Who’s still using their first knife?

[Bustercluck]

This thread started a few days ago when I my oldest asked me to help him pick out a knife for my youngest for their Christmas exchange. We started looking through some of the popular sites like grohmann, buck, gerber etc and then I dumped out my hunting bag out and showed him the knives I pack around and what I like about each one. Then we landed on the gerber I got when I was 12-14ish.

I remember how excited I was to get that knife and I remember how I planned on using it to gut and skin deer and told myself I’d never use it for the stupid stuff I do with other cheap knives like carving sticks and stuff. It was strictly for cutting up animals. Anyways it’s still one of my main knives in my pack 25 years or more later and I’m still only using it to cut up animals. It’s actually my number two knife behind my grohman moose and deer knife.

Anyways, it brought me down memory lane today so I thought I’d share and see how many of you other guys are still using the same knife for many decades, maybe you’ve even had one passed down for a couple of generations.

https://i.imgur.com/rgSqmb2.jpg

[warnniklz]

Yes and no... it's a general purpose kitchen knife now. Not that great of quality. Since then I usually lose mine every year or two.

[Krico]

I am. I got this knife for Christmas when I was 13, which makes it 32 years old next month. I have only ever used it to clean animals, it’s still my favourite knife and comes with me on every trip. I still have the same Estwing pack axe I got around the same time. And the first rifle I ever bought which is a tack driver Krico, with the nicest action of any bolt action I’ve ever had.
https://i.postimg.cc/htsmhdJr/9919920-F-1767-4-ECC-92-FA-367-A14850984.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hXJv5h1z)

[MRP]

My first knife I got at age 5 never. Probably a Oldtimer, never left the house without it even to school. (Rule #9) But it’s long gone now. The last knife I bought was a Mora 3.5” over 35 years ago, has done a boxcar load of moose from the gut and skinning to cut and wrapping. Not to mention couple of thousand wiener roasting sticks and probably just about as many fish.

[dakoda62]

Folding Buck 110 bought in 77, still in my hunting pack.

[moosinaround]

I got a buck 105 when I was 18. Still my preferred knife to this day! Blade is a tiny bit narrower from the years of use, but still can do an entire moose or elk without a sharpening, from field dressing to skinning. I have a few others I like, I inherited an Old school old timer from a friends dad that is older than me that I am fond of! Moosin

[Downwindtracker2]

I bought a large Buck clone G96 from Acme Novelty, a Jim Patterson mail order place.This was in the early '70s . Early Japanese stainless steel. Impossible to sharpen . Looks neat, though.

[Hunter gatherer]

Puma Game Warden bought in 1978 in Ocean Falls. Was going to buy a buck but the salesman convinced me on the Puma. Good call.

[Jagermeister]

I bought a Solengen knife in the late ‘50s from JK Novelty and Jewelry in Penticton. This was a time when Germany and Japan were allowed access to the North American marketplace as they were rebuilding their economies after WWII.
Solengen steel was the best steel. Very hard and not easy to get a keen edge but once you did it lasted a long time. The knife came with a stag bone handle, nice to look at the the ridges made it uncomfortable to use so I exchanged it for a hand made fibreglass handle. Had it
for many years but it disappeared about 10 or 15 years ago.
I also have a Rapala knife from that era. This probably is the hardest steel. I lent it to a friend one day to skin out a lynx he got that day when we were hunting moose. I went home leaving him with instructions not to cut through bone. He calls me later in the evening that he is finished and that he nicked the edge. Yep, tried cutting through a small bone. Took me
a long time to work the nick out. Still have the knife.

[twoSevenO]

No because I changed preferences as to what I consider a good field knife.

But current one has been with me for 10+ years.

[Bustercluck]

Folding Buck 110 bought in 77, still in my hunting pack.
The 110 is a classic. That’s what my oldest packs around with him.

[IronNoggin]

When I was a young fellow, one day my Grandfather (a seriously dedicated elk and mulie hunter) presented me with a new Buck 112 folder.
I have carried that with me for every single season ever since.
Considering that occurred in the early 70's, it has done it's job well for a considerably long time:

https://i.imgur.com/3k7ztkl.jpg

I have many others now of course, but this one still rides on my belt for every single hunt.

Cheers,
Nog

[ACB]

I'v got a Russell belt knife that has been on my hip while hunting for over 50 years. A xmas present many years a go.

[Imdone]

43 years, Scharade, Oldtimer, double blade fold out. Every year, every hunt, every harvest, mine or hunt buddies, sure would like count of the multiple harvests from Sheep to BTs, Every big game critter in BC except for Dalls, it's help break down from forest to freezer, plus my main camp knife on horseback, jet boat, backpack trips.... Sure wish it could play a video of its use over the many years.

They don't make them like they used too

[Keta1969]

43 years, Scharade, Oldtimer, double blade fold out. Every year, every hunt, every harvest, mine or hunt buddies, sure would like count of the multiple harvests from Sheep to BTs, Every big game critter in BC except for Dalls, it's help break down from forest to freezer, plus my main camp knife on horseback, jet boat, backpack trips.... Sure wish it could play a video of its use over the many years.

They don't make them like they used too

We must have bought them around the same time mine is a small double blade that I use for gutting, holds a great edge. Have a Buck for the tougher work. Have never left on a hunt without it.

[MOUNTAIN MICKEY]

An older friend said he always wanted a knife like mine. I borrowed his tent trailer for the weekend. Gave him the new unused $8 knife and replaced it with a $12 one that is still my primary knife. German made--Premier (lifetime) brand. That was the fall of 1972.

[Bustercluck]

When I was a young fellow, one day my Grandfather (a seriously dedicated elk and mulie hunter) presented me with a new Buck 112 folder.
I have carried that with me for every single season ever since.
Considering that occurred in the early 70's, it has done it's job well for a considerably long time:

https://i.imgur.com/3k7ztkl.jpg

I have many others now of course, but this one still rides on my belt for every single hunt.

Cheers,
Nog
That blade looks a little bit shorter than it used to be. I’m betting you’ve probably sharpened 1/2” or more of length off of it.

[MOOSE MILK]

1956 Paid two weeks wages working grocery carryout ($9.98) PUMA PAL she still rides my belt, blade getting a bit thin from sharpening.
MM

[IronNoggin]

That blade looks a little bit shorter than it used to be. I’m betting you’ve probably sharpened 1/2” or more of length off of it.

And a fair bit of it's depth as well.
But she keeps on ticking, and I doubt I will ever "retire" it.

Cheers,
Nig

[Brno22F]

Not my first knife but my wife bought me a Buck 119 in the mid '80's for my birthday. It is with me on every hunt.

[MichelD]

An older friend said he always wanted a knife like mine. I borrowed his tent trailer for the weekend. Gave him the new unused $8 knife and replaced it with a $12 one that is still my primary knife. German made--Premier (lifetime) brand. That was the fall of 1972.

Those were darn good knives. I lost my first, a good belt knife around 1966 and had a folder once too, but it got sharpened to a needle point until it was unuseable.

[whognu]

i've always been far more stubborn than smart............

i bought an old timer 5" fixed blade many moons ago

way too cheap to buy a newer faster stronger one

i will die with this knife on my belt

old school cheap, that's me

[srupp]

I am. I got this knife for Christmas when I was 13, which makes it 32 years old next month. I have only ever used it to clean animals, it’s still my favourite knife and comes with me on every trip. I still have the same Estwing pack axe I got around the same time. And the first rifle I ever bought which is a tack driver Krico, with the nicest action of any bolt action I’ve ever had.
https://i.postimg.cc/htsmhdJr/9919920-F-1767-4-ECC-92-FA-367-A14850984.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hXJv5h1z)
hmm i have the exact same knife for past 30 years....it was sold to me by Warrenknklz grampa when he and his wife Bonnie owned a sporting goods store in Williams Lake ...kinda think i should get it to Warren..
srupp