Your Most Special Knife, And Why

JK Knives

JK Knives

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What`s your most special knife, and why? I`ll tell you the story of mine. The year was 1968, the year my mom got sick. My mom had an aunt and uncle, Sylvia and Richard, who had never had children, and were pretty wealthy. They had both worked for the old Western Electric Company in Cicero for many years, and lived in a small apartment in Berwyn. My great uncle Richards passion was fishing, he went to the Hayward Wisconsin area several times a year to fish. When my mom got sick he thought it would be a good idea to take me on one of his trips with him. I remember mom and me walking to the drug store (mom never drove), and she bought me one of those folding fishing knives that Imperial made with the scaler on back, from the cardboard display board. I can remember driving to Wisconsin with my great uncle, his old Chrysler packed with fishing gear, and his Johnson 15 hp motor in the trunk. We had a good trip, that`s when he taught me to flyfish. That year, on Christmas Eve, my mom passed away, I was 15. My daughter still has that knife, it`s black tin scales missing a lot of their original paint, but still one of the most valuable knives in the world.
My daughter is coming over today, and I`m going to ask her to bring it for photos.
 
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Great story!

Mine is the late 40's early 50's John Primble my Grandpa gave me. All the guys on my Dad's side are/were outdoorsman and I remember all the trading that went on when the 4 Brothers and grandpa got together at holidays or during hunting season. Shotguns, pistols, knives, etc.. always exchanging hands. It was the pocket knives that always caught my eye. Most of Grandpa's had been sharpened to toothpicks but he had this beautiful Primble that never left the dresser and I always coveted that knife. I reckon he knew this as around 1974 he gave it to me. I carried it for almost a year until the "River" incident. While fishing on a bridge my friend Gordy dropped it in the river. I was speechless and sick feeling. I could see my friend felt awful too. A few minutes later the sun came out and we saw a flash in about 2 feet of water. Gordy didn't hesitate to jump in the river and retrieve the knife. From that day on she became a safe Queen!
 
Thank you for sharing.

My favorite knife is a Spyderco Calypso Jr. It was given to me by a former girlfriend a few years after our relationship ended.

A very thoughtful gift, because she doesn’t care about knives and had never shown an interest in them. It reminds me of the fact that just because relationships can change, some people remain special.
 
My most special knife is my translucent blue scaled Vic classic. Along with my Vic Cadet, it was on me when my daughter Sasha was born. I delivered her myself after my wife asked the doctor if I could "catch". It was an unbelievable experience, and it will never be forgotten. Now, I had two knives on me, so why is the Classic more special? Because about a year earlier, my older Daughter, Keira, picked it out for me. We were walking through the aisles of target, and I stopped at the knife display. Then two years old, Keira reached up and grabbed the blue Classic, placing it in the cart. I kind've took the hint and bought it. So, it is very much connected to my daughters. No matter what other knife I have on me, that Classic will always be the top of the heap, king of the mountain, number one in my book.
 
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Last year I would have likely answered this question by telling you of the first real knife my Dad gave me, my brother received an identical one. These were Schrade barlows and a few years ago I actually located both mine and my brothers, cleaned them up nicely, and gifted them to my nephews. This year on Father's day I gifted My Dad, my brother and myself all with knives. There were all the same model from Fight'n Rooster albeit with different scale colors but all three have the same inscription on the main blade, "Family First".

In today's world with the uncertainties facing all of us about the very survival of our Country and the family as we know it I am happy that all three of us carry a reminder that family should always be foremost in our thoughts.

familyfirst.jpg
 
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I have a few knives that are special to me;

The first is a Victorinox Pioneer that my girlfriend bought me for our first Christmas together.

Next is the Schrade 8OT that I won in a giveaway that was held by jackknife on this forum.

Last is a Menefee Zulu Trapper, thanks to texasflyfisher. He gave me the opportunity to purchase a knife that I have been drooling over since I first saw it. If not for the generosity of a fellow forum member, I doubt I would have had the chance to own one of Mr. Menefee's knives so soon.
 
You mean the one that got away?That would be a Samual Barlow in great shape. Why? because it was so old. Late 1700's. Right now I would have to say this one because it had a chip in the blade near the tip and I stoned it out to make it a working knife again.Sort of bonded with it. This one has zero blade play and f/f is beyond perfect, aside from missing 5% off the tip.(you would never know it though).

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My favorites for obvious reasons would be the Schrade Waldens that were my grandads.

The next favorite, and a very close second, would be the Schrade Waldens that I carry daily, and was fortunate enough to receive from a friend and fellow member

So, I can't just list one particular knife. Because all I listed are very special to me
 
This one is doubly special. It was in my pocket the day I got married and it has the wedding date stamped on the inside liner. Plus it was made by a maker I met here and who I now consider a friend.

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- Christian
 
i have a case trapper (single thin blade) that my great grandad gave me before he passed away.

but other than that i havent been into knives long enough to have any super special ones.
 
I have an old hollow handled survival knife that belonged to my grandfather. The saw back is a bit beat up, and I had to put an edge back on the blade. It is one of the old ones with the metal handle, and the compass pommel that screws on. It still had the little "survival kit" inside the handle. He gave it to my father before he (my grandfather) died. My grandfather died before I was 1year old, so I never knew him. But he was an outdoorsman, and could have taught me alot. He had been a merchant marine during WWII. My father gave the knife to me a few years ago; though I knew he had it many years before that.
 
A lot of folks here have seen it, but it is my first knife. My dad gave it to me when I was a very young pup right about 50 years ago give or take a little.

Lots of great memories with my dad and uncle come from it. My uncle has passed away, but dad is still going strong at 85.

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Got 2

1) Case Barlow in salmon that I got when my Grandmother died.
2) Queen Congress I got when my daughter was in the hospital.
 
My favourite knife has got to be the ugliest knife you could get :)
It belonged to my brother-he was murdered quite a while back, ... he was my only brother, and older than me by 4 & 1/2 years.
I remember once when he came home..I was around 9 years old....and he had this knife!!! what you guys have to understand is that here in New Zealand..we dont carry knives-you werent allowed to - MOST certainly back then... unless you are on a farm..
It was a Wildcat Skinner, made by Imperial.
Anyway...I remember going WOW!!!...you got a knife!!..( then the usual younger brother question)...can I have it? :D
Of course the answer was no...but he let me hold it, showed me how to open it without cutting myself..it was the first knife I was allowed to handle........yeah...pretty special knife-because right now at 46 years old, Im standing there holding Andys beautifull stunning knife ( however my young mind worded it ) and Im 9 years old looking at him in his bedroom
 
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My most special knives are the old ones I gave to the family, and I see them carrying and using them. I love seeing them in the hands of family being used while I'm still alive to feel the pleasure of it.
 
Campbellclanman said:
My favourite knife has got to be the ugliest knife you could get :)
It belonged to my brother-he was murdered quite a while back, ... he was my only brother, and older than me by 4 & 1/2 years.
I remember once when he came home..I was around 9 years old....and he had this knife!!! what you guys have to understand is that here in New Zealand..we dont carry knives-you werent allowed to - MOST certainly back then... unless you are on a farm..
It was a Wildcat Skinner, made by Imperial.
Anyway...I remember going WOW!!!...you got a knife!!..( then the usual younger brother question)...can I have it? :D
Of course the answer was no...but he let me hold it, showed me how to open it without cutting myself..it was the first knife I was allowed to handle........yeah...pretty special knife-because right now at 46 years old, Im standing there holding Andys beautifull stunning knife ( however my young mind worded it ) and Im 9 years old looking at him in his bedroom
Click to expand...

Very nice post indeed, thank you:thumbup:

My special knife no longer exists-or at least it's not in my possession any more. It was an equal end Pen knife I found in a drawer as a kid of about 8. It had been my grandfather's as he was a pipe-smoker and dug the bowl a far bit apparently.He died years before I was born and nobody else in the family was much interested in knives. Both blades were fairly worn down and even pitted, it had tortoiseshell scales with a chunk missing on one side and a bar shield. I cleaned it up and carried it a lot, it was blunt and I had no idea how to sharpen it then. Years later in a house move it simply vanished as stuff so often does. I mourn that knife but I hope it's still around and owned by somebody else-that's better than it ending up on the rubbish tip for burning:eek:

Excellent thread.
 
When I started collecting a year or two ago, my grandfather gave me one of his old knives with the instructions to "put this one in your box". My collection consists of Schrades and other Schrade related brands, but my grandfather's knife is more special than any brand. It is a Kabar 1026 jack that he carried everyday for almost 30 years. Papaw farmed and ranched his whole life and that knife is worn down to a shadow of what it was. For his 76 birthday this past year I found another 1026 and gave it to him with the instructions to "put this on in your pocket". I don't know if he carries it, but I knew that knife meant as much to him as his did to me.

Chuck
 
This one. It was my grandad's since before I was born, and he carried it over 30 years. I've have it now, carry it occasionally, and wouldn't trade it for the world. It's a '58 Queen small jack.

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I also have his Springfield 30-06 :D
 
willgoy said:
Very nice post indeed, thank you:thumbup:

My special knife no longer exists-or at least it's not in my possession any more. It was an equal end Pen knife I found in a drawer as a kid of about 8. It had been my grandfather's as he was a pipe-smoker and dug the bowl a far bit apparently.He died years before I was born and nobody else in the family was much interested in knives. Both blades were fairly worn down and even pitted, it had tortoiseshell scales with a chunk missing on one side and a bar shield. I cleaned it up and carried it a lot, it was blunt and I had no idea how to sharpen it then. Years later in a house move it simply vanished as stuff so often does. I mourn that knife but I hope it's still around and owned by somebody else-that's better than it ending up on the rubbish tip for burning:eek:

Excellent thread.
Click to expand...

And Thank you!!
I really do mean that when I say that I can see him standing there in front of me...in his bedroom...and Im holding the knife...
I do have to admit-if someone offered me a million dollars-I just couldnt sell it-I wouldnt be able to live with myself..I loved my bother so much, still do even after his death of over 20 years.... this is not to say that I would inded shed a tear as the "buyer" walked away :o
This thread is quite fantasic, and could I possibly vote or suggest that it be made a sticky?...as it represents something that as a hobby ( or more like an obsession that overides our budgets ) and also a sentimental value...that is so very strong to all of us who have either a happy tale, or a sad attachment to that knife.

willgoy, I am gutted for you myself, I know the feeling when desperately searching for something..and finding its gone, it takes a while to accept.
Wouldnt it be just fantastic for you to be cleaning up-whatever..and you see something fall out-and there it is...wouldnt that just be a fantastic day :)
Fantastic thread...in a awesome forum :thumbup:
 
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