A long time ago, there lived a young man who only used knives purchased at hardware stores and cheap smoke shops. Not completely ignorant to custom knives, he had a small stack of Blade magazines and often imagined owning some of the fabulous knives and swords held within its(sometimes stuck together:p) pages. However... ignorant enough to still believe that one shouldn't have to pay over $25 for a decent working blade.:grumpy:
One day... after the magazines had poisoned his mind into thinking there may be something more to these overpriced cutting tools... he gave in to his wanton lust and decided to order an "expensive" but modestly sensible wilderness survival knife.... The Chris Reeve Sable II. Having worked up enough courage, he dialed his rotary phone with credit card in hand. A woman's voice answered, "Hello?"(no confirmation that even called the right place). "Uh... Hi. I was looking to order a knife... Is this Chris Reeve Knives?" "Oh yes, sorry... would you like to talk to Chris?" (Gah... talk to the actual guy in the magazine?) "Uh... sure. If he has the time." They spoke briefly and the knife was officially ordered.
Okay, I'll admit that the young man was me.:D ... and that I don't remember whether I paid with credit card or put a check in the mail... But the story is true. AND set me on a course that has lead me to how I live my life, EVERYDAY. That may sound overly dramatic... but it is also true. That Sable changed the way I thought about knives and custom goods, in general...
"Everything we do, even the slightest thing we do, can have a ripple effect and repercussions that emanate. If you throw a pebble into the water on one side of the ocean, it can create a tidal wave on the other side." - Victor Webster
I am an Artisan Bladesmith and maker of custom wares. Everyday, I do what I love to do and am able to support my family doing it. Chris Reeve and that Sable II were my "Pebble". Thanks, Chris.
Sincerely
Rick Marchand
Ps. I also ordered a 4" Aviator, not too long after receiving the Sable. And for the record, the Sable is the only custom knife I refused to part with when I made the decision to sell off my humble collection, a little over a decade ago.