Squirt at 5 years. An update.

Really good posts! I was certainly a belt and suspenders guy for a long time and carried way more than what was realistically needed on a average day. As I have aged the carry has been substantially reduced.
 
!mprovise said:
Really good posts! I was certainly a belt and suspenders guy for a long time and carried way more than what was realistically needed on a average day. As I have aged the carry has been substantially reduced.
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I think thats the natural progression. When I was a young guy, I always wondered at the old fogy's that walked around with a tiny pen knife and minimal stuff. Now that I turned into an old fogy, I'm walking with a little pen knife size SAK. It took a lifetime to get old, and gain the knowledge that it really doesn't matter. Its just stuff. Most of which you'll never need.

When I was in my 20's I was a prepper. I had all kinds of s--t. In my 30's I was married with kids, and I told myself that I needed to be prepared to defend my family. In my 40's I started to have an awakening. By my 50's I had said the hell with all this junk, and sold off and gave away most of it. My kids were not interested in all the stuff, so it got sold.

Now I'm a minimalist and happier.
 
jackknife said:
My hands may be too old and arthritic to open a peanut,
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I'm sorry to hear that Jackknife. Have you tried the Rough Rider peanut? I'm not sure if it's all Rough Riders, or the one particular RR Brown Stag Bone Peanut I have, but the pull on both blades is very easy and light, much more so than my Case knives.
 
jlomein said:
I'm sorry to hear that Jackknife. Have you tried the Rough Rider peanut? I'm not sure if it's all Rough Riders, or the one particular RR Brown Stag Bone Peanut I have, but the pull on both blades is very easy and light, much more so than my Case knives.
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Butting in to thank you for this. I have weak fingers and my Case peanut was impossible. Just ordered a Rough Rider peanut and small lockback ... Hoping they work for me.
 
jlomein said:
I'm sorry to hear that Jackknife. Have you tried the Rough Rider peanut? I'm not sure if it's all Rough Riders, or the one particular RR Brown Stag Bone Peanut I have, but the pull on both blades is very easy and light, much more so than my Case knives.
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No I have not tried the RR, but in truth I'm just so darn pleased with the executive that for almost 2 years now, its been in my pocket non stop. I love the executive. Coin pocket size like the 'nut, but with my more capability and versatility. And being typical Victorinox, the pulls ares so easy and smooth even an arthritic old fart can deal with it easy.
 
If I'm ever at a point where I cannot open a small Case slipjoint when have many years of experience behind my belt I'll try my Buck 305 lancer or just one of my small lockbacks.
 
Hickory n steel said:
If I'm ever at a point where I cannot open a small Case slipjoint when have many years of experience behind my belt I'll try my Buck 305 lancer or just one of my small lockbacks.
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If my aging fingers can deal with SAK's and Leathermans, I think you'll be okay.:thumbsup:
 
jackknife said:
If my aging fingers can deal with SAK's and Leathermans, I think you'll be okay.:thumbsup:
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It's definitely an easy one to open with it's lighter pull weight, if I'm facing this situation in 30-40 years the 305 will be my first Choice baring I still have one.
 
Hickory n steel said:
It's definitely an easy one to open with it's lighter pull weight, if I'm facing this situation in 30-40 years the 305 will be my first Choice baring I still have one.
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Lots can change in 10 years or nothing changes.... Hoping that in 30-40 years you can still open any knife you choose to open. Time seems to pass by fairly quickly as you get past 40.

I am not minimalist. But I carry pretty minimal kinds of knives now for the most part. As far as getting rid of stuff.... maybe, I should, I could, I don't care yet enough to make the effort, don't care if all of my knives get dumped in a landfill....

I have a couple Rough Ryder peanuts. Probably should dig them out and take a new look at them. My favorite however is a Case stag peanut.... it isn't real hard to open, but I have this SAK problem..... they do most everything I need to do 90% of the time and it's hard to go to a peanut when I enjoy having a few other SAK tools beyond the blades.

A squirt has been part of my pocket load for a number of years now and I doubt I'll change.
 
Lots did change in 10 years in my life. From 30 to 40 not much. From 40 to 50, some changes. From 50 to 60 very marked changes. From 60 to 70 some more change but not as much as from 50 to 60.

I think it all depends on what decade we're talking about. some decades are more traumatic than others when you look in a mirror and take stock.
 
jackknife said:
Lots did change in 10 years in my life. From 30 to 40 not much. From 40 to 50, some changes. From 50 to 60 very marked changes. From 60 to 70 some more change but not as much as from 50 to 60.

I think it all depends on what decade we're talking about. some decades are more traumatic than others when you look in a mirror and take stock.
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Between 30 and 40 is when my knife and gun hobbies took off (mostly late 30's to mid 50's). Things have calmed down since I am past 60 now. I'm slowly selling guns but have not really made any effort with knives. My firearms (collector stuff) are just too nice to let go until I croak and leave that to some disinterested heir.
 
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jackknife said:
Lots did change in 10 years in my life. From 30 to 40 not much. From 40 to 50, some changes. From 50 to 60 very marked changes.
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Yes, same here. My 50s have been measured in huge life-altering changes. Losing dexterity and strength in my fingers, losing visual acuity, challenges to my health... It's been pretty shocking.

The Squirt is still working for me, though.
 
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WhoseWoodsTheseAre said:
Yes, same here. My 50s have been measured in huge life-altering changes. Losing dexterity and strength in my fingers, losing visual acuity, challenges to my health... It's been pretty shocking.

The Squirt is still working for me, though.
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Well, let me tell ya, its not going to get any better. The changes from 50 to 60 were like from 60 to 70 as you describe. Loss of manual dexterity, reflexes a little slower, endurance going down so we're not gonna be doing any marathons. For me the big thing is, every single thing that I've broken, torn, or had operated on has come back to haunt me, especially in big weather changes.

But all if it is better than the alternatives!!

From my experience with it all, the squirt will be useful to you even in the Sunnyville Rest Home!:D Very easy tool to use.

By 70, forget trying to load magazines, even with a mag loader. Revolvers are for old farts. Just open, drop a round in every empty hole, close, pull trigger. Forget small stiff spring slip joints, you'll cut yourself a lot. And child proof caps will keep you out. :(
 
TrapperMike said:
Well now I have a squirt. My wife got it for me for my 40th birthday. We will have to see how it goes. It seems to be a good little tool so far.
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Mike, I'm gonna be honest, I love my squirt.

It gets teamed up with my Vic executive and they serve two different roles and cover about 99.9999...% of what I need in a suburban/urban lifestyle. The executive is my pocket cutting tool while the squirt handles rougher jobs needing a more solid screw driver, or small pliers and whatever. In truth, I never really thought pliers would be so darn handy, and I was a VERY long time Leatherman sceptic.

But, since having the squirt on me, I'm actually surprised to the point of shock, how much I have used the little pliers. And the thicker chisel grind blade is my rougher cut tool. The chisel leaves so much more steel in back of the edge, yet still has a razor sharp edge, that it gets used for stuff I may not want to subject my executive for.

So, the squirt and executive is my dynamic duo. The executive is in my right pocket and squirt in my left, and I wouldn't think of leaving the house without either of them.
 
I have been traveling around Oklahoma this week end so I haven't had a chance to put it to the test but I am confident I will like it. I have carried a super tool 300 on my belt for awhile but resently I have been carrying the mini vise grips. About 3 weeks ago I found the needle nose version and tried them out. I found i like the regular plier mini vise grips better only because they are shorter than the needle nose version. I just have gotten tired of lugging around the heavy tools everyone says you need to carry for meer survival. I plan on just carrying my peanut, recruit, and now squirt. All are light and all are sentimental. When at work if I need bigger pliers I will go to my tool box and get the proper tool. Also i have enough tools in my truck to take care of things at home. If I am stuck out in the wilderness of northwest oklahoma the peanut, recruit, or the squirt alone will handle my needs and get me back home. Dont have to worry about getting lost in the woods hear because we dont have alot of trees, LOL. So despite what all the expert survival hypers say I think I will be just fine. Besides that I am tired of lugging around a bunch of heavy stuff all the time when all I need is a few small tools that will make life a little easier and do most of what I want.
 
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