Over at "The Art of Manliness", a cool website for any guy to check out who still has the fortitude to refer to himself as a man and mean it, I just read an article about the lost tradition of carrying a pocket knife.
When I worked as an industrial security/fire/medic at an auto manufacturing plant, one of the first things I was taught was never be without a knife. It's something that I have grown so accustomed to, that I literally feel naked without a knife or multi-tool with me. To those who scoff at that, and cannot fathom a knife in any other context than a scary weapon yielded by a maniacal bad guy, let me clue you in: Knives are tools. They are used for many purposes, with "weapon" being way down at the bottom on the list of those purposes.
Ask anyone you know who is a police officer, firefighter or medic and I will bet that they will tell you they carry a knife every day and most of them have never even thought of it as a weapon. Of course we are not talking about a Ka-Bar (right Gunny John?), but a pocket knife. Although I do so love my Ka-Bar, it is not really appropriate for every day carry.
My favorite pocket knives are W.R. Case & Sons (Case XX). But, I have developed a liking for knives that 1) have a locking blade and 2) have a pocket clip, and that's what I usually carry. I also like the new Buck multi-tool and my Leatherman Super Tool. They are like having a toolbox in your pocket.
There are five things I am lost without: My cell phone, keys, wallet, pocket knife and handkerchief.
Read the Art of Manliness article here.
When I worked as an industrial security/fire/medic at an auto manufacturing plant, one of the first things I was taught was never be without a knife. It's something that I have grown so accustomed to, that I literally feel naked without a knife or multi-tool with me. To those who scoff at that, and cannot fathom a knife in any other context than a scary weapon yielded by a maniacal bad guy, let me clue you in: Knives are tools. They are used for many purposes, with "weapon" being way down at the bottom on the list of those purposes.
Ask anyone you know who is a police officer, firefighter or medic and I will bet that they will tell you they carry a knife every day and most of them have never even thought of it as a weapon. Of course we are not talking about a Ka-Bar (right Gunny John?), but a pocket knife. Although I do so love my Ka-Bar, it is not really appropriate for every day carry.
My favorite pocket knives are W.R. Case & Sons (Case XX). But, I have developed a liking for knives that 1) have a locking blade and 2) have a pocket clip, and that's what I usually carry. I also like the new Buck multi-tool and my Leatherman Super Tool. They are like having a toolbox in your pocket.
There are five things I am lost without: My cell phone, keys, wallet, pocket knife and handkerchief.
Read the Art of Manliness article here.
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