More Cool Gear...

It's a rough life, I swear it is. I mean, when you have to review gear like this:

CRKT Shinbu

Released today is Brad Thor's "Code of Conduct," in which the above short sword (really, it's too big to be considered a tanto) plays a role. Thor's Scot Harvath is a counterterrorism operative who relies on real-world gear (Thor knows his stuff!) to save the day. Thor detailed his experiences in an upcoming issue of Shooting Illustrated, and the Shinbu is one of the tools utilized.

Check out the linked article, and give "Code of Conduct" a read - you won't be disappointed!

That is all.

Make With The Stabby...

Check out the *sweet* knife I got to review over at Across The Editor's Desk:

Every once in a while, you see a piece of gear that really catches your eye. It might be a different color, it might be an innovative design or it might just strike you as a well-made piece of kit.

The Vulture Equipment Works Cholera fixed-blade knife is definitely in the latter category. Featuring a serious 3/16-inch thick blade 5.5 inches long and an overall length of 10 inches, the Cholera—named for the disease that lives in the stomach of a vulture, of course—is ready for pretty much any task you might ask. Whether skinning a game animal or whittling a spear, the Cholera is more than up to the task. 

Forget Rambo. This is the real deal in survival knives, folks. This thing is sharp as all get out, really sturdy, comes with a sheath and fire-starter, and is just generally a badass chunky of stabby. It feels good in the hands, it has a great balance; this is just an excellent overall knife.

All this and it's made in the USA, too - this is the real deal, folks.

That is all.

In Defense of the Stabby

The bayonet still has its place...

A Bayonet Charge Saved A Whole Lot Of Lives During The Iraq War

Brian Wood was just a young lance corporal at the time when he dismounted his thin-skinned vehicle amid withering enemy fire, and followed his commander's order to fix bayonets.

The order came from from Sgt. Dave Falconer, reports The Sun and BBC, who later said he was proud of the actions from his men that day.

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, in his book "On Killing," references the innate human reluctance to kill one's own species. It's an inherently useful feature, useful in that it allows us to continue to exist while advancing as a species. Rather than constantly looking over our shoulders for the next attack (which we should kinda be doing anyways), we have sufficient failsafes such that we can do more than simply survive.

The psychological effect of watching determined men, armed with essentially sharp sticks, rushing your position while you rake them with machine gun fire, has *got* to be significant. In a battle such as the "war" on terror we are currently fighting, our enemy thinks us, by and large, to be weak, ineffective creatures.

I think these men and their bayonets might have changed some hearts and minds with that charge.

That is all.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

With A Little Help From My Friends...

So, last night we had a little get-together to celebrate my last week as a full-blown MAhole. Mr. and Mrs. SCI-FI, Doubletrouble and Mrs. Doubletrouble, Major Caudill Marko, The Senator, Wally and A., and LWJ all came out to see me off (I'm not sure if they were wishing well or just making sure I actually left...). TheBoy came along, partly out of curiosity, partly because he saw a chance to get a meal out...

As is always the case with blogger dinners, I didn't have nearly enough time to talk to everyone and the evening ended far too quickly. Part of it was because we had to pull things together quickly; another part was that it was mid-week, so a good number of folks that would have come simply couldn't get the time out. There was still a good crowd, and I still didn't have enough time to talk to everyone.

Before the night was over, though, I had gifts bestowed upon me:

The box I was told by Wally that I was not allowed to open until I got to VA. Okay then! The SOG spear was from Marko - man, does he know me! It can be used as a stand-alone knife or attached to a stick or broom handle. I like that. The pen is from A. - it's a handmade bolt-action pen (really!) with a bullet for a tip. LOVE IT. And the "gun" is a USB drive, courtesy of my sister-in-law (who was not at the dinner, but I wanted to give a shout-out for the cool gift anyways.

Thanks to everyone for coming out, and for the awesome schwag!

That is all.

A Hint Where I Was Last Friday...

This was just one of the cool things I saw on Friday:

I don't know why, but this exhibit just spoke to me. No idea why... Well, maybe just a little...

I think it's a shame that the bayonet has fallen out of style. I understand it, in the same vein as mounted cavalry of course; this is a tactic whose time has passed, supplanted by newer and more exotic technology that has rendered it moot. I'm sure the knights in their armor felt the same way watching the first cannon being wheeled onto the battle field. While their swords served their purpose, they were no longer the main weapon of choice.

I've always wondered about the clash of technologies. Being used to hand-to-hand combat and suddenly being felled by an arrow. Rifles using metallic cartridges being used to devastating effect against muskets that could at best be fired three times a minute on the battlefield. The first soldiers to come up against a Predator drone.

Science fiction is replete with energy weapons: lasers, phasers, light sabers, etc. From the elusive rail gun that utilizes electromagnetic repulsion to launch projectiles at incredible velocities to the fanciful proton torpedoes of Star Trek, we're always thinking of new ways to kill more of us faster and further away. The time may very well come when we look at firearms in much the same way as we look at bayonets now - still dangerous, of course, but from a different time.

Personally, I want my disruptor now...

That is all.

You Can Bring a Knife to a Gunfight!

You can if it's this knife!

Hmmm. That looks like it's more than it seems...

Wait. Since when do knives come in calibers?

When they've got a .22 Short revolver hidden in the handle! Now, .22 Short isn't exactly my first choice for a defensive caliber, but it does beat harsh language...

The trigger drops down for firing:

And the barrel is located over the blade:

Obviously, it's considered an AOW (Any Other Weapon) as it's not "gun shaped", but it is a fully functional revolver. It's double action only, with each squeeze of the trigger firing the gun and turning the cylinder. It was built for the latest Die Hard movie - which I haven't seen yet - and I was asked by the folks at Arsenal Arms to wait until the movie came out to say anything.

Naturally, I forgot, and this past weekend I was at the local warehouse store and saw Die Hardest (or whatever the heck the FIFTH DieHard movie is called) for sale. It reminded me that I have this wicked cool knife/gun to show. It was pretty funny, because the gentleman at Arsenal knew from my blog that I was the big bayonet guy, so when he saw me at SHOT Show he could barely contain himself. "You have GOT to see what we have here!" and then rolled out this wonderful contraption.

Special thanks to Arsenal Arms for giving me the opportunity to investigate this unique firearm.

That is all.

Fixed-Blade Extravaganza!

Friend and former blogger Roadkill sends in today's stabby goodness:

Now that is a nice lookin' collection!

Here's the rundown from Roadkill:

From left to right, then top to bottom, then left to right again. Ontario SP-43, Cold Steel Shanghai Shadow, Bad Blood Spartan, Kabar/Becker BK-17, Benchmade 151 Fixed Griptilian, Kershaw Fixed Skyline, Cold Steel Mini-tac Tanto, Meyerco Wharning, Boker Trench Knife, Kershaw Boot Knife

I've got a larger fixed blade collection, but Roadkill kicks the s**t out of me in quality. I've got a couple of nice Ka-Bars, and the rest are $15 specials picked up here and there. Roadkill obviously believes in quality over quantity, and as I get older (and theoretically wiser) I agree with him more and more.

That collection is awesome,  Roadkill, and thanks for sharing!

That is all.

I Think I Need One Of These...

Mrs. Doubletrouble sent this in. I want one:

(picture from Amazon listing here)

Man. I get knives shaped like guns, guns with knives on 'em, axes with guns built into 'em... I love this job!

That is all.

MArooned Guest Review: Kershaw Skyline Fixed-Blade

A guest-post reviewing a fixed-blade from Kershaw from VC correspondent Roadkill. Enjoy!

A few years ago, before I really got the knife bug, I picked up a Kershaw Skyline folding knife up at Walmart.(http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Skyline-Knife-Textured-Handle/dp/B001CZBDF8) It was good knife and became my EDC blade for the better part of a year.  When I discovered that Kershaw had made a fixed blade version, I had to snap one up.

The steel used is Sandvik 14C28 stainless. This is a Swedish steel that I found preformed well in the original Skyline.  It can be sharpened to shaving sharpness, maintains its edge well, resharpens wells, and has a solid corrosion resistance.  It comparable to the common mid-range knife steels like 440C or AUS8A if not better. Like most stainless steels the strength is good within reasonable usage.  Translation: It is steel for a knife not a sharp prybar. This type of stainless is not meant for batoning or chipping through concrete. Be mindful of that and it will last a very long time.

The 3.25 inch blade is known as a modified spear-point.  A classic spear-point is a drop point where both sides curve at the same angle to meet in the center of the blade.  The point position actually improves accuracy in the point.  Classic spear-points are often double edged or at least have a false edge on the spine.  The center of the blade is where the belly begins for both sides.  Unless the blade is very thin or very broad, the shallow belly reduces cutting ability.  In a modified spear point the curves at still at the same angle, but the grind starts above the center line and gives the blade a deep belly and greatly improved cutting and slicing ability.

The cutting ability of the Skyline does not disappoint.  In this it is much like the original. The deadly sharp blade functioned well in normal EDC tasks. It cut tape, cardboard, paper, and plastics easily.  In the kitchen, this little fixed blade really shone. I hold that if a potential defensive knife can’t make the grade there, it won’t work well for emergency goblin cleaving.  The knife spent several days making dinner. Medium sized onions and even stocks of green onion proved to be no problem. Despite the short blade length, the Skyline worked surprisingly well against the highly dense sweet potato and ordinary russet potato. I even cut up a head of lettuce into fourths and neatly shredded part for chicken tacos.  In cutting meat, it zipped through both raw sirloin and turkey cutlets with a frightening ease.  Do not doubt that it can’t do the same to a living thing.

The grip of the Skyline shares the same shape and materials as the folding version.  The grips are G-10 and have a good roughness to them and stay grippy even when wet or slimy. I do think they could stand to be flush with the knife tang, but I can’t say that it is necessary.  A nice choil provides an excellent purchase.  Good choils are a personal preference for me on a defensive blade. In well made sheaths they aid in drawing and during use they keep the knife in your hand.  The useless thumbstuds, the sub-par pocket clip, and the lack of jimping kept the folding Skyline from standing next to the Benchmade Griptilian and Spyderco Delica as one of the world’s best EDC knives.  Being a fixed blade knife, the newer Skyline automatically looses two of those minor faults. However, the lack of jimping remains. As much as I’d prefer to have the jimping it never really becomes a problem.  It is still nicely controllable and easy to use with out them.

The first rule of EDC fixed blade knives is to expect to have to buy a custom or third market sheath. As a result I rarely consider a predictably crummy factory sheath to be that much of detraction.  However, the Skyline’s simple right handed leather sheath goes beyond crummy and treads upon dangerous.  The deep pocket design catches the knife’s guard.  The effort to remove the knife could easily cause you to cut yourself or someone else.  To illustrate, I was able to suspend an unloaded 3 inch Ruger GP-100 from the knife’s lanyard hole without any danger of it pulling the blade free.  Given the tactical feel of the original, I believe that this design would be better served by ambidextrous Kydex sheath that leaves the choil exposed to aid the draw.

In spite of the sheath, the fixed Skyline is an excellent and inexpensive EDC fixed blade. I have no complaints about this excellent knife’s performance.  It does everything that EDC or defensive knife should do.  Yet, I cannot consider this another job well done by Kershaw.  Not when they’ve done everything they can to make this knife die unknown and unloved.

The folding version of the Skyline ended up with respectable following.  Searching for “Skyline Knife” on Youtube alone will turn up many reviews.  The original was sold by Walmart and various other big box stores in addition to online smaller on and offline stores.  The public was well exposed to the folder and sales have kept it in production for years now.  A fixed version could expected to capitalize on this popularity. However, new fixed Skyline isn’t new at all. It has been out for a few years already and recently was discontinued.  As a Cabela exclusive, this knife has not received any attention save a few mentions on old knife forum posts.  No professional reviews, no advertisements, and even Kershaw’s own website contains trace of the fixed Skyline.  I would still not know about the fixed Skyline if not for BladeHQ having bought a bunch of them at closeout prices.  It is an ignoble end for a very good knife.  Visit Cabelas and BladeHQ to snag one of these before they’re gone for good.  The Skyline is on BladeHQ’s Black Friday/ Cyber Monday sale for a mere $18.99 in both black G-10 version. They may be all gone before this post is made.  (http://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Skyline-Knife-Black-Fixed--14126)

Special thanks to the early hominids that figured out that sharp rocks were useful and to JayG for abusing his readers with this review.-Roadkill

Thanks for the review, Roadkill! 

That is all.

Look What Followed Me Home From Colorado...

I have two new friends that followed me home from the Centennial State:

It's Stabby and Blindy! The knife is a KA-BAR Tanto, an 8" fixed-blade fighting knife with a nylon sheath. The light is a Crimson Trace CMR-202 rail-mounted light - the first universal fit weapon light introduced by Crimson Trace. Both items were part of the 2012 Kilted to Kick Cancer prize packages available to the top three fundraisers in the challenge as well as numerous other equally awesome gift certificates and firearms.

The prizes were distributed in Colorado, as the top three fundraisers as well as the KTKC organizer happened to be attending the same event. Ambulance Driver distributed the KA-BAR and gift certificates; I had the CMR-202 lights; everyone went home with some really cool schwag! We were standing around the fire pit commenting on how interesting it was for us all to be in one place so close to the close of the contest, and I think Michael and Stingray are going to give me a real run for the money next year.

Of course, I have a whole year to plan and see what I can do to top this year's awesome prize list...

That is all.

The Right Tool For the Job...

Every tool has its place in the toolbox. Like this:

Cold Steel FGX Boot Blade II, from their Nightshade series. It's a lightweight (~1 oz.), fiberglass-backed plastic knife that I picked up through Amazon (to score their free SuperSaver shipping, of course). The concept is appealing - a lightweight, nearly indestructible last-ditch tool that can be hidden anywhere, and will resist pretty much everything that it's likely to face. Tucked into the back pocket of swim trunks, here's a blade that can spend the day at the beach and not rust, grind shut from sand, or cost a lot to replace if it falls out...

And with an MSRP of $13 (significantly less at Amazon!), there's no reason not to have a half-dozen of these little beauties "just in case"...

That is all.s

It's All About Perspective...

Weapon.

Weapon and tool.

Isn't that funny, that the plebeian kitchen knife is larger (and in this case, sharper), than the oh-so-scary (and illegal to carry in many localities) bowie knife? One is viewed as a weapon; the other a simple tool of the chef. One causes uncontrollable PSH and calls for regulation, laws, and bans; the other causes folks to place their sushi order.

Both can stab, both can slash, both are more than capable of causing deadly wounds. Yet only one is cause for concern - when was the last time a news report of a domestic incident reported, in hushed tones,  that a chef's knife was found in the residence? Yet the "weapon" in this post has been owned for more than 20 years and never harmed a single person - yet kitchen knives wound and kill people every single day.

Why, it's almost like the tool is irrelevant, isn't it?

That is all.

New Stabby!

I really need to stay away from Amazon, I really do. Otherwise I'll keep buying any shiny that I come across, like this:

It's my first Boker; this is the Boker Plus Credit Card knife. What sold me was how thin this knife is:

Yeah, it's that thin...

It's a little stubborn to open one-handed; a little oil should clear that right up. It's the size that's really impressive - closed, this knife is 2.75" by 1 3/8", and with the clip attached is only 8mm thick. It's so small that I inadvertently left it clipped to my jeans and sent it through the washing machine without noticing (the clunking in the dryer gave it away)! With the finger grooves it offers a decent purchase for such a small knife, and it fits anywhere.

The Boker Plus CC knife has been added to the daily rotation.

That is all.

Another MArooned First!

I try my hand at video blogging...



It has always struck me as the height of insanity that my MA LTC allows me to carry pretty much any handgun that I want, yet I cannot carry a knife with a 3" blade that has a little spring inside it to help the blade deploy. Ditto a knife with a double-edge, a balisong, or a gravity knife. This isn't limited to MA, either - there are many states where assisted openers or other types of knives are illegal, yet CCW permits are issued. Some states have it right and cover everything under the CCW - concealed carry weapon being the operative word. Others, like New Hampshire, have removed all prohibitions on knives so they can be carried regardless.

In any case, it's blatantly obvious that - like most of our gun laws - the prohibition on assisted openers or even switchblades is a complete farce. The Crown opens just as fast as the assisted Drone, and I'd wager that even a fully automatic knife wouldn't deploy much more than a tenth of a second faster - certainly the difference would be too fast for the human eye to resolve. There is, quite simply, no reason rooted in physics as to why an assisted or automatic knife would be more dangerous than one with a manual opening...

Then again, who ever said that those who make our laws know a damn thing about the subject they're attempting to legislate against?


That is all.

The Untimely Demise of Little Bunny Fufu...

Heh. Barron pointed me to his recap of an event at Boomershoot for some cruelty to (stuffed) animals. He asked me if I could pick out which picture was staged for my benefit, which makes me smile. Folks most of the country away are mounting assaults on children's playthings with bayonets. Sarah Brady is inconsolable. He also sent a couple extra unpublished photos:

Poised to strike!

Coup de grace!

It does my heart good to see those stuffed animals get what's coming to them...

That is all.

NRA Convention? NKA!

There weren't just guns at the NRA convention - oh no! There were all sorts of sharp and pointy things there as well! Here are just a few of the neat stabbies that I encountered last week at the NRA convention:

 Here are just a few of the drop-dead gorgeous knives from the good folks at Blind Horse Knives. Blind Horse makes beautiful knives that are functional - or is it functional knives that are beautiful? Either way, they're a treat to behold and look like they'd hold up to years of use.

---

Here's a Black Label Tactical Shock & Awe Tomahawk from, of all companies, Browning. It's nice to see companies with more staid reputations branching out into the "tactical" arena - it means we're making inroads even with Fudd and Fudd-like companies...

I really liked this one:

This is the Black Label Tactical Boot Dagger. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for boot daggers (and Bowie knives) - I think it's the clean, simple lines that mean business.

---

And, of course, there simply must be a trip to the Cold Steel pavilion.

Yes, Cold Steel now makes kitchen knives. Wouldn't that be the neat little ice-breaker at a cocktail party? You'd know immediately who the geardos and knife-lovers were...

And there was this:

It's a Kopis Machete, new for 2012. Note to the guys at Cold Steel: If you need someone to test out this new machete, I've got a back yard full of brush that could use chopping and would be happy to give it a helluva workout...

---

And lastly, no trip to the NRA convention would be complete without picking up a few of the inexpensive offerings from Ka-Bar:

---

I think that about wraps up the picture sets from the 141st NRA Annual Meeting...

That is all.

Imagine Me 500 Years Ago...

I would have had something like this:

Axe bayonet!

(image taken from here)

A certain quasi-retired World's Most Dangerous Librarian sent this in for consideration. Apparently I am years before my time. 500, seems like it - this apparently dates back to the 16th century. So 500 years before I attached a bayonet to a snubbie, some medieval version of me was sticking an axe on a matchlock.

Truly I have found my ancestors...

That is all.

Yes, Even More Stabby!

I have been assimilated. No, not into the clan of the treefruit; that was years ago. I participated in my first Woot-off, because they had this up for grabs:

In the wrapper

Here's what it looks like in the wild:

Close-up

Kershaw Drone assisted opening knife. This is my third assisted opening Kershaw, joining the Blur and the Leek, and the fifth overall (Barrage and Crown are the two non-assisted models). I'm a huge fan of Kershaw knives in general, finding them to be an excellent value and pretty darn good knives to boot. I don't think I've paid more than $30 for any of the Kershaws I own, and the last two have been under $20. Yes, the lower end knives are made in China, but they're great for having available to loan out or just have on you when you may need to divest.

The Drone has polymer (okay, they're plastic) scales with a diamond plate texture. Like the Leek, the assisted opening uses either the thumbstud or the bottom of the blade which protrudes out the rear of the handle (Kershaw's "Flipper" feature). It's a fast, easy opener, very simple to deploy with a single hand - and the clip can be attached to either side, so it's completely ambidextrous.

Welcome the Drone to the lineup!

That is all.

Black Knife...

After the rousing success of last year's Kilted to Kick Cancer fundraiser, I vowed that I would try even harder this year to avoid another ignominious defeat at the hands legs of Ambulance Driver. I've started making plans for this year's fundraiser, part of which including me picking up my own kilt before the start of this year's contest. Well, my #1 blogdaughter had asked me how the planning was going, and when I laid out my plans, she decided she was going to help me out.

A while later, she contacted me and asked if I'd ordered my kilt yet. When I replied in the negative, she asked me to hold off a bit, particularly on the accessories. And then this showed up in the mail:

Sgian Dubh

This is another custom knife from Michael W., the generous knifemaker responsible for the most gorgeous Bowie knife I've ever seen. He heard I was getting kitted out for the second round of KTKC, and was horrified that I might be considering one of the el cheapo plastic-sheathed sgian dubhs. He conspired with my blogdaughter (oh the subterfuge!) and it arrived on Saturday - now I can go ahead and order the rest of my kit.

And it's even single-edged so I can carry it in MA!

That is all.

This Is SO Me It Hurts...

One of the first things I came across when I walked into SHOT was this:

Zombie Saw!

The guy who was handling this was a little perplexed at my reaction to this (I think I laughed just a little too loud at the zombie chainsaw) - until I showed him my blog business card with the Snub-a-rooney.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, it really works:



Truly, I have found my people, and their song involves chain oil...

That is all.