Gave away my favorite hunting knife.

[Kingcreek]

yep, been thinking about it for quite awhile and yesterday I did it.
I bought this handmade 4” drop point and leather sheath from the makers table at a knife show sometime in the 1990s. D2 steel heat treated by Paul Bos to a Rockwell 61-62. Cocobolo handle scales. The knife maker was Mel Sorg Jr. dba "Mad Poet Custom Knives" in Park Rapids MN. I used it for awhile and was so happy with it I talked to him about making a custom 2 knife set for me. (I've posted elsewhere about his desert ironwood camp set). He was intrigued with my project concept and executed it beautifully. He tragically passed away not long after. I still have the camp set. I carried this knife many miles and it field dressed and processed a couple truckloads of game in Illinois, Minnesota, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Utah.
Yesterday I gave the original knife and a set of oil stones to a young friend that just started hunting 2 years ago. I helped him with his first deer and knew he could use a better blade.
I decided I had it long enough and I know he appreciates it. He will get many years of good service from it. and I know it won't get tossed in a box of junk and sold for a dollar on my estate sale someday.
It felt good.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I've been looking for production, D2 knife of a similar design for a while now.

Looks great!

Atta way getting the youngers started right

 

[BreechFace]

Stand up job @Kingcreek, no doubt it was hard giving up something that accompanied you on many memory making trips. I'm sure the young lad will appreciate it more than you know, and someday will pass it along again!

 

[bikerdoc]

Proud of you my friend, passing it forward is the highest act of kindness and shows strong character!

 

[JShirley]

Good for you, brother. That had to feel good.

One day we will all be gone, like so much dust in the wind. May I leave at leave a few folks better than when we met, and even 1 or 2 to think well of me.

John

 

[X62503]

Good man. I am not quite ready to find a new home for my Sorg Frontier, here with My Precious.

 

[Fiv3r]

Knives are funny. They, at their core essence, are sharpened edges, but they can mean so much more.

One if my most prized possessions is a knife made by a currently well known maker who is also licensing his designs for more mass production. I met him via a forum over a decade ago. At the time, he was bending leather. When he started making knives I bought one of his first designs. He didn't even sign his work back then.

He has grown, prospered, yet still remains a friend to this day. The knife he made is certainly worth more than I paid for it. However, it is used heavily and sharp and adored as he designed it to be. It has 50 years of hard use left in it and I hope to find a good steward to pass it on to one day.

Just a piece of good sharp steel, but it would be the last knife I ever gave up lest I found an appropriate home for it.

 

[JShirley]

Andy is good people, for sure.

 

[Boattale]

That was a very kind move. And brilliant in it's way. Your young friend will never forget how he got the knife and you will be his friend forever. You both get to feel good for legit reasons. Way to go!

 

[Kingcreek]

Folks, thanks for the kind words and support. I hope my post doesn’t sound like bragging, I sure don’t mean to.
I realized that I am in my 50th hunting season. That’s a half a century!
It felt so good to give that knife to a really great young man new to hunting and see the look on his face. I’m proud that I introduced him to shooting and hunting. He was shocked speechless.
I’ve decided to gift a few other things hopefully while I’m still around but just in case, I’m making a list that will be attached to my will. A few good people that aren’t expecting anything will be very surprised someday.
Come to think of it, I probably have too many vintage axes...

 

[Kingcreek]

Good man. I am not quite ready to find a new home for my Sorg Frontier, here with My Precious.

Nice! Very characteristic Mel. He enjoyed primitive and that frontier is classic. Mel told me he never used a pattern but just removed material until it felt right to him. He said sometimes a finished blade was quite different from what he thought he was making.
He was all about function and not too concerned with cosmetics. He meant for his knives to be used and to perform and hold up well.
I visited him in park rapids before his death.

 

[Boattale]

Folks, thanks for the kind words and support. I hope my post doesn’t sound like bragging, I sure don’t mean to.
I realized that I am in my 50th hunting season. That’s a half a century!
It felt so good to give that knife to a really great young man new to hunting and see the look on his face. I’m proud that I introduced him to shooting and hunting. He was shocked speechless.
I’ve decided to gift a few other things hopefully while I’m still around but just in case, I’m making a list that will be attached to my will. A few good people that aren’t expecting anything will be very surprised someday.
Come to think of it, I probably have too many vintage axes...

I totally get it. I gave away a 14' jon boat, trailer and 6 hp motor to a guy with a kid who could not afford a boat to take his kid fishing. It was all older stuff but worked perfectly. He really appreciated it. Didn't need it any more and it felt so good. Really is better to give than to receive.