What was your first knife?

[Vonderek]

One of those cheap single blade German army knives. I sent away for it from Westbury Sales back in the early 70's when I was a kid...I think it cost $1.25. I thought it was so cool cause it only had one blade while everyone else had multiblade Boy Scout knives. I thought at the time every knife was made out of stainless steel so, trying to be a tough guy, I carried it my sock (I saw Dirty Harry do it) and after one day the blade was all rusted from sweat.

It's sitting here next to me on my desk while I type this (I still use it to open boxes and envelopes in my office.) The blade is stamped "Solingen, Germany" and it does take a good edge.

I used to love the Westbury Sales catalog. The knives were displayed their actual size on each page and I marveled at how cool they were. I bought a couple stilettos and a couple others. Some were crap but surprisingly the stilettos were nice quality...brass pins, bolsters, and liners and real horn handles.

 

[slabuda]

Im thinking it was around 77-79 and grandpa gave me one of his old pen knives. I was told not to take it to school but beoynd that I always had it with me. The blade was well worn too from all the years he had it. Used it to cut his plug tobacco by that time. Its around at my parents in a box. If it weren't for my uncle just taking everything after he died. (Yes he was his father but he did will it to me was his .22 and some fishing gear. I would have loved to have had that. He was 82 when he died in 1980 and I was only 10. He surely would have taken me squirrel/dove hunting if he were not so old. He was my hero, taught me to fish, cast and retrieve my own fish while boat fishing at the very young age of about 6. He said he had to many damn fish to catch to be helping me all the time . I was his favorite grandchild being the first boy and beside mom and dad he was the one i loved the most. I remember at that age of 9 or so he would give me little tiny (half a cap full) drinks of his whiskey he was Irish after all lol!

Sorry for the off topic but but that knife is a real reminder of him and something of a great memory.

 

[ReadyFreddy23]

Great story. You should go get that knife and keep it in a safe place where you won't lose it. Too many great memories to let it disappear.

BTW, my Grandfather (not Irish) used to warm up whiskey and add a bit of sugar for himself and he would give me a small amount. He said it was medicinal. He lived to 97 (I was 6 when he died).

 

[frankcostanza]

it was one of those little swiss army keychain knives that my dad gave me when i was probably around 7 or 8 years old. not too long after i got it, i tripped and fell on the dock while i was fishing and into the river it went, never to be seen again. i still get a little ping of sadness every time i see one of those knives....

 

[skeeter1]

The first one that I remember (and still have) is a Solingen 4" 3-blade folder with staghorn handles that my dad bought for me on a camping trip to Canada in the mid-'60s. I was probably about 12 at the time, and spent many hours sharpening it on the best-looking stone I could find (I still have that, too) around the campfire at night. It's seen plenty of use over the years and looks it, but I'll never give it up.

 

[cpttango30]

My first knife was a basic old brown handled 2 blade Barlow knife. That knife took some punishment. He bought it for me from the local hardware store called Mc Coys. Then after that knife gave up the gost he got me a Swiss army knife it was the Super Tinker. That knife was stolen along with a rifle while I was depolyed in the army.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

My first knife was a little junk-blade in the shape of a nickel-plated fish with a 2" China Stainless blade. My dad got it in London for me, as a souvenir of a day trip to see the Imperial War Musuem, back in 1978 (I was 6).

My first proper knife was a special edition Mauser Victorinox multibladed thing (I forget the model) with a couple of different blades, a saw, corkscrew and all the usual stuff that I got as a Christmas present from my crazy uncle Deitmar. I lost in a year or two later tramping around in the local woods, which have since been turned into one of the rash of new housing estates in my home town. The day I lost it I spent hours looking for it, cursing the belt loop that had broken and let it fall. I like to think some construction worker found it, but it's probably turning to rust under one of the cramped houses they peppered that whole area with.

The first good knife I bought for myself was a Buck Crosslock Solitaire 201, that I still have and use today. It was the first knife I had ever seen with a thumb stud (not counting Flikits) and a liner lock. Despite cutting my thumb to ribbons learning to "flick" open the blade, I love that knife. Solid as a rock, comfy, light and keeps a good edge. It doesn't get as much use anymore, as I mostly carry my larger Benchmade (I've fallen in love with the axial lock system) and a Gerber Mini Fast Draw. If they had made the Buck clip mount hinge down, I'd probably still carry it every day, but as is it protrudes too much from my pants.

 

[razorblade31]

My first knife I got when I was 6 as a christmas present from my uncle. A victorinox swiss army knife. Now I have 140+ knives, and am always looking to get more.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

My first knife was a cheap Barlow my dad gave me sometime in the late 70s. It has one clip point blade, and a smaller spear point, both of carbon steel. I still have it around somewhere.

I was given a Old Timer drop point fixed blade for my Bar Mitzvah by one of my father's friends. (Note, I am the only Jewish guy I know who got a knife and a black powder rifle as Bar Mitzvah gifts. I also got to spend some Bar Mitzvah loot and bought myself a Remington 581 LH .22 bolt action. )

First knife I bought myself was a Victorinox Pioneer, around the age of 13 or 14, back when they were made with red alox handles. I carried it for awhile, moved onto other knives, then came full circle. It's been my EDC knife since last November or so.

 

[Never No More]

Jap bayonet my ole man brought back from the South Pacific