An old friend

[SingleStack]

There is something about a knife. I dont know what it is, but its very personel. my cousin gave me this boot knife when i was maybe ten. She was in the air force and as i remember . but could be wrong she said it was standard issue. I have carried this knife ever since. Im 29 now and have used it for self defense( stupid teenage fights) . Even now this knife goes everywhere with me . in situations where the firearm stays in the jeep , the tanto stays there. Do any of you guys have a carry knife with a personel story. or know anything about taylor knives. I have since then lost contact with her and dont know if my memory makes any sense. It could have been just some knife she picked up somewhere. but it is a nice fighting knife.

[Oh Shoot]

Taylor doesn't really make anything and never did AFAIK.. Started in 1975, now called Taylor Brands, they market Smith and Wesson knives and Shrade knives (they bought the name). They're all made in China now. Their main distribution center is here in Kingsport.

http://www.taylorbrandsllc.com/

I believe the one you have is a relatively early model they contracted. Does it say "hand made Japan" on other side? If so, it's possibly decent steel and likely made before 1980. If it says "440 stainless Japan" it's a pretty low grade of 440 steel and probably not as old.

Here's a web page that appeared on the "hand made Japan" version knife. There's a "translate" link over on right if it displays in Spanish.

http://bacotacticosc...dos-unidos.html

If it's the "440" stamped, here's a closed eBay auction:

http://www.ebay.com/...=p2047675.l2557

But no, certainly no branch of the US military ever issued Taylor knives.

And I'm certainly not dissing it in the least, if a knife serves one's purposes, it's a good knife.

Another note, you say that "it goes everywhere with me" -- both those I mention are over 4" blades. If yours is also, it is illegal to tote around in public in TN just in case you don't know.

edit: doh, I see you seem to be in Montana? If so never mind about the length in TN.

- OS

Edited October 21, 2012 by OhShoot

[SingleStack]

Actualy im not realy sure about the laws here in mt about carrying knives. any length is legal if its visible but there may be limits for concealed carry.

[Clod Stomper]

Looks just like a Cold Steel Tanto. I have no idea who copied whom.

I don't carry a knife with a personal story, but I have several. I wouldn't carry any of them on a regular basis because I wouldn't want to lose them.

I have an old Boy Scout fixed blade that my Papaw found in the hills while he was hunting. He gave it to me when I was really young. I don't even remember him giving it to me. That's how little I was. He's been gone since I was 15 ( almost 24 years now. Wow).

I have a Clod Steel Trailmaster that my Mother and Daddy bought me when I was in my teens. I lusted after that blade for a long time before they bought it for me.

I probably have a few others that have sentimental value, but those are the first that pop in my head.

I have a Cold Steel Pro Lite that I have carried for about 8 to 10 years now. After that much time, things tend to become sentimental to me, so it's about time to retire it and find something else before I lose it.

[JAB]

I have a little, lock blade pocket knife that has 'Bear Cat' printed on the blade. It looks similar to the style of Buck lock blades that used to be very popular (the kind that is fairly flat with wooden scales and brass-looking features) but the blade is only about an inch or so long. It is just an inexpensive pocket knife that my dad (who was a long haul truck driver at the time) found in the parking lot of a truck stop. I was a fairly little kid when he gave it to me and, as far as I was concerned, that cheap, little blade could have been Excalibur, itself. I used to carry it in my pocket a lot before I was old enough to carry bigger knives.

When cancer claimed my father a decade ago, I decided that I wanted to do the eulogy at his funeral. The day of the funeral, as the time to leave for the funeral home loomed nearer, I began to wonder if I would be strong enough to get through delivering that eulogy. Thinking about that little knife, I pulled it out of the drawer where I kept it and dropped it in my pocket. I ended up clenching it in one hand while I delivered dad's eulogy. It brought me comfort and gave me the strength to get through the eulogy.

I still have that little knife 'somewhere', although it might take me some time and looking to lay hands on it. I have other knives that have significance - including an authentic Hitler Youth knife that my WWII vet step grandfather brought back with him - but there is just something about the Bear Cat that seems almost magical, to my mind.

Edited October 23, 2012 by JAB

[TrickyNicky]

I've got two from my paternal grandfather that mean a lot to me.

On the left is novelty knife that has no real story beyond the fact that it was grandpas, it's marked Korium made in Germany forged Solingen steel. My dad and uncle remember playing with it as kids so he had it for awhile, other than that its origins are a mystery.

When I was really little grandpa showed it to me and I think those just may be the first set of lady parts I can remember. I remember not trying to stare to hard lol.

The one on the right has a bit more meaning as it was made especially for gramps by a machinist friend of his. He was a millwright back in the day when a machinist could just look at something and crank one out with his tools. His friend as I understand it was not even a hobbiest knife maker really, just made a few for a couple of people that wanted or needed one.

It's definitely carbon steel, and holds a razor edge very well.

One of these days I need to find a leather worker to build it a good home.

Now just for you pervs, a close up of the lady knife. Notice how the nips are worn through to the metal? Cracks me up every time I look at it.

Edited October 23, 2012 by TrickyNicky