Charlie, my father gave this to me

Charlie Young: “Okay, Mr. President, I say this with all possible respect, but each of these knifes cuts… you know… meat. Why is it important?”

President Bartlett: “‘Cause it’s something we pass on, something with a history. So we can say, my Father gave this to me, his Father gave this to him and now I am giving it to you.”

Charlie: “Well, OK Sir, if that is true? Why don’t you already have one?”

Bartlett: “I do have one.”

Charlie: “Why do you need a new one?”

Bartlett: “I’m giving mine away.”

Charlie: “To who?”

Bartlett: “Whom, to whom…

Funny you should ask. Charlie, My father gave this to me and his father gave it to him and now I am giving it to you.”

(Bartlet hands Charlie a knife case.)

“Take a look. The fully tapered bluster allows for sharpening the entire edge of the blade.”

Charlie: “It says ‘PR’. I thought I knew them all but I don’t know the manufacture.”

Bartlett: “Yea, these were made for my family by a Boston silversmith named Paul Revere. I’m proud of you, Charlie.”

— “Shibboleth”, The West Wing