Collections for Boys - Suggestions?

[Odd Man Out 1,283]

My vote would be to start collecting military unit challenge coins -- easily gotten from fleabay (the newer gaudy ones).  They are interesting and you could find the history of the unit thereby imparting knowledge of our country, patriotism and the sacrifices that helped to earn and protect our freedoms...

[gunfun 3,931]

On that line, maybe military jacket buttons, compases, etc. But for a unit some family member served in.

 

I got some stuff like that from my grandpa's brother in law. I know he served in WWI and I got some of his field kit. I think he was in WWII as well. Honestly it would have been cool to try to put together a uniform and see where and how he served.  He was a wealthy man who ran a big Reno casino for decades, and when he died and his widow died, people came out of the woodwork to fight over his expensive possessions. None of them fought over stuff that was personal to him. I didn't know him personally, or much information about him, but it felt like real responsibility as a boy to be entrusted with his stuff.

 

A man who was an adopted relative of sorts also served pacific theater with my grandfather. He gave me about a third of his medals and a lot of his war memorabilia. He had family, but they didn't have him.  Or the other way round. The point is, it meant a lot that he gave the stuff to me. I thought I had lost some of it in various moves, and my brother just told me a couple of days ago that he has my stash. Those were treasures of my boyhood. They were the first things that came to mind when this thread was started. I had a string of linked 50 cal and some linked trainer 30-06 that was zinc colored... Stuff like that.

 

His name was Stanley P. Wincote. His family were all muckety mucks in the Navy and he angered a lot of them by refusing promotions he had not earned. He served in dangerous positions well, and humbly, when he could have had rank and 'glory' for free. All this and he did not dishonor his family members. So I am taking a minute to honor him here. Stan was a great guy, and his family missed out.  If you're curious, this guy was his uncle & namesake: (Cheif of Naval Operations '33-'37) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harrison_Standley. Just about every other male member of his family going into antiquity had serious clout in the navy.

Edited August 18, 2015 by GunFun

[storm6490 2,768]

5 ounce US mint .999 silver national parks coin from a few years back. The GNP one is awesome.

 

Swarovski or Leica binoculars. They last generations. Appreciated more as you age and loose the eagle eye.

 

Randall Lyle Lee Reeves Ruana hunting knives for whatever you hunt. Appreciate even when carefully used.

 

Preserve their first BMX bike. My redline and haro frames are worth more than my Saiga now. You hit 30 and want your old shit back. Even more when you hit 50 I hear. Works with snowboard skateboards baseball gloves first computer videogame etc.

 

My old man gave me back my confiscated weapons he acquire over 17 years of training me to not get caught. I really liked getting back that zippo I purchased with my own money at Dregne's hardware. I was the coolest ten year old in town. Got back my shitty stilleto and several improvised ninja weapons.

 

Savings bonds, comical returns but cool.

 

Stock certificates in firearms.

 

Kick ass bottle of booze that say drink at my funeral.

When I was a kid I had an insect collection. i would capture them then preserve and mount them in shadow box frames along with their common name and Latin name. By the time I was 12 I could name just about everything that crawled.

 

Did the same thing with my daughter only butterflies this time. She can name just about anything that flies by and it makes for an interesting wall display.

Going hunting with my daughter tomorrow. This sounds awesome and will teach them Latin.

Thanks!

 

An English hammered Silver flask with whiskey in it.Switchblade.

 

Blasting caps.

 

Rare Earth Magnets.

 

Playboy Magazine.

 

Snus or Snuff.

 

 

 

This is the grow up straight kit.

Stryker is in rare form tonight

Sorry! Insomnia is kicking back in.

[nipper2u 101]

Update

 

Both of my boys are still very young so they have yet to grow into a lot of these great ideas and suggestions - however that just means I have time prepared.  

 

I gave my oldest son one of my old (cheap) Craftsman tool boxes that my dad gave me.  To date it has a wrench, an action figure, a bent tape measure, and a pair of welding\steam-punk glasses in it.  I think that is a perfectly good start.  As a kid I had one of those cheap pot-metal safes with the worthless dial combination (which really just meant I could always get in it since I would never remember the combo).  It had a drawer in it and I could put stickers and such on it.  I think I will start with one of these on my oldest's next bday (like I said, they are both pretty young).  In the meantime, I have been keeping an eye out for a good footlocker or "treasure" chest.    

 

Right now making a point to look for a cool rock or some sea shells (depending on local) as a memento has proven more satisfying for them than I would have expected.  Seems my boys like to pick up and collect rocks.  My oldest boy is just now getting into dinosaurs so I bought a big megladon shark's tooth and gave it to him.  He had the appropriate level of respect and awe for it which sets a good precedence.  Granted he then dropped it (as boys are apt to do) but his remorse told me he appreciates it and values it (the tooth was fine and after a few minutes so was he).  

 

I have a few searches set up on eBay for old coins, misc arrow heads, and even straight razors and flasks!  I would like to pick up a few classic Zippo lighters as they always seemed cool to me and may be the same for my sons.  I don't know these items\hobbies all that well so I have to be careful what I get.  Like I said, I have time.  I also have to be prepared to make sure my youngest son has the same opportunities as he gets older.  

 

At any rate, know that I have re-read your suggestions many times and really appreciate them.  Don't be afraid to keep adding things and I will try to add updates as well.  While this is all ultimately for my sons, I admit to getting a few ideas for myself as well (like I have collected several Rot Punkt throwing knives for uh, when the boys get older).  Thanks again!  

[Sim_Player 1,939]

So, they like collecting all the typical "cool" boy stuff!

 

You have masculine men to train!

 

Hike and point out all of the "neat" stuff (and collect).

 

Having come from an anti-gun background,

the time with my kids was centered around projectiles.

 

I have a small "Metal Detecting Treasure Trove" that would drive them crazy!

(Just a small cardboard box of stories and objects.)

Edited August 20, 2015 by Sim_Player

[gunfun 3,931]

Cool. If you have 17 years to look, you could come up with an awesome razor:

Hard to go wrong with Wade & Butcher, Henckels or, Boker though. There is a Boker Worlds' Fair model from the 1800s that looks pretty cool and comes up for under $30 from time to time. Another couple with steam ships etched on them.

 

It could also be fun to restore then for your kids. I've done 1.5 now. The second is more of a resto-mod since I have radically changed the shape. This means you could have one for each day of the week, and each one different. If you are getting razors that need TLC, you can get cool stuff for under $10, and a lot of careful work.

 

If you want something naturally beautiful, high dollar and done.

 

Here are a couple that appeal for that kind of purchase. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=tula+razor&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIoOCk4Iy3xwIVi0SICh2PEgF_