Hello from Tennessee

ameeks · **on:** March 14, 2013, 08:28:26 AM

My name is Anthony 'Tank' Meeks. I live in Shiloh, Tennessee. I have been accumulating knives since I was a teen. However I didn't start putting a great deal of thought into what I collected until I was in my 20's. When I first started I concentrated on Traditional folders and fixed blades. A few years ago I started collecting Boy Scout and utility knives. There's so many manufacturers and styles that someone could collect them for years and not have them all. Recently my interests have turned towards SAKs, especially Alox and the 108mm versions. I have so much to learn in this area but half the fun of collecting is learning about the hobby.

I was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's) in 1997. The doctors made me retire from my job in 1998, at the age of 29. Before my retirement I built and repaired emergency stand-by generators for hospitals, prisons and cell phone towers. In 2003 I became totally paralyzed except for my neck and head. Knife collecting provides me with something to occupy my time. It sucks not being able to move but the silver lining is I have copious amounts of time to dabble with my knives

Nhoj · **Reply #1 on:** March 14, 2013, 12:03:25 PM

Hey Anthony! I have already seen some of your posts and it is great to have another sak lover here. I am so sorry that you are paralyzed, but at least you are trying to remain positive that now you can look at your knives more. I hope to see you around MTO.

nuphoria · **Reply #2 on:** March 14, 2013, 12:12:30 PM

Nice to see an intro from so I can officially welcome you to MTO

Have you got pics of this ironware you have been amassing?

ameeks · **Reply #3 on:** March 14, 2013, 07:16:07 PM

Thank you Nh and Chrissy! Here's my old site that's about 200 knives short of my current collection.

http://www.titanskins.com/knives/knives.htm

I started a new site last week. I'm hoping to eventually have everything listed here.

http://shilohknives.wordpress.com/

nuphoria · **Reply #4 on:** March 14, 2013, 09:18:19 PM

Wow, just a couple of pics then?!

Lovely site, and you have some really gorgeous slippies there... looking forward to seeing the blog progress too

ameeks · **Reply #5 on:** March 14, 2013, 09:36:14 PM

Thank you! I can post more if you want.

You have an awesome voice. Have you ever been to Nashville or Memphis?

AHB · **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2013, 09:43:51 PM

Good to have you here Anthony..

ameeks · **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2013, 09:54:38 PM

Thank you, Allan. Haven't forgotten the GAK.

82brutus · **Reply #8 on:** March 14, 2013, 09:58:08 PM

Good to see you here. What a great collection! Can't wait for the new site to be up as it has a very good look and feel and it'll be nice to sort through and drool over the pictures of your collection.

MadPlumbarian · **Reply #9 on:** March 15, 2013, 12:36:37 AM

Welcome aboard Anthony, glad to have ya!

JR

ameeks · **Reply #10 on:** March 15, 2013, 01:49:11 AM

Thank you for your kind words, 82brutus.. This new blog is taking me awhile to get the hang of.

Thank you, JR

Great forum!

jrp316 · **Reply #11 on:** March 15, 2013, 03:10:09 AM

Love the black and green Cadets right there on the front page! How often do you get to make a pilgrimage to SMKW?

Swearengen · **Reply #12 on:** March 17, 2013, 05:39:12 PM

Tank, I'm liking you already. I was just filling my time perusing your knife collection and my mouth dropped wide open. Your Okapi 1907e S. Africa grabbed me. My knife (which was my grandfather's that he brought back from WW2), has been a hurtful memory to me as it was unmarked and unidentified. That knife had taken a great deal of abuse from my grandfather and father and then me (but was still great). Any identifying markings were long worn off or had never been there in the first place. I say "were" because it was lost a few years ago and has bothered me ever since. Since then I've seen many knives that were similar and thought about purchasing them, but they weren't nearly as close a match as yours, which is an exact match to my recollection. After researching it a bit, the history of the company and my grandfather returning home with it fits enough I'm gonna scoop one up to check it out further.

Thanks, Tank...keep collecting.

Here's a Tank link for ya...

ameeks · **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2013, 01:35:42 AM

Swearengen I'm so glad my site helped you. I received that knife from one of my private nurses awhile back. I know the miserable feeling of losing a family heirloom. Someone walked off with my3rd Great-Grabdfather's straight razor. Your comment made my day! Thank you,