Pockets... Full of necessary 21st Century doo dads

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by samb

Maggie has it right. A pocket knife is a necessity. Always sharp. I have carried one since I was 5, when that was the only thing I needed in my pocket.

Yep. Pocketknife and multi-tool. A multi-tool is never the right tool for any job, but it's always better than no tool at all.

[Ray Eklund]

I believe there is a belt mounted holder for larger pocket knives like the Case XX.

Barb wire fence tool(s) have nice leather holders for your belt. Double as pliers and wire cutters.

Knives, larger than a pocket knife, have mundane to exotic sheaths (up to sword size).

Brunton Compasses have formed belt loop leather cases.

You want to go 100%... a leather tool belt with hammer, pockets for spare change and nails.

Modern youth wear pants that seem to hang around their knees, although no pockets in their boxer shorts. So... where do they stuff necessary stuff? I have looked, but not that close.

Suspenders. Hmmm. Maybe someday, but a belt has more universal uses to attach things.

My wife took a US Mint white canvas 25cent coin bag, took one back pocket material, off a totally worn out pair of Levi Pants... sewed the pants legs into a shoulder strap and made a rock sample bag out of it.

I know... an improvised 'man purse'. It can hold a water bottle, some fruit and snacks. Cannot do that with a 'purse'. Nancy has one for herself but about 50% more bag. I will have to look to see what she needs all the extra space for. I eat and drink what I start off with, and then fill the bag full of shiny rocks and things.

[Lily&Me]

Suspenders hold older men's pants up very nicely...avoiding the inevitable and unnattractive slide-down-to-rest-just-below-the belly that so often happens.


Maggie

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Suspenders hold older men's pants up very nicely...avoiding the inevitable and unnattractive slide-down-to-rest-just-below-the belly that so often happens.


Maggie

Haha!

I have taken to wearing suspenders with my jeans over the last few years - it started because I felt that the "look" went with my efforts at being an
"Old timey" clawhammer banjo player!

I do find them great - very comfortable, and no need for the discomfort of a tight belt to hold my pants up, which I like. Seems to be something about getting older whereby I don't like clothing tight on me - even though I only weight in at about 142# !

One downside is that for an authentic look, I only wear the suspenders that need buttons on my pants - as well, they wok a whole lot better than the modern version with the clip on doohickeys.

That means I have to sew six buttons on every new pair of jeans I get as my wife says it is foolish and anyway the denim is too hard to sew!

I use one of those stitching awls with heavy duty waxed thread, originally made I think for sewing up barbed-wire cuts on cows!

As for use of the pockets, I am never without one of the larger versions of the Victorinox Swiss army knife, a 36" zippo tape measure, a fisher space pen,
and a little note book (actually I use extra bank books stolen from our local bank every time I go there!)

Keys, when carried, go on a clip on the belt loop.

Wallet is one of those metal jobs that my wife insists I use since our VISA card got scammed in Florida!

I tore out the little accordian pleated divider out as I can get more cards / ownership papers in without the divider.

I hold the cards inside in a bunch inside with a rubber band so they don't fall out all over when I open the wallet - same with license, ownerships and insurance certs.

Everything I need "Just" fits!

I would like to carry my Leatherman Multitool as well, but I would needs a belt and I just don't think suspenders AND a belt looks right!!!

Maybe a bit odd but it works for me - especially the suspenders with all that junk in my pockets!

Brian

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

I use one of those stitching awls with heavy duty waxed thread, originally made I think for sewing up barbed-wire cuts on cows!

Nice story, but I think the original use was sailmaking back when sails were made of canvas.

Wallet is one of those metal jobs that my wife insists I use since our VISA card got scammed in Florida!

The very best way to carry credit cards that you don't want scanned— for men and women both— is to place them in an Altoids mints tin. Perfect fit, and completely scan-proof as long as the lid is closed.

I would like to carry my Leatherman Multitool as well, but I would needs a belt and I just don't think suspenders AND a belt looks right!!!

Not really. Some multi-tools have a clip on the side that can attach to your waistband so you don't need a belt OR a case. Also, it should be possible to thread a suspender through the loops on a Leatherman case; some cases (like the one for my Gerber) allow you to put the case on the belt horizontally or vertically, and that type of case would be perfect for putting on a vertical suspender strap.

[Farmer Dan]

I am 100% with Maggies' Doug and Samb !!! Living on the farm all my life, as well as country school in the 50s and 60s, a good pocket knife was a necessity. Even at church today I had a small scrimshaw 1.25" blade pocket knife. Old habits are hard to break for old farm guys!!! Flying is pretty much the only time I am "knifeless."

Dan

[Lily&Me]

Iowa boys are a lot alike....Doug was born and raised in Washington County.


Maggie

[rmkrum]

I grew up in South Chicago. Without a knife in your pocket you feel naked....

Nowadays, I carry a rather large Wenger Swiss Army knife unless I'm flying. Then it's in checked baggage.

Yup, McGuyver knife. Fixed a Volvo alternator with it one time, but that's another story.


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[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Nice story, but I think the original use was sailmaking back when sails were made of canvas.

Certainly could be as no doubt it would be good for that - but if so, the paperwork that came with mine must be perpetuating falsehoods!

Over the years I have found them to be very handy things to have though - fixing sandals, leather goods, etc. I don't always do the neatest job with it, but the results have never let me down!

Actually made in the USA too! Although no doubt there are Chinese ones out there also!

Brian.

[rmkrum]

Protagonist,

Sailmaking was done with an assortment of big triangular cross-section needles, and a gadget called a 'sailmaker's palm' that was made of leather with a metal plug with depressions to hold and push the needle through the canvas. My dad and his father had and used these to make up items of canvas and finish the ends of rope. Very traditional tools.

The sewing awl (and I also have one of those) was a newer product of the American West and aside from being used to repair harness leather, was used to stitch up barbed wire cuts on cattle, according to the little brochure that came with mine. It's probably not sturdy enough to sew heavy canvas--the needle is too thin.


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[McDave]

Back when I had more contours in my body, I never had trouble keeping my pants up with a belt, even when things were loaded on the belt. Now that my body is shaped more like a Duracell battery (a D cell, not an AA) my pants tend to slide down under the inevitable force of gravity, and would end up around my ankles if I didn't pull them up every now and then, especially when I shoot archery, and add a quiver to one side and a bow holder to the other. Most of my friends who are around my age wear suspenders, and one gave me a pair last Christmas. I tried them for a while, but eventually decided I was never going to like them, and gave up on them. What does work for me is to wear two belts when I'm carrying a lot of stuff. Then, when I'm through carrying the extra stuff, I can take off the belt that has the stuff on it, and throw it on the floor of the back seat of my truck, stuff and all. I know this an odd solution to the problem, but then I wear socks with my Birkenstocks when it is cold outside, so there's probably no hope that I'll get any better.


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[Lily&Me]

Wingeezer...

Duluth Trading Co.sells packets of brass buttons for suspenders, that you punch thru from the outside and then put a clip type thing on the inside to hold them in place.

http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/m...uspenders.aspx

These were the only kind of suspenders Doug wore, as the clip on type really tear up pants and jeans in short order.

He had braided leather suspends for his dress pants.

I think I still have some of Doug's buttons at home...we always kept a few extra.


Maggie

[streaminwild]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Doug always said that real men carry pocket knives. Period.






Maggie

After reading your post I asked a few of my neighbors if they carried such items as pocket knifes and nail clippers. To my amazement they pulled out their knives and clippers. So now at 55 yrs, you can call me a man, I now carry a pocket knife. Move over Richard Simmons. But I have a long way to go to become the Marlboro man. Like you Ray, I had all the Airstream locks except water keyed to one key.

[markdoane]

Don't know why I woud carry a knife. I buy my meat at the butcher counter.

Don't need nail clippers, I just get a mani-pedi every 4 weeks.

I carry a credit card, insurance card, driver's license and money clip.

And one car key.