Originally Posted by
DaleW
Reminds me of when I was a school boy, maybe around the 5th/6th grade, when it was the "thing" for a boy to have a jack-knife, and all the more gizmos it had on it the better. Mine had a can opener, bottle opener, screw driver, leather punch and I can't remember what else. Right after WWII ended, when leather shoes were no longer rationed, boy's leather high tops came (back) into vogue, and I remember my first pair had a real nifty side leather pocket just made to carry that jack knife. Now I have no idea what percentage of boys at that time had jack knives, but I'd wager it was the majority. Never heard of a knife fight and about the only time there was a mishap would be from some boy cutting himself with his own knife! I should add that screwing around with the knife during class was a great big NO-NO! In those days one could get himself paddled ... big time.
I was to join the Marine Corps at a young age (17) and was found so technically astute that they made me a grunt. And at that time grunt Marines were issued a KA-Bar and taught how to use them. Let me say that if your going to show up for a knife fight, the KA-Bar would be most excellent to have along.