Ho Hum...

Bored...

Not much going on these days.

Decided this morning to sell off all but 10 of my knives.  The collection is way beyond manageable at this point because I love to get them in and keep them but some will never get used because I don't get enough time in the woods any more.

That's kind of a big decision for me.  Going to be a tough stretch while making the decision as to what stays and what goes.

Thanks for stopping by,


B

Big Change

I think it's time for a new pair of pants.

All that exercise and healthy eating has done more than increased my energy, it has shrunk my waist.

After a trip to the store, it turns out I'm down TWO pants sizes. LOL!

No wonder I looked like poo when I got dressed every day. 

Lots of weight lost and plenty more where that came from.

Thanks for reading,

B

  

Swedish Army Trangia

Has the supply of these mess kits / cook sets all dried up?

I could easily find them in stainless or Aluminum once upon a time but haven't heard a word about them in well over a year.

Is anybody still using them (besides me?) Are they still available out there somewhere?

It's that time of year where I start stocking the car with supplies for the unexpected and this is one of those essential pieces of kit.

(Sick kids at home brings forward all sorts of mindless rambling...)  :)

Thanks for reading,


B

Weapon Masters

Anybody remember this show from 2007?

Thanks to Netflix, I have a hankering to make a blow pipe.

The premise of the show, originally aired on the Military Channel, is to pit a backyard engineer type against a weapons historian and his traditional tools and methods in the construction and use of primitive weapons.

So far I have watched episodes on the atlatl, blow pipe, and samurai sword. There are 10 episodes and I'll probably watch them all when I have a chance...in amongst all of my other projects. LOL!

Check them out if you get a chance. They're pretty entertaining and certainly a little motivational if you're the type that likes to get your hands dirty from time to time.

Thanks for reading,


B

Bad Attitude

Sorry for the lack of updates once again...I've been in a mood.

Every morning I sit down and think about what to write and my thoughts turn to a whole host of rants that I figure nobody really wants to hear and so I get up, grab another cup of coffee, and get started on my day away from the blog.

I often wonder, since nobody in my family appreciates those soapbox moments, if you folks ever want to know what sets me off and where I really stand on the perceived "issues" of the day.

We all have opinions and sometimes those opinions can be fairly divisive.  I've never waded into politics, religion, or money because those are the things that seem to cause the biggest, most non-productive arguments and hurt feelings and, frankly, they have no place here.

On the other hand, I could probably go on for pages and pages about the internet "experts" in all things, the rise of the YouTube gurus, and the general misinformation available out there where more often than not people have an axe to grind against some person or manufacturer and use the power of anonymity to push their agenda.

I write this blog much like I live my life.  Say what you want but be prepared to get socked in the mouth for what you say--and believe me, I've been socked in the mouth a few times.  LOL!

Anyway, the 'hawks are in and my supplies are sitting in the garage.  This weekend isn't going to see them done between the birthday parties and the 100 mile bike ride but maybe NEXT weekend...a familiar refrain right?  :)

Thanks for reading,


B

FrogLube CLP

I got a package yesterday from Backup Supply full of FrogLube CLP.  CLP stands for Clean Lube Protect and is the type of product I use for my knives, firearms, and bike drivetrains.

Everything I've heard, which isn't much really, about this stuff says it could be the latest and greatest thing for metal protection and I'm about to put it to the test.

I have a small Sebenza that I carry every day that will be getting fully cleaned today and then all the CRK grease will be replaced with the FrogLube grease.  I will also be putting it on the chain and cogs of my cyclocross bike.  This will be more like the wear and tear a firearm would see in a wartime environment because of all the dust, mud, water, grit, etc. that can get into the links of the chain and wreak havoc on shifting and chain life.

Today should be the perfect day to hit the ground running.  We've had plenty of rain that should turn the trails to a muddy, wet mess and 60 miles of that kind of riding will punish any teflon-based lube or the CLP I normally use on my drivetrain.

Being food-safe is nice since my Sebenza sees so much use peeling and cutting up fruit for the kids.  The Militec grease I use in the pivot doesn't leach out (as far as I know) but having a lube labelled
"All natural. Non-Toxic. Environmentally Green" doesn't hurt.

Plus, it smells minty.  :)

Thanks for reading,


B

Not Just Sharp

Being the father of four, I have my fair share of boxes to open, empty, and break down.  Between diapers, wipes, snacks, etc. there are always bits and pieces of cardboard floating around and I'm always looking for knife work opportunities.

This morning it was time to pull out my S35VN Spyderco Para-Military 2 for box duty and I got to thinking about what it is that makes me really like this design.  It's not just that the knife gets and stays sharp, it's precise.

I mentioned this a long time ago on the Delica 4.  Having a knife that will go where you want it and cut what you want while avoiding what you don't is a big deal.

I could've probably broken down the boxes with a machete or sharpened prybar but I could have cut up the baby wipes inside the box or managed to cut myself on the follow-through.  Instead I have a knife that moves expectedly and precisely and gets the job done quickly.

My kitchen knives are the same way.  It's not just sharpness that matters.  Precision prevents damaged food and fingers (both of which are VERY important to me.)  :)

Some of the precision surely comes from familiarity with the blades but some must also come from solid design on the part of the manufacturer because I've used knives that weren't precise or just didn't handle well for one reason or another and simply got tossed into a box, given away, or in the worst case scenario, THROWN away because I felt they were impractical and potentially dangerous.

And with that, baby nap time is over and I'm off to take care of daddy business once again...

Thanks for reading,


B