Solution for Lost Pocket Knives

[mrbillh]

I have carried a bunch of knives when I was in the field but have settled on Swiss Army knives because they are replaceable. One trip home I forgot to drop my buddy in my checked bag and was very sad at the TSA check point. I returned to see if my bag was still near but the wonderful Southwest folks offered to ship it home so I wouldn't lose my buddy of 20 plus years! I had to pay forward the favor and did so happily. I got a wild hair and went looking for some knives I used to carry and have found all but one... I'll keep looking until I find it!

 

[minke]

I learned to really dislike air travel when I had to commute by plane and this was pre TSA. Twice I've lost Leathermen to TSA when using an exceedingly robust duffel with the Leatherman in an obscure pocket after having taken an automobile trip. After many trips when the plane was scheduled to land in the afternoon but actually landed after midnight I made an effort to avoid carry-ons.

Today I carry this in my wallet. I've probably had it since the 20th century. The pen and the light still work.

edit: every time I upload a picture I get the message "... Oops! We ran into some problems. ..."
a URL of the same is: https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Swiss-Cards/Swiss-Card-Lite/p/0.7300.T

 

[FredWanaker]

Buck and Schrade both had a lost knife warranty. I know for a fact because I notarized an affidavit once for a lost one. My brother lost it, he still had the box and paperwork so since I was a notary he signed the affidavit he had lost it, and I notarized. Buck sent him a new one. When I bought my Schrade it had the same warranty because they were competitors. My two Craftsman made by Schrade rusted in a tackle box and had broken blades. Sears replaced those with new ones 25 years ago, and still have them. The large Schrade was popping rivets so I sent it to a fellow who works on them as a hobby. He put in new rivets and sent it back like new. All three are sitting here with me. But I do understand why Garky has so many. Nothing like reaching for one and it is not there. I have maybe a dozen Swiss Army knives or clones in a drawer nearby that my dad kept sending to me as gifts. Maybe he had the same problem Garky does of too many knives and not enough children to send them too. And I still have that scar from cutting the wrong way with my first pocket knife. LOL

Barlow Knife ~ old VA and KY song
"I been livin' here all my life,
All I got is a Barlow Knife;
Buck horn handle and a Barlow blade,
Best dang knife that ever was made.

I've been married all my life,
And all I've got is a Barlow knife."

Shady Grove ~ Doc Watson
"...Shady Grove, my little love
Shady Grove I say
Shady Grove, my little love
I'm bound to go away

When I was a little boy
I wanted a Barlow knife
And now I want little Shady Grove
To say she'll be my wife..."

 

[Packard V8]

Edit: now retired, I still carry a . . . . Camillus WW2 Army engineer's knife (right rear). The latter has the typical "camper" assortment of blades/tools: can opener, awl, bottle opener/screwdriver, and cutting blade. As Camillus made these in 1942 to 1944, at the youngest, it's nearly 80 years old and still works as well as new.

Speaking of Camillus, the electrician's model is thick on the ground here in Spokane. As near as I can figure, either Kaiser Aluminum issued them or there were boxes full surplused when the Naval Supply Depot closed. No one I know has been able to confirm either, but back when I went to a lot of garage sales, they were often to be found for $1 and I picked up several. They're in my work pants when I know I may have to scrape as well as cut.



jack vines

 

[DAustin]

A few years ago I went to the Infantry Museum in Columbus,Ga. and the guard made me take my key chain SAK back to the car before I could go in. I guess they weren't willing to take a chance to see what kind of damage a 60+ guy could do with a key chain SAK.

 

[rsanter]

So the moral ,of the story is that for some of them you did not actually loose them.
You just put them in a place so safe that not even you could find them until you did a move

 

[DAustin]

Funny, isn't it? On blades, the older Schrade Old Timers had carbon steel blades. They were easy to sharpen to razor sharpness, but you had to do it pretty often. Later, they changed to high-carbon stainless. Those held their edge better, but it was harder to put a perfect edge on them. I preferred the old blades, but they're no longer available. The new ones are good enough, though.

I have a scar on my hand that says your right about the old Schrade being razor sharp.

 

[jimgood]

In the late 50s my father lost his Old Timer pocket knife in the sand on a beach in CA. It had his initials engraved into the side. Some time (weeks or perhaps months, I don't recall) one of his colleagues from the LA Co. Sheriffs Office was apparently sitting in the same spot in the sand, leaned back with his hands behind him and felt something. Picked it up, dusted it off and immediately recognized it and the initials. He returned it to my dad and he had that pocket knife for at least 40 more years, including sneaking around in the jungles of Vietnam during the war.

 

[gloy]

This works for me:
Buy a good knife like a Benchmade. You will love the quality and the sharpness of the steel, and it cost so much you won't ever leave it laying around.

 

[Garcky]

This works for me:
Buy a good knife like a Benchmade. You will love the quality and the sharpness of the steel, and it cost so much you won't ever leave it laying around.

I'm good, thanks. Benchmade doesn't make a stockman's knife.

 

[carmantl]

Years ago when I was a teenager helping my grandfather harvest soy beans with our old nearly worn out Massey Ferguson 410 combine we had a breakdown in the middle of a 100 acre field. He sent me to town for a new belt for the bean header. He used his trusty large Case trapper with VERY worn blades to cut out the mess the broken belt had made. Blades were worn out because he used a mill ******* file to sharpen with! After the R&R of the belt we went back to work. After going home he discovered that old Case was missing. We went back to the field the next day and couldn't find it. Fast forward almost exactly a year and we broke down again in the same field. Same repair but this time as we were finishing up the repair he tugged my sleeve. Told me to look down to my left. There was his knife with a year's worth of rust on it. Locked up solid. Since he had a new one he gave that one to me. It took me a while to remove all the rust and get it back to functionality. It's still worn out. Blades are about 3/8 inch spine to edge. It has been a long time since we lost him to a stroke. That knife is still in my main desk drawer. It will never be lost again.

 

[Garcky]

Years ago when I was a teenager helping my grandfather harvest soy beans with our old nearly worn out Massey Ferguson 410 combine we had a breakdown in the middle of a 100 acre field. He sent me to town for a new belt for the bean header. He used his trusty large Case trapper with VERY worn blades to cut out the mess the broken belt had made. Blades were worn out because he used a mill ******* file to sharpen with! After the R&R of the belt we went back to work. After going home he discovered that old Case was missing. We went back to the field the next day and couldn't find it. Fast forward almost exactly a year and we broke down again in the same field. Same repair but this time as we were finishing up the repair he tugged my sleeve. Told me to look down to my left. There was his knife with a year's worth of rust on it. Locked up solid. Since he had a new one he gave that one to me. It took me a while to remove all the rust and get it back to functionality. It's still worn out. Blades are about 3/8 inch spine to edge. It has been a long time since we lost him to a stroke. That knife is still in my main desk drawer. It will never be lost again.

Thanks for sharing that! Posts like yours are why I start these off the wall threads. They help stimulate memories that can be shared.

 

[Jmellc]

Since I was in high school, I have had an Old Timer 80T Stockman knife in my right pants pocket. At least I have had one until the one I had got lost. What that means is that I have bought quite a few of the damned things, since I'm now just shy of being 78 years old. I didn't think there was a solution for this problem of losing $25 pocket knives. Turns out that there is, though. The last time I needed a replacement, I turned to eBay, and bought four used ones for about the cost of one new one. It was a good deal, since all of them were in really good condition and I won the auction without spending too much.

But, once I got them in the usual flat rate USPS Priority Mail box, I picked one to carry, and put the other three on a shelf in my basement. About a week later, I found the one I had lost that sent me to eBay. So, I put that one in with the other three spare ones. So, now I had five Schrade Old Timer 80Ts on hand. It wasn't more than a couple months when we decided to buy a different house, so I was cleaning things up and throwing things away, like you do when you're moving. In that process, I found two more 80Ts that I had lost at even earlier times. I added those to my spares, as well. While unpacking after the move, I found another one, that had somehow slipped through a hole in the pocket of a pair of lined jeans and fallen down between the two layers of fabric and lodged near the hem of the jeans. Now, I have 8 80Ts in total, including the one in my right pocket.

What this proves, I'm sure, is that if you put two Schrade Old Timer 80t Stockman knives together in a safe place, they breed and make other ones. I'm certain that's what it is. Now, if I can get 10mm sockets and combo wrenches to breed like that, I can increase my income in retirement by selling those to other people.

Now the big challenge. Be sure not to lose the box of them.

 

[Walkers]

Since I was in high school, I have had an Old Timer 80T Stockman knife in my right pants pocket. At least I have had one until the one I had got lost. What that means is that I have bought quite a few of the damned things, since I'm now just shy of being 78 years old. I didn't think there was a solution for this problem of losing $25 pocket knives. Turns out that there is, though. The last time I needed a replacement, I turned to eBay, and bought four used ones for about the cost of one new one. It was a good deal, since all of them were in really good condition and I won the auction without spending too much.

But, once I got them in the usual flat rate USPS Priority Mail box, I picked one to carry, and put the other three on a shelf in my basement. About a week later, I found the one I had lost that sent me to eBay. So, I put that one in with the other three spare ones. So, now I had five Schrade Old Timer 80Ts on hand. It wasn't more than a couple months when we decided to buy a different house, so I was cleaning things up and throwing things away, like you do when you're moving. In that process, I found two more 80Ts that I had lost at even earlier times. I added those to my spares, as well. While unpacking after the move, I found another one, that had somehow slipped through a hole in the pocket of a pair of lined jeans and fallen down between the two layers of fabric and lodged near the hem of the jeans. Now, I have 8 80Ts in total, including the one in my right pocket.

What this proves, I'm sure, is that if you put two Schrade Old Timer 80t Stockman knives together in a safe place, they breed and make other ones. I'm certain that's what it is. Now, if I can get 10mm sockets and combo wrenches to breed like that, I can increase my income in retirement by selling those to other people.

Well, at some point in time those 8 knives will become single use disposable knives that you can just use once and throw away. The timing is important though, and would require you knowing of your own demise 8 days in advance.

 

[jsaw]

You have a knife for every day of the week, plus a spare.

 

[Kuma601]

Love hearing these knife stories!

I lost one custom knife and it was a sickening feeling. Built this knife up in '98 and it wore the scars of being used all this time. Cleaned up the years of wear the other night as well fitting a pocket clip to it. Prior to 9/11 this had traveled with me on many air flights as well overseas. Throw it into the X-ray basket, they'd see it and on the other side it would be dumped back into the pocket and be on the plane with me. It stays home now for a $15 Gerber in the checked bags.

 

[CS454]

Knives are dumb.

 

[Etchase]

Today I found my Old Timer that’s been missing for 12 years. I guess I shouldn’t wait until I sell the car to check behind the seat.

 

[bwringer]

In the '80s at our rural-ish Indiana high school, pocket knives were just tools. All the boys and at least half the girls carried a pocket knife, and during hunting season many of the boys had large-ish fixed or folding Buck knives in belt holsters for their early morning hunting.

I carried a small folding knife daily, a Case IIRC, or a Swiss Army knife, from the time I was about 12 until I started working in a mental hospital in college. I had to give up the habit for obvious reasons.

Later on in an office-based job, I found that if you pulled a tiny cheerful yellow Swiss Army knife out of your suit pants pocket to open a package, there would be an audible gasp of shock and horror. Ridiculous. But I sort of got out of the habit anyway; we couldn't wear blue jeans at work, and stuff in dress pants pockets had a way of slipping out too regularly.

I used to wear a wrist watch daily as well. A little later in life I started riding motorcycles pretty much daily, and I found that a watch interfered with my gloves and jacket cuffs. Some riders do wear watches, but I always found it to be very uncomfortable. Until the advent of smart phones, I kept a cheap watch strapped to the handlebars.

I haven't carried a pocket knife in many years, but there's always at least a multitool nearby in my vehicle tool kits, and a Swiss Army knife in my desk at work.

 

[exmaxima1]

The law in the U.K. is often misunderstood.

You can basically carry any common type of knife (but see below) anywhere you like, provided you have “good reason” to do so. A fixed blade knife while camping would be an example.

You do not need to have “good reason” to carry a “readily folding” knife with a cutting edge of less than 3 inches, so most folks carry one of these. Lock knives are not considered to be “readily folding” so are treated the same as a fixed blade............

Spyderco must be aware of this as they have an entire category for UK-style knives.

Non-Locking Folding - Spyderco, Inc.

www.spyderco.com

 

[CS454]

Spyderco must be aware of this as they have an entire category for UK-style knives.

Non-Locking Folding - Spyderco, Inc.

www.spyderco.com

UKPK is underrated

 

[exmaxima1]

UKPK is underrated

I think it's those awful wire clips

 

[wayne55]

Speaking of Camillus, the electrician's model is thick on the ground here in Spokane. As near as I can figure, either Kaiser Aluminum issued them or there were boxes full surplused when the Naval Supply Depot closed. No one I know has been able to confirm either, but back when I went to a lot of garage sales, they were often to be found for $1 and I picked up several. They're in my work pants when I know I may have to scrape as well as cut.



jack vines

We had those Camillus knives when I was in the AirGuard.

 

[bobg03]

At 73 I've never lost a pocketknife, I've broken a few doing things with them I shouldn't have. But that doesn't stop me from buying them. I'll carry one for a long time then I'll see one on sale I can't do without and carry it until the next "My Percious" knife catches my eye. My Grandfather started me on carrying knifes and bought me my first so we could set and whittle together. Then Cub Scout and Boy Scout knifes. I can't think of a time I haven't had one in my pocket.

I remember my Dad getting me my first one for the same reason, to this day i carry a small buck folder in my left pocket.

I recall having 2 or 3 bladed knives and a group of neighborhood kids would play a game called either mumbly-peg or eat the peg, that involved a series of things we would do whilst sitting in a circle on someones lawn..

TSA has a bigger collection of my own knives than I ever had.

 

[Jarhead0408]

Buck makes a 110 Auto as well.
Pretty slick with a push button to open it.

 

[CS454]

Buck makes a 110 Auto as well.
Pretty slick with a push button to open it.

Those have been around longer than I've been alive, haha. Just a factory option now.

 

[Dave455]

Spyderco must be aware of this as they have an entire category for UK-style knives.

Non-Locking Folding - Spyderco, Inc.

www.spyderco.com

Indeed!

I own one of these “UKPK”s and it’s not a bad knife. Could be a bit (in fact a lot) finer ground, but a decent design and good steel.

There are many reasons for wanting a non locking knife. Massad Ayoob, a well regarded author on firearms topics, once suggested that a pistol should be as easy to re holster as it is to draw. In his world, that is probably the case.

I find that much the same applies to “one handed” pocket knives. If I’m using one, I’m probably holding whatever I’m working on with one hand, so need to be able to open, AND CLOSE, my knife with the other.

Most Spyderco designs open easily enough, but back locks are a right fiddle one handed, when all you want to do is chuck the thing back in your pocket. The non locking models flip open and closed really easily.

 

[CS454]

Indeed!

I own one of these “UKPK”s and it’s not a bad knife. Could be a bit (in fact a lot) finer ground, but a decent design and good steel.

There are many reasons for wanting a non locking knife. Massad Ayoob, a well regarded author on firearms topics, once suggested that a pistol should be as easy to re holster as it is to draw. In his world, that is probably the case.

I find that much the same applies to “one handed” pocket knives. If I’m using one, I’m probably holding whatever I’m working on with one hand, so need to be able to open, AND CLOSE, my knife with the other.

Most Spyderco designs open easily enough, but back locks are a right fiddle one handed, when all you want to do is chuck the thing back in your pocket. The non locking models flip open and closed really easily.

I wouldn't want to manipulate Ayoob's Spyderco designs one handed either. Same goes for the 'Civilian' with all of its agency lore.

One handed locking Spydies, Military wins, but till I bought one I just closed their and Cold Steel backlocks by holding the lock and bumping it off my thigh, the bench, etc and wrist flicking it back closed.

 

[Jmellc]

We had those Camillus knives when I was in the AirGuard.

I once had a Camillus 4 blade scout knife I bought from someone. Great knife but I lost it somewhere. Never saw another one. A lot of companies used to make scout knives. Not sure any do now.

 

[Dave455]

I wouldn't want to manipulate Ayoob's Spyderco designs one handed either. Same goes for the 'Civilian' with all of its agency lore.

One handed locking Spydies, Military wins, but till I bought one I just closed their and Cold Steel backlocks by holding the lock and bumping it off my thigh, the bench, etc and wrist flicking it back closed.

Yes, I saw those - bit weird.

A friend has a Paramilitary 2 (Maxamet). Nice knife, possibly optimum for the purpose for which it was designed, and you can just about close it one handed, but for a ”working tool” knife I still prefer a non locker.

And as soon as you find yourself working with difficult materials (such as nylon rope) you want serrations too!

 

[DAustin]

I once had a Camillus 4 blade scout knife I bought from someone. Great knife but I lost it somewhere. Never saw another one. A lot of companies used to make scout knives. Not sure any do now.

One of these?

Official Boy Scout Knives - ScoutStuff4Sale.com

www.scoutstuff4sale.com

 

[CS454]

Yes, I saw those - bit weird.

A friend has a Paramilitary 2 (Maxamet). Nice knife, possibly optimum for the purpose for which it was designed, and you can just about close it one handed, but for a ”working tool” knife I still prefer a non locker.

And as soon as you find yourself working with difficult materials (such as nylon rope) you want serrations too!

It's good to have options...my legit carry pieces.

 

[nadogail]

Often while you are putting your new item away, you will find the item you "lost".

 

[CS454]

Often while you are putting your new item away, you will find the item you "lost".

That happened to me with a box of cookies once. Best Tuesday I had in a long time.

 

[minke]

...

And as soon as you find yourself working with difficult materials (such as nylon rope) you want serrations too!

My edc is https://www.boyeknives.com/collections/all/products/sheepsfoot-folding-knife which is 1) for synthetic lines, 2) for not puncturing your inflatable dinghy while you are in it, and 3) for not upsetting your magnetic compass if left too close to your navigation compass. I'm sorry for speaking in tongues: what is a rope to most folks is almost always a line to a sailor. A few weeks ago I had to cut some ⅝" nylon line. It was old and had suffered a lot of UV degradation (on the surface) but one slice cut it. I presume it would cut a seatbelt as easily.

Fortunately I bought it before the Peloponnesian War when he price was slightly more than $100.

 

[AreBeeBee]

My edc is https://www.boyeknives.com/collections/all/products/sheepsfoot-folding-knife which is 1) for synthetic lines, 2) for not puncturing your inflatable dinghy while you are in it, and 3) for not upsetting your magnetic compass if left too close to your navigation compass. I'm sorry for speaking in tongues: what is a rope to most folks is almost always a line to a sailor. A few weeks ago I had to cut some ⅝" nylon line. It was old and had suffered a lot of UV degradation (on the surface) but one slice cut it. I presume it would cut a seatbelt as easily.

Fortunately I bought it before the Peloponnesian War when he price was slightly more than $100.

Looks useful, but I wish everything boaty didn't cost so much more. I have a rope knife which I mainly use for cutting up cardboard boxes. It's a WW2 vintage "life boat" knife made by Camillus.

 

[Jmellc]

One of these?

Official Boy Scout Knives - ScoutStuff4Sale.com

www.scoutstuff4sale.com

Pretty close to BS-002 but the main blade was more spear point. This one is semi sheepsfoot. It looked a lot like several of the Imperials. I remember the Imperial brand very well. One of our grocery stores in our small town kept a display case of them. I bought various ones of them over the years, sadly beat them to death or lost them. Not bad knives for the roughly $2 price. I also had a Barlow that was about $1.50. I bought a few $5-10 knives at our local Western Auto. Just can't recall what brand they were. I should have.

Mine wasn't an official BSA knife with emblems BTW. We called most all of that type a scout knife. Camp knife was also a term heard once in awhile.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Pretty close to BS-002 but the main blade was more spear point. This one is semi sheepsfoot. It looked a lot like several of the Imperials. I remember the Imperial brand very well. One of our grocery stores in our small town kept a display case of them. I bought various ones of them over the years, sadly beat them to death or lost them. Not bad knives for the roughly $2 price. I also had a Barlow that was about $1.50. I bought a few $5-10 knives at our local Western Auto. Just can't recall what brand they were. I should have.

Mine wasn't an official BSA knife with emblems BTW. We called most all of that type a scout knife. Camp knife was also a term heard once in awhile.

Another useful site for scout knife history with photos is http://www.scoutknives.net/index.php

Be sure to check the links in the menu at left.