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Permalink Reply by Emory Alexander on January 26, 2017 at 12:10

I don't know if this would qualify as my "favorite" knife memory, but it is one of my earliest, and it includes my first knife and my dad, so it is a cherished memory. My older cousin gave me my first knife, a 1980's Case bone handled Trapper, and it became my constant companion. My dad, who always carried a slip joint and from whom I inherited my love of knives, always warned me to be careful, but as I was sitting on our back porch with my younger cousin, I cut my thumb. It wasn't that bad of a cut, but I knew I would be in trouble for not being careful enough so I said: "Don't tell dad." Well, you can imagine my surprise, and fear, as heard dad's voice behind me: "Don't tell dad what?!" Needless to say I was without my treasured companion for a few days, but I learned some good lessons: be careful with your knives, and you can't get anything past dad!

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Permalink Reply by Dennis J. Coroniti on January 26, 2017 at 12:31

A story.. well perhaps just a little short one about my favorite knife..at age 10 ( 1956 )...I was the typical "Rebel" ( James Dean/ Elvis styled)..black leather motorcycle jacket. etc.. and I bought a beautiful Italian Picklock  Switchblade.. bayonet blade.. beautiful horn scales..fast to open..I carried it everywhere.. yes. even to school..life and laws were a bit different than today..then when I went away to college,. 1964..I lived for a summer with my older brother to work and earn money..somehow during that 1964 summer .. I seem to have lost or misplaced my dearly loved switchblade...travel fast into the future..1996..I was visiting my brother and he wanted me to help clean out some storage and boxes that he had no more use for..as I handled those unwanted boxes, I heard a noise inside an old shoe box.. I opened the box and there..staring right at me  ..was my Italian switchblade of my ""Rebel without a Cause"' past...Needless to say.. I still have my original switchblade never more to leave my side..my close friend for 60 years...

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Permalink Reply by Dan Fitzgerald on January 26, 2017 at 12:46

Well, My Fascination with Knives came at a very young age, I think I was just seconds old when I seen the knife blade come into my mom to get me out. Something about that shiny sharp object caught my attention right off the bat as it left a scar on my right side where the doc wasn't so careful with his incision. LMBO sad but true.... But when it comes down to it it was my Grandfather that handed me my first knife at the age of 9, it was a Brand new Campmaster Utility knife and even though it was bulky it was by far the best gift I ever received from him. I have and never will be the same from that point on as I have been an avid collector ever since.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Scheuerman (Manx) on January 26, 2017 at 13:36

Favourite knife story, Huh? Okay...I can do that. Not for the contest, but because it was so awesome!

A few years back, I went to my first knife/gun show ever. I brought my son with me to check it out, and we had a pretty good time checking things out...aside from the overwhelming desire to hit the floor every time I heard a gun get racked. (I really don't like guns). Anyway...whilst checking out a knife table, I spotted a Benchmade AT-7 sitting there all pretty, waiting for me to buy it with box and paperwork. Well heck! Gotta jump on that! So...buy it I did. Not a bad score for my first ever show! I was pretty stoked about the whole thing. Went to look up the price online at the event, but there was no free wi-fi, and I didn't have mobile network turned on...so I waited til I got home to see how many millions I saved with this awesome deal. I think I paid about $45 or so. Cha-ching! (Ya ya...Benchmade guys are already shaking their heads...lol)

A few days later, I got around to searching for my awesome deal, and I eventually found it. On a page from Russia. Odd, says I...discontinued or rare model perhaps? Nope. A bit more research informed me that this knife was a complete and utter fake. Imagine the joy I felt. First ever show and I spent money on a fake. Some collector I am! Didn't look it up before hand, didn't ask any questions and paid for garbage. Way to go Steve! *sigh*. So, Steve the moron jumps onto iKC to whine and pout and maybe get a little sympathy.

So, I get into the Chat room and mention the sordid tale to those willing to listen, and one of the captive audience was our former Benchmade expert, Terry Ray. He was shocked that someone would do this, and felt for me. Once I told him this was my very first ever show and very first ever "Benchmade", he started to get rather upset. Terry then went on to tell me some things about Benchmade and how good the knives and service department was. He then went on to inform me that my first show and "Benchmade" would NOT be a negative experience, if he could help it. Terry then sent me the link to his website, and it turned out not only was he a Benchmade expert, he was a very reputable dealer! So I browsed around, said Oooo and Ahhh a few times, and then saw the black and silver Barrage and fell in love. We chatted a little more and then Terry proceeded to blow my mind...

Quite casually, Terry asked for my address. Huh? What for? Terry then tells me that while we were talking, he ordered a brand new black and silver Barrage from Benchmade. Sure...rub it in...lol. But why the address? He says he needs an address to send the knife to my house once it comes in. Errr...love the knife, but I just got ripped off and finances are a little tight to be dropping $250 on a knife. Our Terry simply said "Get me back for it if and when you can. Don't worry about it" Terry Ray single handedly took a very disappointing experience with knife shows and Benchmade and turned it around into the most positive and generous experience I had ever had in the knife collecting hobby. It had absolutely nothing to do with him, but this US knife dealer made right a wrong for a Canadian guy who got screwed.

Needless to say, the knife was gorgeous and is still my EDC along side my ZT0300. I bought two more from him, another Barrage for my collection, and a mini Barrage for the wife. Terry became my go-to for anything Benchmade, and became a great friend! Unfortunately, Terry passed a while ago and for those of us that knew him, it was a terrible blow. But every time I look at that "Benchmade", which still sits in my collection as a reminder to do my research and that if something seems too good to be true it probably is, and at the beautiful Barrage in my collection, I remember the kindness and generosity of a fantastic man whose love for knives changed the way I look at knife collecting! That is one reason I love this place, and hope some day in the future I can help someone and pay forward the friendship and sense of fair play that Terry showed me.

I am done now...seems my keyboard is getting a little moist.

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Permalink Reply by allanm on January 26, 2017 at 14:39

Growing up in Africa I used to hunt small game, mostly doves with a .177 air rifle, as well as pheasant and Guinea Fowl with a .22 LR rifle. My mom and dad had very little money so food was sometimes short though my sister and I never knew it. My mom told me a few years back how we used to go searching the fields for edible vegetation like dandelions to add to stews to supplement out food. We always thought it was just that we were being practical and searching for what was freely available.

As time passed and finances improved, and they were able to get me the air rifle and .22, I was allowed to hunt but with two rules - only kill what we will eat, and anything I hunted I had to clean, my mom would cook. I ended up with a nice fixed blade sheath knife with a leather handle, and a black Labrador that I decided to try to train as a retriever. He was quite good at fetching but not so much while hunting. He took a liking to my new sheath knife and thought the new leather smell was just a little too tempting, and one day gnawed on the tip of the sheath until he had chewed a chunk of the end of it, and bent the tip on my knife.

I was very unhappy of course but not much I could do - my own fault, I had left the knife somewhere he as a young dog could find it. I kept it for many years and that bent tip sticking out the end of the leather ticked me off every time I saw it. Now 45+ years later, I have no clue what happened to that knife. My mom told me recently while going through her and my dad's stuff since he passed away last year that she has 4 or 5 knives to send me - two or 3 being sheath knives, and two being knives my dad made that were among his favorites. Likely made from old saw blades, or files, and maybe the sheath knives will include one with a bent tip sticking out the end of a dog-chewed leather sheath.

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Permalink Reply by Darren davenport on January 26, 2017 at 15:47

Well my interest in knives came about by the love of bayonets that led into fighting knives which were ww2 mostly and the next step was complete addiction. I guess im lucky in the uk i get to see real old quality sheffield knives and its not hard to fall in love with any of them. I do love german steel to love libders and pumas. My folders were mainly military service knives but end of last year and this year im going to build up that side of my coection love the bucks uncle henry schrade stamped knives love the slip joint and the lockbacks. Not a great story i no but its how i became a poor addict with that itch that only a new knife can scratch lol thankyou.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on January 26, 2017 at 16:36

OH MY!  I sure hope that knife is in the bunch!  Just think, now it wont tick you off to see it but tickle you!
allanm said:

Growing up in Africa I used to hunt small game, mostly doves with a .177 air rifle, as well as pheasant and Guinea Fowl with a .22 LR rifle. My mom and dad had very little money so food was sometimes short though my sister and I never knew it. My mom told me a few years back how we used to go searching the fields for edible vegetation like dandelions to add to stews to supplement out food. We always thought it was just that we were being practical and searching for what was freely available.

As time passed and finances improved, and they were able to get me the air rifle and .22, I was allowed to hunt but with two rules - only kill what we will eat, and anything I hunted I had to clean, my mom would cook. I ended up with a nice fixed blade sheath knife with a leather handle, and a black Labrador that I decided to try to train as a retriever. He was quite good at fetching but not so much while hunting. He took a liking to my new sheath knife and thought the new leather smell was just a little too tempting, and one day gnawed on the tip of the sheath until he had chewed a chunk of the end of it, and bent the tip on my knife.

I was very unhappy of course but not much I could do - my own fault, I had left the knife somewhere he as a young dog could find it. I kept it for many years and that bent tip sticking out the end of the leather ticked me off every time I saw it. Now 45+ years later, I have no clue what happened to that knife. My mom told me recently while going through her and my dad's stuff since he passed away last year that she has 4 or 5 knives to send me - two or 3 being sheath knives, and two being knives my dad made that were among his favorites. Likely made from old saw blades, or files, and maybe the sheath knives will include one with a bent tip sticking out the end of a dog-chewed leather sheath.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on January 26, 2017 at 19:42

Not my favorite knife story but one I was reminded of tonight.  Case held their anniversary in TN, OMG it was awesome.  I got too see friends, meet a few I had not met in person before, get some good video even!  I even put Donnie on stage grinding a knife with Tony Bose!

Come home a few days later and uploaded it all, right here on iKC.  

It is then I find out the one person I was looking for during the last half of the show, boy how I wanted to meet Steve Wells, was beside me while I was filming the apple peeling contest and we even spoke.  I learned a valuable lesson and always wear my iKC nametag at shows now.  Maybe next time Steve!

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on January 26, 2017 at 20:18

Mid 80's .. I was @ an antique store in Ferryville, WI.

I'm looking through all the displays for old pocket knives.

I find an interesting one .. marked $ 15.oo.

I asked to look @ it .. handed it back .. stated "I'll give you $ 12.50" .. they accepted.

I paid .. exited the store.

.

!!! .. And did the "YES" dance .. !!!

.

A Catt 3-W .. for $12.50.

My daughter will get this one !!!

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on January 27, 2017 at 7:59

Great stories so far.

Heres mine. Back in to mid 70's when I was probably about 12 my dad gave me an orange handled hunting knife, possible a Western, small with a sheath. He got it with a gun collection he just bought, that was his bussiness. I took it and my swiss army knife with me to my grandparents summer camp on a lake. One day I am out in the rowboat whittling with my fancy orange knife and whoops, knife slips out of my hand and I watch as it sinks to the bottom in about 30 feet of water. Darn. So I tell dad and grandpa what happened and grandpa, who thinks I was using my SAK says, thats what the lanyard is for, you need to tie it to yourself. Ok, so the next time I take grandpas advice, tie the lanyard to my belt and start whittling.... son of a gun.. My lanyard is to short, my whittle to long knife is pulled thruogh my hand cutting my finger. The cut was not too bad fortunatly but I did learn not to tie your knife to your belt, keep it on the hand that has the knife, lol. 

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on January 27, 2017 at 9:51

LOL, Micheal.  Hard lessons there!

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Jeremy B. Buchanan on January 27, 2017 at 20:40

My story has an 8 year time gap in the middle of it. When I was about 10 years old, I got my first knife from my grandpa, who lived in FL. It was a Frontier, 3 blade stockman. When I received this knife, it was used and had been carried by grandpa for years. I was not bothered at all, that it was not a new knife. This began my start,of love for knives. My parents recognized right away that I really liked the pocket knife and I carried it and used it every chance I was allowed. My parents began buying me knives for my birthday and Christmas nearly every year after that. Skipping ahead about 8 years, my parents planned a family vacation to FL. We went to Disney and Epcot, but most importantly, wee went to visit my grandpa and step grandma. While we were there for several day, I got to see my grandpa's knife collection. He asked me what I thought about one of the pieces of his collection that was hanging on the wall. I told him that I really liked it. He told me that he was going to send it to me for graduation (which was a few months later). Since I did not get to see my grandpa much, when growing up (with him living in FL and me in OH), I did not count on him really sending me the knives that he said he would give me for graduation. Right before I graduated high school, a package arrived from FL. He held up to his promise and there it was, all mine.

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