Oh the knives that have been lost through the years...

Since the post about "The kind of men who carry a pocket knife", I have had a good bit of discussion about the pocket knife in the picture.  This knife was made by "The Ideal Knife Company". 

Now this was not some fancy big name brand knife.  It was the type that was sold in gas stations on cardboard displays.  Not exactly the kind of knife that they kept in the glass display case. 

The Ideal Knife Company made the Ideal camper and a JR model that were very popular in the 1970's.  The knife that I have is a similar model to the Jr camper.  While I would like to lay claim to being one of those guys who has carried the same ole trusty knife for most of my life, the truth is that my little Ideal knife was probably put away in a drawer for most of the near 40 years that I have owned it.  It has become special to me because it was the first knife that I ever owned and it was then, that I felt my father put his trust in me.  Trust enough that I could have my very own knife!  This would become the most special part about this cheap gas station knife, that I now keep stored away with other prized possessions in my Liberty safe

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 The wear on the blade mostly came from learning the proper way to sharpen a knife as I put many hours on a whet stone fine tuning the craft.  This little Ideal knife became my test subject in learning the intricacies of proper angles and stone selection.

 It wasn't long in the pocket before I put this little gas station knife away and moved on to the likes of a my prized case canoe.  I truly thought the world of my case canoe, but somehow I let it part ways with me.   The canoe was one of my favorites that I let slip away.  Many years later my wife had heard me talk about my knife so much that she decided to replace it for me.  She went to a vintage collectors store and found a beautiful 1975 Case Canoe just like the one pictured below......  I may get in trouble for this one...... yep I lost it also.  Does that make me a "loser"????  J/K 

This seems to be the fate of oh so many knives.  As a young boy, my focus was often on catching one more fish than taking care of responsibilities, so I probably left it laying on the ground beside my tackle box on the banks of the creek.  I miss that knife.  That leads me to make this post about all the knives that have parted ways with their owners and the places where that sort of atrocity would take place.  

There are no telling how many boys (of all ages) in a rush to get back to fishing, have left a pocket knife laying on the ground after tying on a new lure.

Engine compartments seem to be a location of departure for knives to break free from their owners.  Throughout the years I have decided that I might be better off to hire someone to work on engines for me, just so I don't loose another knife in the process.  

A knife sure comes in handy for a small wiring job..... until you set it down and forget about it..

Our pocket knives are often left in laying in odd locations where they were once put to use. 

Knives lost under the hood of truck have been common place in my life.  Often closing the hood in disgust or simply in haste to get back to my travels after a quick repair.  A pocket knife seems to be one tool that is so easy to find it's resting place under the hood only to bounce off a mile or so down the road, likely only moments before one realizes where they left it.  Speaking of leaving knives in and around vehicles, the rear bumper of a pickup truck has claimed so many knives that I'm sure some C.E.O. of a knife company was able to buy a new vacation home just from the profits of replacements.   

There is no way that the bumper of a truck is a good place to set anything down, but it seems to be oh so convienent of a spot for conversation that I am ashamed to say I have left more than one knife to ride out it's last ride on the bumper.  

Often knives tend to be left in the location of particular frustration. No one ever enjoys having to cut vines from under a bush hog or wrapped around a garden tiller.  After typically laying on the ground in a precarious position, most people are ready to get back at it and rush the job. The process of the this particular affair, lends itself to the loss of a good knife.  After first cutting the outer layer,  the vines are often easier to remove by hand pulling.  This is where things go bad...... Instead of putting back in your pocket,  you lay the knife down, because you may need it again shortly after pulling a few loose.  BAD MOVE!   S#@$# Da#$@! $##$#*  and a few other bad words that may have not even been made up yet..   Lost another knife....

Bush hogs, tillers, and lawnmowers reap a toll on pocket knife owners, and I think they may be proud of it too...

A knife that has seen it's share hard work is hard pressed to stay with it's owner for long.  Work in some form or another is culprit of knives being left behind.  Years ago, I was doing a remodel job and when we pulled the sheet rock from the wall I found a knife left stuck in the wood much like the photo below.  

I have found several knives that were left behind at jobsites, but more times than I care to admit, I have been the one who left the poor unsuspecting knife to fend for itself.....

Boxes and packing materials seem to responsible for a lot of knife/owner breakups.....

I have found many a razor knife in packaging and laying on pallets. 

Around the farm a pocket knife is used oh so much.   When cutting hay wrapping and strings, a pocket knife is an essential tool, but also one that seems to find it's way out to pasture during the process.   I am not sure if the cows are saving them up in an arsenal for a later attack.   I'm afraid that one day an over protective momma cow may pull one out and tell me to not touch her baby.

For me, it's probably best that I just never set my pocket knife down.  EVER!

Why?  Just put it in your pocket.....

Now sometimes, it is not out of shear neglect that a pocket knife and it's owner part ways.  Certain pants pockets are just not conducive to keeping things in when you sit down.  A church pew, a reclining chair, multiple couches,  all camp chairs, and even a hammock have all been the  location of the divorce of the union of knife and owner.   

There is no doubt that the cracks of comfy chairs and couches have laid claim to many a knife.

The floorboard of a farm tractor has likely felt many pocket knife bounce off of it as it left the owners pocket.  

     Now to speak of loosing a knife, it is evident from the comments that TSA has been responsible for more knives leaving home than most any other loss that I can think of.  I have never lost one to TSA, but I have been known to bury a knife in a flower pot or landscaping outside a venue with hopes of returning to get it one day.  

If anyone happens to find a SOG Titanium knife in some landscaping near the Alabama State house,  keep it.  It served me well!

There are so many stories of lost pocket knives.  Feel free to link up with us on Facebook at the The Natural South.  Join our group and share your stories and even photos of your favorite knives and southern adventures.  The Natural South Group

Until next time:  Be Safe. Be Careful. Behave. Don’t Do Anything Illegal, Immoral, Unethical, Or Just Plain Stupid.  

JEJ

Non nobis Domine