How about a nice Chinese restaurant. :D

A great piece of luggage and a reason to use it? Tickets to DC for the Smithsonian's museums or other memory-creating experience. And a big Happy Birthday from the Cellar! :)

I checked out Skydiving. That's $200 a pop (for noob tandem drops) and doesn't include gear rental. Hmmm, that would have been cool. I may still go that route. But I wanted to go too!. Oh well. One day, before I die.

Why can't you? or isn't skydiving with mom cool?

two people = twice the price :(

I liked Toad's idea.

Engraved Replica Marine Sword

KABAR Knife Letter Opener

Actually,they have letter openers for all of the knives/swords of all of the branches.

I still have the knife my dad got me for my 21st - I rarely use it, but I still see it quite often. One of my most treasured keepsakes.

I was never given a knife, but I inherited my grandfather's pocket knife. While it's too big to carry everyday, I do keep it on my dresser and use it at home fairly often. The company doesn't exist anymore, but it's very similar to a Case knife with a bone handle, tooled to look like antler. It's nice.

When I graduated college, my parents gave me a Windsor style rocking chair with the school emblem on it. I like that a lot. It's comfortable and looks good. I found the website, and they take personal orders too and will engrave anything you want on it.

For our kids 18th BD we gave them a one day tandem sky diving lesson and paid to have a video made of it during the jump. Quite memorable for all.

We went parachuting, and it was fantastic. The photos (taking from a camera mounted to the airplane's wing) hang next to a photo from our wedding. We call it the "Taking the Plunge" display. It has been years, yet I still want to jump around when I talk about parachuting. It would be a great gift if he's interested at all.

Ooooohhh, I really like the sword replica and "letter opener". I'll bet he would too.

I wanted to thank those who suggested a telescope, as well. I've bought him several over the years and while initially fascinated with them, he seems to rapidly lose interest. Same with microscope and/or chemistry things.

So...

Engraved box

or

Skydiving day

or

military-style sharp object....

Firearms make a lovely gift, and are easily engravable.

What is his or your idea of top of the line? If he's a flashaholic, he can never have enough lights. I have a few but would still love to get another very good one. :D If he already has Surefire and other very good manufactured ones out there, how about a very good custom light? How about a titanium light? :D Actually these lights are extremely expensive. I just couldn't resist responding to the topic of flashlights, hehe.

As for knives, so many pretty ones about there. Hmm....that I'm gonna ask a friend. Or you can to the the Blade forum and ask them. I know of another blade forum but forgot the name. Personally, I wouldn't mind receiving a knife either. As a side note, Asians believe it's unlucky to receive knives as gift. ;)

And as a personal opinion, I also like the skydiving idea. :D

That's also a Jewish superstition. Some people who give knives as gifts tape pennies to the box so the recipient can 'pay' for the knives.