Folding pocket knives

[Kidbee]

I too have been a long time pocket knife carrier, in a pouch, and like a lot of earlier posts it has sentimental value.

Being a country music follower, Troy Cassar Daley has just released a new song entitled 'Things I Carry Around' and the beginning of his song has these words:

'That Old Timer knife my grandpa gave to me,
has worn a hole in a hundred pair of jeans'.

Mine is an Old Timer as well, but made well before they started getting manufactured in China.

Here is a Youtube Video of the song in question and his much treasured EH Holden, that will bring a lot of memories back for some of you.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uTp1InlMPf0

[ian]

Thanks for the input guys, I think i'll keep the knife.

Hi Fred

Gift the knife to your grandson.
emphasize the personal responsibility bit and that a pocket knife is a tool not a weapon and particularly that it's not for self defense.



Unfortunately, the issue goes beyond on of a nanny state.
I remember the early 90s in Sydney when many male teenagers, when asked why they carried a pocket knife, said it was for self defense.
From memory the typical story was: when confronted the victim extracted his pocket knife, lost it to the attacker who in turn used it to injure the victim.

[ian]

I have carried a pocket knife from the age of 14 until I moved to Melbourne six years ago and had to stop because of the nanny state's interest in my safety

there was a gap of three months when I was 18 and joined the Army. There, the powers that be deemed it too dangerous to have a little pocket knife while doing basic training so they took it off of me on the first day and gave it back at the end.

I have never understood why they did this because the day after they took my pocket knife they gave me a rifle and an eight-inch bayonet to stick on the end of it. Apparently that was not as dangerous as a pocket knife

hi Doug

possibly the knife was quarantined because the Army hadn't taught you how to use it? That or you might use it for self harm.

What I remember from my basic training was that the bayonet was very blunt and most of the time the rifle was only a club. Bullets were things we only saw at the range.

[Chief Tiff]

... when I was 18 and joined the Army. There, the powers that be deemed it too dangerous to have a little pocket knife while doing basic training so they took it off of me on the first day and gave it back at the end.

Clearly the Navy enlists a higher calibre of recruit ; you are GIVEN a pocket knife on Day One as part of your basic kit outfit at Recruit School. Then when you go to sea you are required to carry it around with you as part of your everyday kit (along with a torch, a chinagraph grease pencil and a green Cyalume light chemical light stick).




Oops; sorry to any RAAFies I may have just inadvertently scared the living poop out of with such a terrifying picture

[doug3030]

Well Chief Tiff, Not so sure you should be boasting about the comparative merits of the recruits when they see a need to engrave the equipment with basic maintenance instructions like "oil the joints"

However one thing will never change is that servicemen and ex-servicemen will take every opportunity to bag the services they were not in.

I used to love it when the Navy guys would make a big deal out of the Navy being the Senior Service. I would tell them that they had to form the Navy first because they knew it would take them longer to get their $#!t together.

(written in jest in the usual spirit of interservice rivalry)

CHeers

Doug

Oops; sorry to any RAAFies I may have just inadvertently scared the living poop out of with such a terrifying picture

[Lyle]

Had one of those for ages. Had to modify it by cutting of the pointy bit used on ropes and welding on a Phillips screwdriver. It. Was a great tool then on the Caribous and Iroquois. Could open any panel and adjust heaps of things. Still got it somewhere.

[Chief Tiff]

"Oil the joints" is nothing compared to the instructions on a Claymore mine; "This side Towards The Enemy"

I think we can agree that when using a knife we didn't so much "cut away from the body" as "always cut towards the nearest Commissioned Officer"

[doug3030]

"Oil the joints" is nothing compared to the instructions on a Claymore mine; "This side Towards The Enemy"

Come on Chief, we all know that the instructions on the Claymore mine are there for the Americans. It's their kit after all.

The Australian Army gets at least as much mirth out of that inscription as our Navy does.

Cheers

Doug

[q9]

I'm surprised claymore's don't say "Aim away from face"

I can't remember not owning a pocket knife. Rather sad that Wenger are no more and only Victorinox remains. Still, bought one recently and it is a good thing. My SOG multi is a bit bulky most days. Had Kershaw, Wenger, Opinel, and others. Can't imagine getting my first one in my teens though...

[Chief Tiff]

Hi Fred,

Just to recap the major points and views that I feel have been expressed here:

1) A pocket knife is viewed as only a tool by the overwhelming majority of people. Those members of society who would claim that no-one should be allowed one as these can be "a weapon" I will cheerfully ignore on the basis that are highly unlikely to have any real experience of either and acquiescing to their un-informed viewpoint gives unearned power to the feeble. Besides; they don't subscribe to this forum.

2) To a young teen being given such an item is almost a rite of passage; it demonstrates to them that they have earned the trust of their elders and have been judged as responsible; another stepping stone to adulthood. All those little points we all experienced growing up; getting our first sips of beer, sitting on dad's lap as we steered the car, baiting our own hook... ok; I'm waffling a bit here but basically society want us to totally insulate our young from all responsibility and potential hurt while expecting that on the 18th birthday suddenly there is a lightbulb moment and the child suddenly becomes an adult. Right...

3) A gift like this is something that will never fade from memory. We all remember our first knives and we all remember who gave them to us.

4) The Navy is, was and always will be the best branch of the Defence Force.

[doug3030]

no problems with points 1, 2 and 3 chief Tiff, after that you are on pretty shaky ground (or should that be waters)

CHeers

Doug

[ian]

I don't think I've ever seen a bigger hi-jack ...

The Navy is, was and always will be the best branch of the Defence Force.

which really deserves its own thread

[AlexS]

Ah yes, the EH Premier, had oe of those, my first decent car.

his much treasured EH Holden, that will bring a lot of memories back for some of you.

Just wondering how many Gen Xers were conceived in the back of one of those.

Chief Tiff, I was given one of those when I did my (civilian) coxswains cert. Very useful, used it for splicing, cutting a tow that went wrong and lots of other things. I seem to remember being issued with one in the army, too, can't be sure now.

[rustynail]

It's not the knife that is the problem, it's that silly nut that you often find on the end of the handle.

[issatree]

Hi All Again,
About time I thought, to clean up the front of the Bench.
UMM, whats in that, low & behold, 2 Folding Pocket Knives.
Stanley Rogers, 440 Stainless, Japan.
7¼in. length of Opened Locked Knife.
Single Blade 2¾in. Partial Wooden Handle with Brass Pins & S/S at the Blade holding end. Quite heavy, but very nice.

Other one is a 4 Blade by Kutmaster, Utica, or Utiga NY. Made in USA.
Main Blade ruined by a file, Screwdriver-Bottle Opener, very small Curved Blade 1in. then 1½in. Blade tapers to a point with serrated back, that I take to have been a small rasp. Bone handle with Brass Name Plate. Reason for Imperial is that was what it wood have been.
These Blades do not Lock.
Very Pleased with my find.