Romancing The Pocket Knife
February 24, 2008 - 8:50pm — ecooley
You can not beat a good pocket knife. The other day I found myself in a hardware store. You know the kind. A guy named Tom, Chuck, or Bob comes from behind the counter to help you. The place has everything from garden hoses to galvanized nails. Why there is even a section for bird seed. The place smells of oil, and industrial strength hand cleaner.
Well I needed some keys made and in the process I thought I might look over his pocket knives. I walked over to the display case to have a look. My mind wandered back in time when as a boy a pocket knife was essential pocket gear, along with a couple of matches, a bandana, a compass, and some fishing hooks stuck on an old piece of cork. My boyhood pocketknife would whittle a stick, cut a willow branch, help me craft a good marshmallow roaster, and pick up things I did not want to touch.
My first knife was given to me by my grandfather my last knife was given to me by my father. Right of passage? No, they just know the value of a good pocket knife. Even this desk jockey knows that today a good pocket knife can cut open a box, trim a CAT 5 cable, or open a key fob to replace the battery. A pocket knife puts a little extra swagger in your gait gives you a little more machismo. What a resourceful implement.
Today, I have a Leatherman multi-tool but not a pocket knife. So I ask Tom, Bob, or Chuck to show me that knife on the right, second from the bottom. Its a W.R. Case Pocket Worn Old Red Bone Knife, a classic Case Knife. I hold it in my hand taking note of the heft and balance. I open the knife to look at the blades. I slide the knife into my pocket and say “This will do. This will do right nicely.”
- ecooley's Stories
- Login or register to post comments