Sidearms & Scatterguns Knife carry, sharpening and general observations

[txfireguy2003]

As I just finished stropping the edge puff my EDC Benchmade, I got to thinking about the skill of sharpening a blade, the myriad of tools made for sharpening and the current trend of manufacturers offering free sharpening for life. It occurs to me that I guess many don't know how to sharpen a knife, but its something Dad taught me probably close to 30 years ago, and like reloading, I find it relaxing. I'd never dream of sending a knife back to the manufacturer for a sharpening. To me, that's like sending your truck back to GM/Ford/Dodge when it needs a set of tires, not to mention I almost always sharpen a new knife as soon as I buy it, because I put a sharper edge on than most manufacturers. I've used a number of methods, but have currently settled on a Lansky type set to hold the angles, and once I've finished with the finest stone, I follow up by stropping with an old belt or strip of leather that's been treated with polishing compound.

I then got to thinking about the young fellas, and a few of the older guys, that I work with. Nearly none carries a knife anymore. Growing up, carrying a knife was as much a part of being a man as carrying a wallet instead of a purse. I don't ask to borrow a blade, I have my own, and its shaving sharp. I always carry a knife with a medium sized blade, a clip and some sort of one handed opening mechanism and a locking mechanism that also lets me easily close it with one hand. I just use the damn thing so much, I can't imagine how these guys make it through the day without one. What happened in our society that men no longer carry a pocket knife?

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[Erud]

I'm with you there, brother. I'd sooner leave the house without pants than go out the door without a knife.

 

[NY700]

Times have shifted. I am a huge supporter of carrying a knife. I'm 38, and I got my first knife a small lock back PB beretta silver pen knife when I was 8. So 3 decades I've had a knife on me

And I too appreciate and love the sharpening process. A hand injury unfortunately limits me doing it as it becomes very painful.

I think "advancements" in packaging and social trends have changed the view of EDC of a knife. I have hooked a few people my age into carrying a knife. I told them once you do you will be amazed on how often you use it.

Another throw back is I've started carrying handkerchiefs. Been about a year and wow so handy. And usually not for me but I have two young kids and even once a crying coworker who lost a friend.




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[txfireguy2003]

Hmmm, never thought about a handkerchief, Pops carried one right up until he died, I think Mom put one in his pants pocket when she folded his britches.

As far as people not carrying knives, the best I can figure, it's a combination of "Well, I never got into the habit since they weren't allowed at school." (And they never needed one at home, as they ain't required for video games like they are for feeding animals, working in the shop and repairing stuff on the farm.) Combined with a trend in our culture toward desk jobs. Trade jobs where real metal tools get used and abused are few and far between these days, nobody goes to school planing to be a plumber or electrician ote machinist anymore, the school's have taught them that they need to be a programmer, engineer etc. Not that there's anything wrong with those jobs, in fact, I went to college to be an engineer, but that's a whole other story for another day. I just think we've gone from a culture of men who work with their hands and build stuff and repair things, to one of men who work on a keyboard and call maintenance when they need a light bulb replaced.

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[powdahound76]

Funny. When I was in school teachers borrowed my knife more often than I used it in school as it was always sharp. My grandad was born in 1916 and taught us all how to use a knife and sharpen it.
I went to a theater performance today and carried a knife (cocktails while there so no G19). I dress up for work and always have a blade on me as guns are on the no no list......
I have nuts, I will have a sharp knife.

World full of ldmf's these days.

 

[txfireguy2003]

Funny. When I was in school teachers borrowed my knife more often than I used it in school as it was always sharp. My grandad was born in 1916 and taught us all how to use a knife and sharpen it.
I went to a theater performance today and carried a knife (cocktails while there so no G19). I dress up for work and always have a blade on me as guns are on the no no list......
I have nuts, I will have a sharp knife.

World full of ldmf's these days.

I carried a knife to school every day, and it wasn't a little swiss army knife either, it was a working knife. Most of the teachers knew and a few asked to borrow it a time or two. I'm young enough that it was not allowed, nor were guns, but old enough that the staff in my little small town school still had common sense and knew I was going hunting after class (and on occasion before class) so I probably had a gun in the parking lot. They also knew I had livestock to care for and a knife was mandatory, so they didn't say anything. I once showed up to school to find half the county sheriff's department vehicles parked in the student parking lot and staff/deputies searching backpacks at the doors and dogs running the halls sniffing lockers. Someone had left a "hit list" on one of the busses the day before and this was just a few years post Columbine. Lucky I had Mr. Maedgen's first period Calculus class, he let me climb out the window and go home to drop off my shotgun before the dogs went out to the parking lot. I'd probably die in prison if that happened today.

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[Quarter Horse]

2003, "a wallet instead of purse" is a great analogy. Of course the first thing that came to mind was the the man purse, metro man and the urban lumberjack. Filson, Pendleton and even Carhart have are now a fashion statement instead of hard use clothing for people who spend most of their time outdoors. Considering this, it is no surprise that a pocket knife is an anachronism. I started buying Boker/Treebrand large stockman and large trappers in about 1960 and never went without one except when I lost one, in which case, I had to save up to get another one.

When the Buck 110 came out in the mid '60s I was all over it. I never considered it a pocket knife. It was a very handy, good quality utility/hunting knife. A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Chuck Buck and his production manager. I took a couple of my old Bucks with me and Mr. Buck was kind enough to sign and date them with electro pencil. He asked his production guy when they were produced. The answer was that they were from the earliest production before any change in marking, materials or design took place.

As to why men no longer carry a pocket knife the answer is clear. If metro man wears Filson and carries a man purse, if urban cowboy has never been on a horse that you didn't,t feed quarters to, if urban lumberjack pomades his hair then what would any of them need a pocket knife for? Wait, I go it, to clean their finger nails.
Okay, I take it back that's what manicurists are for.

The ...times...they...are...a..changin'. And yes, I really am that old.

 

[txfireguy2003]

2003, "a wallet instead of purse" is a great analogy. Of course the first thing that came to mind was the the man purse, metro man and the urban lumberjack. Filson, Pendleton and even Carhart have are now a fashion statement instead of hard use clothing for people who spend most of their time outdoors. Considering this, it is no surprise that a pocket knife is an anachronism. I started buying Boker/Treebrand large stockman and large trappers in about 1960 and never went without one except when I lost one, in which case, I had to save up to get another one.

When the Buck 110 came out in the mid '60s I was all over it. I never considered it a pocket knife. It was a very handy, good quality utility/hunting knife. A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Chuck Buck and his production manager. I took a couple of my old Bucks with me and Mr. Buck was kind enough to sign and date them with electro pencil. He asked his production guy when they were produced. The answer was that they were from the earliest production before any change in marking, materials or design took place.

As to why men no longer carry a pocket knife the answer is clear. If metro man wears Filson and carries a man purse, if urban cowboy has never been on a horse that you didn't,t feed quarters to, if urban lumberjack pomades his hair then what would any of them need a pocket knife for? Wait, I go it, to clean their finger nails.
Okay, I take it back that's what manicurists are for.

The ...times...they...are...a..changin'. And yes, I really am that old.

Great post. Again, I'm still fairly young, but I'm old enough to remember when a male wearing makeup or carrying a purse would get his tail kicked behind the gym. The times sure are changing, and not for the better if you ask me.

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[Boyscout618]

I'll chime in, as someone born after 1980... 1995 for that matter I grew up in the country, I never lived on a farm but I had lots of friends and family who did. Anyone who's sons are scouts knows it's a big thing for a Cub Scout to get his Whittling Chip, or at least it was when I went through. On that day I received my Buck 55 that came from my great-grandfather's house. I learned to sharpen it and oil the handles and clean it regularly. I still have it buried somewhere, I've moved a few times since then. In the schools, obviously, we weren't allowed to carry. I remember almost getting disciplinary action for having empty .410 shells in my coat pocket! But any time I went into the woods to explore, go camping, build shit, whatever, I had a knife on me, two if I was hunting or camping. Every weekend, no matter what I was doing, I had a knife on me. Like other's have mentioned, city life has changed a few things. I went to DC once and totally spaced that I had my Griptillian in my pocket, I sure as hell wasn't going to ditch that just to see some Smithsonians I've seen before. Long and short, it's just not socially acceptable to carry one in everyday city life. When I go out with my buddies they laugh when I throw my knife in my pocket, ask if I'm worried about getting attacked. Nope, it just makes me feel more comfortable because every time I've had a choice to wear it, I do! Society at large is changing, be careful who you tell "this generation is messing everything up" because that kid from the Midwest or a good ol' boy from down south will prove you wrong. Just my thoughts... And FWIW, the most advanced gaming system I had growing up was a GameCube, and I still don't play now that I'm a senior in college.

 

[Choid]

Sharpening a knife on a natural stone is super satisfying. I worked as a butcher in a restaurant as a youngster, and had to sharpen all of the knives until there was a new guy to do it. I don't do it as much as I used to anymore, but I still have a bitchin' collection of japanese whetstones sitting somewhere waiting for me to get back into it. I do carry a knife most days, though I sometimes forget and always wish I had one.

 

[big_matt_duq]

I'm a cheater and use a worksharp. Saves a bunch of time and that's a precious commodity in my life now.

 

[fireEMT5]

I too grew up carrying - on the farm, to school, and to this day always have a folder in my pocket, usually a benchmade 520. As for sharpening, I have a bunch of DMT diamond hones - both the system and individual flat diamond hones. I was never a fan of the electiric options or the big systems such as edge pro, or wicked edge. While I'm sure they all work very well, I could never talk myself into having a big sharpening rig that I had to have on a bench or in the garage........... I want to be able to sharpen my knives whenever and wherever they need it. Thus I opted for the small guided DMT's or just a 4" diamond hone and go at it by hand. It does seem that hand sharpening is becoming a lost art - I'm forever sharpening my coworkers knives because they abuse the hell out their knives and have no idea how to re-sharpen them. I'd like to get to the point that I don't care about the next guy and how sharp his knife if, but a dull knife pains me! My stuff is always sharp and that's what really counts.

 

[sandwarrior]

When I grew up, we had no issue with a knife that was "out of sight". Pocket knives were common. Lockbacks, not so much in the day. I started carrying a Buck 110 when I went into the Army as opposed to the old Barlow/Case/Camillus Stockmen type knives, I packed in my pocket.

I never could keep a knife sharp until my woodshop teacher showed me how to sharpen a blade, any blade, in the 8th grade. After that, it became a matter of practice to keep a decent edge on a knife. I got to where I could keep a razor edge on there most of the time. In the kitchen I keep the knives super sharp. I go to relatives houses and the edges are not only dull, their rounded...drives me nuts! I quit offeriing to sharpen relatives knives as they won't keep them up and they like handling knives by the sharp edges. Someones going to get a nasty surprise if I do sharpen them. So, when they come to my house, they are warned...the knives in the kitchen are SHARP! Stay out if they don't like it.

 

[SquarePizza]

I will be the first to admit, I've carried a knife all my life and I suck at sharpening.

My grandfather carried two pocket knives his whole life and could take a ruin edge and make it into something he could shave hairs with. I can sharpen an edge enough for a working edge, but never in my days have I been able to get a pocket knife sharp enough to shave with.

 

[txfireguy2003]

When I grew up, we had no issue with a knife that was "out of sight". Pocket knives were common. Lockbacks, not so much in the day. I started carrying a Buck 110 when I went into the Army as opposed to the old Barlow/Case/Camillus Stockmen type knives, I packed in my pocket.

I never could keep a knife sharp until my woodshop teacher showed me how to sharpen a blade, any blade, in the 8th grade. After that, it became a matter of practice to keep a decent edge on a knife. I got to where I could keep a razor edge on there most of the time. In the kitchen I keep the knives super sharp. I go to relatives houses and the edges are not only dull, their rounded...drives me nuts! I quit offeriing to sharpen relatives knives as they won't keep them up and they like handling knives by the sharp edges. Someones going to get a nasty surprise if I do sharpen them. So, when they come to my house, they are warned...the knives in the kitchen are SHARP! Stay out if they don't like it.

I stopped sharpening knives for others, except a very select group of friends after I sharpened all the kitchen knives at work one day. I was tired of trying to cut meat with something less sharp than a fork. When I came back to work the next shift, just 3 days later, I could have sworn somebody took them outside and ground the edges down on the sidewalk.... they were worse than before I sharpened them! Now I keep a basic set of knives in the food locker that only me and my shift have access to. They stay sharp.

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[sandwarrior]

I stopped sharpening knives for others, except a very select group of friends after I sharpened all the kitchen knives at work one day. I was tired of trying to cut meat with something less sharp than a fork. When I came back to work the next shift, just 3 days later, I could have sworn somebody took them outside and ground the edges down on the sidewalk.... they were worse than before I sharpened them! Now I keep a basic set of knives in the food locker that only me and my shift have access to. They stay sharp.

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Don't it just drive you nuts!?

I finally figured out why steak knives come serrated. The points/"knobs" (what they become when non appreciaters handle them) take the abuse, but the scallops stay sharp. I never liked them because I could not put a good edge on them. But, they last long enough to cut properly cooked meat. For a while anyways as they dull eventually. At which time they can either be thrown away or sent in as sets of 100's to be sharpened. I've always appreciated cutting my steak with a knife sharpened by me. So little effort, no radical sawing....

 

[rg1911]

My dad gave me my first knife when I was around 8, back around 1960, and I've been carrying ever since. Now, give me a good whetstone and I can put a shaving edge on darn near any knife (or bayonet, for that matter). What I can't do consistently is keep the same angle. Some years ago, I finally got a Lansky sharpening system that does a fine, consistent job.

Richard

 

[lash]

Okay, I'll play. As a kid I was also taught how to properly sharpen a knife, and for that matter, an axe or a scythe, with a stone. Then, when I was in my late twenties my FIL, who always used a Lansky set, gave me one as a gift. I avoided using it for a number of years as it seemed wrong and unpure, but eventually tried it out and have been using them ever since.

I now can sit down and in a 1/2 hour sharpen at least five knives, whether they be pocket, hunting or kitchen knives. At my house, a sharp knife is a proper tool and makes life easier. I consider a dull knife to be dangerous.

And yes, people who have always used dull knives will likely hurt themselves when first using a sharp knife as using dull knives leads to bad/unsafe knife practices. My knives are work horses and as such I do not bother honing for a razors edge, it's not necessary and unless the steel is very good, will allow the edge to roll when used for heavy duty work. My opinion.

 

[MStew308]

Benchmade Griptilian in my pocket all day, every day. Grew up in the suburbs and never carried as a youngster. You were likely to get hanged if you were caught with a blade in school in the 90's and early 2000's. Once I smartened up in my mid twenties I started carrying every day religiously. Now 30, still a youngster to some of you old guys lol, I can't imagine going anywhere without it. Still living in the suburbs and also working a desk job I still find a use for it almost everyday for something. Only time i can't carry is when I go to a football game or something of the sort and it kills me to have to leave it in the truck. Lol I've been caught twice trying to get into a football game with a key chain Swiss army knife, damn bastards acted like I was trying to bring a bomb in or something. Anyway, I'd rather leave home without clothes than leave home without my knife. My sharpening skills do need some work though.