My First Knife

[knife7knut]

Thought I'd post this one up.This knife was purchased by me(along with my grandfather)in 1954.I was ten years old at the time and the owner of the hardware store wouldn't sell it to me unless my grandfather came in with me and said it was all right.
I took very good care of it;not throwing it too much and being careful not to hit rocks when I did.I whittled a bit with it but it wasn't too practical a whittler so it eventually got retired to the drawer of a little table I kept at the door of my bedroom.I went on to get a more practical whittler;a three blade camp knife.
In 1964 I left my grandfather's house and enlisted in the Navy leaving the knife behind.My grandfather passed away while I was away in 1965 and by the time I returned home his house had been sold and all of my belongings had been either given away or trashed.
In 1987 my mother passed away and while cleaning out her apartment came across the old table that had been in my room.Inside was my old knife along with two others my grandfather used to keep in my grandmother's sewing cabinet.Just two old Kamp King knives;not worth a whole lot but to me priceless.One of them was the first knife I ever cut myself with when I was eight years old.
It seemed really weird to look at that knife;still in it's original sheath and when turning it over seeing the price written on the back as old Mr. Allen used to do in his hardware store.In faded,almost illegible lettering the price: 59 cents!
Just thought I would share this little story on how my knife collecting career began.Hope you enjoy it.
Ray Smith

[Ringmaster]

Absolutely terrific story !

I feel sure that everyone here enjoys reading it, and is happy for you. My first was a Rem. RH-50, and like you, I found mine, after returning from the Navy.

Those have gotta be the most valuable knives, in any man's collection.

Thanks for sharing that, Ray

JR

[justold52]

"In 1964 I left my grandfather's house and enlisted in the Navy"

That should make you about 60 + years old now yes.

Thank you for serving our country at that time, and YOUR story...

I am amazed how some small things in our lives can mean so much that we do with our grandparents.

[El Lobo]

Good story.....and glad that old boy (the knife, of course ) ended up back home.

Bill

[smiling-knife]

Great story knife7knut. It must have been such a great thrill to see your old knife again after all of those years. Thanks for sharing that with us s-k

[knife7knut]

That should make you about 60 + years old now yes.



I am amazed how some small things in our lives can mean so much that we do with our grandparents.

Actually I'll be 64 in January.My grandparents raised me nearly from birth so they were a huge part of my life.My grandmother passed away when I was 10 and it fell on my grandfather to try and raise me the best way he could.

He was quite a character.Born on July 4th,1876(the Centennial)he was privy to witness the dawn of the automobile,powered flight,and electricity among other things.He even lived long enough to see a man in space.He was a chauffeur in Boston Massachusetts(badge #6)as well as a mechanic.I used to sit and listen to him talk about the cars he worked on with names like Darracq,DeDion Bouton,and Panhard Levasseur. Later on he worked for General Electric as a prototype machinist.In an era where many people left school early on he was a high school graduate.

Of the many things I learned from him the most prominent was to never stop learning.He always used to say that the day you stopped learning was the day you stopped breathing.

A quick story about my first experience with knives:He used to keep his pocket knives in the top left hand drawer of my grandmother's sewing machine.His rocking chair(where he held court)was next to it.The standing rule was the knives were strictly off limits.Naturally to an eight year old this only applied when he was actually in the room.

One day he was in the kitchen helping grandma get dinner and I decided it would be a good opportunity to check out the knives.I got one out and attempted to open it but the strong back spring snapped it closed right on my finger! As his knives were always shaving sharp,I suddenly experienced intense pain followed by a rapid flow of blood.

I let out a scream and he came running in to find me holding my finger with blood spurting from between my fingers and the knife on the floor.He grabbed me and dragged me to the kitchen where he sat me on the sink and rinsed off the finger;which always makes it feel GREAT! He then applied some cotton and a couple strips of adhesive tape.

Realizing I had probably suffered enough(and learned a valuable lesson to boot)I never did get punished for that infraction.By the way if you look closely you can still make out the scar.I think of him every time I notice it.

[justold52]

knife7knut this story is very moving to me. Thank you very much for letting us all know about your super past. You are a very lucky man.
I can tell by the way you place words in a line that you are educated.
I am sure your G-DAD is pleased with the way you turned out.
I will think of your G-DAD on Thanks Giving Day.

You said "I never did get punished for that infraction."
I am sure you had your share thought...

So take time to give a piece of your like to your G-KIDS.

What goes around comes around. It's that 4 letter word LOVE.

Again thanks for telling us....

[stockman]

Very nice story! Grandparents are special I hope my grandkids will think of me like you do yours.

Stockman

[jonet143]

what they said!

[Duffy]

Great storys, I liked them very much. They remind me of the little Imperial 2 blade tuxedo knife that I have that belonged to my grandmother. I wouldn't take a farm in Georgia for it. Seems there's no money value that can be put on things like these.

[knife7knut]

Thank you all for the kind words.

About 15 years ago I was going through a rather messy divorce and as a kind of therapy I took to writing down some of my life's experiences.It turned into a marathon writing session that lasted four days and resulted in approximately 300 pages of hand-written manuscript.

In it was chronicled my early life as well as the loss of two of our children and our resulting in becoming foster parents.It took nearly a year to transcribe into something resembling coherency and another six months of having a friend put it on a disc.She worked for a publisher and told me that she had mentioned the story and he expressed an interest in possibly publishing it.

I thought of doing so but in the end decided against it because of the very personal nature of the contents.She did print up 10 copies for me in case i changed my mind.Those copies I have saved to distribute to my children and grandchildren when I am gone.

I have since been adding more chapters to it as there have been many changes in my life since then;not the least of which was a bout with lymphatic cancer.That is a whole other story in itself.

I am also currently(sporadically)working on a book about knives.Not so much a technical treatise but more from a collector's point of view.Unfortunately my sudden surge in business has somewhat pre-empted that for now.

Well tomorrow is another busy day so I guess I will sign off for now. Stay tuned.

[fdh54turkeyshooter]

That was a great story and your grandchildren will appreciate one of those copies of your books. The one thing that keeps me rooted where I am is I want to have an impact on my 5 grandchildren and spend the time with them that I wished I could have spent with my Grandfather. Who was an Oklahoma preacher that raised Black Angus cattle on a big spread in Canadian County Oklahoma. The little time I spent with him I will cherish forever. We spent most of our time together mending fence. He had one bull that liked to be petted. One time we were petting the young bull & he said "OK son, take off towards the truck" I said why? & soon saw that bull chasing my grandfather right on his heels. We made it over the fence just in time. My grandfather who was in his 70s at the time out ran me! That bull did not like it when you quit giving him that attention! I would give anything for his Old pocket knife. Oh well, you fellows stay sharp! If you still got grandparents living, spend as much time with them as you can! Later, Fred

[Dave O]

Our past becomes more valuable with each day. I recently turned age 64, and am about the age my father was when he suddenly and unexpecetedly left me alone in this world. I would give anything to ask him questions that I didn't , or didn't think to when he was here. I do have some of his belongings such as a Case folding hunter, and a Savage 99 Lever Action Rifle that are irreplacable just because his spirit seems to still linger near. They are only valuable because of the love I have for him. These things allow us to cherish memories. They really have little earthly or physical value, but I would not trade them for anything! Enjoy your knife. We understand.

[gmusic]

The times of our lives........................thanks for sharing guys, great stuff!