Tag: Knife

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Nearly two years ago, I started carrying a flashlight, pocket knife, and lighter around with me day-to-day. This was largely a result of the bus trip, where I took to carrying a flashlight around with me to better see vegetable oil. I also carried a lighter around with me, so I could light our propane stove. I noticed that just having these tools available to me presented a host of opportunities to use them. After the trip I got a good pocket knife/multi-tool, that has been solely responsible for fixing several minor (yet incapacitating) bus repairs. I use each of these once a day on average, often just lending them to someone else who needs a good tool. It sets me up for jokes about being a boy scout and always prepared and all, but Christmas has come and I’m vindicated.

As of right now, my uncle and girlfriend both have the same flashlight and knife, and my dad just sports the knife for now. I’m glad people can still realize the value in a good tool.

Oh Snap!

I’ve been carrying quite the arsenal around with me this summer, and it’s proved so helpful I don’t think I’ll stop. I suppose it’s a bit of a carryover from last summer’s trip. In my shorts, I currently have a flashlight, lighter, pocket knife, notepad and pencil, and my cell phone. I could go on and on about the knife, since it has been solely responsible for fixing the bus the last few times it has broken down, but this post is about the flashlight.

It’s kind of an odd tool, and I didn’t realize how often I would use it until I started carrying one around with me. I started keeping one in my pocket last summer to check the flow of the oil as we filtered, and found other uses for it since it was on hand. I bought a better light, and kept it with me this summer. Since it’s a little expensive, I’ve looped the lanyard around my belt loop to keep from losing it if it falls out of my pocket. It’s nice to have it that handy and secure, but a pain to get off the belt loop, and as a result I’ve been doing a lot of illuminating from hip level.

At the craft store the other day, I picked up some snaps. I put the male end on my belt loop, and the female end on the end of the lanyard (it turns out all you need to attach snaps is a hammer). And now my light is quickly connected or disconnected from my hip. My attire is slowly becoming perfectly utilitarian, and I’m pleased.