More Sharp & Pointy Things

They Never Jam Or Run Outta Ammo!

Scored on another nice eBay auction! Check this out:



It's an old Connecticut valley Arms knife kit, still in the original box, and it's winging its way to me as I write this.

I bought this exact kit, minus the sheath, way back in the mid 80's at a shop here in town called Bigfoot Primitive Weapons. As I recall, it was in the bargain bin because the sheath was either missing or broken. I don't recall what I paid back then, but I doubt it was more than $20 or so. I took it home, put it together, and spent a few hours polishing up the handle and shining the brass. Eventually, I made a half-assed naugahyde sheath for it that lasted for a year or so.

At Boy Scout camp, I used to do the blackpowder overnighters, where we'd drag the kids out on an overnight "gold panning" expedition, shoot off .50 cal rifles, throw tomahawks, and so forth. I always had this knife tucked in the top of my canvas gaiters by my right knee. Eventually, I snarfed enough decent leather scraps from the HandiCrafts area to make a nice 3-layer sheath, and used a magnifying glass to burn the camp's brand into the leather since the branding iron was bigger than the sheath.

It was scary-sharp, courtesy of a professional tool grinder who helped me get a nick or two out of the blade. He also put a razor edge on the upper curve, which is called a 'false edge', since it's not usually sharpened. I'll always remember my friend Chip slicing his thumb almost to the bone when he bore down on that edge cutting hot dogs at a roadside park in Arkansas.

I loved that knife, and rarely went far from home without it. It accompanied me all over the U.S. when I was doing the roadie gig, and pulling it out usually shut up the Nooo Yarker or Chicawgoan who always asked how we Texans managed disagreements so far from our gun collections.

One day I went looking for it, and it just wasn't there. Dunno where it disappeared to. I was flirting with Cold Steel and Benchmade knives in that era, and didn't keep close track of it. I thought it was stored in a box somewhere, but when I couldn't find it after two moves, I figured what happened is that it walked off with someone during one of the huge parties I had when I lived in the house in Arlington.

I learned to live without it (what else are ya gonna do...), but it always bugged me. Now, it looks like I'm gonna get a replacement, this time with the correct sheath!

It'll go well with this one:

That's the completed CVA Arkansas Toothpick kit that I also bought at Bigfoot circa 1984 or so.

Now I just need to find the Skinner, and I'll have the whole set!