Maybe I should have titled this post, "Musings" as that's just what it is. But it is about SAK's so here goes.
It's been a year and four months, since August of 2022, when I first read the post by a fellow forum member and SAK enthusiast. It was all about the 58mm, the classic in particular, being good enough of this lifestyle as a sole EDC. (Yes, I'm talking about you, Juergen). I'd been waffling that way, and on a downsize road for many years. My trip from a Buck 301 stockman, to a Buck 303 stockman, to a Case Peanut, to just a SAK had been taking place as I edged through middle age toward my senior citizen years.
For what ever reason, that post made something solidify in my thoughts. I'd been heading in that direction, with a classic on my keying in its little leather pouch sheath I made for it, but I always had something else in a pocket. A SAK like a tinker or recruit, or even my. old Wenger SI. But in truth, I rarely, if ever really needed that 'extra' item. So, in August of 2022, I went classic all the way. It was an eye opener.
It was like when I made the jump to EDC a Case peanut only, with no Buck stockman or 91mm SAK in another pocket. Just the peanut. It was a weird experience, but after a short while I acclimated. I got used to it. To the point, that when I tried to carry a stockman again, I had a problem with it. Aside from beveling like a brick in my pocket, it couldn't deal with loose screws, annoying mustache or nose hairs, chipped nails, splinters, and a host of other uses that a SAK, even a small SAK, handles in stride. Getting older was a help. As I aged, there seemed to come a new clarity of thought.
Now, a year and four months later, I've become soooooo acclimated to the 58mm SAK, that when I try to carry something else, it flat out doesn't work. If I drop something else in another pocket, in short order, a few hours ar best, it bugs me. Like a psychological pebble in my shoe, its just being there starts to bug my, and I drop it in my glove box if out in the car, or back in the drawer if home and I'm relived to be rid of it. In the past year and four months, the little classic has become the new normal for me, like my little Case peanut did in the past. There's v very little it won't do as far as opening my mail, Amazon packages, plastic blister packages, cutting the jute twine I use in the backyard and for all kinds of things, and slicing a bit of cheese off the block of Tillimock mild cheddar in the fridge. No, it's not worth a tinkers darn for processing wood in bushcraft, or surviving the Amazon jungle, but this senior citizen is not in either of those places or situations. At my age I'm not ever gong to see the real wilderness again, and last time we were at Yellowstone, we took the tourist train around with the other old farts, and that evening we sat on the veranda of the Yellowstone Lodge with cocktails in hand and watched Old faithful do its thing.
I'm a city guy at heart, and by breeding. Lived most my life in and around my hometown of Washington D.C., and although I did the backpacking thing, canoe camping, hiking the backcountry, I always came home to the city. When off in the boonies, I carried and still have in my daypack, a Buch fixed blade. But that didn't get carried in my daily life in and around D.C. or now in Georgetown Texas. Not much need for much knife going about life here, walking the dog on the path by the river, going to work out at the gym at the rec center down the road, fishing along the San Gabriel river, doing a road trip twice a year to California to check in with the daughters family. In truth, in modern life in suburbia or travel on modern interstates, not much need for anything but a keychain size penknife. The classic's ability to deal with Phillips screws, splinters, snipping jobs, is just gravy on the taters. The humble little classic is like a little penknife with added mission capability built into it. A knife is just a knife. But a SAK is a bundle of possible solutions to those little problems life loves to shove in our path.
Thank you, Juergen, for your inspiration.
It's been a year and four months, since August of 2022, when I first read the post by a fellow forum member and SAK enthusiast. It was all about the 58mm, the classic in particular, being good enough of this lifestyle as a sole EDC. (Yes, I'm talking about you, Juergen). I'd been waffling that way, and on a downsize road for many years. My trip from a Buck 301 stockman, to a Buck 303 stockman, to a Case Peanut, to just a SAK had been taking place as I edged through middle age toward my senior citizen years.
For what ever reason, that post made something solidify in my thoughts. I'd been heading in that direction, with a classic on my keying in its little leather pouch sheath I made for it, but I always had something else in a pocket. A SAK like a tinker or recruit, or even my. old Wenger SI. But in truth, I rarely, if ever really needed that 'extra' item. So, in August of 2022, I went classic all the way. It was an eye opener.
It was like when I made the jump to EDC a Case peanut only, with no Buck stockman or 91mm SAK in another pocket. Just the peanut. It was a weird experience, but after a short while I acclimated. I got used to it. To the point, that when I tried to carry a stockman again, I had a problem with it. Aside from beveling like a brick in my pocket, it couldn't deal with loose screws, annoying mustache or nose hairs, chipped nails, splinters, and a host of other uses that a SAK, even a small SAK, handles in stride. Getting older was a help. As I aged, there seemed to come a new clarity of thought.
Now, a year and four months later, I've become soooooo acclimated to the 58mm SAK, that when I try to carry something else, it flat out doesn't work. If I drop something else in another pocket, in short order, a few hours ar best, it bugs me. Like a psychological pebble in my shoe, its just being there starts to bug my, and I drop it in my glove box if out in the car, or back in the drawer if home and I'm relived to be rid of it. In the past year and four months, the little classic has become the new normal for me, like my little Case peanut did in the past. There's v very little it won't do as far as opening my mail, Amazon packages, plastic blister packages, cutting the jute twine I use in the backyard and for all kinds of things, and slicing a bit of cheese off the block of Tillimock mild cheddar in the fridge. No, it's not worth a tinkers darn for processing wood in bushcraft, or surviving the Amazon jungle, but this senior citizen is not in either of those places or situations. At my age I'm not ever gong to see the real wilderness again, and last time we were at Yellowstone, we took the tourist train around with the other old farts, and that evening we sat on the veranda of the Yellowstone Lodge with cocktails in hand and watched Old faithful do its thing.
I'm a city guy at heart, and by breeding. Lived most my life in and around my hometown of Washington D.C., and although I did the backpacking thing, canoe camping, hiking the backcountry, I always came home to the city. When off in the boonies, I carried and still have in my daypack, a Buch fixed blade. But that didn't get carried in my daily life in and around D.C. or now in Georgetown Texas. Not much need for much knife going about life here, walking the dog on the path by the river, going to work out at the gym at the rec center down the road, fishing along the San Gabriel river, doing a road trip twice a year to California to check in with the daughters family. In truth, in modern life in suburbia or travel on modern interstates, not much need for anything but a keychain size penknife. The classic's ability to deal with Phillips screws, splinters, snipping jobs, is just gravy on the taters. The humble little classic is like a little penknife with added mission capability built into it. A knife is just a knife. But a SAK is a bundle of possible solutions to those little problems life loves to shove in our path.
Thank you, Juergen, for your inspiration.
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