My first hunting knife

by George R Naugle

Sep 14

The following photo is of my first hunting knife.  I was about 12 years old (memory fails) when I got this one at a store in Harrisburg, PA.  It was purchased with coupon dollars that the store gave me when I bought clothing.  No manufacturers name is etched on it, but I suspect it may be an Imperial knife.  Over the years, I carried it while hunting game, both small and large.  I learned the technique of sharpening a blade on it.  

I remember loaning it to a friend to gut a buck and he put a dent in the blade.  I did grind that dent out, and continued to use this knife for hunting chores.  I'm not sure how often it was used on game, large or small, but it was many times for sure.  Over the years I aquired other fixed blade knives and this one got retired.  Now, it is just a treasured memory.

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    dead_left_knife_guy

    As I recall, my first knife was an Imperial that was very similar to this.  Nice work keeping it for so long!

    Sep 27

  • George R Naugle

    I don't often buy anything that is described as a lot, but I made an exception for one the other day.  A guy was cleaning out what he referred to as his "man cave," and had a lot of knives, two sharpening steels, and an Arkansas sharpening stone (hard) in a wood box.  Most of the knives are not worth much, but a couple are pretty.  There is one Gernber folding lockback with a gut hook, a Shrade fixed blade with guthook, and a hardly-used Forschner boning knife (will find use at camp when butchering).  I had to give the guy a dollar plus shipping for the lot, total was $12.75.  I looked up the Arkansas stone online and found a similar one for just over $80. Most of the knives will be classified as junk and will be given away. I think I may have made the buy of the century however, at least for my knife career.

    Oct 2

  • David L. Packham

    looks good! Not sure whatever happened to my first knife...close to 45 years ago give or take

    Oct 16