Gifted a Spartan

kirk13 · **on:** January 27, 2014, 01:35:04 AM

There's a real joy in giving someone Their first SAK

Before I begin,in this thread I may end up being a little nonPC,so I beg your indulgence. Sometimes you have to call a thing by its name

I've been talking a lot to one of the guys in the model railway concession at work recently. He has studied art and illustration,and is approaching one of those life junctions were you have to either follow your passion,or knuckle down to earn cash.

We've been talking a lot about different styles,mediums and sources of inspiration,and as usual it proves just how much bullsmurf I can talk

. Anyway,the other day,he was talking about wood carving and whittling,and was complaining about some cheap mini chisels he'd bought. I pointed out that for whittling,he might be better off with a half decent pocket knife,like a Vic Cadet to a RR Whittler. I suggested web sites and prices,and he made notes.

When I got home,I kinda thought,what the hell? I'm sure I've got something going spare. Initially I thought about a 84mm Tinker,but I'm a bit possessive about my Tinkers. I remembered a Spartan I'd been using as a test mule for wooden scales. I dug it out,popped a set of red scales on it,grabbed the TnT and hey presto...

Now for the unPC bit. The young lad involved is Ghanian by birth,and very London 'street' in manner. I was very much in two minds as to whether gifting him a knife was a good idea. We've went on at length about UK knife laws,but the odds of a young black kid being stopped are much higher than a grumpy middle aged man.

So after gifting it to him,he got the lecture

( he got a second one later from me about lateness,but that's another story

). The lecture started with basic skills such as opening and closing the blades safely( it's not just his first SAK,but his first pocket knife too), a brief run through the legalities( including the UK legal thread here at MTo), before getting rapped on the head for not opening and closing the main blade properly

I seen him tonight at a going away do for one of the Style recipients from an earlier thread,and he proudly patted the pocket where he was keeping the Spartan!

ducttapetech · **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2014, 01:39:17 AM

Very nice of you!

Gareth · **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2014, 02:04:16 AM

It's a sensible enough gift for a first knife IMO.

As long as he's not being a numpty with it then there is not reason it'll get him in trouble.

nate j · **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2014, 02:46:49 AM

Well done. A Spartan was my first SAK, and I carried it for years.

jerseydevil · **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2014, 03:18:42 AM

Good on you, Kirky.

I tend to give away Tinkers as first SAKs, but thanks to Lynn, a ruby-handled Spartan is going to a new home if I see the guy tomorrow. The sapphire one I'm going to be selfish and keep for myself....

kirk13 · **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2014, 03:21:29 AM

TBH JD,if he'd been looking it as a work tool,I'd have bitten the bullet and gifted the Tinker,but as it's primarily for 'art' duties...or it was anyway

Fattsgalore · **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2014, 04:52:45 AM

Love gifting SAKs and then listening to the stories of when it came in handy...

I've gifted SAKs mainly 58mm to women. You know the no knife/tools types. Half of them literally (LITERALLY) afraid of pocket knives. Something about a SAK though.

Luna Knife · **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2014, 05:15:15 AM

It is the tool selection the was the original SAK. Great knife.

I have a serrated spartan plus, a regular spartan and I gifted a spartan to a bro in LAW who didnt have a SAK.

It is his EDC in Oklahoma now.

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2014, 05:27:36 AM

Quote from: jerseydevil on January 27, 2014, 03:18:42 AM

The sapphire one I'm going to be selfish and keep for myself....

Deservedly so. It is a lovely one, isn't it?

Also, glad to hear the Ruby will be finding a good home so quickly.

Kirk, I think that was an awesome thing you did, and I hope he has many years of faithful service from it.

Magic Bus · **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2014, 05:44:58 AM

That was a nice gesture John and it sounds like he appreciates it

My first SAK was a Spartan with blue scales. I won it at an HFT competition quite some years ago

kirk13 · **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2014, 11:42:13 PM

I think another SAKaholic has been born...he was talking today about saving up for a SwissChamp

Philby · **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2014, 11:55:10 PM

Nice gesture

I would suggest that your friend keep a small piece of wood half whittled in his pockets with the spartan, if he is on the receiving end of a little stop and search, props help. Likely that a few young plod might not know what whittling is. If he does get nicked, we'll know who to blame.....

kirk13 · **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2014, 12:14:24 AM

Quote from: Philby on January 28, 2014, 11:55:10 PM

Nice gesture I would suggest that your friend keep a small piece of wood half whittled in his pockets with the spartan, if he is on the receiving end of a little stop and search, props help. Likely that a few young plod might not know what whittling is. If he does get nicked, we'll know who to blame.....

Neat idea! I'll mention it to him

PTRSAK · **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2014, 07:47:21 AM

Quote from: kirk13 on January 29, 2014, 12:14:24 AM

Quote from: Philby on January 28, 2014, 11:55:10 PM
Nice gesture I would suggest that your friend keep a small piece of wood half whittled in his pockets with the spartan, if he is on the receiving end of a little stop and search, props help. Likely that a few young plod might not know what whittling is. If he does get nicked, we'll know who to blame.....

Neat idea! I'll mention it to him

what? the idea of blaming you?