
Any way he looked at my choice and snorted "You might as well get one thats big enough to use." I picked the stockman which is the same size and blade compliment as the colonial he had in his pocket.
That Ranger is still in pretty good shape despite the indignities inflicted upon it by a small boy and I have no complaints about the service it gave me then or now.
I am truly blessed ,Pop is still in fairly good shape though he doesn't hunt anymore and I still go to that same cabin each November.
I also still carry that Ranger from time to time despite having accumulated a rather vast collection of custom and factory knives, because when Its in my pocket or my hand I get to be 11 again and we all need that from time to time.
 
Mine was a carbin steel Cub Scout knife. I lost it in the woods by my parents house and looked for it for years. Like everyone I wish I still had it.
 
I actually have the story of three. The first one was probably a Daniel Boone SMKW novelty knife, that I carried and abused, I may still have it in my junk drawer, but that is the first real knife I remember having.

Next is a Boker Double Tree two blade congress with the dogs on it that my father gave me NIB. That was a long time ago too, but I still remember my father saying watch out, its sharp (he's never used a Spyderco ;)). I carried it for awhile, maybe ten years ago, and gave it to my little bro, he likes the dogs, and takes good care of it.

The next one, the real one that I REALLY used, was a Schrade 7OT Cave Bear that a neighbor gave me. I beat the hell out of that knife, and it was my only real using knife for the next ten years. After I got into tacticools/modern designs, it sat on the shelf, and I am sorry I sold it later on. I accidentally broke off the tip while cutting a hay bale and sticking it into a fence post during a heavy snow storm, my hands were frozen, and I didn't have time to fiddle with closing it and putting it back in its sheath (I loved my fathers horses, but, being the only non horse person in the family, it was still my job to take care of the "Three Stooges", two horses and a pony).
 
It's not my first knife, but it is very special to me, becuase it belonged to my Grandpa that I never knew. And it is my only Case, even though I do not know the model, I would assume it is a late 60's earlier 70's model.

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The first knives I ever bought came from an Eckards Drug Store across the street from my elementary school, back in 1971-2. I started out with a nice Barlow/Barlow style folder but what I really wanted was a big "Bowie" knife from the same case the jackknife came out of. At about 3-5$ it took me awhile to collect enough empty soda bottles for refunds to do the deal, but when I finally took it home I just knew it was worth every cent; I was very proud and kept it a secret. It had a blade about nine inches long and I sharpened and sharpened that thing on dad's oil stone until I actual learned how to get a good edge on a cheap knife.
Latter on in the summer, one day when I was alone in the apartment and bored, I tossed the thing into the hardwood floor two or three times in a moment of supreme stupidity. Even worse, I left it sticking there as I watched TV and forgot it completely. When the phone rang sometime latter, I barely noticed when I kicked something as I ran and answered it, even though I was barefooted. I must of stood there talking on the phone for about five minutes before, feeling faint, I looked down and found I was standing in a rather large pool of blood.
I knew we didn't have a bandaid large enough for the cut which ran nearly the length of the second largest toe on my left foot, so I walked out the backdoor to get one from one of the neighbors. As it turned out, there must have been only one adult home that afternoon and by the time I reached her backdoor at the far end of the apartment-row, there must have been about fifteen kids gather round, half in wonder and half in shock.
Now keep in mind that there was no pain what-so-ever and I didn't think it was a big deal, but that lady really freaked when she saw me and after wrapping a fresh towel around my foot, dashed off to call my mother. I will never, never ever forget the moment when, while the lady was calling for help, some additional kids came up and asked to see the cut. I pulled back the towel and proudly displayed my wound for all to see. As I did, Carol S., a thin, dark haired girl with glasses, a year or two younger, leaned down for a close-up, and with the force of 'Super Soaker' water rifle, a large, prolonged spurt of blood reached up and hit her square between the eyes; victim #2 turned as white as this Macbook and preceded to completely freak-out in her own right. On reflection I also don't think I will completely stop feeling sorry for that kid, who was in truth, a pretty good friend.

I eventually made it to the emergency room where, thanks to the sharpness of the blade, a super clean cut required relatively few stitches to mend. In fact, as I write about it, I remember the local the doctor injected hurt and burned much worse than that cut ever did.

After that day, I kept a healthy respect for the damage a knife can do and managed not to cut myself badly again till 30 odd years latter when a razor sharp, carving blade attacked my left hand one morning and gave me a nice case of tetanus. Good times, good knives...:p

Eli
 
barny said:
It's not my first knife, but it is very special to me, becuase it belonged to my Grandpa that I never knew. And it is my only Case, even though I do not know the model, I would assume it is a late 60's earlier 70's model.

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barny,
That is one fine old Case Barlow model. It has what was called "rough sawed" red bone scales from what I can make out in your photo. One of my(and many others here) favorite models of all time. The "Case XX" on the bolster makes it a bit more rarer Barlow model I believe. The blades were made out of good old hi-carbon steel and has the half stops for safety. We can narrow down the date if you can tell us what exactly is stamped on the tang.

Your grandad sure knew what a great pocketknife was and that's a fact.:thumbup:
 
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