That knife looks well loved @Steve, a great example of vintage Swedish bladesmithing.
Times are certainly different @StevesTrail, and it would seem society has driven it. In the pursuit of prosperity, we have lost all that’s prosperous. But there are a select few, many on this platform I believe, that are of the “old guard”. I’m proud to be teaching my nephews the fundamentals of firearms and the traditional recurve bow, the history and use of the Atlatl, rock hunting, and building a fire that will maintain itself through the night while we fall asleep under the Mily Way, among many other things. Through my eyes, what’s truly sad, is that this way of life is not normal, but people like us will revel in it!
A friend grew up in Touchet, WA and said that it was pretty common to bring your rifles to school (mid to late 70’s) and stack them in the corner of a teachers room intending to go hunting after school - and many times a teacher would go with them. Even my high school in the big city of Portland had many pickups in the parking lot with hunting rifles in a window rack. No one batted an eye at it.
Even us girls got pocket knives as gifts as a kid.
@RedlandMaggie, you are yet another member that I would like to tip my hat to, your contributions have been a joy to read.
One of my dearest female friends is what I would consider a master with a blade, she has affectionately earned the nickname of “blade maiden”. At any given time shes got at least 5 knives on her person, and not even the most discerning eye could spot them. My younger sister is an afficianado with edged weapons as well, I wish more women would pick up the art, strictly for defense reasons if nothing else!
Here’s a more traditional piece of yellow/orange calcite and an old Schrade 1940T “Old Timer” single blade with a liner lock. I’d say it’s had a hard life. A generous portion of the blade edge has been ground away over the years.
