That very first knife — shortly after finding out that a heavy branch could clobber an animal on the head for dinner, mankind discovered that certain rocks, if smashed the right way, created a sharp edge that sliced cleanly through the skin and meat of their prey. Ever since that momentous revelation, we’ve made and refined blades to better suit our needs and desires when it comes to a cutting tool.
The most modern knife today, made with heat-treated super steel and an edge so finely ground it could shave atoms, has a direct lineage to those primitive knives made from knapped flint or obsidian. And they are certainly more expensive, too.
Do you remember your first real knife? Not some gas station piece of garbage that might last an afternoon opening boxes, at best, before it falls apart. I’m talking about the first knife that you knew you could rely upon, no matter what. A knife made to be used, maybe even abused, and come back looking for more.
Like an awful lot of people, my first real knife was a Buck 110. This was an upgrade from a Pakistani lookalike, and it was a gift from someone whom I looked to as an older brother. Since then, I have been gifted with many more knives and I’ve also given knives to others. Years ago, I started something of a tradition in my family — when my sons turned 13, I give them each a nice folding knife. When they graduate high school, they receive a fixed blade knife. These aren’t the only knives they have, of course. But, these are milestone events in their lives, and I recognize them with the gift of knives.
When you gift someone a knife, you are giving the recipient a tool to use virtually every day, and also something that, quite literally, could save his or her life one day. As such, there’s a bit of responsibility involved on your part. Let’s walk through some considerations to keep in mind when gifting a knife.
This story is from the December 2019 edition of Knives Illustrated.
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This story is from the December 2019 edition of Knives Illustrated.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TIP TALK
UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BLADE TIP SHAPES AND WHY IT MATTERS
HOLDING FIRM
GETTING A GRIP ON KNIFE HANDLE BENEFITS, MATERIALS, AND FUNCTIONALITY
EDGE UP
TIPS, TRICKS, AND TECHNIQUES TO SHARP WHEN ADVENTURING FAR FROM HOME
THE COMBAT KITCHEN
SLICE, DICE, CHOP, AND CUT: FOOD PREP WITH BLADES FROM POPULAR TACTICAL KNIFE COMPANIES
MORAKNIV Classics
THESE TIMELESS BUSHCRAFT KNIVES HAVE BEEN UPDATED AND ARE BETTER THAN EVER
ONE FOR THE ROAD
CHOOSING AN “EVERYWHERE KNIFE” CAN BE DIFFICULT DUE TO COMPLICATED KNIFE LAWS
TRAVELING LIGHT
SOMETIMES, INEXPENSIVE UTILITY BLADES YOU PICK UP AT YOUR DESTINATION CAN GET THE JOB DONE
MATCHED PAIR
JB KNIFE WORKS LAYMAN KNIFE AND GAMBIT HATCHET COMBO: ONE PICKS UP WHERE THE OTHER LEAVES OFF
WHEN BIGGER IS BETTER
THE CAS IBERIA CHOP HOUSE IS A MACHETE THAT PROVIDES BIG BLADE CUTTING POWER
KITCHEN KNIVES DON'T HAVE TO BE DULL
I have a confession to make. See if this sounds familiar. I take meticulous care of the knives I use for everyday carry, hunting, and general woods wandering. I wipe them down with an oily cloth after use and I never let them get too dull. Seldom do I have to restore a damaged edge. Most of the time I simply touch up the edges of my pocketknives with a few careful strokes across the rough bottom of a ceramic coffee cup. That’s usually all that’s needed. I don’t use my knives as screwdrivers or pry bars. As a matter of fact, I still have the very first knife I ever owned, an old Boy Scout knife that was handed down from my older brother. The blades have a deep patina that comes with using carbon steel over the years, but the knife is very usable still.
