It was there.

[cbl51]

Sometimes life has a way of throwing little emergencies in front of us. Sometimes it's not so little emergencies. Sometimes it's actually a life threatening emergency. And if we get though it or not may depend on what we know and what we may have on us.

It's nice to have a fire truck follow you around in case you are in a fire. But it's highly impractical, so we keep a fire extinguisher in the house and car. It's nice to have a pump 12 gauge in case of trouble, but highly impractical in todays suburban life. Walking into a nice restaurant for a dinner wth the better half or sitting in the stands rooting for you're granddaughters softball team, it would be just a little awkward.

Same for knives. I had someone laugh at my itty bitty teeny tiny Swiss Army knife I keep on my keyring. I was opening a box and it cut the packing tape just fine. Yeah, a bigger knife is more useful, but it's heavier in the pocket and I don't skin buffalo for a living. So, the itty bitty teeny tiny knife works for me. Like it did in 1991.

A very cold January morning in 1991, I was riding with a Realtor looking at houses for our move out to the Maryland suburbs from D.C.. It was one of those clear sunny mornings, about 9am and temps running in the teens. The real estate agent was driving us along at the speed limit on the road and we were coming up on a very sharp curve to the left. Suddenly an old dark blue beat up Datsun B210 flies past us at well over the speed limit. Maybe a bit under mach speed. It goes into the turn, hits some black ice, spins like a top, then hits dry pavement and flips and rolls a few times coming to rest agains the guard rail. Glass, plastic, rubber and other debris flying all over. A heck of a one car wreak.

We pull over in back of the remains of the over turned Datsun now sitting on it's roof. Some fire has broken out under the hood and some flames are poking up from the engine compartment and as I glance in, the battery is laying up along side the greasy engine block and all the years of greasy grim and oil is burning. Then we hear the most chilling sound, that a small baby screaming. The windows are gone and roof party crumpled in, so I managed to wiggle in and find the seat belt release for the child seat in the front passenger seat. I shove the seat, child and all,  out to the waiting real estate agent and then turn my attention to the very large obese woman hanging upside down in the drivers seat.

It's hard to see a this point, think back greasy smoke is clogging the place and I try to release her seat belt and can't. I'm laying on my back on what used to be the cars ceiling to get maximum pressure with my thumbs. Push with both thumbs hard as I can, no dice. Dig in my jeans pocket and come up with my itty bitty little Swiss Army knife. This was about two or three knives ago, I wear one out a but every 8 to 10 years. It's sharp so it saws through the seat belt in a few seconds and the fat lady falls on her head. I don't care, I'm outa there. Breathing was hard with all that oily smoke, so I crawl out coughing and gagging, and not really carrying if she makes it out after me. Since she damm near killed her child with her reckless driving and me almost dying of asphyxiation, I wasn't really feeling nice towards her. But we make it out. All ended well and for the next two hours every time I blew my nose trying to get the smell out, it all came out black, then lighter shades of gray. Stopped at a close by Arbys and gargled with some Coke.

A larger knife would have been nice. Maybe one of those fancy Spyderco's with the serrated blades wold have gone through the seat belt in one swipe. But the itty bitty Swiss Army knife was there. Like it was alway there, since it's attached to my keyring and I can't leave home without it. It was there, and it did the job. Yeah, I had to take a few saws to get though, but it did go though.

I'm obsessed. I know it, my wife knows it, my kids know it. Most of my friends know it. Yeah, I'm obsessed by small. I figure if it's going to be of use, it has to be there. Knife, flashlight, handgun, whatever. So many times I've been lucky to have such-and-such because it was so small it fit in a pocket every day. Like when the D.C. metro train I was riding on suddenly slowed to a stop and the lights went out. We were in an underground spot and the train engineer had one of those yellow plastic flashlights that was about like a candle. I had my little AAA tiny flashlight, and a few other passengers had little keychain lights, so we managed to evacuate the train and get people up on the emergency catwalk on the side of the tunnel until metro people got there. It's amazing how, in a totally dark underground tunnel, how much light comes from a single aaa flashlight. But it was there. Like my itty bitty gun.

People often laugh at the little things. But how often is the little thing the only thing that is there, and will work in a pinch? An itty bitty knife to cut a seat belt. Or an itty bitty flashlight to see where to step in a black metro tunnel. Or an itty bitty gun that blows a hole in some low life's stomach that leave him curled up in a fetal position on the pavement whimpering in pain.

Yeah, bigger may be better in some cases. But not when the item is home because it was a bit heavy for those dress pants, or even locked up in the car 50 feet away, it's no good.  I think back over the thirty plus years my mini has been in my pocket. And how it has saved my behind a couple different times. Just because it was there.

[heyjoe]

i feel the same way......nice job saving the woman and baby and save them you did.

[redhawk4]

Both my Grandfather and Grandmother always carried a pocket knife. My Grandmother's was a dainty little thing with pearl grips and split rings you turned to open the blades, that she used mainly to peel fruit on a picnics etc. My Grandfather, being the practical sort like me, was always making or fixing something and had a much stouter knife that got used for all sorts. In 1977 they got in a serious car accident when a car coming the other way to fast on a bend lost control and came onto their side of the road. My Grandmother was very seriously injured with broken legs, my Grandfather was luckier only receiving a severe blow to his nose from the steering wheel, but found he was unable to release his seat belt and used that pocket knife to get free, and free my Grandmother, I recall him telling me at the time how fearful he was the car would catch fire.

The sad thing, baring in mind this all took place in the UK, is that both of my Grandparents, who were the sweetest kindest people, both school teachers, would be breaking the law by carrying the same knives in 2018.

CB's account is another example of why those of us still blessed with common sense, should not be deterred from what used to be called "our civic duty" when I as a kid, and should have knife handy, a gun or whatever and a willing heart to help others around us.

[LHB]

Yes, how times have changed.  In 95 the wife and I flew to Germany to help the daughter bring her "stuff" she had accumulated during her junior year in Bonn home.  Going over, I put my old Case 5344 in the bag as checked luggage, but coming home, I forgot, and had it in my pocket.  Going through security at Heathrow, I dropped everything in my pockets into the tray, and suddenly heard a loud whisper - "He has a knife."  The supervisor, who was standing there leaned over to look, and said "I have one larger than that in my pocket," picked up my knife, and handed it to me.   Today, I would probably get shot for that.

[cbl51]

The sad thing, baring in mind this all took place in the UK, is that both of my Grandparents, who were the sweetest kindest people, both school teachers, would be breaking the law by carrying the same knives in 2018.

CB's account is another example of why those of us still blessed with common sense, should not be deterred from what used to be called "our civic duty" when I as a kid, and should have knife handy, a gun or whatever and a willing heart to help others around us.

It could still become like that here if we are not vigilant. There are those in both houses that would love to pass draconian knife and gun laws, if only to further their agenda. Never relax our vigilance! And always vote.

[David Culp]

Good show
Most on this forum probably understand being prepared
I carried a pocket knife to school as a kid but one of my kids got in trouble at school for having an empty 22 LR shell casing  in his jacket pocket after a boy scout shooting event several years ago

[postalman]

I've always carried one and I always will, even if it's just to clean the dirt from under my fingernails. Like any good Boy Scout, " Be prepared".

[top dog]

A good knife,better yet,two is always a must have.
Just like a mini,never leave home without it. Better yet,have it with you at home as well.

Glad to see that you have the personal integrity to stop and render assistance.  Now a days,most folks not those in this forum) would just have driven on by.

                                                                                            Top Dog

[LHB]

David's comment.   Heard a few years ago of a grade school student who was expelled because he took to school one of the fired blank cartridge cases fired by the honor guard at his grandfather's funeral

[boone123]

I have carried  a folding knife almost every day since I was seven. and  sometimes before. There are knives every where around here. Some still in the packages.
Every thing I buy needs a knife to get it out of the package. Bought a cup cake the other day, package was built like a tank. Cut it open. Most of the time if you buy a new knife, you need a knife to get the package open.  I remember when everything came in a cardboard box that you could open, and reuse...

[cbl51]

I have carried  a folding knife almost every day since I was seven. and  sometimes before. There are knives every where around here. Some still in the packages.
Every thing I buy needs a knife to get it out of the package. Bought a cup cake the other day, package was built like a tank. Cut it open. Most of the time if you buy a new knife, you need a knife to get the package open.  I remember when everything came in a cardboard box that you could open, and reuse...

I have a very special place in my heart for the hatred I feel for the inventor of the plastic blister package.

I would like to kidnap this person, and toss him in a bare cement holding cell for a few days with nothing to eat or drink. Then, when he's really desperate, toss in some food and a bottle of water, all encased in the heavy duty plastic. And a plastic knife!


I'll be watching on video cam with a cold brew and popcorn!

[redhawk4]

I have carried  a folding knife almost every day since I was seven. and  sometimes before. There are knives every where around here. Some still in the packages.
Every thing I buy needs a knife to get it out of the package. Bought a cup cake the other day, package was built like a tank. Cut it open. Most of the time if you buy a new knife, you need a knife to get the package open.  I remember when everything came in a cardboard box that you could open, and reuse...

I have a very special place in my heart for the hatred I feel for the inventor of the plastic blister package.

I would like to kidnap this person, and toss him in a bare cement holding cell for a few days with nothing to eat or drink. Then, when he's really desperate, toss in some food and a bottle of water, all encased in the heavy duty plastic. And a plastic knife!


I'll be watching on video cam with a cold brew and popcorn!

Unfortunately a lot of packaging is designed to prevent theft in stores, thieves removing the item from the packaging so the tagon the packaging doesn't set the alarm off when they exit the store. Unfortunately as it's reasonably theft proof the average person can barely get in there even with a sharp knife. I haven't bought a CD in some time as I stream the music for my truck from my phone, but when I did nothing would frustrate me more than trying to get into the CD I'd just bought to listen too, by the times all the cellophane and sticky tape was removed and I'd managed to get the CD out of the case in one piece, off that contraption that holds the center,  I was always way behind schedule and couldn't listen to the darn thing, because I was frantically calling everyone to tell them I'd be late.  It's certainly another reason to carry a pocket knife and likely band aids too, if the knife doesn't get you the packaging will.

[LHB]

Part of the blame for blister packaging rests on the consumer.  Had a friend who was working in a farm supply store, as the changeover from cardboard boxes to blister packs was taking place,  He said that once the blister packs went on the rack, they couldn't hardly give the boxed ones away.  he couldn't understand why someone would look at a set of Channel locks in the blister pack, and buy it, when they could open the box, and handle it, and make sure it fit their hand, etc.

[Porschedog]

I always have my Spyderco CoPilot in my pocket, unless I am traveling by airliner.
It sucks arriving at a trade show and having to open dozens of cases of products to set up a display, yet not having a knife to open them.

[Boisesteve]

nice write-up, cbl

[seaotter]

A few years ago one of the employees where I work was in a car that got T-boned, and knocked on its roof. The person in question was conscious, but was choking on her seat belt. Several people stopped to help, but none of them were carrying a knife. She ended up dying of suffocation before an ambulance arrived. I learned my lesson. I always carry a Kershaw Kuro with a serrated portion on the blade. I have tested it, and it cuts through webbing quickly and easily. I also carry a tiny key ring rechargeable flashlight that's good for about 20 hours on low power. And one of my minis. Except when I am in the People's Republic of Maryland (about every other week). Going without my mini just feels wrong!

[autofull]

these are the greatest post,s i have ever read here. im in the exact boat as you fellows are. pocket knife since day one of life it seems and a piece in the pocket as soon as i was old enough to get my pa. state permit over 40 years ago. great reading guy,s thank you.  kevin

[OV-1D]

  Great post Cbl51 , thanks for the read .

[ghh3rd]

This was a great post - thanks!

Here at work, technically we're not even supposed to have a pocket knife.  There was an old lady at work who complained any time she saw me pull my little Gerber out to help someone cut open a copy paper box, etc.

She shut up when our director left a nice shiny new knife on everyone's desk (including the old lady) one day with our business logo on it.  We all held up our knifes and waited for her to come back to her desk and discover hers :-)

[OV-1D]

 She sounds like a NUT that needs to be institutionalized like so many today . The medical system isn't doing anyone any favors keeping so many alive without cause except a paycheck for themselves .

[Uncle_Lee]

She sounds like a NUT that needs to be institutionalized like so many today . The medical system isn't doing anyone any favors keeping so many alive without cause except a paycheck for themselves .

One of the "new" suggestions on stopping "gun violence" is to go back to having mental institutions.
Well it is about time to stop giving them pills and turning them into society.

[heyjoe]

She sounds like a NUT that needs to be institutionalized like so many today . The medical system isn't doing anyone any favors keeping so many alive without cause except a paycheck for themselves .

One of the "new" suggestions on stopping "gun violence" is to go back to having mental institutions.
Well it is about time to stop giving them pills and turning them into society.

they never should have been closed

[Ruger]

She sounds like a NUT that needs to be institutionalized like so many today . The medical system isn't doing anyone any favors keeping so many alive without cause except a paycheck for themselves .

One of the "new" suggestions on stopping "gun violence" is to go back to having mental institutions.
Well it is about time to stop giving them pills and turning them into society.

they never should have been closed

40 years ago, the Left screamed that we needed to "Main Stream" those with issues.  So the institutions were closed.  Now they scream "where did all these disturbed people come from".  They were at the Main Stream Gun Shop picking up their medication.

[Bigbird48]

Yes check this out another attempt at Whittling at our rights
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced Friday that she is introducing legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase rifles — including military-style assault weapons — from 18 to 21.

Under federal law, handguns cannot be sold to anyone under age 21. But licensed gun dealers are permitted to sell assault-style rifles and other "long guns" to buyers 18 and older.

The sad thing, baring in mind this all took place in the UK, is that both of my Grandparents, who were the sweetest kindest people, both school teachers, would be breaking the law by carrying the same knives in 2018.

CB's account is another example of why those of us still blessed with common sense, should not be deterred from what used to be called "our civic duty" when I as a kid, and should have knife handy, a gun or whatever and a willing heart to help others around us.

It could still become like that here if we are not vigilant. There are those in both houses that would love to pass draconian knife and gun laws, if only to further their agenda. Never relax our vigilance! And always vote.

[ikoiko]

She sounds like a NUT that needs to be institutionalized like so many today . The medical system isn't doing anyone any favors keeping so many alive without cause except a paycheck for themselves .

One of the "new" suggestions on stopping "gun violence" is to go back to having mental institutions.
Well it is about time to stop giving them pills and turning them into society.

they never should have been closed

I agree, they should not have been closed. That's not saying that an overhaul of the institutions, likely massive and ongoing, wasn't/isn't needed. We jail those with mental illnesses.

I had a patient a few years ago. Had swallowed ~20 pieces of glass and 2 batteries. Objects were removed, patient released. In less than 24 hours was back. Required surgical removal of a "steak knife" blade. Handle had been broken off and blade swallowed.

Apparently, no open beds in an institution, or institution available for their care.

No, my example is not of a jailable offense. But it is an example of a person with a mental illness and no place for appropriate care.

[glenn]

I have a suggestion for "what to do" with your Steak Knife guy.
Have him hop in a cab & head on down to the morgue to await for his wish to come true.  Problem solved ... no one has to pay for pick-up & delivery of a corpse.
This may sound harsh ... but what did he expect the outcome to be from his actions ... & I don't suffer fools well.

[ikoiko]

They hopped in a cab the first time.

Fool or illness?

Burgers? Fatty foods? Sedentary life style? Over weight? Poor genetics? Other poor choices? PTSD?

[ikoiko]

Left or right, if you’re old enough to die for your country, then full privileges. Too much finger pointing to left or right. If you’re not old enough to have full privileges, you’re not old enough to decide to join the military or be drafted . . . .

[cbl51]

It's not just rights you get taken away, but the whole idea of self sufficiency and being able to help not just yourself, but any person near you. Like the insane knife laws in Boston, it got so intimidating that most citizens of it just gave up carrying any kind of knife. Lots of people these days don't bother carrying a knife because of the perceived hassle. So some old lady in a Boston shopping mall lost her balance on an escalator and fell down, and her scarf got tangled in the collapsing steps near the top and choked her. People tried to help, but were unable to pull her tangled scarf out from the folding steps mechanism. Nobody had a pocket knife to cut the scarf, and the lady got strangled to death in spite of the people trying to pull her scarf loose. Just a itty bitty pen knife would have done the job.

Ot the young lady that was screaming for help in New York and nobody went to her aid b because they are all unarmed there. Nobody had the guts to take up a jack handle, fireplace poker, baseball bat, hammer, anything to go help for fear the attacker Amy have a gun and they don't.

The more rights we loose, the more innocent people will die because nobody will have the means to help. The all will stand around bleating until a sheep dog comes to help. Don't hold your breath.

[Bigbird48]

Amend to that Brother [quote author=cbl51 People just don't get it, One type of ammo , one type of gun, one type of magazine,one type of rifle, people say oh its only this or that but one type at a time will eventually get it all if we let them

  link=topic=14449.msg147535#msg147535 date=1519063891]
It's not just rights you get taken away, but the whole idea of self sufficiency and being able to help not just yourself, but any person near you. Like the insane knife laws in Boston, it got so intimidating that most citizens of it just gave up carrying any kind of knife. Lots of people these days don't bother carrying a knife because of the perceived hassle. So some old lady in a Boston shopping mall lost her balance on an escalator and fell down, and her scarf got tangled in the collapsing steps near the top and choked her. People tried to help, but were unable to pull her tangled scarf out from the folding steps mechanism. Nobody had a pocket knife to cut the scarf, and the lady got strangled to death in spite of the people trying to pull her scarf loose. Just a itty bitty pen knife would have done the job.

Ot the young lady that was screaming for help in New York and nobody went to her aid b because they are all unarmed there. Nobody had the guts to take up a jack handle, fireplace poker, baseball bat, hammer, anything to go help for fear the attacker Amy have a gun and they don't.

The more rights we loose, the more innocent people will die because nobody will have the means to help. The all will stand around bleating until a sheep dog comes to help. Don't hold your breath.
[/quote]

[Ruger]

I always think back to the comment once made by Barry - a not to long ago well loved image in the firearms game (IV8888)

"If you can't see my gun, and you can't hear my gun, then it doesn't exist"

Whether it be gun or knife, stun gun or spray, carry it anyway.  No one has the right to take away your right to live.  (Unless, of course, your one of those crazy bastards that deserves killin')

[Uncle_Lee]

I always think back to the comment once made by Barry - a not to long ago well loved image in the firearms game (IV8888)

"If you can't see my gun, and you can't hear my gun, then it doesn't exist"

Whether it be gun or knife, stun gun or spray, carry it anyway.  No one has the right to take away your right to live.  (Unless, of course, your one of those crazy bastards that deserves killin')

Yep..

[Boisesteve]

Once again cb, you write well. It's style reminds me of what's written by an old buddy back in Bangor Maine who now is in charge of the Bangor PD Facebook page.
A thought: that there are many places in the world where you aren't allowed to carry even the little knife, is a sad commentary on the state of things. A Nation of Cowards, indeed a world of them.
Another thought: I was working in the ER back in Maine when the 'State Hospitals' were closed. A service was NOT done to society by doing so.
Be well all, Boise Steve