We used to see displays of good knives in hardware stores, but now the big box home stores carry some good some not hanging on hooks.
Nice to see a real knife counter!
Nice to see a real knife counter!
Hardware stores
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Bazoo
Member
My local ace is run by a knife guy. They have a case display and are getting bucks. A few leathermans and Swiss Army knives.
My two year old gets on his knees and stares through the glass and says "knife, blue knife, big knife, bunch knives!" He loves going to ace.
My two year old gets on his knees and stares through the glass and says "knife, blue knife, big knife, bunch knives!" He loves going to ace.
kBob
Member
In the sixties I had a running buddy (running around , not jogging) that insisted the best knives were sold on card displays in hardware stores and heldto the card by two little elastic bands.
He was right…. they were the best… that two kids working as field hands on a tobacco farm could afford!
-kBob
He was right…. they were the best… that two kids working as field hands on a tobacco farm could afford!
-kBob
Barry the Bear
Member
Tractor supply around here carries Leatherman and Case, and Buck not horrible knives but better than the typical no name chinesium you'll see alot of. In Kerrville a little north of me there is a store called Gibson's, they actually do have knife counter with brands like Cold Steel, Puma, Kabar and of course Buck and Kershaw
swoter
Contributing Member
Small hardware store in London, Oh still has a Case knife display. The store itself has been there for over a hundred years.
OP
OP
I think I posted once before about Reeves Ace Hardware in the North Georgia mountains as having a whole knife room and gun shop.
Bazoo
Member
I'm just down the road from red hill cutlery in Radcliff ky. They have a messa knives. They have a very small used section though. They have a little bit of everything.
In bardstown, kygunco has a good display of benchmade and kershaw and a few others including a limited line of case and buck.
In bardstown, kygunco has a good display of benchmade and kershaw and a few others including a limited line of case and buck.
1KPerDay
Member
…. Most of which are made in China, sadly
My 1st shotgun was bought from Owens Hardware. My 1st rifle came from Pattersons Hardware. My 1st handgun from Edwards Hardware. All in the mid 1970's. All had modest knife displays. Owens is still in open, but the vast majority of their business now is as a supplier to local high school and college team sports. I don't think they carry guns anymore and their hardware section is mostly an afterthought.
Pattersons and Edwards went under years ago. Home Depot and Lowes hurt the little guy. We do still have some small Ace Hardware stores that carry decent knives. Some sell guns, most do not.
Pattersons and Edwards went under years ago. Home Depot and Lowes hurt the little guy. We do still have some small Ace Hardware stores that carry decent knives. Some sell guns, most do not.
OP
OP
They're a legit knife shop. I made a special trip there to see them. Not in Smokey Mountain Knife Works category, but certainly above the hardware store category. More the Shepherd Hills class.
Bazoo
Member
I been going there for years. They used to be a large side room on a hardware store. Then the knife part got so big they split it off and made it it's own store. The museum part is real neat.
I may when I get ready to quit my real day job or I may be really tired of work and just quit.
I grew up running the counter in my grandfather’s old country feed store so I have a soft part for country stores and independent gas stations.
Anchorite
Member
Amen.
Now days I love going into a hardware store (any of them) and asking if they sell pocketknives. The deer in the headlights look answers that question. Then they show me retract utility knives and ask why would you want to carry a knife in your pocket? Well, the last time I opened a bag of pork rinds with my pistol there were a lot of problems........
OP
OP
Where are you that people would do that? Around here if you're not carrying a pocket knife there's something odd about you (and that's the case even in Nashville).
shoobe01
Member
Yeah, I'm often the only one in an office, family gatherings, sometimes at the range(!) with a knife. But people sure do get used to people like us being useful, asking to open boxes, etc. after a bit.
New boss, who I still know 20 years on, got an impression of me 10 minutes into day 1, when no one could find the keys to the Very Important lateral file, because previous boss hadn't put them anywhere rational. I pulled out my Spyderco, slid between the gap in the drawers, and pulled up (with the back of the blade) on the lock bar (I knew this was not a very good cabinet, most won't let you do that) and unlocked it. Back to work we go.
That sort of utility gives you lots of leeway even when there is an "eek, a knife" employee around.
OT: Local hardware store has the Case... case still. Had a very complete Buck case (many expensive-for-the-80s and/or limited run knives, not every store had all of them) when I worked at the local hardware store in high school. I relatively drooled over the titanium (560) at the time but it was WAY out of my price range, partly as they were one of the very few products with no discounts.
New boss, who I still know 20 years on, got an impression of me 10 minutes into day 1, when no one could find the keys to the Very Important lateral file, because previous boss hadn't put them anywhere rational. I pulled out my Spyderco, slid between the gap in the drawers, and pulled up (with the back of the blade) on the lock bar (I knew this was not a very good cabinet, most won't let you do that) and unlocked it. Back to work we go.
That sort of utility gives you lots of leeway even when there is an "eek, a knife" employee around.
OT: Local hardware store has the Case... case still. Had a very complete Buck case (many expensive-for-the-80s and/or limited run knives, not every store had all of them) when I worked at the local hardware store in high school. I relatively drooled over the titanium (560) at the time but it was WAY out of my price range, partly as they were one of the very few products with no discounts.
kBob
Member
If you happen to be driving along I-10 Skirting Tallahassee, Get off at the Eastern US 90 exit and stop by the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. They claim to have the world’s largest collection of Case knives there and many other knives and a heck of a lot of off topic but neat cars.
-kBob
-kBob
kBob
Member
Sadly a local favorite actual independent Hardware store burned down this past Thursday… the very morning this thread started. Oddly I had told my son I wanted to stop by as we went over a cross street several blocks away, but issues elsewhere prevented my getting by to see the wreckage.
They did have a separate room with knives in itand now that is a burnt slab.
(where will I get sweet potato slips I know will work in my garden now?)
-kBob
They did have a separate room with knives in itand now that is a burnt slab.
(where will I get sweet potato slips I know will work in my garden now?)
-kBob
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BigBlue 94
Member
We used to sell Case knives back when my grandpa was running the paint store. Now all we have are Olfa snap knives and cheap plastic knockoffs.
The local farm store still has a case knife display, as does Orschelen's and a couple of the Ace's.
The local farm store still has a case knife display, as does Orschelen's and a couple of the Ace's.
I have spent the last 20 years or so living and working in college towns. The fear these people have of EVERYTHING is incredible. My last 3 bosses would almost faint dead away if I pulled out a pocketknife to open a package "WHY are you carrying THAT?". They wanted me to use scissors like they all did.......
Olfa snap knives...... Kill me now...... We have had 2 new Orschelns open in this area. No knife cases - not even Victorinox. Nothing. They sell scissors though......
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I live in redneckville with one university and two other colleges in my town. I’m sure the snowflakes have been educated on knife carrying.
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