Sir, we are not in agreement.
In my opinion, the knife shows evidence of being fairly heavily used. It has been repeatedly sharpened on both top and main edge. Despite being stainless, it is heavily scratched, scarred, the handle stained and discolored with a piece broken off. The sheath is stained and shiny on the back from frequent wear. It is faded on the front, and discolored wherever grimy fingers repeatedly touched it, such as on the stone flap and end of the keeper strap. The stone is worn and used with lots of metal imbedded.
First, the knife is not stainless.
Second, sharpening does in and of itself does not constitute use, particularly if it is sharpening done incorrectly. Doesn't appear that is the case here, but wanted to get that in the conversation. The knife does exhibit moderate use/handling, but nothing to indicate "
being fairly heavily used". I base this on examining more "carried" pieces than I can count. And yes, it remains in excellent condition for a "carried" piece.
Third, the sheath exhibits evidence of light to moderate carry, with much of the nape on the reverse still as when it was made. It definitely does
not show heavy use.
Fourth, I do not see where the handle has a piece broken off. Can you point it out?
It's ok if you want to put your references to me in “quotes” implying you doubt my veracity about Vietnam. But, in my view you took an implied shot at the USAF and Lt. Col. Salvo, saying that this supposedly pristine knife (yeah.. right) probably wasn't carried in Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia except “flying at 10,000 ft.”
I quote you Jack because that is what you have said. No other reason. You should refrain from making more out of this than it is, and it has not been personal on my part, you are the only one that threw "gratuitous rocks". I will again quote you :
But I don’t usually just post fact-less or thoughtless opinions. I suggest you reread the obit........ well ... do you know the casualty rate among pilots in Vietnam?
I assure you, there is nothing fact-less or thoughtless in my opinion.
That indicates to me you originally did not read the obit, which identified USAF Lt. Col. Salvo as a medical person, not a pilot. Furthermore, you seem to imply he did not actually carry his knife, it was not frequently on his hip on the ground, and probably wasn't even in SE Asia except passing over at high altitude. I have no idea why you felt it necessary to doubt Lt. Col. Salvo’s life history as reflected in this artifact. But to me, you certainly managed to do it.
Again, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. I did read it and gleaned that he may have done several things that involved flight time. I never said he was a pilot, only that he may have seen time in the air. Call me crazy, but logic being what it is, someone serving in the Air Force (at rank) might see an aircraft or two from the inside at altitude?
More objectionable was the apparent assumption that USAF pilot’s knifes (if he had been a pilot) were in a desk or barracks or flying at 10,000 ft. Perhaps you never saw an A-1 Able Dog Skyraider down on the tree tops dropping nape, while taking heavy ground fire? And you may not know about the 10 hour flying days, soaked in sweat, etc, some of those combat pilots put into their job… presumably while wearing a Randall. But it happened, and their Randall’s showed wear tear, sweat staining, and sharpening marks, etc.
Objectionable? “10,000 ft” was
a metaphor Jack, you don’t get that? Let’s think about his for a moment, and using the obit you reference, it does not seem Mr. Salvo was piloting “
an A-1 Able Dog Skyraider down on the tree tops dropping nape, while taking heavy ground fire”. He also wasn’t enduring “
10 hour flying days, soaked in sweat, etc, some of those combat pilots put into their job… presumably while wearing a Randall.” No, he was identified in the obit “
as a medical person, not a pilot.” So Jack, the scenarios you have spelled out are invalid pertaining to Mr. Salvo. That does not in any way minimize Mr. Salvo’s contribution and service to his country. Far from it. Nor does it preclude Mr. Salvo from spending many hours in the air in the capacity of his duty, all the while possibly carrying his Randall. What it does is make your argument
moot.
If I have misinterpreted your comments, then I plead guilty to being overly sensitive to off-hand remarks about Vietnam, Vietnam Veterans, and Vietnam service.
You have grossly misrepresented my comments, you are overly sensitive, and it is insulting for you to insinuate that ANYTHING I have said constitutes “
off-hand remarks about Vietnam, Vietnam Veterans, and Vietnam service. “In the end, and what the whole debate for me has been about is the condition of the knife, and you apparently have a different view on the condition than me. That is ok. For you though, it appears the debate has been about something else.
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