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Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

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Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby Jhg » 01 23, 2023 •  [Post 1]

I read a bunch of mountain man stuff when growing up. Some authors, to add color to their characters, had their protagonist stick his bowie knife in the dirt after an encounter with the nefarious and dangerous types who populated the stories, to clean the blood of their recent vanquished foe or some such off the blade.


So, being of sound mind but not thinking gave it a try. First chance I got as an elk guide, knife blade bloody, I stuffed it into the ground at my feet where it rested handy to hand for its next task. Wow, this is great I thought! My peeps, Texas oilmen up from Dallas where impressed. Or so I imagined. Was it awe and respect or was it really more like "glad he's the one gutting out that elk and not us the poor bastard."

I stuffed the elk uarter into the game bag and pulled my knife out of its dirt sheath to make another cut.

But to my consternation,, my shaving sharp blade was now more like a butter knife. I knew better than to show weakness in front of clients. I pulled the folder from my pocket and finished the job with it. The work went much harder for me using that little folding blade. But the peeps never knew and that is all that mattered. A professional hides his mistakes a wise outfitter once told me. Or make a save with flourish and aplomb. They will forget the eff up, he said, if you can be dramatic and colorful when fixing it.
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Re: Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby Swede » 01 23, 2023 •  [Post 2]

If you are going to stick a good tool into the dirt, make sure it is a shovel or hoe. Chopping into dirt with an axe will dull it quickly. I don't suppose you thrust your knife blade into the dirt many times. :D
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Re: Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby Jhg » 01 23, 2023 •  [Post 3]

Once was enough.
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Re: Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby 7mmfan » 01 23, 2023 •  [Post 4]

Everytime I watch a Youtube video and some dude notches his tag on a rock I get the heeby jeebies. The sound of a knife plunging into dirt is right up there too.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby Lefty » 01 23, 2023 •  [Post 5]

I was the client, well the lucky winner of a draw hunt with a guide
Our "guide" thought the empty hard liquor, inches of blood in the pickup bed, cheap whiskey breath and missing muffler didn't overcome his backwoods Texas hillbilly mentality.
Ive never seeen any one so cleanly gut an elk, his fingertips barely got bloody,,, but he had to use my knife his was so dull he couldn't get it through the hide. But wow fast and clean
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Re: Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby Lefty » 01 23, 2023 •  [Post 6]

7mmfan wrote:Everytime I watch a Youtube video and some dude notches his tag on a rock I get the heeby jeebies. The sound of a knife plunging into dirt is right up there too.
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Re: Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby Billy Goat » 01 23, 2023 •  [Post 7]

and a chainsaw chain in the sand dulls in about 2 nanoseconds. :(

I keep about 4 spares in my Stihl case. I've not mastered the art of keeping the bar out of the dirt. or..... not perfectly enough!
"First teach a child to love God,
teach them second to love their family
and third, teach them to hunt and fish,
and by the time they reach their teens, no dope peddler under the sun will ever teach them anything".

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Re: Dude recollections. Knives in the dirt.

Postby saddlesore » 01 24, 2023 •  [Post 8]

When I think of all the times I played Mumbly Peg with my Barlow, I shudder.. We had another game where you start off with your feet together. The other guy throws a knife and where it sticks you have to spread one of your feet to it. Keep at it up until the first one falls over.

The opposite is start with your feet spread and two people alternate, sticking the knife between the feet and you close your feet to the knife. Keep at it until one chickens out when the feet get too close together. That is lot a harder on the toes that way.
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