Being as I am a shameless materialist – and coincidentally sparked to fever pitch in a recent email to me – my Uncle Henry pocket knife has surfaced after many years of obscurity in a tiny drawer of the standing mirror on my bedroom chest of drawers.  In the email JS mentioned his disappointment as a child to discover that his brother – not he – had been given a pocket knife as a gift (JS got something of lesser classification). As you might expect it is not often that one encounters another so enthused by the topic of pocket knives – especially hearkening to one’s childhood!

The Uncle Henry pocket knife which I own is made in China and distributed by the Schrade Taylor Brands LLC in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.

Uncle Henry Knives boasts (sic) timeless, traditional designs that exude a sense of heritage and reliability. Originally produced by the Schrade company, they are now manufactured by BTI Brands and retain their reputation for quality (there’s something of current interest to President Trump).

Here are the details of my pocket knife:

Uncle Henry knife 885UH Senior Rancher
Folding Pocket Knife with Stainless Steel Clip-Point Blade, Sheepsfoot Blade, Spey Point Blade, and Staglon Handle for Hunting, Camping, EDC (I have no idea what EDC is except perhaps an misinformed abuse of Et Cetera as an abbreviation of Ed Cetera)

As one collector says on the website, “The attention to detail in craftsmanship, coupled with the premium materials used, truly sets them apart.”  Notably:

• Crafted to mimic the look and feel of real stag horn, Staglon handles offer a classic aesthetic coupled with modern durability.
• The inclusion of brass liners within Uncle Henry knives not only reinforces their structural integrity but also adds a touch of timeless elegance.
• Characterized by their lustrous appearance, nickel silver bolsters not only contribute to the visual appeal of Uncle Henry knives but also serve a practical purpose. These bolsters provide additional strength and stability to the knives, particularly at the junction between the handle and the blade, ensuring optimal performance even under demanding conditions.
• Engineered for resilience and sharpness, the stainless steel blades of Uncle Henry knives are designed to withstand the rigors of everyday use.

Naturally I have never used the pocket knife for anything other than my visual and tactile gratification. I still have the small cardboard box in which it came. Curiously though the little box contains a Schrade Knives and Tools multi-lingual (English, French, Spanish) operating guide and warranty; but 1) it is not for the knife in the box (instead for Lockback Knives or Lockblade Knives) and 2) it is marked with “Copyright © 2005 All Rights Reserved”.  It is this latter Copyright detail which distracts me most astonishingly because I would have said that I bought the pocket knife early one September on Cape Cod in about the year 1994. I can almost recall the precise store located on Commercial Street in Provincetown not far from the Red Lobster (where I often dined overlooking Cape Cod Bay). The purchase would been consistent with that particular visit to the Cape because I was alone – an event which heralded the end of a former relationship – and it would not have been unlike me to assuage my inner turmoil with a material acquisition. Typically as well – when travelling – I bought something as a keepsake. We have not returned to Cape Cod since 1996 (shortly after we completed the legal work with Perley-Robertson, Panet, Hill & McDougall, Barrs, &c. surrounding our condominium in the ByWard Market, Ottawa).

Strangely I accept – without having catalogued the information – that I have always been amused by pocket knives.  They are part of that category of small, durable, well-made items which shamefully intrigue me – things such as key chains, wrist watches, pocket watches, carriage clocks, brass paperweights and millefiori (about all of which I could waffle endlessly and no doubt tiresomely). I put my absorption in those trinkets down to my inveterate mobility when growing up, hopping from one place to the next, traveling abroad twice a year (Christmas and summer) during prep school, later changing universities and provinces. Now, by contrast, my collection has devolved to sticks (walking, wooden, collapsible, and one with an artful silver handle). Only today in fact we entered that remote and esoteric realm of investigation for replacement rubber cane tips, proof by the way that it’s the little things in life that count – and which are troublesome beyond imagination! That an incandescent lightbulbs!