The Pocket Knife & Zippo Lighter

Aprons, knives and lighters all so very important to many long ago.  I hear aprons are making a comeback and knives will always be in most guys pockets.  Zippo lighters have been replaced by the 99 cent disposable but are bought for gifts and by collectors.

Yesterday's blog was about aprons and I posted a poem that seemed quite fitting and very heartfelt to read.  The poem mentioned Grampa's pocket knife.  I hadn't thought about how important they are to all the men and boys in our family until the poem.   I do know when my husband gives one to our grandsons they are beyond excited and get the "ahhhh" look in  their eyes.  Opening and closing it, feeling the blade and getting warned to be careful.  In fact our grandson that lives far away sent a picture of a little pocket knife just last summer telling Dick, "I still have it Grampa".  He was only 8 yrs old and now he is 21.  That confirms what "jack knives" or "pocket knives" mean to boys and men.  What is the importance of a pocket knife?  Just about any little thing like cutting twine on a bale of hay, stripping the covering off wire, digging the build up of a battery connection, turning a screw, if out and about a guy needs his pocket knife.  I even see fingernails getting grease cleaned from under them with the pocket knife.

My dad and brothers always had a knife in their pocket and my brothers always had a zippo lighter.  Dick carried a Zippo until he was 30 and quit smoking.  YEAH on quitting!  The lighter he carried and still has was a gift from our son.  He was 10 years old and had been in "Bill Walley's Gas Station buying candy when he saw the lighter.  He asked Bill if he could pay him his allowance every week and buy the lighter.  Bill was another great guy from Shinglehouse and made the deal.   I will never forget the day he handed the lighter to his dad.  Ahhh, memories ♥  We just bought the grandsons Zippo lighters, they don't smoke but we told them it's a family tradition and every man should have a Zippo lighter.   I doubt they would mean so much if they were made some place other than Bradford, PA.  They seem quite happy with  them and immediately started practicing flipping them open.  If you want an interesting day out head on over to the Zippo and Case Knife Museum in Bradford.  We go every summer, so many displays and old time lighters and knives.  We buy our gifts there and they also engrave.

We have a lighter with "Dick's Used Cars"  Shinglehouse, PA engraved on it.  Dick Evingham that is, what a nice guy he was.  My dad bought a 1963 used Buick Le Sabre from him.  Back then they were as long as boat but oh what a smooth ride!  Dick would give a lighter to his customers.  For those that can't remember or way to young to know Dick's business was on RT 44 going north into Shinglehouse, where the Frontier keeps their equipment now.  His home was adjacent and set back in farther.  I enjoyed talking to Dick in his later years, by then he had sold his business and built a home across the road.  I remember taking him to Coudersport and on the way he showed me the stone culverts he had put in during his teen years with other young men and told me how hard they worked.   It was a job and  they were hard to find during the war years.  Those drainage culverts are still in place!  That is called doing the job right the first time.  They haven't moved in close 90 years.  Good grief my mind can wander at times!

Dick's lighter,  35 years old.

From Dick Evingham, 54 years old.

I hope mentioning the knife, lighter or both brings some good memories back to you..

Let me end on a sweet note.   Maple syrup of course, it' that time of the year.

I used the Tandy cake recipe that was posted on an earlier blog.  Instead of the traditional peanut butter and chocolate I used left over maple glaze (recipe on yesterday's blog)  with 2 cups of white chocolate chips melted together.
 "Oh lock the door"  (Dick's expression).  It is wonderful, very sweet but what is maple syrup suppose to be? A good cup of coffee, tea or a glass of cold milk will cut that sweetness a bit ;)  I love sweets!

This is for us, the rest is on its way to the neighbors. ♥