A rainy Saturday puts on halt my table varnishing project just as I'm about to sand the last coat. Bummer! On the positive side of life, the cloudy sky makes it nearly perfect to take photos of the pocket knives. Gotta rush though, because soon the sky's gonna fall upon me.
In the process of reuniting all the knives I discover that my fishing gear (reels) are in desperate need of cleaning/servicing, which will keep me entertained for the weekend {anxiety turns off}. Are you the type who needs to be occupied?
Since this is a Hive collectors post, let's jump to what matters: the pocket-knife collection.
said nobody, ever!
I believe my collection of pocket-knives is a mere coincidence of growing old, rather than something planned. Bought the first Victorinox at the age of twelve or thirteen to go fishing. The second and third that followed came as opportunity purchases whenever I visited the free trade zone on the border of Brazil and Uruguay. (In the free trade zone, taxes are highly lowered, hence cheaper to buy imported knives). The others were graduation gifts or passed along from dad/grandpa. You see the point? The collection grew naturally without me seeking particular/rare/collection-worthy items. It's still quite a collection nonetheless.
Victorinox, Opinel, Tramontina & Corneta
Most of us have a story with pocket-knives. Either we remember our grandpas carrying one, or we've chopped a finger using one as dumb kids, or we still use them for various stuff. Be it a single blade foldable or the iconic multi-function Swiss Army Knife, they are all incredibly useful. Just not to kill zombies, in that case I'd prefer a two-handed sword.
Closest readers know that Victorinox(s) are my favorite. I already wrote about the Huntsman, Spartan, Bantam Alox and, more recently, about a modified Classic SD. Six of them are in the collection.
modded Classic SD, Pocket Pal/Excelsior, Bantam Alox, Spartan, Fisherman, Huntsman
The red-colored scales (side handle) is what characterizes the Swiss Army (Victorinox) pocket-knives, although some models may come in other styles. Take for instance the Bantam (third from left to right) sporting the beautiful Alox scale; or the camouflage Spartan. I've recently got addicted to making wooden scales for pocket-knives, so may start buying used models to modify. Considering how expensive these knives are becoming, having at least one isn't a bad idea. Yey! SAKs are the new Bitcoin.
Opinel N° 7
Joseph Opinel created the Opinel pocket-knife; 
Tramontina
Here are three cheap, yet untouchable Brazilian-made Tramontina. The one in the middle is featured in my previous post about the hand-made wooden handle I made for it. The other two will remain as is — despite the marks of time —, because they belonged to my grandpa. Can't quite figure out the age here, but we are talking decades.
Corneta
Lastly, is a beaten-up Brazilian-made Corneta. This was my dad's uncle's, that passed to my dad, that passed to me, and that now lives in my fishing box. It's on the list to a nice clean-up, though not high on the list {shame}. Call it the working horse. As soon as I get the chance to buy another cheap knife, this one will get a retirement.
the collection will remain well-maintained, clean and, most importantly, in use. What's the point of having a bunch of pocket-knives if not to use? Sure, sentimental value holds me back from taking some in adventures. One of them, however, went all over Patagonia and on a cycling adventure in Europe. Can you guess which one?
Let's see if I'm able to increase my collection with custom made knives in the future. Do you have a pocket-knife? Would love to see pictures.
Peace.
Disclaimer: The author of this post is a convict broke backpacker, who has travelled more than 10.000 km hitchhiking and more than 5.000 km cycling. Following him may cause severe problems of wanderlust and inquietud. You've been warned.
