The Swiss Army Knife: The Ultimate Gentleman’s Tool

Post author By Max
Post date March 5, 2018
2 Comments on The Swiss Army Knife: The Ultimate Gentleman’s Tool

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! Today, we’re going to take a look at one of the most important things a gentleman should have in his arsenal: the Swiss Army Knife, the object synonymous with multi-purposeness. This post will go over the history of the Swiss Army Knife, as well as the myriad of reasons why every gentleman should carry one. So let’s get started!

History

In 1884, Karl Elsener and his mother opened up a cutlery shop in Ibach, Switzerland. Soon after opening, they began producing and selling knives to the Swiss Army.

Their original model, called the Soldier Knife, contained most of the things you would see in a typical pocketknife, like a knife blade, a reamer, a screwdriver, and a can opener. The only real reason the soldiers needed such a knife was because it was necessary and practical. The soldiers and officers need a useful tool in order to open their food, repair their rifles, and cut things whenever they needed to. It wasn’t until the 1940s and World War II that the knives began to spread internationally (seems kind of strange for a product like this to come from one of the most famously neutral countries). And since the 19th century, the design and purpose of the Swiss Army Knife hasn’t changed much, it’s just sort of evolved as the times have. They’re also all made out of the same two factories in Switzerland as they always have. Many Swiss Army Knives now have things like scissors, tweezers, toothpicks, corkscrews, and even small saws. They also come in varying sizes and designs with different tools depending on the model. Models being produced today even add 21st-century components like laser pointers, flash drives, and fingerprint scanners. But why should a gentleman today have one of these knives today?

Why have a Swiss Army Knife?

The answer to this should be fairly obvious. I stated in the post about my grandfather that he is incredibly handy, and that every gentleman should strive to be as well. Always having the right tool for whatever you or your friends are doing is something that is being lost among men today. I got my Swiss Army knife when I was fifteen (15) or sixteen (16) years old, and now I never leave my dorm room without it. I use it as a boxcutter, a letter opener, a screwdriver, and I even use the little toothpick and tweezers every now and again. I’ve also used it in the past to cut rope, and one of the most famous uses in my family is cutting the ribbons off of wrapped Christmas or birthday presents, whether mine or otherwise (very silly, I know). Also, if the situation were to arise, I could also use the blade as a weapon if I were to get mugged or anything. I’m desperately hoping it won’t have to come to that, but I still have that option. So in short, the Swiss Army Knife can be a useful tool in almost any situation and can be useful any project, and it’s something that every gentleman today should have.

So there we have it! Hopefully this post will have convinced to get your own Swiss Army Knife, because I really see no reason not to have one! I use mine all the time, and like I said, I never leave my dorm without it. In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post. Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, follow The Young Gentleman’s Guide on Facebook and Instagram, and support us on Patreon. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!

Resources

Gear Junkie: https://gearjunkie.com/swiss-army-knife-history

Atlas Obscura: www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-simple-elegant-history-of-the-swiss-army-knife

Gentlemanly Figureheads

Ron Swanson’s Guide to Manliness

Post author By Max
Post date February 25, 2018
2 Comments on Ron Swanson’s Guide to Manliness

Evening gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! Before we get started, I just thought I should address some of the backlash that my last post has been getting as of late. I fully concede that I probably should have used more reliable sources than Prager University or Louder with Crowder, and I may have made a couple leaps in logic. That being said, as was the situation with my post about the 1950s, I still stand its original intended message, and the post is staying up. At the end of the day, I’m not going to let a couple lost followers ruin my life, and moving forward, I’ll do my best to void any political commentary like stuff like that. That was never this blog’s original intention, and for that, I apologize, and I emphasize I. Jonah had nothing to do with anything that post, it was all my idea. With that out of the way, let’s move on to something a bit more lighthearted!

So, anyone who knows me knows that on top of swing music, chocolate, and John Steinbeck novels, I also love movies and TV, and one of my favorite TV shows of all time is Parks and Recreation. For those of you who haven’t seen this fantastic show about a group of wacky people working for the local government in their wacky town, I highly recommend you do. All seven (7) seasons of the show are on Netflix right now, but it’s not necessary to understand the message of this post. One of my favorite characters in this show, and one of my favorites in TV history, is the man, the myth, the legend, Ron Swanson! One of the most iconic characters from this show, Ron has a personality that’s entirely his own, and several character traits that not only I admire, but traits that he tries to pass on to other characters on the show. So today, I thought I would aid Ron in passing on said character traits to you young gents reading today! So before this post turns into a full-length novel, let’s get started!

1. He stands up for what he believes in

For those of you who didn’t read our post about how a gentleman stands up for what he believes in, I actually quoted a line from Ron Swanson. In the Season 6, Episode 14 episode “Anniversaries”, Ron sends reviews from the Parks & Rec office to establishments he personally doesn’t like and includes his name and address with each letter. When questioned about this, he responds “If you believe something, you sign your name to it.” Throughout the course of the show, Ron displays this sentiment in spades. Ron is extremely vocal about what he believes in, including but not limited to, his distrust of the government, his advocacy for capitalism, or his love of meat and breakfast food. On top of this, he rarely, if ever deviates from these beliefs. The only time he ever seems to do so is if he’s caught in the clutches of his ex-wives. Aside from those two spawns of Hell (his words, not mine), he never backs down to anyone, and doesn’t care who he offends, or even if he offends anyone because of his beliefs. He believes what he believes, and doesn’t care who disagrees with him, which leads me to my next point.

2. He doesn’t alienate

Anyone who’s seen Parks and Rec knows that Ron Swanson and Leslie Knope are the closest of friends that many people in the real world could only wish they had. The interesting thing is that Ron and Leslie disagree on almost everything, except for the amazingness of breakfast food. So how can they be such great friends and colleagues when in any other circumstance, they would want nothing to do each other? They simply respect each other. Specifically on Ron’s end, while he couldn’t care less about Leslie’s clearly pro-government ideas and constant need to control everything, he admires her tenacity, and get-it-done attitude. He says that he would rather work with someone who’s motivated and wants to get things done as opposed to a pushover who doesn’t do anything. He’s willing to look past Leslie’s political ideals and just sees her as a good person who just wants to do good for the people around her. And Ron seems to do this with just about every character in the show (with the exception of his ex-wives and Ron Dunn, his Parks & Rec counterpart from Eagleton). He may butt heads with other characters on the show more than once, but he does not alienate them, and in some cases, may actually help them. He pretty much follows the same philosophy that I do: if you respect me, I’ll respect you.

3. He can put up a fight

While this picture is obviously more of a joke if anything else, Ron has shown multiple times throughout the show that he can defend himself using just about anything he has on hand, or even just his hands. And while it’s never explicitly stated, it’s implied through certain incidents across the series that he has some sort of martial arts training (my money’s on boxing) as a means of self-defense, which he’s shown to be rather good at. He even punches councilman Jeremy Jamm in the face to defend Leslie’s honor in the Season 5, Episode 14 Episode “Leslie and Ben”. So in short, if you were to tick Ron off or provoke him in any way, you’d most likely end up with some bruises and some missing teeth.

4. He likes any “manly” activity

Now, while it is my firm belief that anyone of either gender can enjoy any kind of activity they want, practically all of Ron’s passions and hobbies are ones that men traditionally have done and/or enjoyed over the years. Among said hobbies or passions include woodworking, blacksmithing, hunting, and enjoying a neat glass of whiskey. And in reality, these can all help men become true men. I did learn quite a few of these things when I was in the Boy Scouts. Like I said in my post about my grandfather, it’s always good for a man to be handy, and be able to help in any situation (not so much the whiskey though). And that’s exactly what Ron always does. He always is able to help in any situation, whether it’s fixing April and Andy’s sink, making Leslie and Ben’s wedding rings, or fixing a park swing in the final episode of Parks and Recreation.

So there it is! Just four (4) ways that Ron Swanson is a model for the perfect gentleman! This may actually usher in a new mini-series here in the blog, similar to Jonah’s “Lessons in Manliness from the Vikings”, so if any of you would like to see how more movie and TV characters could teach you how to be real gentlemen, just let me know! In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post. Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, and follow The Young Gentleman’s Guide on Facebook and Instagram. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the images used in this post. They are all screenshots grabbed from Parks and Recreation.

Gentleman's Philosophy

The Gentleman’s (and Lady’s) Guide to the 2nd Amendment and Gun Ownership

Post author By Max
Post date February 19, 2018
1 Comment on The Gentleman’s (and Lady’s) Guide to the 2nd Amendment and Gun Ownership

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide here. So, this post will likely be extremely controversial, so if it ends up getting taken down for any reason, let the record show that it was WordPress that took it down, not me or Jonah. Like I said in an earlier post, a gentleman stands up for what he believes in, and even if I get torn apart or even expelled from my university for what I say in this post, it’s staying up. Also, I’ve learned from my mistakes in past posts, and from now on, if I include any information that is not my own, I will put my resources, as subjective or objective as they may be, at the bottom of each post. In any case, I’m sure most of you who are reading this have at least about the shooting and mass murder in Parkland, Florida last week, and to those who were affected in any way by this, whether you were injured or lost a family member to the assailant, I offer my sincerest condolences. This was a tragedy that should never have happened, and my heart goes out to all who were affected by this. With this in mind, unlike what a majority of the mass media has been doing as of late, I won’t be fighting for stricter or more abundant gun control laws. As a matter of fact, I’ll actively fighting against them. Why? Because slightly looser gun control laws than those we have now could have prevented this as well almost all school shootings that have happened in recent years. And in this post, I’m going to give you four (4) facts about gun ownership, the 2nd Amendment and why such things are incredibly important, especially in the United States today.

1. The right to self-defense

The 2nd Amendment reads as follows:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Now what exactly does that mean? Many people view it as gun rights should only be to members of a state militia. And since the US doesn’t use such a state militia anymore, many people are viewing the 2nd Amendment as even more outdated than they think it is. However, the wording of the amendment in and of itself completely disassembles this argument. People seem to overlook five very important words that are included in the amendment: “The right of the people.” This shows that the Founding Fathers had the interests of the people in mind when drafting this, not the military. They realized that humans have the right to self-preservation and self-defense. They also realized that the most effective way to provide self-defense was through use of a firearm. And just think about it; if an assailant is breaking into your home, they’d be more likely to flee if you even brandished a firearm. A lot of times, you wouldn’t even have to fire a bullet. A burglar would be intimidated even by the sight of a firearm because it’s possible that they might get shot. There’s an extension to this self-defense idea that is also just as important.

2. Enhanced security

There is staggering evidence that shows that around 92% of mass shootings occur in “gun-free zones”, where even concealed-carry permits are nullified. And there’s a simple reason for this: gun-free zones are simply the easiest targets. So the simplest answer is to simply get rid of gun-free zones in order to bump up armed security. If campus security, campus police, and even certain staff members were allowed to have firearm training and concealed-carry permits, the amount of school shootings would plummet practically overnight. As counterintuitive as it sounds, the removal of gun-free zones, easy targets for mass shooters, will actually make the US a much safer place.

3. A firearm is a firearm

Many opponents of the 2nd Amendment try to argue that the only thing the Founding Fathers had in mind about firearms were muskets. Well first things first, that argument is just completely wrong. There were other rifles and even handguns invented around the time of the Revolutionary War or even hundreds of years beforehand, that could fire upwards of twenty (20) rounds in five (5) seconds. But all of these details aside, the most important thing to know is that the entire purpose and function of firearms has not changed since they were invented. Regardless of era, regardless of design, a gun is designed to expel either a pellet or wad of lead (unless you use a BB gun or airsoft gun) out of a long metal tube for the purpose of hitting something, killing it if it’s a living thing, human, animal, or otherwise. As such, all firearms need to be treated with the same amount of care and caution, whether it’s a musket, an AR-15, a 20-gauge shotgun, or a Glock 19. Probably the most important things to know when handling ANY firearm are the three (3) most important universal rules of gun use, the first rules I heard when I first learned to shoot a gun when I was eleven (11) years old.

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep you finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

4. Women benefit from gun ownership as well

I was watching another video from Prager University, called Gun Rights are Women’s Rights. In it, journalist and author Katie Pavlich talks about how because women on average have less muscle mess and physical strength than men (not to shame or judge women, it’s just biology), the best way for them to “even the odds”, as Pavlich puts it, is for more women to own guns, especially in the US. Like I said earlier in this post, even just brandishing a firearm or showing that you have one on hand will deter most criminals from doing anything to you, your family, or your property. Right-leaning blogger and social media personality Lexie Bess goes even further into this in a video series on her Facebook page, the pilot of which you can check out right here. So for any of you young ladies reading, this may be worth checking out.

So that’s it for the list. Again, to any of those who were affected in Parkland last week, I offer my condolences, and I am fighting to help you. It’s just that seeing how so many people react to something like this and try to push for things that have never worked and never will work just gets my blood boiling. This is just my take on it and why I feel that so many things that the left is pushing for are complete nonsense. In any case thank you for reading. I would truly appreciate it if you shared this post, and go the word out. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. This is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time.

Resources

Crime Prevention Control Center: crimeresearch.org/2014/09/more-misleading-information-from-bloombergs-everytown-for-gun-safety-on-guns-analysis-of-recent-mass-shootings/

Politifact: politifact.com/florida/statements/2017/feb/21/richard-corcoran/do-most-mass-shootings-happen-gun-free-zones/

Louder with Crowder: https://youtu.be/CquUBWHU2_s (yes, I get Steven Crowder is more of a comedian if anything, but I trust him more than most mainstream media sources)

Prager University: https://youtu.be/2iKBEJp92CA

Lexie Bess: facebook.com/officiallexiebess/videos/884689121713489/

Manly Skills

The Gentleman’s Guide to Hiking/Backpacking

Post author By Max
Post date February 18, 2018
No Comments on The Gentleman’s Guide to Hiking/Backpacking

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! First off, thank you all so much for the amount of traffic and support you gave my last post about my grandfather. I could not have predicted how much support it got, and I truly appreciate all of you who read and/or shared it. In any case, let’s get on with today’s post! So, if you read my post about my grandfather, you would know that he is quite the outdoorsman. As a result of his teachings as well as my experience in the Boy Scouts, I’ve picked up more than a few tricks of the trade when it comes to going out on the trail. While I may not be as much of master trailblazer like Grandpa or my even my own father, I still believe I’ve gathered enough knowledge, either from Grandpa or the Boy Scouts, to share with you young gents reading this post. So today, I’m going to share four (4) helpful tips to make your next hiking trip a little easier and more enjoyable.

1. Plan out your route ahead of time

Every summer, my Boy Scout troop would go on a week-long, 50-mile hike in the High Sierra Mountains. It should be no surprise that such a venture required a meticulous amount of planning, including meal plans and, of course, planning our route. Grandpa, with the help of a few other guys in my family like my dad and my uncles, would scour over countless maps to figure out the best routes that could easily be completed in a week and had campsites near water sources. As a result of such planning, we have almost always been able to complete our hikes on time. But this should really go without saying. Planning out where you want to go will help figure out how many days you might be out, if you’ll be near any water sources, the kind of terrain you’ll be coming across, and if there are any viable camping areas along the trail. This will in turn help you figure out how much food and water to bring, and whether or not you’ll need overnight equipment like a tent or sleeping bag. So make sure to use a map, and figure out where you want to go before you even head out to the trailhead.

2. Pack the essentials first

When you’re planning for a hike, you should keep in mind the most important things: preventing blisters on your feet, staying hydrated, staying warm, and simply just trying to survive, especially if you’re planning to stay overnight in the wilderness. Because of this, you should keep in mind what equipment you should pack that helps you accomplish that. As such, the most important things to put in your pack are small, energy-packed foods that can easily fit in a small bag, (if you’re on a day hike, that is) and enough water to keep you hydrated for a few hours. And of course, in order to prevent blisters or other damage to your feet, make sure you are wearing proper walking/hiking shoes or boots that are just the right size. If your shoes are too tight, you potentially cause ingrown toenails, which can be an incredible pain if you’ve ever had to deal with them, but if your shoes are too loose, the friction from the constant rubbing of your feet in your boots can cause blisters, which can lead to infections if not taken care of. If you’re staying overnight, you’ll want to pack things to keep you warm. Jackets and/or sweaters are always good things to have, and a well-kept sleeping bag in good condition will obviously keep you warm and help you sleep better. And of course, a tent and a ground pad are also good things to take, so you can sleep as comfortably as you can. A decently-stocked first aid kit wouldn’t go amiss either. Just in case you get a blister, it’s always good to have some moleskin on hand to treat blisters, and some bandages and antibacterial to help dress cuts and other small injuries will also be extremely helpful. And these are just the most essential things. Now there may be other places that, by law, may require you to take some other things with you, so I would recommend doing a bit of research into wherever you plan on going, so you can be absolutely sure what you need to take with you.

3. Pack a little extra food

I know this may sound ridiculous, but just keep reading. Now, you hopefully will have figured out where you’re planning to go, and how long you’ll be on the trail for, but whether you’ll be out for three (3) hours or three (3) days, it’s always a good idea to pack a little extra food and water, usually about a day’s worth. The reason being that you may have miscalculated how long you would be out on the trail for, and need to camp out an extra day. Or in extreme cases, you might get lost, and need to take an extra day to either get rescued or find your way back onto the original route. In either case, it’s just always a good idea to have these extra rations on hand as a means to survive. Also, here’s a bonus tip. If you find yourself lost and need to camp out an extra day, find a nearby water source. It’s always a good idea to have as much water as you need close at hand as well as food.

4. Whenever possible, use the buddy system

Now, I’m willing to give Grandpa a pass on this one. He used to go on hikes on his own all the time, but because he’s been hiking and hunting for longer than I’ve been alive, he probably knows his way around the High Sierras better than I do my own house. But I’m getting off-topic. If there’s one thing I can say I took away from the Boy Scouts without a doubt, it would be the buddy system. Always have a person to travel with, so you two can keep an eye each other. Better yet, if you can, travel with a group. Not only will it make your hike more of a social experience and therefore more enjoyable, but in the event one of you gets lost, it’ll simply help them get found and rescued more quickly. On top of this, you can share food and water this way. If you run out of water on the trail before you reach your next water source, you can simply ask one of your buddies to share with you is they have any extra. In short, it’s just always a better idea to hike with a friend or even a group of friends if you can.

So there it is! Four (4) tips to help make your next hike a bit easier and more enjoyable. If you gents follow these simple tips, maybe one day you’ll be able to climb to the top of Mount Whitney like I did!

281484_2106182107661_874169_n — This was me at the top of Mt. Whitney the summer before my freshman year of high school

In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post. Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, donte to our Patreon, and follow The Young Gentleman’s Guide on Facebook and Instagram. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!

Gentlemanly Figureheads

Lessons In Manliness From My Grandfather

Post author By Max
Post date February 10, 2018
4 Comments on Lessons In Manliness From My Grandfather

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! First off, apologies from both Jonah and myself for not having any posts up for a while. I just started another semester at San Francisco State, and these first few weeks have truly thrown me for a loop and have really been testing my patience. In any case, I should be back to my regular posting schedule right starting right now, and today, I have a big one for you guys! Now, any man should have a positive male role model in his life, and I consider myself incredibly lucky since I have several in my life. Whether family, friends, or otherwise, there are several men in my life that I look up to and strive to emulate every day of my life. With this in mind, I thought it would be nice to talk about possibly the biggest male role model in my life, my grandfather, Robert Mahan. In this post, I’m going to talk about the things I admire about my grandpa and how he can serve as a model for all up-and-coming gentlemen today. So with all of that out of the way, let’s get started!

1. He’s handy

Grandpa is mechanic and metalworker, so he obviously knows how to use tools as well as how to work with just his hands. Just about anything involving the use of of his hands, he’s able to do. He can change a tire, build and fix engines, effectively use an axe, and he even built a fully-functional, scale model train engine from scratch, which took the better part of thirty years to complete. Here’s a picture in case you don’t believe me.

On top of all of this, there’s one thing Grandpa always has on him that can help in so many situations: his pocketknife. He and my uncles are essentially the ones who taught me to always carry my pocketknife with me (which is why I rarely leave my dorm without my Swiss Army Knife). Long story short, if you have any project that involves work with tools or with your hands, Grandpa either always has the right tool for the job, or knows where to find and how to use said right tool. And that’s a great thing that men should know how to do. Being able to help and have the right tools for any situation can generally just make life easier, and being generally reliable is just a great trait to have. But that only scratches the surface of what Grandpa can teach.

2. He’s a true outdoorsman

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this on the blog before, but I’m actually an Eagle Scout, as is our other admin, Jonah. While I can’t speak for Jonah as to why he even started with the Boy Scouts, I myself can honestly say that my entire reason for becoming a Scout can be attributed to Grandpa. He was the first person in my family to join Boy Scout Troop 119, the troop in which my uncle, my cousin, my brother-in-law, and I all ended up joining. Practically everything I’ve learned about camping and the outdoors can be credited to Grandpa. As a man who has been camping, backpacking, and hunting for almost eighty (80) years, he clearly knows a thing a two about backpacks, tents, and the like. I’m sure if he had the option, he could just live off the land and the wilderness. He can read a map just as well as he can read a book, make a fire, cook his own food, shoot a gun, and even track animals to an extent. If these all aren’t important things for all young men to know, then I don’t know what is.

3. He’s a true family man

My grandparents have been happily married for sixty-two (62) years, and in my eyes, they’re happier than ever. Obviously, Grandpa has an innumerable amount of traits that I admire and strive to emulate, but the most important thing to know is that no matter what he does, at the end of the day, the thing that’s most important to him is his family. He clearly shows that he loves his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and would give anything to make them happy. And after fairly recently becoming great-grandfather, I’ve never seen him so happy in my life. The fact that his legacy will continue to live on through his family pleases him to no end, and I cannot wait to share what he’s taught to my future kids and grandkids.

14918969_10207640520955899_4215027657638981239_o — Grandpa giving his great-granddaughter a ride in a wheelbarrow

So there it is! My grandfather has obviously left a huge impact on my life, and I feel like he’s taught me so much that many of you young gents who are reading can learn as well. Again, my sincerest apologies for being so absent lately. As stressful as these first few weeks back at school have been, we should be back to our regular posting schedule starting now. In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post. Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, and follow The Young Gentleman’s Guideon Facebook and Instagram. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!