Opinion: An era when knives were thought useful

Knives became prominent in my life when I joined the Scouts. Indeed, one of the first questions I remember was: "When are you going to get a knife?" I'd never really thought about it before, but once I saw some of the bone-handled sheath knives on the belts of the patrol leaders, I wanted one for myself. Luckily I was given one for my 11th birthday, and I still have it, with the leather sheath peppered with small burn holes and painted. This was what everyone did in my Scout troop to distinguish their knife from others.

I didn't actually use the knife all that much. Most of the time it stayed safely in its sheath. It was more a case of keeping the blade shiny and sharp - just in case it was needed, though I never really thought for what. In the meantime, I used mine for peeling oranges and whittling sticks, and still have the scars on my fingers to show for that.