Happy New Year?

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and hopefully a safe one.



Just a comment or two on my previous post on Entitlement Mindset. Look at the picture and ask yourself, how did we get here? Young people rioting, looting, pillaging, throwing firebombs. Not for a righteous cause or liberty. It is, after all, their liberty that allows them to do this and not be shot and killed. Look at the police geared up like storm troopers ready to bash in heads, hidden aggression and violence, masked behind armor and face shields. Is this the way we really want our lives to be? Any of us? How have we degenerated to this? How do we reverse this trend, how do we back down the angst and hatred? This is what we need to concern ourselves with in the coming year lest we devolve into anarchy, and serfdom. Let us all pray for an end to this insanity and for lasting peace.

Just Die Quickly?

Remember Congressman Grayson's description of Republican health care? Well maybe he had it all wrong. Merry Christmas from the Obamanation. Just when you thought it was safe to grow old or get sick, along comes the 2011 Obama death panels. Behind everyone's backs the president (aka the annointed one, the exhalted Sureme ruler) has reinstated (by use of Presidential Rule, bypassing the congress) the end of life counselling on an annual basis, paid for by tax-payers money. This was thrown out of the official Obamacare plan by congress. I wonder what other good news the new year will bring? Once Obama's FCC Czar takes control of the internet and the News media you will never hear when these type of benevolent Presidential Rules are instituted.

Merry Christmas

As we approach this most holy day may we remember the sacrifice of the Son of Peace and His message. I don't care what you call Him, or what faith you follow or your creed. This is a time to extend a hand of peace and friendship, not the mailed hand of violence and hate. Give peace a chance, try giving love instead of hate, violence and murder. May God bless you and keep you and your family safe throughout the coming year.

Entitlement Mindset

Remember the old time Christmas tree lights, where if one bulb burned out they all went out, keep that thought in mind. Growing up around a bunch of western NY Scots Highlanders I developed a different perspective on life. Those bonds of clanship remain strong today. Your familial clan is important but even more important than birthright is what you have done with your life and how you live it. Arrogance is looked down upon, but pride is considered a positive and valuable trait. Pride in your lineage, pride in your work, and blended with a certain amount of humility, pride in who you are. Now this has little or nothing to do with what you might own or how much wealth you have accumulated. In fact, you are more respected for what you have built than what you have bought. Amongst our people virtues come mostly from sweat and tired muscles, not bundles of cash or government handouts. The movie “Rob Roy” with Liam Neeson will give you some sense of what I mean.

It is with a great sense of relief that I saw the one trillion dollar plus omnibus bill go down in flames. I think if the budget isn’t passed then the congressional paychecks ought to just stop. If they load the bill up with pork again I think we need to have a referendum and remove from office every person whose name is attached to an ear-mark. Yes I know that is cold hearted, and people will be dying in the streets for lack of medical care and food. We all know that’s liberal left wing BS. When was the last time you heard of anyone in this country being denied life saving services? Do you know that a high percentage of the people sleeping on the streets are armed forces veterans whose service a nation has forgotten while catering to the never employed?

This is the season to be charitable but I want you to think for a moment about the difference between charity and entitlement. Someone asked me, “Don’t you get money from HEAP to help pay your heating bills?” They were dumbfounded that I had not applied for it. When for most of your life you receive assistance to pay for your food, heat, housing, free cell phones, medical assistance, unemployment, welfare, or disability payments, I suppose it is hard to understand the concept of working for everything you have. I am not opposed to giving a helping hand, God only knows how many charities my wife sends donations to. I am OK with that, except, when it turns into a way of life, and the recipients forget to be thankful and instead begin to demand what is “rightfully theirs.”

Call me Ebeneezer if you will, but when there are three people on the government payroll or welfare dole for every single working person, it is like a pack of wolves shredding a lone sheep. In the end the sheep is dead and there is not enough meat to feed all of the wolves. And that my friends, is how the lights flicker and slowly go out, in a dying civilization. The light in Greece is going out, the light in Ireland, Portugal, and Britain is flickering.

A Snub-nose and a Snake

For a good back up nothing beats a small snub-nosed revolver. I know that small semi-autos are very popular right now but I prefer the reliability of a revolver. Too often small equates to cheap when it comes to semi-autos. A lot of guys will spend a princely sum on their main gun but go cheap on a back-up. Well if your back-up fails to feed or stove-pipes a round what good is it? This early Smith and Wesson Model 36 only holds five rounds of 38 special but that is a lot more wallop than a .380 or a .25 ACP automatic. Having only a 1.5 inch barrel and small fixed sights does not prevent this handgun from being sufficiently accurate out to 10 yards, even in my hands. If you are down to your back-up, things are happening at close range, or your primary weapon is down for some reason. For commonality of ammo, this gun can be paired with any of my 357 magnums since they can shoot .38 special in place of .357 magnum rounds. If you pack any of the popular 9mm, then your primary weapon does not have a lot more muzzle energy than your back up, and maybe less than this snub nose.

The knife would be a good one to take to a gun fight. It is an early Blackjack Mamba modified by Wayne Goddard in an attempt to streamline the original Mike Stewart design. I rather like this version, it being sleeker and more sinuous than the hard lines found on the original recipe. I thought these two looked good together, sharing similar textures. The S&W is wearing its new Hogue grips, that I wrote about a few blogs ago. The Mamba is decked out in its original kraton with snake scale texture. The handle scales are held in place by six screws. The original versions had glued on scales that quickly fell off. This caused no end of grief for Blackjack knives and the terrible publicity nearly destroyed the company. The simple addition of the screws quickly fixed the problem but the design was so maligned as to never recover its popularity. I always felt Blackjack was dealt with unfairly by the staff of Fighting Knives magazine. So enjoy this Chief’s Special and Mamba. Like the old song about John Henry the coal miner; “One fist of iron, the other of steel, If the right one don’t get you then the left one will.”

TAX BS

The senate and congress cannot figure out how to compromise on tax cuts so Obama appoints who else but a tax CHEAT, Geitner to help sort it out. Maybe if we all paid our taxes when it was convenient like Geitner or Rangle then it would solve the problem. Only a liberal could view reduced taxes as "giving money to the wealthy." This is like a crook saying, by not robbing you I have gifted you. Seriously, and how can obama say that maintaining the taxes as they are is costing the american people Trillions? His spending is costing us trillions, not maintaining the taxes status quo. We all have to live within our budget and so should the govt. Maybe if he parked airforce one for a few weeks and stayed at home where he belongs, he could reduce the debt! I hope the republicans stand their ground and do not give in. When ever was it right to give some Americans tax breaks and not others, this is nothing less than class warfare.

Fox Knives Panga XL

Panga XL:

After a very long wait, I finally received my Fox Panga XL. I am not a patient man by any means, but it was worth the wait. Now if I had been shipping out to Borneo or Haiti and I had to wait over two months for a commercially made knife I would be less enthused. Hopefully they will be shipping on a more regular basis henceforth. First impressions are very important, or that’s what my mother said when I went on my first date. Well it wasn’t exactly a date, but anyway, first impressions are important. Out of the box the Panga seemed a bit too light. I had expected something more like my native-made Barong, which in today’s economy probably isn’t going to happen. Does a Panga need to have a blade as hefty as my 3/8 inch thick Barong? Maybe not, it depends on how much chopping you are going to do and how heavy the undergrowth is. Still the overall blade shape and size is very nice and could be easily packed on the side of a backpack.

Some extra meat in the blade would have been handy for splitting firewood or batoning it through if necessary. It’s all a trade-off. The lighter machete-weight blade will make it a formidable, fast handling, fighting blade. I was disappointed that the handle material is a hard plastic, not the nice material Fox Knives used on the Kukri. Also the screw holes in the handle slabs have sharp little burrs around them that will need sanded off to prevent raising blisters. Not a BIG deal, and I would suggest wearing gloves for any serious chopping anyway.

The sheath is similar to the one that came with the Kukri, made of Cordura and other miscellaneous synthetic materials. Not bad, but if I were going off to a third world country somewhere I’d have a kydex replacement made for it. Unfortunately since it took so long to get here I will most likely not be using this Panga XL for camping chores until next Spring. I am getting too soft for Winter camping.

Dimensions: OAL 17 inches
Blade length: 10.5 inches
Blade Width:2.25 inches widest part
Blade thickness: just over 1/8 inch

Limited Time Sale

We are going to be closing out the store portion on our White Shadow website to focus more on training and EP work. If you see something there you want, contact me ASAP for our best price at ghdave2@hotmail.com with a good description of the item. Here are a few good examples of the quality product offerings.

Hogue Service

Occasionally you find a product and a company that provide both quality service and products. If you are really lucky it will even be an American Company selling American made products. Recently I bought a new replacement grip for my S&W snub-nosed revolver from a seller on Ebay™. I installed it and then threw out the packaging and paperwork. About a week later I noticed a small split forming in the rubber halfway down the backstrap. Within a couple days this split had grown to over an inch. I emailed the manufacturer and asked if they would replace it. Realizing that I had not bought it directly from them or a distributor I was just hoping they’d take pity on me. Several emails went unanswered and when I had all but given up I got a response. Seems my emails were going to the wrong person. The person who contacted me confirmed the style I needed and said it would ship the following day. Within three days it was at my house. No charge, no questions asked. I have Hogue™ grips on my S&W 686 Combat Magnum, Bushmaster M-4, and Kimber Stainless II. Hogue™ has always been my grip of choice and now I have more reason than ever to stick with them. My next purchase will be a replacement grip for my Colt Python. Great products and great service, a winning combination from Hogue™. http://www.getgrip.com/

Like a Woman Buying Shoes

Although I said I would talk about semi-auto pistols next, I decided instead to talk about holsters. For someone intending to actually carry a pistol, concealed or otherwise, finding the right holster is akin to finding the Holy Grail or a woman finding the perfect pair of shoes. In this near-communist state of New York I am lucky to have a CCW, a concealed carry pistol permit. That means not only can I carry it concealed, I MUST carry it concealed. Twenty miles to the south, in Pennsylvania you can carry openly. Such are the foibles of firearms laws in America.

Six months out of the year it is easy to carry concealed because of the rotten weather which requires wearing outer garments for warmth. Summertime it’s a different story. So, the cowboy style holster you bought, the one that jauntily dangles from your belt, will work in winter or afield hunting, but it will not work once the spring and summer seasons return. What are some of our CCW options during the briefly warm part of the year?

Shoulder Holster: This Don Johnson style of carry is excellent for a large, heavy pistol but it won’t work unless you constantly wear a jacket or shirt over it. The shoulder straps are hard to hide under thinner clothing and uncomfortable in hot weather. The other disadvantage to a shoulder holster, anytime of year, is it requires a very telegraphic cross-draw. Because of their complexity they are also usually the most expensive holster.

Hi-ride: There are two basic styles of hi-ride holsters, those that hang from your belt on a loop, and the pancake style. The first type tends to lean outwards with anything but the lightest of pistols. This causes the butt of the pistol to “print” and give away your secret. I prefer the pancake style which is in fact one of my top choices. This style pulls the holster in flatter against your body reducing printing. Quite often pancake style have three belt slots which allows you to have the pistol ride upright or with a forward slant, sometimes referred to as the FBI cant. The cant is especially helpful drawing longer barreled handguns. I like the El Paso Saddlery Crossfire™.

IWB Inside the Waist band: IWB is one of the better systems for concealed carry since the lower portion of the holster is hidden inside your pants or skirt. Thus a short upper garment covers the handgun much easier. I really like an IWB setup, the Galco Summer Comfort™ in particular. Depending on your build you may find this method presses the butt of the gun into your ribs. Also, you may have to buy garments with a larger waist size to accommodate the bulk of the holster. In summer you will still want a layer of clothing between you and the holster to reduce sweating and galling.

SOB, Small Of the Back: I use one of these (or the IWB) if I am riding in a car a lot. Instead of placing it six o-clock, at the small of my back, I slide it around to a four o-clock position with the butt facing forward and upside down. This does not give me the full advantage for concealment but it places my handgun parallel to my waist, keeping the muzzle out of the seat and the butt out of my ribs. While this position is very comfortable it does not encourage the most correct method of drawing.

Ankle Holster: Last ditch, used for a secondary, backup weapon or deep cover. Obviously this arrangement is not easily accessed without drawing a lot of attention and it requires long, loose fitting, pants legs. Finding a well designed and comfortable ankle holster may be difficult.

Ladies also have the option of carrying in their purse, but access is very slow and if your purse gets snatched, guess what else goes along with it. No matter which method of carry you choose you can be assured that your first holster will not be the best choice and, like me, you will end up with a box full of holsters. Always buy from a reputable company and make sure the mouth of the holster is reinforced so it will not collapse like a soggy taco. This makes it impossible to re-holster your pistol one handed. Ultimately there are no cheap holsters, only good ones or bad ones. Good luck!

Guns For a Change

I was recently asked what I would recommend for someone buying their first pistol. I am not a firearms expert, just an aficionado. Since Guns and blades go together well I thought I’d post my suggestions for those of you who might also be thinking about buying your first handgun. Ultimately a lot really depends on your hand size and what feels comfortable. The other major qualifier is what do you want the gun for, self defense or target shooting. Either way, a revolver is often the best choice (rather than a semi-auto) for beginners. For inexperienced shooters I think they are easier/safer to operate. I know a lot of people will probably gnash their teeth over that comment, oh well. So lets look at revolvers first and then next time I’ll talk about Semi-autos. Handguns come in a bewildering array of sizes, calibers, and finishes. It might be best to start with a brief description of the parts. This photo should make easy work of that.

Frame Size: A small frame pistol is easier to conceal in a purse and fits smaller hands but there are two trade-offs. One, the felt recoil is worse (which sometimes makes people flinch when they shoot them). Two, the shorter barrels found on most small frame guns seriously reduce accuracy anywhere beyond 7-10 yards. The second issue is not as important if the pistol is simply going to be used in the home or carried for self-defense. Mid-size pistols generally provide better accuracy for target shooting and their extra weight reduces felt recoil. In revolvers I prefer a mid-size frame. Thos photos shows three different frame sizes.

Caliber: My first choice of calibers is 357 magnum. My reason for choosing a 357 magnum is that I can shoot cheaper, lower recoil, 38 special ammo if I want to. Or I can shoot 357 magnum ammo, in the same gun, for more power. A pistol made for 38 special is limited to shooting 38 special ammo only. I would recommend staying away from 22, 25, and 380 calibers (most of these are only available in semi-auto pistols anyway.) There are some promising new calibers like 327 magnum but one big advantage to shooting 38 specials is the ammo is available in pretty much every gun shop, Walmart etc. across the nation.

Barrel Length: Barrel length is a very personal thing. Longer barrels are not necessarily more accurate, it is just easier to shoot them accurately. The further apart the front and rear sights are the greater the “sight radius.” This means that small movements of the barrel are more easily detected and therefore you can see when you are moving the barrel too much. Longer barrels will give higher velocity than short ones because the powder has more time to burn and build pressure in the barrel.
Self Defense In-close: Even a 1 ½ inch snub nosed barrel will work where the range is 5-7 yards or less. These are often referred to as “belly guns” or back-up guns.
Self Defense Street-Carry: For street, concealed-carry, I recommend barrels of four inch length. They provide the best compromise of easy carry, concealment, and accuracy.
Self Defense, Target, or Competition Shooting: Once you go past a five inch barrel, concealed carry is difficult for most people. Longer barrels are good for target shooting and hunting. Anything with a barrel over 6 inches is probably going to require a shoulder harness to carry it or sit with it (as in a car).

Makes: In my opinion, Smith & Wesson is the best name in revolvers, with Colt a very close second. Ruger is also tops, and Taurus is cheaper but reliable. Prices are according to this list with S&W most expensive and on down to Taurus. By the way, there is nothing wrong with buying a good used gun, especially from a reputable dealer.

Double Action: A double action pistol operates by pulling the trigger cocking the hammer and then dropping it all in one motion, shooting the gun. Most Double action guns can be fired single action too.

Single Action: You must cock the hammer manually for each shot, then pulling the trigger drops the hammer, shooting the gun. This is obviously slower. Old West style pistols were mostly single action.

Hammer guns: Most revolvers have an external hammer like the ones in the photo.

Hammerless guns: Some revolvers and semi-autos are hammer-less, using an internal or shrouded hammer or a striker. Hammerless guns are safer if you are going to carry it in a purse or a pocket where the hammer spur could accidentally snag on something cocking it. They are usually only made in the smaller "Pocket Pistol" models.

Grips: The choice of grips is very personal. Some people like checkered walnut or rosewood. Some like textured plastics, G-10, or Micarta. Pachmyer is an old name in aftermarket grips, using a hard rubber type material. Personally if I am going to shoot it a lot, or rely on it for self defense, I prefer grips by Hogue. They are extremely ergonomic, for comfort, and made from a tacky material for excellent grip retention. One other option is Crimson Trace grips which have a red laser sight installed.

Finishes: Some people like the traditional look of blued steel. It is very attractive but the least wear resistant of all finishes. Nickle plated revolvers are also attractive but can also wear with time and are very light reflective. There are many new coatings on the market that are wear resistant and come in various colors. Personally for a work or carry piece I prefer a brushed stainless steel. This is easy to maintain and does not reflect light. Green, blue, red, and even pink guns are available, but you might want to consider their resale value compared to a more traditional finish.

So you can see there are a lot of options to consider when making your first or even your tenth purchase. Take your time, shop around, and find a gun that fits your needs for a fair price. When everything is taken into consideration what do I carry? Personally I prefer a double-action, hammer-gun, with a four inch barrel. A stainless Smith & Wesson 686 Combat Magnum is currently my favorite revolver.

Just when you thought your troubles were over, once you have bought the perfect gun you are faced with finding the perfect holster to carry it in.

The Narcissistic Campaigner!

No matter what your party affiliation get out and vote, BUT vote your conscience not party line. Our nation's future is in your hands. This may be the most important election in yor lifetime. I know it is in mine.



Here we go again, Obama back on the campaign trail. Actually he never got off the campaign train. He is already stumping for his 2012 election. Do you think he really cares about democrats or the poor, latinos, gays, or blacks? All he cares about is his and his minnions re-election. He proved that when he rammed through Obama-care using the "nuclear option" knowing the fallout that would hit the democratic party. I guess George "Sorrows" is gettin his monies worth. The worst terrorist threat of the year is unwinding and where is our fearless leader? He is in Ohio, Connecticut, Illinois, and everywhere except in the white house. While he is trying to save his agenda who is running the nation? Are you comfortable knowing that Obama, Biden, Pelosi, Reid and Janet Napolitano are keeping our nation safe?? Couldn't he at least pretend to care instead of being out cheerleading?

Stag & Steel

Sometimes the opportunity to own something very special comes along once or twice in a lifetime. It was that way with my purchase of an original Larry Harley Battle Bowie and later a Harley Battle Dagger. It was like that with an early Bagwell Bowie that I owned and traded off. (We all do dumb things in our lives, that was one of them.)

Not all knives are irreplaceable but any finely crafted handmade knife deserves our respect. In the past year I won the bidding on this lovely austere Howard Faucheaux Bowie (top knife). A crack ran the full length of the stag handle, caused by age and shrinkage. Probably this defect accounted for the anemic bidding. I mixed up epoxy, along with some coloring, and forced it down into the crack with a thin metal shim. Now I defy you to find the crack. The classic lines of Faucheaux’s knife define the Bowie knife of the late 1800s. The forged and flat ground nine-inch blade is hair shaving sharp. The heavy leather sheath is excellent quality, although left-handed. This is an elemental fighting knife, in both proportions and balance.
As luck would have it a Bill Bagwell bowie (bottom knife) came up on auction at a time when I had already committed monies to buying knives from other custom makers. If you do not already know, Bill Bagwell and his Bowies are legendary. I decided that I would do my utmost to add this knife to my collection. To say I am fortunate to have won the bidding on this knife would be an understatement.

Importantly, above and beyond any price paid, I think it is imperative that collectors recognize their responsibility and privilege when owning such irreplaceable items. This Bowie is unlike most of Bill’s big knives, being made, as the seller stated, in a distinctive “Sheffield Style.” The 8 ¾ inch long blade is extremely sharp and forged from a very thick (nearly 3/8") piece of steel. Despite the heavy stock he forged it from, the knife is well balanced and only slightly blade heavy. In the end I paid four times for the Bagwell what I paid for the Faucheaux Bowie. Is the Bagwell four times the knife? I seriously doubt it. The Faucheaux would serve just as admirably in a knife fight. When my wife asked why I paid so much, I just shrugged and pointed to the name stamped into the ricasso. It is hard to explain, but this is a Stradivarius among Bowies.

What's your carbon footprint?

Isn't anyone else upset that the man supposed to be running the country is running all over the USA spending your tax dollars to campaign for his buddies? He get a $400,000 salary, a $500,000 budget and is leaving a carbon footprint the size of texas flying his and Biden's 747s all over the US. This is an outrageous abuse of his office! Let the democrats stand on their voting record and see who wins the elections. Impeach the poser, this community organizer. In 2012 Tell him to get a real job!

Cathedral Builders

Nearly a thousand years ago, during the era of cathedral building, architects knew how to control acoustics by adding small ante-chambers or by shaping the spired ceilings of a Cathedral in a particular way. It took researchers hundreds of years to rediscover this. While I was sitting in a hotel room in a 3rd world country I watched a fascinating program on ancient pyramids around the world. Archeologists are still unraveling their mysteries. Why is it then, that each successive generation thinks they are smarter than the one before, and that the cathedral builders or the pyramid builders must have been absolute bumpkins? Have you looked at the Neanderthals roaming the malls lately? When was the last time you met someone you considered a Renaissance person? Do you even know what I mean by that? I am not trying to insult you my readers, only to mildly irritate you, to make you take a look what is going on around you. Do you see any Gallileos or DaVinci at your health club, any Shakespeares sipping latte’ at your corner Starbucks™, or Aristotles in the cubicle next to you at work? Are we all succumbing to a mind- numbing proletarian lifestyle without even realizing it or resisting it?

We consider ourselves an enlightened society, but we are so far from that now, and speeding blindly away in the opposite direction. Have we have lived too well for too long? Have we forgotten what it was like when we were morally taut and bright eyed with an insatiable appetite for Truth, Liberty and Freedom? Socialism is the new narcotic offered by the Obamanites to the weary and the hopeless but its fruits are poisonous. When I was in my “salad years” (to quote Shakespeare) my elders used to say that America was following down the same path as the Roman Empire. Being young and foolish and full of certitude, I scoffed at that idea. Folks, may I welcome you to the end of the Second (or is it the third) Roman Empire?

Where we go from this point forward will permanently alter the path of history and the face of humanity. Do I overstate the importance of the American influence? I do not think so. If Lady Liberty’s torch goes out who will come along to relight it, England, Germany, France, Spain, Greece? Who will remember what noble people have lived and passed here on this hallowed soil? US history books are quickly being rewritten by apologists to present us as the most corrupt and vile empire ever to suppress the poor peoples of the world. Who will remember the thronging multitudes we have saved from famine and disease, earthquake, floods, typhoons, and the butchers of mankind? Who will remember that we were the only nation ever to say:

"Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus 1880

Edged Weapons Etiquette

This is the class photo from the Bowie seminar with Pete Kautz instructing. Pete is the 6th person standing from the left. I am the tired old guy in the lower left corner next to me is my training partner aka as my daughter.

Here is the code of conduct that I use for class, whether its kenjutsu, Iaido, or knife fighting.

Edged Weapons Etiquette:

There are certain rules of etiquette that apply to any martial art and some specifically to edged weapons arts. This is true whether you are studying a Western or an Eastern Art. Many schools tend to be very strict regarding these rules and breaches of etiquette are considered a serious lack of respect and a display of ignorance. Therefore, I offer these suggestions (which I give to each new student at my school) as a guideline. Hopefully these will guide you so that if you attend a seminar or train at another school you will not be taken off guard or found lacking in your manners. Remember that these rules come from an age of honor when men lived and died by the sword.

1) The most important rule is that you never touch or pick-up another persons weapon without their explicit permission. Never!

2) Never step over, or on, another person’s weapon (even a training weapon). If the weapon is lying on the floor walk around it. Do not presume to move their weapon without asking and receiving their permission (unless it is in danger of being stepped on by another person.)

3) Do not draw another person’s weapon from its sheath/scabbard without their permission. Given that permission, never pull it out part way and shove it back in. This is a serious insult. It means you did not feel the weapon was worthy of your close examination.

4) Once drawn, Do Not touch the blade without permission and never go swinging the weapon around in mock combat, etc. If it is a folder or a balisong, do not go flicking the blade in and out, over and over again.

5) When transferring an edged weapon from one person to another always pass it handle first. If it is a long weapon, like a sword or large Bowie, it is permissible to hand it over, blade pointing straight up, sharp edge turned toward you. It should be returned to you the same way.

6) If you touched the blade, Do Not re-sheath the weapon with your finger prints all over it. Either ask permission to carefully wipe it down or hand it back to the owner for them to wipe it down.

7) Last and most obvious. Never engage in any horseplay or point any weapon at another person unless you are actively training or sparring with that person, or you intend them harm. For safety sake, be conscious of your blade’s position at all times.

Foxxy Lady

My new Fox Cutlery Extreme Kukri arrived. It was like Christmas, but then I am always like a kid at Christmas when a package comes. Lately though I have had several disappointments. The box seemed too small and too light. I was hesitant to open it for fear this might be one more in the string of disappointments. So I puttered around until I had no more excuses and I opened the box. Inside was the Fox box. It’s amazing how a smaller box can feel heavy while the bigger box feels deceptively light. Opening the Fox box I found the Kukri tucked neatly inside in its Cordura™ sheath. My first impression was, hmmm….Cordura, not my material of choice but I knew that was what it came with. Being objective I noted that it is a very well made sheath, set up for a low riding profile, presumably designed to fit below body armor. There are two adjustable leg straps to keep it from swinging around as you walk or run. So now you know all about the boxes and the sheath. What about the knife?

Hell Yeh this knife is great! This Extreme Kukri is one beautiful piece of steel. Fox has done a terrific job of creating a fighting kukri that any Ghurka would be proud to carry. The bronze tint coated, nine inch blade, is 0.23 inches thick. The complex grind lines are perfectly symmetrical. Look out Cold Steel because this is the most attractive modern Kukri I have ever seen, retaining all of the classic lines of an original while using modern materials and processes. The handle material has the right amount of give without being squishy soft, it is ergonomically shaped and fits my hand nicely. Someone with really big hands might find it a little on the small side. Full tang construction guarantees you won’t have to worry about the blade going flying while chopping, like some of the cheaper Indian versions whose blades are glued into the handles. A broad flat grind to the forward half of the blade lightens it, making it somewhat less tip heavy than your typical Kukri. This makes the pointy end of the blade livelier, even if the chopping force may be slightly reduced. I think it is a good trade-off myself.

Next to a Bowie I think the Kukri is one of the more fearsome fighting knives. The Extreme Kukri’s protruding pommel has an opening which would permit attachment of a lanyard, or the pommel could be used for butt-strikes. Overall length is just over fourteen inches. I would love to see one with an 11-12 inch blade. No doubt this knife will perform any camp chores with aplomb but it really is a fighting knife at heart. Retail price is $175.00 and well worth it. Now I am awaiting the arrival of my Fox XL Parang. Christmas is coming again, soon I hope! Check out all of their fine cutlery products at Fox USA: http://www.foxknivesusa.com/en/home.html

A New Bowie Rising

I have one more Bowie coming from Matt Lamey. That may be it for this year. I have asked him to take photos as he progresses. As I get them I will post them here, so you see it first rising out of the forge ashes. Here it is in the first stage. The top blank is mine. This is about 2 inches longer than my other ones. I especially wanted one with a 12 inch blade so here we go. I'm excited.

Bowie Seminar

The Photo is one of Matt Lamey's phenomenal Bowies. I will post a class photo from the seminar once I have one.

I don't have the T-shirt but I did survive the Bowie seminar. September 18-19 Gwynne, Mike, and I attended a Bowie Knife Fighting seminar in Ithaca, NY. It was hosted by instructor Pete Kautz of Alliance Martial Arts, Alpine, NY. To say we had a great time would be a gross understatement! The only thing to top the fun was the learning that took place. Every student’s skills advanced visibly over the two days. The class went from the very basics of stance and stepping, which are foundational skills, to more advanced moves like passatta soto and in quartata. We also learned the proper distancing, in a classic format, and were treated to historical anecdotes explaining where the techniques evolved from as the day’s lessons brought up many questions.

Pete’s teaching skills are excellent as he paced the class to meet the student’s abilities to absorb the instruction without losing anyone. He knew when we really needed a break and when to push us a little more to force us to work harder. We had sufficient time to practice each new set of moves but kept moving steadily forward in a logical progression. The final few hours were spent in sparring at full speed. Safety was always practiced (gloves and fencing masks) as well as consideration for your training partner. Students from around the US and the world trained together amicably with a positive and enthusiastic attitude fostered by Pete and his staff, including Curt and Lilly. We are already looking forward to Bowie Knife Fighting Part II. Pete, you are going to have a second one, right? Either way, check out Pete’s website for a terrific selection of instructional DVDs and upcoming events at: http://www.alliancemartialarts.com/

The Rest of the Story

Now For the Rest of the Story:

In less than a week my dull knife traveled from NY to Colorado and back! Now it is really sharp like a fighting knife ought to be. And now, I will tell you who made it and why I was convinced that it was not the maker’s fault that it was dull. Shown here (top photo) is the re-sharpened knife and my other fighting knife (bottom photo) by Mike Irie. Mike says the top one was a customer design and it left his shop sharp. Based on my other Irie knife I knew the high quality of his work. Now I also know the high quality of his commitment to the people who own his knives, even those, who like me, bought it second or third hand. The third party to this transaction was a knife dealer, Lee Beene.

Lee said if I was not happy, he was not happy and to send the knife directly to Mike. Lee never questioned my judgment and within a few days I had a check to cover my postage. These actions are consistent with professionals and the type of people whom I like to deal with and who I will go to again for the best service and quality in edged weaponry. So as Paul Harvey would say; “That’s the rest of the story.” You can google Mike Irie to find several dealers who carry his knives. Or go straight to Lee Beene and see what he has available. Here is Mike’s and Lee’s contact info. Go buy a good knife from good people.

Mike Irie Handcraft, 1606 Auburn Dr., Colorado Springs, CO, 80909

Lee Beene, http://www.leescutlery.com/

LIBERTY!

Pundits are already predicting that the primary election wins of the Tea Party favorites are bad for the Republican Party. I have been a registered Republican all my life and I say tough! For years the pendulum of power has swept back and forth with the American people being rudely knocked aside and trampled under foot by both parties. Pundits are saying that these new people have no experience. What they are really saying is that they are not career politicians and they have not suffered any corrupting influences yet.

When the lines of battle formed at Lexington and Concord how many professional, career soldiers stood in the American ranks? The ragged ranks were filled with Tea Partiers, merchants, artisans, farmers, hunters, and men from all walks of life. Each and ever one of them had one thing in common, they were all patriots. Each one of them had found the moral courage to offer up their lives for Liberty. May God give us men and women like this again to lead our great nation. Let him fill the halls of congress with people willing to fight and die for liberty. May God Bless America and our sons and daughters of Liberty

Lest we Forget

On this day pray for our nation, pray for our people, the souls lost on that day, the survivors who still grieve and those who served to save, despite their own safety. Pray for peace. Remember this day and all of those who have died in service to their country since fateful 9-11. Do you still wonder why we want the mosque moved? Really, are you that stupid? Call me insensitive, call me a racist, then look at these photos and ask me if I care what you call me.

Its a Frank Burns

I used to be an avowed MASH fan, watching every TV episode. One of my favorite scenes was when Hawkeye was telling BJ about his childhood visit to the beach. He ran up to see what was lying on the sand and his mother said, “Don’t touch it, It’s a Frank Burns and the dullness comes off,” or something very close to that.

I find dullness in a lot of people today. There does not seem to be that spark of aliveness that joi de vivre that people exhibited only a few years ago. They seem to lack breadth or depth. Maybe it is the fault of the public education system. Maybe it’s the economy stupid, or the never ending wars in the mid-east, or maybe its just that we have become immune to the simple joys of life.

Dullness versus aliveness is something that one also looks for, or senses in a fine fighting knife. The lack thereof is a good reason to pass it by. This is not an easy task when buying a knife over the internet. Some people’s “Razor Sharp” is medium dull to me. If it won’t shave hair or slice paper cleanly it isn’t sharp! You can develop a certain appreciation for aesthetics and balance with time and experience but there are still intangibles that can only be defined by holding the knife in your hand and swinging it in a flow pattern to feel how it moves.

The other thing that I talk about a lot is the two primary functions of any knife which are, to cut and to stab. Stabbing is a simple motion and requires very little of the knife, or the knifemaker, except that it be pointed and not overly thick nor excessively thin. Cutting is the true litmus test of a fighting knife’s suitability for hand to hand combat. A dull knife is only slightly better than an empty pistol. Both are close range weapons that won’t function. The bane of sharpness today is usually the steel itself, many of the stainless steels being nearly useless. I have two identical Benchmade knives, one made with ATS34 and the other with a D-2 Blade. Despite my best efforts the ATS34 refuses to take and hold a keen edge while the D-2 blade is always sharp.


The concept that form follows function was the mantra of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. One without the other is an abortion of sorts. I learned this in 9th grade Art Class. A fighting knife without a keen edge is also an abortion[1]. A recently purchased custom fighting knife arrived in an unacceptable state of dullness. How is it that a knifemaker could fail to grasp Wright’s simple concept, or the fact that to be complete, an object needs both form and function? The other major obstacle to sharpness is edge geometry. This knife is neatly hollow ground to a near-edge and then given an abrupt saber grind for the last 1/16 of an inch. This is a common practice and it is probably responsible for the dullness. I used to teach building muzzle-loading rifles and I told my students that the last 1% of the work made 99% of the difference in how well the rifle turned out. The same is true of grinding a knife edge. There is much to commend this knife (for example the terrific handle and overall blade shape) and it is worth some time on a whetstone to touch up the edge. Assuming there is the sharpness in the steel to bring out. The seller has offered me the option of sending it back to the maker. That might be the prudent choice.

[1] an offensive term for something so badly done or made that it is a complete failure

Peace and Quiet?

Two weeks ago I finally had an opportunity to go camping. When I go camping it’s a very austere exercise because I don’t like to take a lot of excess baggage. I don’t take a pop-up camper trailer or even a pop-up tent. Nor do I hop on a four wheeler and drive in. I shoulder my backpack and trek back in about 3miles. Part of the purpose of this hike was to test my gear and my stamina. The gear did fine and I got a so-so grade but I can definitely feel my years. It was near 90 and 98% humidity which did not help. The other reason for camping was to get away from politics, rotten news stories, and relax in the peace and quiet of nature. That was only partly successful as well.

Barely did I have my camp set up and my peace and quiet was rudely interrupted by ten four-wheelers roaring up the dirt road that had a locked gate at the other end. This happened three times! Their last hurrah coming at 11:30 PM, waking me from my sleep with the noise of their engines. At first I thought it was the Zombie Bikers from Hell. As the fog cleared from my brain I realized it was just the same idiots. I wonder how much wildlife they saw? They probably missed the deer and beaver, the squirrels, bluejays, and chipmunks that I enjoyed watching. Although I would have killed for one of their cold beer, I never approached these outriders. I am pleased to say that my hide went undetected by them with their motorized cacophony of spinning wheels, headlights and spotlights, and clouds of dust. My sleep was further molested by a lone coyote, an owl, beavers slapping their tails on the water, and the devil’s own squirrel who insisted on dropping pinecones on my tarp from forty feet up in the air and then chattering about it. I guess he didn’t like that they were ricocheting off into the brush.

Along with my usual compliment of firearms I had the Grayman Knives Kordofan 8 attached to the side of my Maxpedition™ backpack. It came in quite handy hacking dead branches into supports for my tarp and clearing the few briars out of my sleeping area. The deadwood was hard as nails and it took quite a bit of hacking to cut and sharpen the few pieces I needed. (I prefer to not cut up green trees just for an overnight camp.) The edge on the Kordofan 8 stayed sharp and did not knick or roll during hard use. In fact it stayed sharp enough to slice my finger when I brushed against it pushing back my mosquito net in the wee dark hours as nature called. I had driven it into the ground beside me in case the coyote came with his friends looking for supper. The black coating on the blade held up well during the chopping and being driven in the dry hard ground. My only complaint is the handle slabs need a little more radius on the edges to soften them. This is an easy task that I will attend to before my next outing.

Other than a deer nearly trashing my camp out of curiosity no other wildlife came close, that I know of, and the Zombie bikers did not come back anymore. Not quite the serene camping experience I was looking for but any time in the woods away from “civilization” is good time.

TAK Training Knives

This is just a quick review of the TAK training knives. I will post a full one after the Bowie Knife seminar I am attending Sept 18-19, 2010. When I was at the dojo one night I dumped my bag of training knives out on the floor to see what ones I should take to the upcoming seminar. The closest thing I had to a Bowie was two rubber versions of the Cold Steel Blackbear, a subhilt knife. Looking on line I did find one bowie-esque trainer in aluminum that was actually listed as a kitchen knife. It still wasn’t what I wanted. But there in the pile of trainers was a little one duplicating my TOPS Scalpel. It was made by TAK Training Knives. A quick check of their website showed that their selection of training knife styles had greatly expanded. My initial idea of buying the aluminum knife was scrapped and now I had to choose between three big Bowies and one smaller one.

I bought two that resemble the Bagwell/Ontario Hells Belle and two of the Ridge Bowies designed by Dwight McLemore. Both styles came with leather wrapped handles. I called and visited with John Stanley on Friday and placed my order. The knives arrived Tuesday. John’s enthusiasm for what he does, and the products he provides, was absolutely contagious. I warn you that if you call you will not be able to hang up before buying at least one trainer. Buy two and find a friend to train with. The Bowies are very impressive, made out of a thick polycarbonate material that is tough, slightly forgiving, and collect light. They are nicely radiused on all edges and the points are sufficiently blunted. You must always wear eye protection and limit your thrusts to avoid the head. The leather wrap gives a nice tactile gripping surface and will cushion the impact of blade on blade better than 550 polycord will. My only question is whether the grips will remain tight after serious use. Stay posted and I’ll let you know after the September seminar. http://www.takknife.com/index.htm

Acting Stupidly?

I am going to get away from the politics for awhile but I want you to consider one thing. Obama is not a stupid man, I do not believe he acted stupidly when he ignited this mosque firestorm. Nor did he do it without a good reason or by accident. Remember my blog on Sheng tung? "Sheng Tung, Chi Hsi:" Uproar in the East, Strike in the West. Keep your eyes to the west.
Sun Tzu Now on to something about knives.......


Recently a young man said he wanted to do some more knife training with me. The last time we worked out he held his own pretty good. He was in the Army Rangers but I do not know how much actual knife skills they teach. His techniques were simple and powerful; rush your opponent and smother them with stabs. In a prison shanking against an unarmed opponent this is the preferred method. This technique will always work in the dojo or training hall too. How many times have you heard me say that? Would it work in actual combat? Maybe. In the dojo there are two things at work: One, you are not really going to get stabbed by the defender, unless you count the jabs of a rubber or wooden knife, to physically stop your assault. Two, there is no instinctive fear of being stabbed to mentally prevent you from driving right in. Combined, these two create an unhealthy sense of invincibility.

Talk about acting stupidly, life is not so simple with live steel. I did not tell you about stabbing myself with my iaito (Japanese training sword) did I. A bit of a cock-up as the Brits would say. I was teaching my sword student a new draw, and as I pushed my katana to the rear for an overhead cut, the tip caught in the opening of my left sleeve. This drove the tip downward into the top of my forearm, where it dug in and then bounced off the bone, and skipped across my arm lightly grazing me. When my young, impressionable student saw blood trickling down my forearm he got ashen faced. So with mild disgust at my own ineptitude I stopped and stuck a bandaid over it. Had I been working that night with a live blade I would have needed a dozen or more stitches. As I have said many times before blades show no discretion they will cut friend and foe alike. But how quickly will a blade stop a person who is under attack and adrenaline ridden?

By many accounts it has been proven that a person shot or stabbed in the heart can continue to function for as much as ten seconds. (If you are the attacker do you know how many times you can be stabbed by your victim in ten seconds? Try it.) Even with no blood flowing, it takes roughly that long for the brain to run out of oxygen, unconsciousness to take over, and the body to collapse. Now in our practice session while this young Ranger was busy stabbing me, I can assure you that I was doing likewise. After all, every good deed deserves another! Therefore in the real world probably both of us would have succumbed to our multiple wounds. I don’t consider this a good policy. So, two points to learn from this: One, in a knife fight ‘tis better to give than to receive. Two, working with blunts or training weapons (while necessary) is a far cry from the reality of bladed combat. When people tell you techniques are not important because you have a knife, don’t you listen to them. When they say they can teach you a killer one-move “stopping-technique”, don’t you listen to them. Do your homework and learn everything that you possibly can, and as always, be discriminating about what techniques you save and what you throw away.

The next blog will be a review of the excellent training knives from TAK knives check them out at http://www.takknife.com/

Who is Fanning the Flames?

RE: the Mosque: It appears that once again the president has interjected his personal opinion as empirical fiat, which is also once again counter to the majority of the will of the American people. For a man who believes in social justice and the democratic will of the people, who campaigned on reaching across the aisle His divisiveness as a president is unprecedented. Now to fan the flames Nancy Pelosi says that those opposing the mosque (all 64% of Americans?) should be investigated. If you oppose placing this mosque at ground zero you are the problem not the radical Imam, or the founder of Hammas who insists there is no other location in all of NYC to build this $100 million dollar insult.

Pray for Peace

I want to thank all of my readers but in particular one who said I interject some sanity into his life. I am a simple man, sometimes exceedingly simple. But there are some things that seem desperately obvious even to a simple man like me. I am not an intolerant man, nor generally a racist. But we are all being driven by forces in the media and in the creeping globalization of governments to start taking stands, making choices that are aimed at dividing us into religious, racial, and ethnic categories. We are purposely being set one against another. For what purpose?

This morning I awoke early unable to sleep. Things rumbling through my head. Maybe it’s the book I am reading (War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning) and the unsettling tales of the author’s experiences as a war correspondent. Maybe it was the In-My-Face headlines on the internet that Obama supports the Mosque at ground Zero. Why doesn’t he champion an inter-faith house of worship, or better yet why doesn’t he keep his damned nose out of it. This is a very personal nightmare that New Yorkers still deal with. Why is it that the Liberal hue and cry of separation of church and state does not apply to the separation of mosque and state? If the Imam is a man of God and desires to make Americans see how compassionate Islam is, then why doesn’t he work to help fund an inter-faith house of worship? What could be more compelling than Muslims and Jews, Baptists, Catholics, Buddhists, and Mormons all worshipping side by side for peace? What could be a bigger insult to New Yorkers than a mosque at Ground Zero? Where is obama’s support for the tower to replace those destroyed by muslim radicals? The State dept has set aside money to send the Imam on a worldwide publicity tour, for what purpose? But there is no money to rebuild on the site of the destruction wrought by them? I struggle to focus on who are the good guys and the bad guys and to find purpose behind all of this.

Apples and Snakes

Joy of joys I actually had two students for knife class last night! I have a policy of not teaching anyone who just comes in off the street so sometimes I go for months with out any students. It is one thing to teach how to punch and kick, it is another thing altogether to teach someone how to use a knife. Sure I can call it knife defense to make it seem less objectionable but knife-fighting is what it is ultimately all about. If you want to learn empty-hand knife defense I’ll teach you all I can but let’s not fool ourselves, the odds are badly stacked in your attacker’s favor.

Empty-handed you are a victim, given a knife you suddenly have a chance of surviving. But surviving and winning are not necessarily the same thing in this age of litigation. One of the first things I always give new students is a copy of the NYS laws on the use of force. The other thing is an excellent article on potentially lethal target. My reasoning in providing this information is not to make the student more lethal, but to educate them on areas it is best to avoid when you do not want to kill someone. Carrying a knife for self defense carries a huge responsibility that should never be taken lightly.

Even a cursory look at the cardio-vascular system of a human being reveals a target rich environment for the knife user. This is both good and bad but my options with a pistol are even worse. I am licensed to legally carry a concealed handgun in several states but I wish it were a concealed “weapons” permit. A knife gives the user many more options than does a hand-gun. A knife can cut lightly or deeply. A 45ACP or a 357 magnum cannot be shot lightly. The idea of grazing or wounding an attacker is silly when all training focuses on shots to the center of mass or to the head. What, are we going to try to inflict “only a slight head wound” with 450 ft-lbs of muzzle energy? But a skilled knifer can perform a light cut across the forehead of an attacker to discourage further aggression. Hands reaching out to injure us can be easily cut to disarm our attacker without terminal consequences. Try either of those moves with your revolver. Despite the perfectly good reasoning behind carrying a knife versus a handgun for defense the laws are what they are. Foolishness prevails and even books on the subject of knife fighting are often prefaced with “For Academic Purposes Only,” while books and classes on tactical hand-gunning are perfectly acceptable. I think that knives, like apples and snakes in the garden, have gotten a bad rap. Stop by the dojo some night and we can academically study the art of edged weapons.

From the Left

Well no one emailed me with an answer to my question about how you can gain the same advantage by fighting left handed, with your knife still in your right hand. Maybe the question was too difficult, too simple, or no one cared enough to email. I wonder which? (Right after I posted this I found that a reader had posted a good question, thanks) The photo is self-explanatory. (Holy Crap I look like Fidel Castro in this photo. Gwynnes photo is much nicer but same idea. The photos are from our book The Rhythm of One) Some people will say “Oh that is simple, I figured that out.” Some will say, “If you hold your knife that way your arm can be trapped against your body.” This is true if you insist on moving your knife around your body. Try moving your body around the knife for once. Anyway, what brave soul would like to prove that by trapping me? For those of you who are used to training/defending in the dojo without moving your body, this may be a problem.

The advantage I want you to see is that by placing your knife in this posture you move it closer to your opponent’s weapon hand/side. This alters the time-space continuum of the conflict. It also requires that when he cuts or thrusts that you move, you move your entire body not just your arm. Experiment and see where your body ends up as you expand outward from this posture. By the way Gwynne is standing in a mugamae posture (posture of no posture) here and while it looks lke a poor defense you could be very surprised. Remember knife fighting is not static! Too many schools of knife defense operate on the premise that if you have a knife in your hand you do not need to employ all of the other fancy stuff you learned as an empty-hand stylist: things like mobility, fluidity, circular movement, chords, etc, etc. The other salient point to this posture is your right shoulder. Yeh, it’s a big wide-open target isn’t it. Think about that......Well anyway that’s my answer and its up to you to see how it works, or not. I am working on another technique that I may name the Quasimodo. Got the picture?