1. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

What does that mean?  Well let us examine it and see.  It is a fairly simple and short statement.  It has two clauses or sections.  The second states that a particular right of…

I got my first Rough Riders this trip to SMKW.

This is a Rough Rider brown jigged bone baby toothpick RR063.

This is a Rough Rider brown jigged bone small stockman RR194.

This is a Case…

I did buy knives at SMKW.

This one is a Rough Rider Mushroom knife RR1400.  (The nation is now safe.  If that mushroom that came up in my yard was just a scout for a full scale invasion, I now have the means to beat it back!)

I am going to save this wooden Case knife kit until my grandson, Danny, is old enough to help me put it together.  May…

My visit to SMKW wouldn't have been complete without meeting the Knives Live guys.

Here is Josh and me in the Knives Live studio.  (It's a little bigger than a two holer.  I believe you could fit a three holer in it!)

And here is Jay.  (Like his T shirt!)…

Here are more pictures of exhibits and displays on the showroom floor.…

The museum has a large Case collection.  Here are just a few examples.  Notice the missing knife in the lower left hand corner of the first picture.  It was celluloid and had started to break down and had to be removed to prevent damage to the other knives in the exhibit.…

In the National Knife Museum, there are many exhibits starting with the stone age...

Continuing through the bronze age...

Up to and including modern cutlery...…

My family and I rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for the week of July 14, 2013.  Now Pigeon Forge is next to Sevierville which is the home of Smoky Mountain Knife Works.  If I were a Jewish knife collector, SMKW would be my Jerusalem of the knife world.  If I were a Muslim knife collector it would be the Mecca of the knife world.  However since I am only a Baptist, maybe I can consider it a missionary trip?

Anyway here is a view as we are approaching Sevierville of…

I have a small collection of six Bassett Multi Tools.  In the top row the first two are an 80 and a 94.  The third one in the top row has two numbers on the blades, an 89 and a 90.  The first two in the bottom row are a 9 and a 79.  The third one again has two numbers, 89 and 90.

I sort of backed into collecting these.  I got this 94 first.  It was…

I just found a reference website.  All of you seasoned collectors may already know about it or at least know the information on it, but it is going to be a tremendous help to me in learning more about knives.  Particularly any other newer collectors may find it helpful also.  When you log on, at the top is a row of six "books".  The first two are labeled Reference and Dictionary.  Anyone may access these.  You have to be a member of their club to access the last four.

But there is…