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/