# Penknives & smoking accoutrements



## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Anyone still carry penknives? I'm surprised quite often when needed for menial tasks the number of men in Sweden who haven't got a knife on their person. And who look at me wide eyed when I pull one out, as if I've pulled out a macheté.

I carry two. One is a polished stainless steel, First World War trench penknife, which was given to me in the early 70s by a veteran of the First World War, a large brass ring on the axle for each of the two blades to make it easier to open in cold conditions and with gloves on. Razor sharp blades. The whole knife is still in very good condition, very good Sheffield workmanship, lovely patina. Sits on my keyring. 

The other is a stainless steel pipe smokers penknife with tooled sides, from the 1970s, which was my father's and which in fact I bought for him. A tamper on one end, rounded end on the blade for bowl scraping without damaging the bottom of the biscuit, and a spike for clearing the channel. 
Handy as I occasionaly have a pipe myself, maybe once a week.

Also, sometimes, a small Swiss Army knife that I've had since my RAF days. 

And when I'm out in the country a chunky green German Army penknife with both Mauser and Victorinox blades.

In the car, a Swedish Sandviken safety knife, curved blade back, point inwards, also small and stainless steel. Used to carry that when I was a police officer, good for cutting seatbelts, ropes and the like without the blade injuring people.
Ambulance crews carry a similar thing for the same reasons.

In a drawer at work, for various uses, among others ,actually sharpening pencils (remember, penknife!?) I have a French wooden handled Opinel lock knife.
Opinels are primarily picnic knives. I love the way the ferrule on these is the lock. 

Smoke a bent K & P from Ireland with the silver hallmarked ferrule. The patented Peterson system gives a very dry smooth smoke
And an English made straight Civic Shadow.
Also have a very small antique English pipe with amber mouthpiece, in a pipe shaped etui. I never smoke it though, too old.

K & P tobacco, very aromatic, very smooth.

A cigar guillotine of course

And a very delightful Alfred Dunhill cigarette holder in its orignal leather bound etui. It looks like a semi-clear red bakelite or amber, it isn't plastic. Not sure what it is really.


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## harvey_birdman (Mar 10, 2008)

I have several Swiss Army knives within reach at any given moment. One in my office, one in my car, one in the kitchen. The only reason I don't carry one in my pocket is because going in and out of courthouses all day is more difficult with any kind of knife, even one as innocuous as a Swiss Army Knife. 

Most are different models that I've picked up over the years, but the "Super Tinker" is probably my favourite. Just enough tools and still relatively compact. Although the Leatherman type tools are quite nice I will always prefer the simplicity of the Swiss Army style knife, probably because that's what I grew up with and used in the boy scouts and such.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

harvey_birdman said:


> Although the Leatherman type tools are quite nice I will always prefer the simplicity of the Swiss Army style knife, probably because that's what I grew up with and used in the boy scouts and such.


Of course, those were the knives we grew up with. And there is a simple elegance and utilitarianism to them that appealed to boys. The leatherman and copies never appealed to me, too bulky and look too much like a tool, like a pair of pliers for example.

After all a boy's first penknife is much more to a boy than just a knife. Whereas a tool is just a tool.


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

When I was in grad school, my thesis advisor once scolded me for not having a pocket knife on hand - "a scientist should ALWAYS carry a knife". Since then, I have done so, with the exception (nowadays) of air travel. I just carry a small, generic Swiss army knife.

I always carry a utility knife in the glovebox of my car, as well.

DH


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## sowilson (Jul 27, 2009)

Seeing that I have to go through 5 metal detectors on the way to my desk each day I leave the knives (and guns) at home.


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## Realalefan (Jan 12, 2009)

I used to carry a small Swiss Army knife everywhere but I kept forgetting to leave them behind when I went to the airport. Keep 'em around the house though. My favorite is the Rambler, quite versatile for its size. I like the little magnetic Phillips-head screwdriver especially.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

sowilson said:


> Seeing that I have to go through 5 metal detectors on the way to my desk each day I leave the knives (and guns) at home.


Curious to know now where you work? It must be either a courthouse, an airport, a prison or a hospital! Am I close? :icon_smile_wink:

Why otherwise would your own job/employer prevent you from carrying a gentleman's penknife?


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Dhaller said:


> "a scientist should ALWAYS carry a knife".


 There you go right there, that's it! But my view goes even further: "a _gentleman_ should ALWAYS carry a knife"


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## Relayer (Nov 9, 2005)

I always have a knife on my person unless I'm going to a location where it is forbidden, or on the rare occasion that I forget to put one in my pocket. Then I can usually retrieve my spare knife from the glove compartment.


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## Gromson (Oct 11, 2009)

I carry a Buck 309 every day:


It's small, 3", lightweight and completely nonthreatening. When you need to cut a lose thread or open a package, it doesn't draw odd looks as many other types of pocket knives can. Best of all, it's quite cheap so if you lose it at some check point, it's easy to replace.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

That's a nice looking penknife Gromson. But I can't quite work out from the photo, Are they wooden inlays on a metal body or stainless steel end caps added to a wooden body?

This is the very thin Sandvik lock knife I keep in the car for emergencies. https://www.frostproof.com/catalog/hgp1.html

And this is the German Army Mauser I always have with me in a jacket pocket or rucksack when out in the country, photos and review here: https://www.britishblades.com/forum...-Mauser-Penknife-Tested-Reviewed-(With-Photos)


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## sowilson (Jul 27, 2009)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Curious to know now where you work? It must be either a courthouse, an airport, a prison or a hospital! Am I close? :icon_smile_wink:
> 
> Why otherwise would your own job/employer prevent you from carrying a gentleman's penknife?


Not close. Even in my previous work you couldn't bring in (or take out) any similar item unless it was registered with security, approved in advance, and you had a gate pass (not to mention needing gate passes for all tools, cell phones, PDA's, computers, or any computer media).

Of course in Saudi when you visited the US Embasy you couldn't bring in any electronics or any blades. Visitors would have to place them along the wall at the gate and hope no one would steal them.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

***BUMP**** Here ya go Rambler! :icon_smile:


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## raincoat (Oct 31, 2009)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> That's a nice looking penknife Gromson. But I can't quite work out from the photo, Are they wooden inlays on a metal body or stainless steel end caps added to a wooden body?


Those small Buck pocket knives are great. Anyway, it's not wooden. It has a hard plastic body and stainless steel blades. I think they make most of the models with a wooden body also, but I actually prefer the black handle. These knives (black handle bucks) have been around for a long time. Most buck knives are still made in USA too.


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## OldMilitary (Feb 6, 2010)

I am glad I read this "Earl."

I just made a note to check on a little silver sliding knife that went on a key chain that I gave my father when I was a kid. A year or two later, I borrowed it and used it to pry up a rock or something and broke off the tip of the blade. It was reshaped, and when he passed, I must have gotten it and put it somewhere. I will try to retrieve it.

When I wear civilian clothes, I carry two knives and they are useful for all sorts of things, some strange including for example retrieving a DVD case from the Redbox Movie machine at Ingles that had gotten stuck and stopped the use of the machine. 

The uses of knives are only limited by the imagination of their owners.

As for Civilian Airports, though the rules change from time to time, it is very inconvenient to have a favorite and expensive knife rejected on the whim of some TSA employee, so I never carry them on board. 

As for a court house, just forget it. Leave them in the car.

One prison I have been to, to visit an old combat buddy who made some serious mistakes, the only piece of metal I can carry in is one (1) car key. Not even the car fob.


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## Acme (Oct 5, 2011)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> I carry two. One is a polished stainless steel, First World War trench penknife, which was given to me in the early 70s by a veteran of the First World War, a large brass ring on the axle for each of the two blades to make it easier to open in cold conditions and with gloves on. Razor sharp blades. The whole knife is still in very good condition, very good Sheffield workmanship, lovely patina. Sits on my keyring.


Earl,

That sounds like a really great knife. Is there any chance you could favor us with a picture of it?


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## DukeGrad (Dec 28, 2003)

Gentlemen

I am a big fan of John Young, LOveless knives. I like the way Steve Young out of Utah does a drop point hunter.
These have soared in price over the past 15 years.
Steve Young is approachable for custom knife fanatics.
There is a gentleman, trained under Loveless for years. Is in NC, makes an elegant drop poin hunter.
I, am a big fan of D Alton Holder. He, IMO makes the must elegant, engraved hunter.
The quality is comparable to Stev Young.
I enjoybeautiful knives.

My six shooetr for work is a buck/gerber or case BTW.
I think everyone favors these.
Knives ar an art, just likea beuatiful bamboo rod, or stickley furniture.
They area toold first, by God, a beautiful too.
Check out D A Holder he runs about 800-1500 for a 5-7 in hunter.
Check out Steve Young, he does beautiful work, his name is creeping up, he runs a couple thousand to 5K now.
Loveless 15-20 K did the first drop point.
Holder is my favorite.
I would not gut a deer with these guys, these knive you have a glass of wine with, and polish!!

Nice day


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## FJW (Jan 25, 2012)

Most days I carry an LL Bean bird knife that I've had since the mid 70's. (the one with one blade and one long hooked piece). I haven't been bird hunting in a very long time but still carry it in the hope that maybe one day.....


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## OliT (Mar 13, 2012)

Well,

I tend to go to some places where you pass through metal detectors (court, airports and the like), so, for me it's not really convenient carrying one around, just in case I were to forget it and get into trouble.
I do keep a very nice vintage Wenger at work for small tasks, but it rarely sees much use.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Acme said:


> Earl,
> 
> That sounds like a really great knife. Is there any chance you could favor us with a picture of it?


Will try to.


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## Acme (Oct 5, 2011)

^Thank you!


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

God, I'm slow, I'd completely forgotten about this...I'll tie a knot in my handkerchief.


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## dba (Oct 22, 2010)

This goes with me everywhere. Although the tweezers aren't much good, the toothpick is very handy. When I'm flying, I just leave it in my checked luggage.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

dba said:


> This goes with me everywhere. Although the tweezers aren't much good, the toothpick is very handy. When I'm flying, I just leave it in my checked luggage.
> 
> View attachment 4091


aren't you afraid of the baggage checker will confiscate it?


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Howard said:


> aren't you afraid of the baggage checker will confiscate it?


Baggage checkers don't open the luggage that you check in (i.e. that will go in the cargo hold), they only check the luggage you intend to take on board. On arrival, you might get your luggage checked by Customs but then you have landed so they can't confiscate legal items anyway. I always put my penknives in my suitcase, check it in, no problem. Suitcases fly in the cargo hold, passengers don't have access to them during a flight.


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## Top Guns (Apr 29, 2010)

That is essentially the same Swiss Army knife I carry in my front right pocket. Small and simple, and useful on innumerable occasions. Small enought to be non-threatening. I have lost my toothpick at some point, but never relished the idea of ever using it.


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## dba (Oct 22, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Baggage checkers don't open the luggage that you check in (i.e. that will go in the cargo hold), they only check the luggage you intend to take on board. On arrival, you might get your luggage checked by Customs but then you have landed so they can't confiscate legal items anyway. I always put my penknives in my suitcase, check it in, no problem. Suitcases fly in the cargo hold, passengers don't have access to them during a flight.


Exactly. Never been a problem.


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