I've got the M7 bayonet and scabbard. But instead of the big K-bar fighting knife, got the smaller airman's survival knife.

When my uncle Sam USMC went to the Philippines for jungle training he brought back a handmade Bolo knife for my cousin Bill. Filipinos make them out of old truck springs and can do amazing things out of bamboo with one.

 

Sorry I know this was supposed to be about knives and I keep making it about sharpeners but... look at this thing. I've never seen anything like it. Seems like it would be pretty effective. I like how it can curve to keep the same angle all the way along the edge.

 

It is an unusual design. I wonder how effective it would be on folding knife blade profiles.

On the knife front, I got a couple of new ones that I am really enjoying, both Spydercos.

The Spyderco Kapara, which is an adaptation of a lovely design by an Australian Alistair Phillips who created it, in part, for food prep. It has an S30V blade and really nice contoured carbon fiber scales with a compression lock. It's a pleasure to use and nice to own.


The other is the Spyderco Spyopera which is a design from an Italian knife maker called "Max" and a collaboration between Spyderco and the Italian lionSTEEL based on their Opera. It's a smaller knife with a 2.88" blade in M390 and it's a backlock. The scales are canvas micarta and the pivot runs on ball bearings instead of phosphor bronze washers. The finish is really nice, with a crowned blade spine, lock, and backspacer. The liners and backspacer are titanium. It's a nice "gentleman's knife" and really pleasant to handle and use.

 

By coincidence I just purchased a knife, I have a decent folding utility knife/tool which is good but I wanted something heftier and rapidly accessible for when I'm outside for the rare but deadly encounters with dangerous beasts:

​

The blade section is approx. 7.5 inches long and its very solidly made and pretty sharp too.

The utility knife tool is fine but must be retrieved from a pocket then opened and besides is a little small for some situations.

I live on the east side of Arizona, not far from the Tonto National Forest, there are rattlesnakes and coyotes and peccaries all around in the foothills out here, I rarely seem them and doubt I'd get into a "knife fight" with any but once in a blue moon anything can happen.

Perhaps once a year or so I'll see a diamond back rattlesnake in my yard or close to my house, one can't attack a snake with a knife but once killed decapitation is very strongly advised as these animals can snap and bite even after being killed and a bite from one of these can sometimes lead to loss of a limb.

Of course it has utility too, cutting open bags, cutting rope or string or anything like that, being able to carry it on my hip so it can be grabbed rapidly is a good feeling.

 

By coincidence I just purchased a knife, I have a decent folding utility knife/tool which is good but I wanted something heftier and rapidly accessible for when I'm outside for the rare but deadly encounters with dangerous beasts:

View attachment 256920​

The blade section is approx. 7.5 inches long and its very solidly made and pretty sharp too.

The utility knife tool is fine but must be retrieved from a pocket then opened and besides is a little small for some situations.

I live on the east side of Arizona, not far from the Tonto National Forest, there are rattlesnakes and coyotes and peccaries all around in the foothills out here, I rarely seem them and doubt I'd get into a "knife fight" with any but once in a blue moon anything can happen.

Perhaps once a year or so I'll see a diamond back rattlesnake in my yard or close to my house, one can't attack a snake with a knife but once killed decapitation is very strongly advised as these animals can snap and bite even after being killed and a bite from one of these can sometimes lead to loss of a limb.

Of course it has utility too, cutting open bags, cutting rope or string or anything like that, being able to carry it on my hip so it can be grabbed rapidly is a good feeling.

Looks like a decent blade to carry across Middle Earth. Does it tell you when orcs are near? Or is that what the compass is for?

 

It is an unusual design. I wonder how effective it would be on folding knife blade profiles.

On the knife front, I got a couple of new ones that I am really enjoying, both Spydercos.

The Spyderco Kapara, which is an adaptation of a lovely design by an Australian Alistair Phillips who created it, in part, for food prep. It has an S30V blade and really nice contoured carbon fiber scales with a compression lock. It's a pleasure to use and nice to own.
View attachment 256913

The other is the Spyderco Spyopera which is a design from an Italian knife maker called "Max" and a collaboration between Spyderco and the Italian lionSTEEL based on their Opera. It's a smaller knife with a 2.88" blade in M390 and it's a backlock. The scales are canvas micarta and the pivot runs on ball bearings instead of phosphor bronze washers. The finish is really nice, with a crowned blade spine, lock, and backspacer. The liners and backspacer are titanium. It's a nice "gentleman's knife" and really pleasant to handle and use.

View attachment 256914

I may be in the market; I will check out spyderco. My Benchmade is lost again, I called it official after not finding it for a month.

 

I may be in the market; I will check out spyderco. My Benchmade is lost again, I called it official after not finding it for a month.

If you are looking for something to replace a Griptilian in the Spyderco line, the Manix 2 is a good candidate.

spyderco-manix-folders

tt uses the Spyderco ball lock which is a lot like the Benchmade Axis lock in operation and it's very solid and workmanlike.

 

Looks like a decent blade to carry across Middle Earth. Does it tell you when orcs are near? Or is that what the compass is for?

This wasn't my inspiration but could have been!

 

This wasn't my inspiration but could have been!

Hands down my favorite movie as a kid!

 

Ok I revive this thread again, but this time actually on topic, about knives instead of sharpeners.

This guy makes great videos:

P.s. my Benchmade is still missing

 

Ok I revive this thread again, but this time actually on topic, about knives instead of sharpeners.

This guy makes great videos:

P.s. my Benchmade is still missing

I saw that video. I really line Project Farm but sometimes his tests are... of dubious real world value. He works hard to make tests repeatable and measurable so the tests themselves are certainly well done but I am not sure about the value of the destructive testing he does or the choices of things to measure.

All that said, I enjoy watching his videos, and in this one he came to a good conclusion regardless of his methodology.

Sorry to hear about your missing Benchmade. I recently purchased a couple of "modern traditional" folders including the Benchmade Proper (sheepsfoot). They are more universally legal than larger, locking knives so good for travel. I also have a couple of Italian knives in M390 in the class, and one exceptional Chinese knife.

 

I saw that video. I really line Project Farm but sometimes his tests are... of dubious real world value. He works hard to make tests repeatable and measurable so the tests themselves are certainly well done but I am not sure about the value of the destructive testing he does or the choices of things to measure.

All that said, I enjoy watching his videos, and in this one he came to a good conclusion regardless of his methodology.

I've never had any dispute with methods worth remembering; I think they're generally pretty good. He misses some opportunities occasionally to test things I think are more important, but order of importance is subjective and now that I realize how long it takes to edit a video like the ones he publishes, I don't fault him for keeping it as simple as possible.

He is way more entertaining if I watch Michael Falk of the Onion News Network first.

 

I've never had any dispute with methods worth remembering; I think they're generally pretty good. He misses some opportunities occasionally to test things I think are more important, but order of importance is subjective and now that I realize how long it takes to edit a video like the ones he publishes, I don't fault him for keeping it as simple as possible.

He is way more entertaining if I watch Michael Falk of the Onion News Network first.

The kind of tests that include a hydraulic press and hardened steel items, resulting in the breaking of hand tools, is an example. I don't really need to know if my side cutters can cut through a socket extension or if they break when a force an order of magnitude greater than I could ever manage is applied to them.

There are other examples, but except for fasteners, adhesives, and the like I don't really need to know the performance of the tool beyond what makes it fit for purpose. I don't even know how to apply such data to selecting a tool.

While that sketch is potentially offensive to autistic people, it is one of my favorite Onion videos. I have an autistic son, but he acts nothing like that character. There has been a backlash against stereotypical presentations of Autism, ADHD, etc. which has been a long time coming when you consider the history of how neurodivergent people are depicted in entertainment media. It gives the uninformed the idea that everyone who deals with these conditions exhibits the symptoms they see on TV.

In any case, I don't think this one has that spirit and I do think he portrays a particular sort of person very well.

 

The kind of tests that include a hydraulic press and hardened steel items, resulting in the breaking of hand tools, is an example. I don't really need to know if my side cutters can cut through a socket extension or if they break when a force an order of magnitude greater than I could ever manage is applied to them.

There are other examples, but except for fasteners, adhesives, and the like I don't really need to know the performance of the tool beyond what makes it fit for purpose. I don't even know how to apply such data to selecting a tool.

Ok, fair enough. You probably use your tools the way they're meant to be used more frequently than I do. I can remember one video in particular where he was using an impact to spin a hardened ratchet extension inside the jaws of various "vise grip" pliers and I thought to myself "this man made this video just for me. Surely nobody else needs to know this."

While that sketch is potentially offensive to autistic people, it is one of my favorite Onion videos. I have an autistic son, but he acts nothing like that character. There has been a backlash against stereotypical presentations of Autism, ADHD, etc. which has been a long time coming when you consider the history of how neurodivergent people are depicted in entertainment media. It gives the uninformed the idea that everyone who deals with these conditions exhibits the symptoms they see on TV.

In any case, I don't think this one has that spirit and I do think he portrays a particular sort of person very well.

I think we've discussed this character before, maybe in my autism thread from a while back? Maybe not. I got a bit of de ja vu posting it and it got stronger with your reply. I'm sure there are some who could take offense, but there are some who find meaning in life by taking offense. I identify with the character to an extent and that's why I find him hilarious. And I think the Project Farm guy sounds a lot like us both.

 

The saga continues! The Benchmade has come home to me yet again. This is its most impressive reappearing act yet. Get this, I lost it in Texas and found it in South Carolina. I came out to SC a couple of days ago to commission the controls on a new packaging line and as I walked past a workbench, there she sits! I asked around about it, just how the hell it got there, someone said that the mechanic who had been here for the past month (also flew in from Houston for this installation, left the day I arrived) had lost a knife and was looking for it. Someone found it and put it on the workbench for him but he had already gone home. So either he straight up stole it from me or (more likely) I left it somewhere and he found it and claimed it, and then he lost it too, and I found it.


He completely destroyed the edge and got it covered in epoxy paint, but these things can be fixed. I'm just glad to have it back. This getting too weird...

 

If only it could talk. Then too it would tell you what you already know.

Ron

 

I carry a 3" folding blade on my keychain. I've used it countless times and it comes in handy when least expected. I could get in trouble for admitting this but I also believe a person should carry some means of self defense should the worst happen. Having it on the keychain being cumbersome is a reasonable compromise although I don't like the idea of hidden weapons..

 

The saga continues! The Benchmade has come home to me yet again. This is its most impressive reappearing act yet. Get this, I lost it in Texas and found it in South Carolina. I came out to SC a couple of days ago to commission the controls on a new packaging line and as I walked past a workbench, there she sits! I asked around about it, just how the hell it got there, someone said that the mechanic who had been here for the past month (also flew in from Houston for this installation, left the day I arrived) had lost a knife and was looking for it. Someone found it and put it on the workbench for him but he had already gone home. So either he straight up stole it from me or (more likely) I left it somewhere and he found it and claimed it, and then he lost it too, and I found it.

View attachment 262472
He completely destroyed the edge and got it covered in epoxy paint, but these things can be fixed. I'm just glad to have it back. This getting too weird...

You can send it back to Benchmade for a blade replacement, you know. They do it for cheap, you can contact them and get a price.

 

I could get in trouble for admitting this but I also believe a person should carry some means of self defense should the worst happen.

The fact that you believe (whether well founded or not) that you could get in trouble for admitting that is depressing. You absolutely should carry something for self defense (or least have the option to), and you should not need to feel fear in admitting it.

 

You can send it back to Benchmade for a blade replacement, you know. They do it for cheap, you can contact them and get a price.

You mentioned that before and I gave it some thought, but I think I will keep this blade. I'm not sure if the spell which binds it to me is in the blade or the handle ..
Seriously though, thanks for the suggestion but I'll pass. The knife, including the blade, has sentimental value. If I get to the point I want a new blade I'll just get a whole new Benchmade and put this one behind glass somewhere.