My father and every uncle I had save 1, he ran the family farm, was under arms in WWII. About 1949 my dad's brother was a major in the occupation of Germany. He wrote dad and said Europe, especially Germany was broke and needed to start manufacturing again. He had talked a local group into trying to build pocket knives and selling stock for start up money. Dad told me later he and mom thought it would be better to trade than have another war start. He took a weeks wages and bought $50 worth of stock based on faith in his brother and a bible passage about "bread upon the waters".
Two years later the company offered to buy back thier stock. Dad signed it and sent it back telling them to help others when they got a chance, that he was doing OK and didn't need it. Dad recieved a thank you from them and a box full of knives. He kept one and gave the others away to other vets.
The knife he kept was some kind of stainless, large celluloid inlay, two blades, sharpened easy, held really nice edge and had a slick almost oiled feel to the metal. Dad was a mechanic, he used that knife every day for over 20 years...gasket removal, carbon scraper, rust scraper, hose cutter, pry bar...it never left his pocket. After he retired he used it to cut bait for fish and skinning in addition to everything else. Mom sent me that knife when dad died and now it is in my pocket, pins still tight, still snaps shut, still retains an edge, not a razor edge but a really sharp working edge. Only thing on the main blade is the single word "Solingen". I have always belived it was made from some alloy of scrapped battle steel left at the end of WWII.
After 60 years of continuous use, this is the one I trust.
blindhari
Sgt.
3rd. Btn. 6th. Inf
Ranger Like my father before me.
Absent Companions
