 |
| Old School multi- function pen-knife |
 |
| Contemporary 'shocking' image gleaned from the internet, showing a swan callously inserting its beak into a male forehead, all whilst the innocent couple were distracted by love. |
" It is a well acknowledged fact that the British population has an ageing demographic and consequently the UK media has become both backward looking and nostalgic. Well, whether you believe " there is no fool like an old fool" or " things can only get better", who doesn't remember and miss the old school multi-function pocket or pen-knife (much like kNorwich with a silent k)?
The first of the above images shows just such a knife from an authenticated museum collection. The intended use for the extended spike has been the subject of lengthy curatorial dispute. One camp has argued that the spike was used primarily for 'removing stones from horses hooves' another has suggested that the spike was used, from before Nelson's time, for separating fibres in hemp ropes or 'sheets'.
However, after some heated discussion amongst the members of the 'editorial team', an exhaustive search through relevant notes from the archive written by the late Joe Roberts on old betting slips, and a quick phone call to Bill Oddie, general consensus is, that the spike was extensively used for humanely removing 'swan beaks' from human tissue. A cursory glance at the second image above demonstrates the occasional need and the complexity involved with making such a significant 'lakeside surgical intervention'. Clearly this swan encounter could have been so much worse, if the gentleman concerned, had turned his back on it!
They are 'nice birds but dangerous' and the prudent lake-goer is well advised to search antique shops and if lucky acquire such a useful device from years gone by" - the Editor of NBBD.
