Tuesday, March 31, 2009

I have a thing for knives


I have to confess that I like knives. I've had a collection of pocket knives since I was a kid. My earliest was about an inch long. I can't for the life of me figure out what good an inch long knife is unless it was used as some kind of tooth pick when I was a kid.

My collection grew over the years to include a skinning knife. I used that when my cousin and I decided that we would emulate Daniel Boone. I learned to throw that knife end over end and stick a tree. My cousin and I would hunt squirrel and bring back one or two, skin them, and then fry them up (tastes just like chicken). Anyway, I think that I would do okay on "Survivor" because I can fish, hunt and know how to skin animals. Multi-talented I guess.

Not so many years ago, I went to a Sportsman's show in the capital. Here in the South, a Sportman's show has all manner of things that most people don't want to bring home. There are tacky tee shirts with Confederate flags covering buxom women and Labrador retrievers, LOTS and LOTS of camo stuff, wood crafts with all kinds of things made out of cypress knees, and the "weaponry" section which has stuff like tasers....and....knives. I was drawn to the knives like a fly to honey.

I decided to buy a sleek switch blade. Now, this knife is considered a concealed weapon. It is the old fashioned blade in which you press a button and the blade springs out. I kept it in the little section under the dash board in old Blue. But I always wondered what would happen if the car were searched and the knife discovered. What would I say? "Oh, I just keep this around in case there's a random knife fight". Or, "Never know when I might run over a squirrel and could use a good blade." Ridiculous paranoid stuff about that knife would go through my head.

So when old Blue got totaled in November, I had to remove all my stuff from the car. There wasn't much because I kept the car looking like a car, rather than a place that I sleep. But I found the blade in the little compartment under the dash. I thought for a split second about adding it to new Blue. It might just come in handy if I were driving down a dark alley. Or had to impress some newcomer to Al-Anon. But I decided that I'd take it home and add it to my collection.

Besides, I think that a Swiss Army knife has a lot more practical uses: little scissors for nail cutting, a tooth pick, tweezers, screwdriver (both Philips and flathead), and a few different blades (large and small). That knife, along with the Bosun marlinspike one, are all I need for any situation on the boat. Sic semper paratis.

I'm staying sharp on this Tuesday. Hope that you are too.

14 comments:

  1. I used to sell knives in Paducah at Big K (not K Mart) when I managed a sporting goods and automotive department. I learned that knife aficionados won't close a knife you've opened. I think I had one of those one inch knives as a kid, I thought it was a toy.

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  2. I love how you ended this Syd - stay sharp!

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  3. I keep a Swiss army knife in my car. It's very handy.

    My favorite knives are our german chef's knives. Although we have a pair of Japanese chef's knives I got my husband for his birthday that are pretty kickass too.

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  4. I got your point ::bada bing::

    :-P

    Namaste

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  5. I thought my husband was the only one who used his car exclusively for driving..hmm,now there are two.

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  6. For me it was Barlow knives. My grandfather gave me a wooden-handled one when I was a kid, which of course I lost. Ever since I've been adding to my collection for his sake, I suppose. But I had to laugh at the Al-Anon comment. Maybe I should keep my Barlow knife collection out to impress new AA members. No, probably not a good idea.

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  7. My husband actually makes knives. He likes moose antler for the handles. He machines the blades and then polishes them(forever).He's more into collecting guns than knives though. My first husband collected knives too. Hmmm...jeNN

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  8. Huh. Syd and knives. I wouldn't have guessed it. Now, if only you could get on Survivor...

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  9. I love knives also, there's a fondness for the blade and the amazing way they are all shaped.

    I have a huge swiss army knife...love it and its many uses.

    Great post...
    G

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  10. I have an uncle who has the love for knoves too. Some of the stuff he has is SCARY! He too has the blade that pops out kinda knife. I guess thats cool if you like that kinda thing lol. Have a great evening!

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  11. 1.maybe you're getting old and a quick knife fight just sounds like too much trouble.
    2.my car is an extension of my purse. I like it that way because it has a lock and lots of metal around it...my stuff that is.
    3.what about a fish knife? I would think that you would have fish knives?
    4.my first day in re-hab I held a plasitc knife to a guys throat and demanded his sandwich. I got it.
    Pammie

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  12. Syd, you're killing me here. I find your blog so refreshing and genuine and soulful. Today at work I was spending far too much reading your archives and far too little time getting stuff done. Seriously though, alcohol has affected many people I know and in a windy (not the weather - the path-not sure of sp) it has affected me too. I think that the steps can be worked for so many other reasons. I'm sure it's been suggested to you before but I would buy this book if it were bound and on a store shelf.

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  13. staying sharp indeed! hubby also got me one once upon a time. and i religiously carried it in my bag as i was told. then one day he needed it for something or other, and discovered it was full of eyeshadow powder, little glitters and cherry lip gloss that leaked over it once upon a time, and he instantly confiscated it....

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  14. Well being from where I come from I'm a knife man. I have quite a few. I always carry a small beautiful penknife and a Leatherman is always in my car. Nice post Syd

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