Neanderpundit

but let me please give my very highest recommendation to the Buck Pocket Stone Diamond Sharpener.

I have carried a pocket stone for about ever, and I have the ruined pockets to show for it. My hunting companion and if necessary bail bondsman Werner tipped me off to this product, a business-card thin piece of steel with diamond embedded on both sides, coarse and medium.

At $9, this is a stocking stuffer to contend with, and I have used it for everything from filing my nails to putting a quick edge on my bowsaw teeth. A corner of it will cut glass like a pro. it will also deburr the edge of a piece of glass with ease.

When I carried a stone, I used to hold it just under the edge to protect the tips of my fingers from an accidental slicing off; that’s harder on this because it is thin. You can just lay it in your hand, but I have taken to carrying a little magnet with me that I put on the back, and I hold it by that. This keeps my fingers clear of the blade as I sharpen, and makes it much easier to control. I use the little plastic sleeve that comes with it to protect the stone and the magnet, and make the magnet easier to pull off when I am done. The magnet I use is a little samarium cobalt shielded thing I bought from Grainger for about four bucks, it’s a half inch diameter by a half inch long and has a 10-24 thread in the back. Know someone who has/likes knives? Get this for them. They will carry it every day of their life and think of you always.

retired a month or so ago, last night we had a little get together for him. An inspired mechanic and at 67, a bloody hard worker, he had just had enough. I hope he comes back to do contract work, from time to time, I like the guy a lot and he has a lot of knowledge he could impart.

I enjoyed being around older people, when i was young, and i fear I may have made something of a pest of myself, from time to time. But I learned a good deal and I had a good deal of tribal knowledge rub off on me.

I suppose in some ways I have become the quintessential old grouch, bitching about kids and the lack of repect they have for their elders. Still, the ones who are the most vocal about “Old people” are the ones who will invariably be the sort of bluehairs I detest the most. You see a guy with a face carved out of walnut, he might just have something useful to impart to you.

We have a few young guys who do actually respect and learn, and they will do extremely well. I hope for their sakes they learn the other lessons early- the ones about doing dangerous shit. I mean, do it all you want, but survive, dammit. Even if only to pass on the wisdom you have acquired.

I was swamped most of the day, and didn’t note the 40th anniversary of “Young Frankenstein”. 40 years down the road, it is as timely and classic as it ever was. Thank you, Mr Brooks, and the whole cast, you gave us all, and continue to give us all, excellent entertainment.