Recently in my wanderings, I found a Buck knife buried under some gravel. (Not a clue why I decided to dig right there...) It was in rough shape and the tip of the blade was broken off.
I looked online when I got home and discovered that it wasn't a cheap knife by any means, so I emailed Buck an inquiry about their repair services.
I was told that I could send the knife and $10 to them and it would be repaired. Good deal!
Since one of my everyday carry knives is also a buck, and also had its tip broken off when it was very new (over 20 years ago) by (probably) the first person I handed it to (grrr!), I decided I would send it in as well.
Well, I got the knives back and ... WOW! The found knife looked almost new. They had not only replaced the broken blade with a new, and fairly sharp, blade, but they had also polished the handle very nicely. The wood still has some deep scratches, but everything is smooth and feels nice in the hand. It was more than I expected and I was thrilled.
My everyday knife looked new. It was in pretty good shape anyway (I had long ago reshaped the blade so the broken tip wasn't even noticeable to anyone but me), but it is in practically perfect shape now. Once again, they hit the bullseye!
Just a bit of sharpening and the knives were up to my sharpness standards (which are ridiculously high).
No, Buck isn't paying or otherwise rewarding me to say any of this. I tried to send Buck an email to tell them how happy I was with their repair service as soon as I got the knives back, but the email wouldn't go through. So I hope they will someday see this and know they got my respect. $20 for two like-new knives is a deal that just can't be beat.
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This post makes me wish I had a use for a knife. A company that actually takes pride in its product? Too rare.
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine not using a knife daily. I use a knife dozens of times a day no matter where I am or what I'm doing. But, I have carried at least one knife on me at all times since I was in early elementary school. I guess I never even considered that some people don't carry a knife. LOL.
ReplyDeleteDozens of times a day, fascinating! Can you give a few examples of when a knife is useful?
ReplyDeleteToday, for example, I sharpened a pencil and a couple of crayons, I opened mail, I cut the chicken-fried steak at my mom's house, I cut some loose threads off of my daughter's clothes, I opened a pack of batteries, ... and that's all I can remember at the moment. But I'm sure I did more than that.
ReplyDeleteSome days I do a lot more. I have cut cardboard, removed splinters, shaved, cut necessary holes in whatever, carved sticks, cut fingernails and toenails, lanced zits, skinned stuff, cut cord/string, cut the plastic strapping on packages, trimmed an unruly hair or two, stripped wire, cut materials to make shelter, cut weeds and grass, cut out news articles, opened cans (don't do this with a knife you value), undressed a willing female, cut leather for straps, whittled pointy sticks, carved a bone fish hook, cut carpet, cleaned under fingernails, drilled holes, and probably a lot more I can't think of.
A knife is almost an extension of my hand and I don't even think about using it and can't imagine not having one on me.
Years ago a young girl in New Jersey got her long hair caught in the suction intake of a hot tub. She drowned as five grown men stood around helpless.
ReplyDeleteI've carried a pocketknife since Nixon was honest and people who know of mine often seem to have need of it. I always tell them the same thing-"Buy your own in case you need to cut yourself loose from a jammed seat belt or some other unexpected problem that happens to someone every single day."
And don't ever let some fool tell you a knife cannot be used defensively. They are quite useful in keeping someone off you that wants to grapple, as most brawlers want to grab or punch, they _don't_ want to get cut. Two knives are even better than one, for that purpose, but one will suffice.
ReplyDeleteJust make sure you haven't brought a knife to a gun fight. Let me re-phrase that: make sure you haven't _only_ brought a knife to a gun fight.
Besides the folding Buck, I carry a fixed-blade Kershaw (on the other hip).
ReplyDeleteAnd, if someone decides to start a gun fight I've got that well-covered as well.
For that matter, I doubt I'd want to be in a knife fight anyway, so if anyone decides to fight I'd probably just skip over the knives. I don't really want to be in any kind of fight. I'm a peaceable fellow. So fighting with me is easy to avoid- just don't start anything. If it does start I'll try to walk away if that's an option. If not I'll want to end it as fast as possible with as little damage to myself as possible.
Interesting indeed.
ReplyDeleteFor example I don't have access to sticks or any need to cut holes. For others I use scissors or just whatever's nearby.
Don't you need to clean it after cutting food?
I also carry folding scissors for those times they would work better than a knife. Usually, though, a knife will get you through those times you need scissors better than scissors will get you through the times you need a knife.
ReplyDeleteI wipe the knife off with a napkin or my pants after or before cutting food. And, occasionally wash it, too.
I just seriously can't even imagine not having a knife handy... or living where there are no sticks. I've seen sticks in the middle of cities. I don't remember if they needed cutting/carving, but they were there.
I always kind of scoffed at those who said they didn't use knives- didn't really believe them. Actually, I thought they were just saying that as an excuse to try to legislate away my knife carrying- but they would quietly build a loophole that allowed them to keep their own knives. You've made me re-evaluate my initial reaction.
I bet your reaction is still mainly correct.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure if I really needed a stick for something I could get one.