Back doing stuff. (Knife stuff)

[Delmonico]

Back in 2019 when I retired, I had a lot of plans, having several mild heart attacks was not in my plans. But as they say, "did you die?" Showed the surgeon the one picture and he wanted to know why I didn't die and why instead of calling 911 I went back to cooking after my "acid reflux" was done. Also promised my friends I'd go to the Dr since it was my last event that year. 

Well, I had a bunch of old carbon steel knives I was rescaling in the basement and there they sat when I had quad by-pass, covid, more pneumonia attacks than I counted, several rides in a red and white box truck and sepsis in my lower spine and involved 50 some days in the hospital and learning to walk again, they carried me out in a tarp.

The wife had many problems also, we spent 2 weeks in a rehab hospital in the same room. She finally got cancer and passed in Aug 2024. We had just moved to a smaller place and again I moved. Working on stuff this summer the box of knives, and such showed up and I finished them or rather most of them and bought some more.    

All have been sharpened to 3000 grit and stropped.  The squared one is a patch knife for the 36 caliber Morrey rifle I rescued this summer from a rack of Tupperware stocked guns. The fillet knife and the patch knife are sharpened 10 degrees from center, the rest are 15 degrees.

Several will go in my camp gear and a oil tanned tool roll will be made, including the paring knives since someone always seems to offer to help if I have an extra paring knife. Like my aprons I will give it to my helper.

Hint, if you have chest pains and you look like this, call 911, it might not be acid reflux, I even learned to tell the difference, since I have angina and acid reflux both once in a while. The reflux is most often at or below the diaphragm and the other above.    Good to know, also my nitro won't blow up if I drop it. 

[Delmonico]

I mentioned above having bought a muzzle-loader after about 45 years of not having one except a 58 Rem.

I found an 1970's vintage Morrey which copied the late period Allen and Thurmer, more know for pepper boxes. It's a 36 caliber, another retirement idea was to get the parts and build a later period 36 but not having a shop and paying less for that than the parts to make one worked fine. I need to shoot it, but every time I have time it's windy or cold and I do have the rest of my life. I am no 5 1/2 miles from a range, our range as in not open to the public.

Working on a new persona but the old one can pop back if need be. No cooking for the masses without help, plenty and good.

1857, I have chosen that year, SE Nebraska, lots of reasons to be that exact. 1855 and 56 they were settling close to the river, then they moved out west.  Not Homestead Act, Pre-emption Act, working around settling somewhere in the South Fork of the Little Nemaha drainage, was good enough for 2 sides of my family, the other two over the river from Nebraska City and on the North Fork of the Big Nemaha drainage.

I can see the river and one of the homesteads from my front porch.

Anyway, back to knives, I needed a pocketknife besides my normal carry ones. Well Tom and Huck mention Barlows, been around since the early 19th Century and didn't we all own a Imperial, made in Provence RI when we were a kid? Paid a bit over a buck for it, $1.29 at Ben Franks as I remember.

Wood scaled Barlows are new with stainless blades, make in the land of crappy knives or overpriced pure junk or more than my monthly groceries. Well, this was in the mailbox today, a 1970's vintage NOS Rhode Island one with nickel bolsters, not stainless and carbon steel blades, just like my old one. Has never been sharpened.  $21.36 with tax and shipping, got $6.54 worth of 1/8th" by 4" by 12" of fence post quality or mil stock quality walnut coming.

The me picture was taken at my 50th HS Reunion, we laughed because the biggest difference was grey hair and not an engineers cap.

[St. George]

Good to have you back up and running, Del.

I take old butcher knives and shorten the blades to stiffen them up - regrinding them into a spearpoint shape - in essence, turning them into Kephardts.

Then, I give them to my Boy Scouts who are in the Order of the Arrow.

It's something that they can use for years.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Delmonico]

I like that shape. The Hitler Youth Knife was a good knife design, it's symbolism aside. I have a knife with that shape is going to be a present for a friend's outfit and a couple that will get that. I have been told that I could live a long time yet if I am careful and don't do anymore stupid things.

Was in 2023, she fell in the driveway and wanted help, but no luck and I called 911. After she left, I took my nitro and rested, then I called 911 for me. But realized she left her phone. She eventually called on the hospital phone and told me she left hers and wanted to know if I'd bring it out. Yep, your nurse has it, I brought it by ambulance. 

The inviable "your here to?" Yes, that is what ambulances do.  But by then they decided I hadn't had a heart attack, just tired hard.  The last 7 years were quite an adventure.

I am in Cook Nebraska now, Dad and Grandpa's hometown, much cheaper to live here, but 20 miles both ways to get gas or groceries.   

[Major 2]

I'm in, I want to play 
Senior Year photo Homecoming deco project. circa 1968

and then the Cavalry Era. 1978-2001

[Major 2]

Home on the range, about 100 yards back there.

[Black River Smith]

Del,
So sorry to hear about your heart attacks, illnesses, and afterwards issues.  Sounds like you went through a lot.  But, most of all I am sorry about you loosing your wife.

Hang in there.

BRS

[Delmonico]

Del,
So sorry to hear about your heart attacks, illnesses, and afterwards issues.  Sounds like you went through a lot.  But, most of all I am sorry about you loosing your wife.

Hang in there.

BRS

Thanks, she had the cancer pretty well beat, got an infection and her heart gave out, we were so sure we were going to rest and then do things again the next summer.