Pictured to the right (with our ever helpful product model Sula) are two nearly identical knives -- one mine and one The Wife's. Both of them are the classic Buck Hunter knife. 
It turns out that they are also fashion and status symbols in ways I hadn't anticipated. The Wife only has occasional bouts of materialism, and these few and far between. One place this manifests is with knives. She has a few knives, some folding some fixed-blade. Her decision to get a buck hunter was not because I carry one on a daily basis -- she doesn't go for the whole "twinsies" thing as a couple. No, it turns out that this is the type of knife that "all the cool kids" are carrying this season.
She was out in rural Washington this last weekend with a large group of folks preparing for a summer of Lakotah high ceremony. During the course of the work, one of her friends got complemented on her knife -- it was a Buck Hunter. Not only was it a compliment, but it was from some old-school rural ex-military-type type to boot. The Wife needed one pronto.
She told me about her purchase, showed me the knife, then said something surprising.
"Now, hand me over that sheath," gesturing to my belt.
"Excuse me?"
"I need to switch you sheaths, yours is all nice and worn looking. Mine's all new and stiff, I'll look like a newb out there with this sheath."
After a pause, I shrugged and handed it over.
Only tonight, as she saw me taking pictures and knew I was writing up a post about this hilarity did she say, "gee, I could have offered you the whole new knife and just taken yours couldn't I. But then again, men are sentimental about their knives aren't you."
You know, I am, actually.
Enjoy your continued marital negotiations,
Bp
6 comments:
It's sad and unfortunate that what is now associated with "Lakotah" here are the stupid Topical Pain Remover and Arthritis relief advertisements.
Last trip over to port angeles i picked up a Leatherman C305 and have been using the hell out of it, though, i'm contimplating getting something a little nicer now..
I have a 4" Buck that Colleen gave me on the first Christmas after we were married.
I have to admit that I don't carry it around much for fear of losing it.
I realized about a year ago that I hadn't carried a knife in a long time and that it was not right, dang it. They were part of me since I was five or so, I think, in the woods of Western New York in 1968.
I carry one I found, can't remember where, that's a made in China Winchester. It's got a lock on it like I've never seen before. I'll take a photo later, but it's built into the slot the knife folds into, up by the hub, is toothed a bit and is pushed to the side to free the blade to fold. Weird.
Holy crap I found an image on the tubes. And another one. (My god it's pocket knife porn day.) It's apparently called a "liner lock," and it has the thumb studs and a pocket clip.
Bentley, I've been eyeing the New Wave leatherman strongly. I may not be able to resist long.
Stu, I totally understand. You do have the sense to use your bamboo fly rods though, which is a plus. Would be awful easy to get precious with them as well.
Lt, fine looking knife there. I like that style.
It's a toy compared to yours, but it's solid. No wiggle in the blade.
Schrade Uncle Henry for me, 4" lockback.
Or Schrade fillet, hugely useful hunting also
Remington turn of centurty fixed hunting - stag handle
Once you've dulled an Uncle Henry they are a complete PIA to get sharp again. The plus side is how long it stays sharp.
I like sharp tools. Carpentry does that.
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