Was it Yorkshire Pudding who, not too long ago, wrote condemning the ubiquitous Swiss Army Knife? Whoever it was let me assure them that you were wrong so to do. I have carried a SAK for over six decades since when I was a teenager.
I think that I may have mentioned before how puzzled I've been by sandwich packaging. Today I had chosen a chicken salad sandwich at the Beatson Charity Café in the Beatson Cancer Centre. I'm recently good at puzzles (as well as being reasonably modest) but this sandwich packaging really floored me.
In the end I used my trusty SAK's largest blade (an ordinary domestic knife having proved useless). The effort was worth it. The sandwich was delicious.
I've never carried a knife. I do have a pathetic little knife in my tool box.
ReplyDeleteHeavens above, Red, how do you manage all the cutting that modern life seems to demand?
DeleteIt does look like a very good sandwich, but at £2.95 it should be. I carry a No 8 Opinel knife with me at all times; one blade, non-stainless steel.
ReplyDeleteCro, £2.95 is not expensive by any means in the UK in a café. In fact it's very reasonable. Welcome to the UK!
DeleteI have an Opinel No 8 too which I always carried and used often at fêtes etc in France but would not generally carry in the UK because it's illegal and whilst I would be unlikely to be prosecuted I couldn't really prove good reason for carrying one.
I am rarely without a knife. I have two, a French Wichard and a Gerber Multi-tool. I will do a post on them. I was a little late owning such things as I wasn't allowed sharp or pointy tools when younger.
ReplyDeleteAdrian, those are seriously good knives and doing the things that you do are excellent tools.
DeleteI have a pair of sweet little scissors in a penkife folding set made by the SAK co. and they are essential for cutting the plastic red/brown sauce or mustard sachets that are so often offered while dining out in the posh places we visit! Victorinox ?
ReplyDeletePotty is that the flat set in a 'card' the size of a credit card? I was given one but it lives in my bedroom drawer.
DeleteNo it's a two inch tortoishell (?)and gilt penknife with two blades and the scissors. It lives in the small camera case in my handbag with the small 1m tape measure, liquid hand cleaner, toothpicks and spare hankies. I used to have to carry 'lunchtime' pills but Himself is not having them anymore.
DeleteI'm trying to see what's on the sandwich!
ReplyDeleteMy mum used to have a teeny knife on her key ring and one time I borrowed her car, along with the keyring and knife. I was pulled over for speeding (and was apologetic about it) but the funny part was the cop threatened to charge me over the knife. I told him it wasn't mine and was too small to really cause a problem so he argued that a person can be killed with a one inch blade.
So, the moral of the story is don't speed if you carry a knife?
Kylie, the sandwich was chicken salad on seeded multi-grain bread and was delicious as sandwiches go.
DeleteI think that your cop was being rather over-zealous and would have had some difficulty of he decided to pursue a prosecution.
Four things no one should ever be without:
ReplyDelete1. A knife - a sharp one. If it has extra tools on it (screwdriver, etc.) so much the better.
2. A lighter. Even if you don't smoke, a lighter has many many uses to get one out of sticky situations (like car door locks frozen in winter - heat the key with the lighter, insert it in lock, melt the ice!)
3. A flashlight.
4. Rain gear. They make these super-lightweight rain ponchos that fold up into a 3-inch square... keep one (or more) in your vehicle!
Marcheline, I'm very much with you on your list although I'd make a few comments, My Swiss Army knife has some tools, including scissors, within in. Oddly I do carry a lighter even though I don't smoke. The reason stems from an attack on an acquaintance by a fierce pit bull type dog which would not unlock its jaws. A very calm man nearby simply struck his lighter and burned the dog's nose. It fled. My phone incorporates a flashlight but I carry a very powerful (but quite small) one in the car or when I go walking at night. I keep a selection of rain and thermal survival ponchos in the car. They are brilliant and I stick on in my pocket if I go local walking in the summer and it looks as if it could rain.
DeleteI hope the sandwich was good!
ReplyDeletePackaging, caps, lids and such nowadays are often awful to open.
Maywyn, the sandwich was very good. I think more thought needs to go into a lot of packaging.
DeleteI've never had one, never needed it but I'm glad it worked for you.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I'm very much the sort of person who has to be prepared ..... just in case.
DeleteGlad you could get into that sandwich! Now you have made me look up the history of the Swiss Army Knife, you knew I would!
ReplyDeleteOf course you would, Kay, if you hadn't already known. The history is quite interesting.
DeleteHubby Bill, would not hear a bad thing said about the Swiss Army Knife, he is Swiss. I often wonder at the unnecessary packaging we have in super markets today. Why do apples have to be packed in a tray with plastic wrap all of which is non biodegradable.
ReplyDeleteI bet he wouldn't, Diane, but then neither would I and I'm not Swiss. It was interesting to know that Bill is Swiss, though.
DeletePS I agree with you absolutely about non-biodegradable packaging. Hopefully that will come to an end soon. Steps are certainly being taken in the UK.
DeleteNot Guilty Your Honour! I never said anything, anything at all about Swiss Army Knives and I am hurt beyond measure that you would think such ill of me. Lord knows how I will get to sleep tonight. Perhaps I will have to uncork a bottle of wine using my own limited edition Swiss Army Knife.
ReplyDeleteYou have my sincere apologies, YP. I have absolutely no idea how I might have got that into my head. I'm so glad to know that you also have a Swiss Army Knife. I am, however, now left wondering who it was who took against them. Ho hum. 'Old age cometh not alone' as they say up here.
DeleteI have been on the look out for a little pocket knife to carry around for such tasks. I have a tiny knife in a leather pouch but lately it has been escaping the pouch and threatening damage to my fingers when I hunt around in the bottom of my handbag for something. Beats me why a sandwich has to be so heavily wrapped in the first place!
ReplyDeleteThat made me smile, Pauline: dangerous places handbags.
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