John Paisley Who?

The world of the collector can get quite heady, it doesn’t matter what you are collecting. For example, since creating my website several people have generously referred to me as an expert or an authority. While I take that as a great compliment it is not all together true. Certainly I have more experience or knowledge of Fairbairn Sykes fighting knives than the average knife-person but I am far from an expert.

 

It is amazing how much history can be twisted or lost in a few years time. When we are talking WW-II fighting knives we are talking 70 years. Sadly many of the “experts” have passed away. They were the men who were issued and carried the knives we collect. Some of them lived or died by the knife and hand to hand skills they learned from legendary people like WE Fairbairn, EA Sykes, Pat O’Neill, and Rex Applegate. These people often took with them their stories and left us to do our best to search out the truth.

 Sometimes Names and Places get confused in the minds of men nearing their 9^th decade. Is that to be wondered at? Sometimes details are sharp and crystal clear but the big picture is fuzzy. Businesses and even the buildings they knew may now be gone, replaced with others, or paved for parking or a new hi-way. What city has not changed since WW-II? The old Vet says: “The shop was in the third door down from the corner, you know the one near the fish market." We go our merry way searching for the fish market that no longer exists and decide that the old codger must have been a little confused. He knew that the smithy he talked about was no more than a shed on the back of another shop, operated by maybe a cutler or a jeweler, but we are looking for a full blown blacksmith shop. He says the knife he was issued was made from a bayonet and we say that is simply folklore because we know you cannot make a commando knife from a bayonet. He handled the knife, carried it into combat, and seventy years later we call ourselves the experts. You wonder, why am I writing all of this?

 

Here is a photo of a man at a large open forge. He is John Paisley of Glasgow, Scotland. Reportedly he hand crafted a few commando knives and other edged weapons for the SOE and other clandestine groups during WW-II. Some have researched the man and decided that there is only one possible man who could fit that description and he was not a knife maker, but a jeweler. The location of the jewelry shop does not fit the one description that exists of the location of Paisley’s forge. Therefore, it cannot be him in the photo, he does not exist, and the photo is a fake. Paisley knives must therefore also be fakes, end of story. Some experts have said that the clothing and the forge appear to be of the period but they note there is no signature or date on the photo. Do you have any family photos undated and unsigned? At least one expert, perhaps two or three, agree with me that the jeweler and the knife maker are likely one and the same. Many of the experts overlook the fact that jewelers often made or ornamented sgian dhu or scottish dirks, or that men's clothing shops, like J&I Marshall, sold commando knives. We get locked into one way of thinking.

 I have performed some research on the internet and found that at this time in history there were still small local forges all over Scotland. It is not inconceivable that Paisley did his knife making/forging at a location away from his city storefront. It could have been right in the back alley or in a more rural location. The experts counter, then why is there no listing for his forge in the gazetteers? First, I suggest that a man making weapons for people involved in clandestine operations probably did not hang out a shingle advertising such. That would be like a merchant putting a sign in his window: “Seal Team Six Shops Here!” The biggest difference is today some merchant might be gauche enough to do that, back then people were more discreet. Second, his forge may have not been a flourishing business that would rate a listing in a gazetteer.

 I would like to go to Scotland and research this enigma named John Paisley. So far several explorations via the web and email have not panned out. The passage of time is confounding the issue and making it much harder to find any factual evidence. We are left with the burden of proof that he existed while others are content to say he did not. Their "proof" is an absence of proof. I admit there is the possibility that John Paisley is a fictitious character. If the knives are indeed counterfeit I have a theory who the real J. Paisley might be. If that line of research were to prove out, and my optional hypothesis prove true, then the story would be just as tantalizing and the knives just as desirable. All it takes is time and money, and a whole lot of luck. Someone out there knows the truth, someone who is of an age, hopefully with a few years left, to tell us the true story. There are more photos and info on our website. http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/index.html

tomahawks

What are the battle-wagons of edged fighting weapons? Among the most devastating are the Bowie, Barong, Kukri, Smatchet and Tomahawk. These weapons are a far cry from my fascination with the delicate Fairbairn Sykes Commando knife, yet in service these big bad boys can provide multiple functions, utility and combat. Lets look at one type at a time, starting with tomahawks.

You have read articles by me on Bowie knives but you might be wondering what the heck do I know about Tomahawks. In a previous life, or so it seems, my family and I participated in re-enacting encampments of the French & Indian war and Revolutionary war Era. So for contrast, or background, I have included photos of some of the “hawks” I carried and used in that past-life-time. There are pipe hawks, spike hawks, and poll hawks. All of them are different in size and shape, but one as deadly as another. The contrast between my diminutive F & I spike hawks and the new Benchmade version is quite stark. On the early ones the handles were purposely “whippy” and the blade or spike was snapped-in rather than used with heavy chopping strokes. The spikes tended to be more rounded to create a concussive, blunt trauma injury without the danger of the spike lodging in bone or brain. On today’s models the spikes more nearly duplicate knife blades.

 

My first modern hawk is the SOG model. It is a very well built hawk and a real bargain. Retail is $64.95 but they can be found new for under Fifty dollars on line. I have not used mine for chopping but the blade is honed to a fine cutting edge. The spike is sharp enough to penetrate many layers of clothing and possibly soft body armor. (If you know anyone who wants to donate an out of date piece of armor I would dearly love to have it for such experiments.) As the old song from Fiddler on the Roof goes, “If I were a rich man…” I could afford to buy lots of weapons and test them to destruction but there are two problems. One I am not rich, and two, I hate to abuse any weapon even cheap ones. The SOG hawk has a partial tang, I guess you could say, that extends over three inches into the handle. It is secured by three cross bolts. The overall length is approximately fifteen and one half inches. Ribbing or grooves in the oval shaped handle provide for a better grip when swinging this 24 oz hawk. My overall impression of this hawk is that it is very rugged and will take a fair amount of abuse if necessary. If there is anything negative it is something subliminal, something about the balance, not lengthways, but in the vertical. Perhaps it is because all of my earlier experience with hawks were with those whose heads are not so tall. But this is something that only actual work with or fighting with would prove out. So for the money I do not think you can find a better fighting hawk. What one thing don’t I like? It is made in China.

Here is the official SOG description. “Based on the Vietnam Tomahawk, the Tactical Tomahawk is an extreme evolution of the original which was considered one of the more unusual weapons of its day. Today there is a real need for a versatile tool for breaching operations, excavation, obstacle removal, extraction, and other utility applications. The 420 stainless steel head with Hardcased coating is mounted to the fiberglass reinforced nylon handle with heavy-duty bolts and a steel ferrule for stability. Side hammer checkering insures precise placement when pounding.”

My most recent hawk purchase is this one which is a collaboration between Benchmade and Killian Tactical. It is an absolute brute, made from a single piece of 3/8 inch thick 1095 carbon steel, weighing 38.8 ozs. The first thing that one notices when removing it from its scabbard, besides the weight, is that the blade is not sharp! I knew to expect that from a comment posted on Amazon. Now the response to that was if the edge was more finely honed it would not hold up under the beating it is designed for. I say BULL-CRAP! A hawk is designed to cut not bludgeon and it ought to be sharp when delivered. So why did I buy it anyway, knowing this? Because I ought to be able to put an edge on it and the next closest hawk that I really, really liked was $436! This one retails for $350 but I got mine off Ebay™ from a wholesaler for $175. Now you understand. A little elbow grease should bring out the edge and save me almost $300 bucks. I told you I am not a rich man. The next thing one notices is the additional weight from the massive amount of steel as opposed to the SOG version. The maker refers to this not only as a hawk but as a “breaching tool.” I think that is a fair description and I have no doubts you could make a mess out of even the stoutest wooden door post haste. The handle terminates with a notched prybar that could come in very handy for jimmying doors, drawers, or windows. One of the only things I do not like (other than it being semi-dull) is the sharp corners on the handle where it is not covered by the G-10 scales. Choking up on the handle could be painful unless you are wearing a good set of gloves. But then if you’re busting down doors or breaching walls you will probably be wearing gloves anyway.

 

Knife Sale

KNIFE SALE Now Until Christmas:

OK! Here are a few knives for sale from the old White Shadow Dojo Inventory. These are unused, never cut with fighting knives of the first quality. I saved a couple out for myself including one of the large hawkbills. Once these are gone we have no more. As I said the first "I will take it" by the time-date gets the knife. Payment can be by USPS Money Order or Paypal.
(Sorry, I am not set up to take credit cards.)

CONTACT ME @ ghdave2@hotmail.com AND put "Knife Sale" in the subject so I know its not trash or spam. Thanks

Steven Tedford Bowie: $250 This is one of Canadian maker Steven Tedford's early knives. The knife has a nice Amboyna (sp) burl handle and nickle silver guard. The carbon steel clip point blade is very sharp and nicely proportioned. I have the price this low because the sheath, while robust and functional, is a little crude. Make your self a new sheath and have a fine Bowie for a reasonable price by a custom maker. Blade is 8 inches OAL is 13 inches. A nice handy sized Bowie.

ITAC Series LargeRecurve: $350 A real sweet recurve knife, fast in the hand. Comes with the leather covered kydex sheath and zippered pouch. ITAC series features full tang construction, real hamon and 8 inch blade. The handle is wrapped with beautiful same gawa (ray skin) and leather over wrap. A nice large chrysanthemum menuki graces one side. The knife is 13.25 inches OAL. These knives are really top quality!

All of the ITAC handles are like this one!! The leather wrap is very comfortable and gives a nice grip.

ITAC Series Small Hawkbill: $325 Comes with the leather covered kydex sheath and zippered pouch. ITAC series features full tang construction, real hamon and5 inch blade. The handle is wrapped with beautiful same gawa and leather over wrap. A nice large chrysanthemum menuki graces one side. The knife is 10.25 inches OAL. These knives are really top quality!

ITAC Series Large Hawkbill: $350 Comes with the leather covered kydex sheath and zippered pouch. ITAC series features full tang construction, real hamon and 6.25 inch blade. The handle is wrapped with beautiful same gawa and leather over wrap. A nice large chrysanthemum menuki graces one side. The knife is 12 inches OAL. These knives are really top quality!

Brent Sandow Viper: $275 with kydex sheath and zippered case. This knife is made by Brent Sandow of Auchalnd New Zealand, A member of their guild and long time knife maker. Blade is 5 inches double edged D-2 with black milspec coating. Grey miacarta handles held by three screws and epoxy. Full tang and10.5 inches overall.

I will post more knives next week once I have time to take photos. Thanks for looking!!

Cobra II Redux

Here is a photo of the second version of the Cobra II. This one was forged by Nick Rossi. It has a completely different feel and look to it even though it fits within the general pattern I supplied. The Cobra II idea is descended from the DS#4 shown in the photo at the bottom. It has been many years and a lot of experimentation since that first design and now I have to decide which version of the Cobra II to offer to my customers. I suppose I could make it optional but that could get to be a problem trying to stock any knives. Shown here are the original Cobra (top) and the two newest prototypes.

As you might remember from a recent post, the Cobra II is in response to some who wanted a bigger, badder Cobra for a combat application. This last version has blended/blurred the lines, more than the other one, based on the maker's preference. Both knives balance right at the finger cut-out. The G-10 handle scales are pinned with three pieces of stainless tubing. G-10 is an interesting material and very popular but it is too slippery for my tastes. Shown below is the Rossi prototype and my original design the DS #4.

Happy Thanksgiving!

X-Dagger Explication

The posting of my WW-II X-dagger on our Fairbairn website raised all sorts of interest, both positive and negative. These knives have been declared complete fakes by some and home-made knives by others. Those of the opposing viewpoint consider them the prototypes of all commando knives. So let’s look at why the furor. http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/rarest-of-them-all.html Shown below is a Shanghai Dagger.

Story line one: W.E. Fairbairn and E.A. Sykes approached Wilkinson Sword Co. and asked them to produce a specialized fighting knife. This knife was to be based on a model they brought with them. That model was/is called the Shanghai dagger. There are some who say the Shanghai knife was designed by, or in conjunction with, an American Marine named Samuel Yeaton. Anyway, these knives were made in the Shanghai Municipal Police Armoury about 1939. By the way, so far, all of this information is readily available from numerous reliable sources. Model 1888 Lee-Metford bayonets were converted into these roughly five inch bladed daggers. According to W.E. Fairbairn’s son, you could get two of the daggers out of one blade. The handles were coke bottle shaped and made of various materials including Ivory, hardwoods, and brass. They were either checkered or knurled depending, on the material. The guards were made from pieces of aluminum left over from making bullet-proof vests. Our X-Dagger shown below, made from an 1888 Lee-Metford bayonet.

Story line two: W.E. Fairbairn takes a number of these same bayonets to Wilkinson (or another armoury depending on the source of your information) and asks them to build them into fighting knives, using the shanghai dagger as an example of the conversion process. A lot of unwanted changes are made in the final design but after experimentation with the bayonets production begins with the introduction of the Wilkinson Sword Co. First Pattern, Fairbairn Sykes, Fighting Knife. There are some who insist this whole story is fabricated, that the knives (Shanghai or X-daggers) never existed, and any that do exist are counterfeits. They are adamant about this while having no proof. The whole story becomes one of opinions. I want to discuss as rationally as possible both sides of the story. While the detractors have no definitive proof that legitimate X-daggers did not exist, I have an X-dagger. Shown below is a Wilkinson First Pattern knife.

They say the reasons why X-daggers do not and cannot exist are abundantly clear:

·         X-daggers cannot be made from model 1888 bayonets

·         There are rivet holes where the tang needs to be

·         It is too labor intensive to remove the guard etc.

·         It would be quicker to forge and grind new blades

·         There is no documentation to support the Fairbairn story

·         All known x-daggers have come from North America

I want to tackle these excuses one at a time.  X-daggers, unlike unicorns, do exist. Whether they are legitimate WW-II knives or not is another argument. They do exist and they are made from Lee-Metford bayonets. This simple, incontrovertible fact, discredits many of the explanations of why they cannot exist. How do I know what bayonets they used? It is documented in several books and more concretely by the actual markings stamped into the ricasso of the blades. In my emails to more than one collector I have explained how they can be created. It is a simple process really, one that has been used for centuries. Let’s look at the process.

If you take and chop the bayonet tang off in the vicinity of the first rivet hole you eliminate a lot of time consumed in disassembling the bayonet. Just cut it right off and discard the handles and baggage for attaching a bayonnet to a rifle. To convert the blade’s remaining tang to accept a First Pattern style handle you must attach what is called a “rat-tail” or “stick” tang. Simply splitting the remaining original tang and then any blacksmith or cutler could braze, silver solder, or weld a new tang to the stub left from cutting off the handle. Wow that takes care of the major obstacle already. In the process of heating it for the installation of the new tang the guard could be knocked off.

Backing up, let me ask you. How did they make two Shanghai daggers out of one bayonet blade? Did that question enter your mind? One half of the bayonet blade would have no tang at all. The other half would have no point and a tang with rivet holes.  The only solution is something like I have outlined or to call Samuel Yeaton, W.E. Fairbairn and his son liars. Basically that is what some experts are implying. Am I denying there may be counterfeits in the market? No I am not, but to declare all examples as fakes is to miss an opportunity to explore possibilities.

One person asked me how could an X-dagger have a First Pattern handle if it was supposed to be made before the First Pattern knives? Think about it. One of Fairbairn’s Shanghai daggers had a knurled brass coke bottle shaped handle. It was one of those knives made in 1939-40. When you allow your opinions to be sublimated to some objective thinking you could see where the First Pattern knives may have instead been fitted with X-dagger style handles. Huh? Hadn’t thought of it that way had you?

All of the X-daggers come from North America, according to one train of thought. The fact that my knife came from an attic in England was instantly dismissed by one noted author because “The person who sold you this knife was by your account 100% legit, but that does not help nail down the history of the knife.  The fact that it came out of the UK does not in itself help as we do not know where it came from in the first place..” So why not call this person a liar too? There is no way to argue with this reasoning. If I had a document signed by the original owner stating when and where he acquired it, how could I prove that it was true? I think at some point you have to follow your own instincts and tell the experts to kiss off.

Cobra Grande!

At the request of several people I designed a larger Cobra fighting knife. To find a maker who would/could make it for me I posted an inquiry on the USN Forum. Based on the responses, I contracted two makers to build prototypes. The first one arrived a few weeks back but there has been so much going on it has taken me awhile to get it on the blog. I am quite pleased with the results  James Dimagmaliw achieved. We have already discussed a few small revisions but it is very close for the first shot. I have been travelling a lot and not had time to test it out at the dojo. Once I have the other knife by Nick Rossi in hand then I can compare them here and let you know my full impressions. So this is just a short posting but I think you will find the knife very striking.

Futility

My anger and frustration have passed at what just occcured in this election. After anger comes resolve. As my abbot said, it was perhaps inevitable. How can I explain to you what you have thrown away? It would be like me trying to describe to a blind man the shades of blue in a morning sky, or a leaf floating on a stream. If you have never known real freedom how can I expect you to fight, or vote, to defend it. Not freedom as an Ideal, but as a living breathing part of life, more important than life. Mea culpa maxima, I have failed to convince you, or prove to you how what you perceive to be progress and liberty are but silken chains of socialism. You know the old maxim: Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. To paraphrase that I would say: those who do not know history become history. Do some research and see where all Socialists revolutions end. They all end in mass starvation and genocide. Its no secret, the facts are out there.

I retract my previous blog not because it might offend, but because it will not educate. Today's pundits are so fond of the analogy of placing a frog in a pot of water brought slowly to a boil, the frog will not jump out, and will boil to death. This pot has been boiling for at least four generations so how could you possibly know that it was time to leap from the pot? It was time to leap a long time ago. And now the moment has passed into history.

Storm Mountain Training Center

There is a good reason it is called “Mount Storm.” The photos best describe the miserable weather conditions as we faced two days of Handgun training and the threat of an approaching hurricane. When I contacted him, the owner, Rod Ryan, suggested I take Handgun II. It turned out to be perfect for my current skill level. At times I was torn between my desire to train and my concern about leaving my home with a major storm bearing down. Thankfully I chose to make the 250 mile trek to “Storm Mountain Training Center” in Elk Garden, WV.

You might remember this is the same school I went to for the Precision Rifle 1 class last year. As an added incentive my daughter was one of the instructors, but more about that later. The Saturday morning drive from my hotel in Keyser, WV to the training center took nearly ½ hour to climb up the mountain through thick fog. Class started promptly at 9:00 AM and ran until noon in the class room going over safety, fundamentals of sight picture, grip, stance, etc. The powerpoint presentations were excellent and the presenters did a great job. They took the time to demonstrate clearing weapons malfunctions, the stances and grips and concisely answered any questions. Remember this was a mix of totally green shooters as well as advanced ones so there were many questions from all levels. The students ranged in age from 20 to over 60 and came from all walks of life. There was an eclectic mix of handguns: Glock, Sig, S&W, FN, Kimber, Browning, and others I am forgetting. This mix of weapons made the instructor’s job even tougher as they worked with different platforms keeping each shooter’s weapon functioning. In addition they offered tips on how to make the student’s shots more accurate and their reloads smoother with whatever gun they were carrying. The instructors were up to the task. Despite some intermittent malfunctions my handgun ran through over 500 rounds in the day and a half on range. The instructors are, from left to right, Rod Ryan, Chris, Ed, and Gwynne.

 

The first day we were on the range shooting steel targets from 1:00 PM until about 5:00 PM. The instructors broke our group up into Handgun I & II after about an hour and we started through a series of drills. Rod and Ed taught the Handgun III class. All of our shooting was aimed-fire drills from the 7 yard line for the first day. We had lots of opportunity to practice reloads and shooting, both drawing from the holster, and from the “high-ready position.” Our instructor, Chris, was constantly monitoring our grip and stance as well as ensuring range safety. My daughter herded the Handgun I class to the next shooting range over. I had a good day and benefitted greatly from Chris’ pointers, especially on correcting my grip. All of the students were invited/encouraged to stay for the Handgun III night shoot. Surprisingly some of them headed back to warm lodging and supper. They missed a great opportunity! I hung out and watched. Rod invited me to shoot several times but I had been struggling with my pistol jamming as it got dirtier and I did not want to fight with it in the dark. But I really appreciated his willingness to include me.

 

Day Two broke with the weather still threatening, colder, blustery and spitting rain throughout. On this day we added “point-shooting,” ie not using your sights. We shot all the way back to the 15 yard line. I totally amazed myself with the number of hits I got on steel. This was all due to the improvement of my grip! We also went through moving and firing.

 












Chris took us by the shoulder and walked us up to the steel targets from the 15 yard line continuously shooting as we approached and then reloading and shooting as we backed our way out. This was very intense since the muzzle was within three to four feet of the steel. He explained that the bullet fragments sprayed back in a 20 degree cone, and that inside that cone we were safe. Evidently this was true since I never caught any bullet fragments. Later Rod explained to us that the steel targets he uses are designed/sized to replicate the center of mass of a human being. On the afternoon of the second day we shot qualifications. I did OK and any bad times I shot were usually due to firearms malfunctions. I cannot complain though because my pistol did amazingly well for an older, almost archaic gun. I had my own share of malfunctions too like forgetting to load a mag one time and wondering why it did not go bang. Despite that and the bad weather I had a great time! Rod Ryan knows how to run a school and makes sure everyone gets the most out of it. The training facilities are second to none and the friendly staff always make you feel right at home. Yes, I am already trying to decide what course to take next.

Now I said I would get back to the thing about my daughter instructing. Rod and Gwynne are putting together a curriculum designed strictly for women. I think this is a terrific idea. Women have different issues with equipment and learn differently than men. If you guys want your ladies to be supportive of your shooting, get them involved. The best way to do that is to send them where they can train by themselves. This way they are not intimidated by your presence or your expectations. The Women’s handgun classes will run concurrent with the regular classes but the women can be off to themselves. You guys better be prepared though, many women are superior shooters to men if guided by the right instructor. I believe Gwynne and Rod have the right mix of talents to provide expert training in the right environment for women to learn firearms skills. Handgun classes are the first ones to be offered for the weekends of May 4-5, June 8-9, and October 11-13, but they are also preparing courses in precision rifle, Tactical Carbine, and even shotgun, for the gentler sex. So check the Storm Mountain website for updates. Hey, if you want completely personalized training you can book that at Storm Mountain Training Center too. Thanks to Rod, Ed, Chris, and Gwynne for a great weekend. http://www.stormmountain.com/

Three Sisters

The arrival of the Justin Carnecchia Bowie reminded me of a couple other knives of similar proportions in our collection. These are excellent illustrations of what I often refer to as "Fencing Bowies." Sure they will cut, but cutting is not their forte'. With narrow ten-inch long blades, these are primarily point weapons, to be used like an epee or a foil.

The top knife is by Kent Hicks and qualifies as one of the top five fighting knives in my second book. It has a broad hamon sweeping from guard to tip. Crisply marked "Hix Hand Forged, " it is one of the few knives I have used the "Buy It Now" option on Ebay. Seeing it I knew I had to own it. The balance is wonderful and like all of Kent's knnives the workmanship is meticulous. The black micarta handle is capped with a stainless steel guard and pommel. I will eventually do a posting on my small collection of "Hix" knives.

The middle knife is the Carnecchia Bowie from the mountains of Idaho. Follow down the posts and you will find a more complete writeup about it. A gorgeous hamon embellishes the hand forged blade. The handle is burl Mesquite filled with activity and beautiful reds and rays of lighter colors. Damascus steel was gracefully shaped and blued for the guard.  Justin bought the steel to begin forging my Osoraku blade. So hopefully within a month or so we will have that to look at.

The bottom knife is a sleek Bowie made a half a world away in Auckland New Zealand. Brent Sandow hand ground this blade and fitted it with a stainless guard and a sweet piece of figured wood for the handle. The deep hollow grind gives the knife perfect balance, only slightly blade heavy as a good bowie should be. As you know Brent is the maker of my Cobra fighting knife and also the excellent fighting knife of his own design called the "Viper." I'll have to do a post on Brent's knives before too long as well. He is a very flexible maker, capable of creating working style knives or high grade work like this bowie.

Pleaase Stop Lying.

The tragedy of stupidity. After weeks of lying and misleading the American public about Libya, treating all of us as if we are total idiots, the President finally explains it all, he says. And what is it but another lie! How magnanimous of him to stoop to our intellectual level. His words of wisdom did not come from the Oval Office, where he is so fond of pontificating, but from the stage of yet another comedy show. Somehow a comedy show doesn’t seem like the appropriate venue, but then maybe he was hoping to make it seem as hilarious as Joe Biden did in the VP debate. Well Mr. President no one I know is laughing. Here is an exact quote from the show.

 

The president: "Here's what I'll say: If four Americans get killed, it's not optimal. We're going to fix it. All of it," Obama said, according to pool reporters David Nakamura of the Washington Post and Mike Memoli of the Los Angeles Times.

 

Yes I suppose it was not “optimal” for your re-election campaign. Mr. President, exactly how are you going to “fix it"? Like you fixed the last month's press releases, like the video someone dredged up to give you a lame excuse? Like Susan Rice’s, Jay Carney’s, and Hillary Clinton’s lies and cover-ups? How are you going to “fix it” Mr. President for the parents, spouses, and loved ones of those murdered in Libya because some bureaucrat denied their requests for more security, and you were too busy campaigning to attend your intelligence meetings? Will some new furniture and a coat of fresh paint in the embassy erase your incompetence, will that  “fix it, all of it?” Perhaps since you cleared the heavens, raised the mountains, and lowered the oceans you really believe you can also raise the dead……..

 

My thoughts and condolences remain with those who lost loved ones in Benghazi and for our nation. This president is no "honest Abe."

Affordable Fighting Knives?

Illustrated in this posting are some of my favorite, production model fighting knives. Most of them are out of production now but examples can be found on Ebay™and other sites. In their day they were not cheap knives either. Back when I bought them it was an extravagance to spend $175-250 on a production knife. Randalls were a lot cheaper back then but still topped the list of expensive fighting knives. Makers like Pacific Cutlery, Blackjack, REKAT, Cold Steel, Ek Knives, Gerber, just to name a few, were turning out very high quality knives. I liked the Pacific Cutlery Fer de’ lance so much that I own several of them. If I see one at a can’t-resist-price I buy it. Now I see one on Ebay with a used Randall sheath that the seller is asking $450 for. Holy Cow that’s a lot of money for one even taking inflation into account. Then last week a “Rare” inscribed WW-II Fairbairn Sykes sold on auction for well over $500. It pays to know what you’re bidding on. That knife was made in the 1970s or 80s, I cannot remember which. But in my memory of history that is a little post WW-II. How do I know that knife was not WW-II? Because I bought one brand new when they were first advertised in "Soldier of Fortune" magazine, which is also post WW-II. I paid $90 for mine and have since bought two more overruns without the blade etchings. Nope I did not even pay $500 for all three of mine. Maybe those bidders should have looked on my F~S web-site. But anyway, here are some nice knives for those who asked me to post an article on something“Affordable” from the recent past. By the way this is the early "Recon" tanto with bead blasted finish and different pommel. There is another later version called the Recon which is a fine knife too. I forgot to mention the Fer de' Lance is double edged in case you cannot tell from the photo.

Blackjack Mamba
Cold Steel Recon Tanto
Pacific Cutlery Fer de' Lance
Cold Steel R-1 (Randall look-alike)
Gerber MK-II
Ek Knife MK-2

 

new post saturday

I'll have a new post up saturday about some mid-priced fighters that I have bough over the years and why I picked them. Here is a nice hand forged Larson "Bowie" with a Spanish flair to it.

Sheaths and a Gifted Bowie Maker

I hate making knife sheaths and so do some knife makers I guess. Here is a trio of knives that need sheaths and I suppose if I want them I’ll have to make them.  Yes I could mail the knives off to a sheath maker and hope they don’t get lost or stolen. Then wait many months for them to return, hopefully. I just don’t like the odds. Perhaps in a later post I’ll show the finished sheaths.

The smallest knife is by my good friend Matt Lamey and was featured in another post I did about cutting tests and a new definition of sharp. The mid-sized one is by a favorite maker of mine, Kent Hicks.

The largest knife just arrived this weekend. It was hand crafted by Justin Carnecchia of Wrenco Forge. Prior to seeing this knife on Ebay I had never heard of this talented maker. The letter that came with the knife says that Justin specializes in Bowie, Hunting, and Japanese Kitchen knives. My kind of maker! It also said he specializes in clay hardened blades and Japanese style hamon. No joke! This hamon is shear artistry. The polish on the blade would please any connoisseur of Japanaese swords.

 The ten inch plus blade is forged from W-2 steel. The billowing clouds hamon is absolutely stunning. Overall the knife is delicate in its proportions. It epitomizes what I refer to as a fencer’s Bowie, one that would emphasize thrusting over hacking. But the blade is anything but delicate, being a stout ¼ inch thick. A graceful blued Damascus steel guard is backed by a nicely-executed damascus ferrule with two seppa-style brass spacers.  Made from figured mesquite burl, the handle is elegantly contoured to fit your hand and finish off an altogether exquisite Bowie knife. I suggest you contact this man and see what he can build for you. I might just have to contact him about a Japanese style Osoraku Zukuri fighting knife myself.

His contact info is wrencoforge@hotmail.com or call him at 208 263-9425 to discuss the knife of your dreams. I am positive Justin can make it happen.

 

Desecration of an Ideal

This is the new Obama flag. For $35 you can buy a print from the white house. This is obscene! It is a disgraceful display of hubris, unmitigated arrogance, and disrespect for what the American flag stands for and all of the people who have fought for and those who died to defend the values it represents. I cannot begin to verbalize my complete and utter contempt for this image and the nacissistic man behind it. He continually diminishes the office he fills. Truly "the emperor has no clothes!"

My grandfather and 2 great uncles fought in WW-I. My father, brother, and I served during Vietnam. This is not the flag we served under, it is an abberation and borders on the illegal. Vote your conscience, follow your gut, not Party, Race, or Color. Vote for a Free America

price reduction

Click on the post of knives for sale and find something you like. Email me at ghdave2@hotmail.com and I will take $25 off the price and ship it poastage  paid to your door (CONUS) only.

A Fistfull of Power

Ever try coming up with a benign weapon that you can carry without incuring felony charges? Have you ever heard of a "yawara" or a  "kubotan?" A yawara is nothing more than a stick five to six inches long that may be made from any tough material. It is used to strike, punch, rake,  or apply pressure to sensitive points on the body. I  have trained many students to use one. Our training kubotan were simple pieces of broom handle cut to length. Any hard wood will do but I wanted to buy some for my family to carry when they are working or travelling and I wanted something a little special.

Sooo. I did what any red-blooded American would do and started searching the internet. (Thank you Al Gore for inventing it so I could find things.) Here is a photo from a blogsite TiSurvival that offers all sorts of neat kubotan, small containers, and chopsticks made from titanium. Sure I could have bought some off ebay made from titanium if I wanted to get them from China. Remember.....I am boycotting chinese goods. Besides who wants to pay the shipping, wait however long, and hope they don't get lost or  confiscated by some over exuberant DHS agent.

These are really sweet tools for defense and have an artistic flair. The maker is Esteban and here is where to check out his products. http://tisurvival.com/products/kubatons/ You won't find any nicer guy to deal with and he had these to my door super quick. The two knurled sections add substantially to the gripping surface and one end is drilled for a thong. His prices are not cheap but they are high quality and in line with what a lot of people are charging. Contact Esteban for some really nice products at fair prices and excellent service.

Handgun Class

I'm all signed up for this October Handgun II class and looking forward to a fun and chilly weekend in West Virginia. This is the same school I went to for precision rifle training last summer and had such a great time. Check it out. Nice folks to deal with. During the first day of rifle class my harris bipod took a dump. Within ten minutes they brought me a new one which they "loaned" me to get me going again. Thats the sort of people they are. Beautiful country and good people who love guns what more could you ask for? http://www.stormmountain.com/media/training/HandgunI_IICourse.pdf

Here is the link to the home page.     http://www.stormmountain.com/

This link takes you to a nice power-point of the facilities.  http://www.stormmountain.com/media/facility/09.pdf

The Mideast meltdown

May God comfort and be with the relatives and loved ones of those murdered in Libya and may St. Michael watch over all our brave people who serve in foreign lands.

Fairbairn Sykes Website

It is a rainy day here in western NY. So I decided to add more material to our Fairbairn website. We are getting 20-30 visits a day which is terrific! We are also getting interesting contacts from people all over the world. I guess that means people are liking what they see. Today I have added some more information and better photos of Australian knives. This was prompted by an email from a 2 Cdo Veteran from Australia concerning the photo we had posted. So if you go to our website, WW-II Commando Knives, Variants, Australian knives you’ll see what we added.

Next I have to take more photos of the ubiquitous third pattern and post them, along with more info. There were over 250,000 made by war’s end so they are the most common of the British Commando knives. Some were better than others, a lot better. The better ones are discernible by the marks stamped into their cross guards and the “mysterious flat on the blade. We discuss all of this on the website so I won’t repeat it all here. There are a lot of wive’s tales out there about Commando knives and I cringe every time I read some of it on the forums. Some people prefer to repeat unfounded trash rather than do a little honest research. Hopefully our site will rebut some of the foolishness. There are a lot of good books out there and some not so good. A few that have been reprinted several times that still have erroneous labeling or information. We are playing with the idea of publishing our own book. It will be different by the detail which we intend to provide, the minutiae as we call it on our website. How can you tell whether that knife you are preparing to buy is really a rare variant or something cobbled together by some entrepreneur? Hopefully we can provide you with the knowledge to buy safely and wisely. When we began our foray into this field there were no counterfeits. The volume of original knives available cheaply did not make forgery lucrative. Today that is changing as I see more and more knives that have been messed with, tampered with and called “rare specimens.”

So follow our website and get some insight, (sounds like an advertising jingle) into the fascinating world of the Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knife and its progeny. We will be taking a poll in the near future of people who might be interested in a book and keeping a list for future production/sales if you like.

http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/

KNIFE SALE

KNIFE SALE

OK! Here are a few knives for sale from the old White Shadow Dojo Inventory. These are unused, never cut with fighting knives of the first quality. I saved a couple out for myself including one of the large hawkbills. I changed my mind and will include shipping and handling in these prices.  Once these are gone we have no more. As I said the first "I will take it" by the time-date gets the knife. Payment can be by USPS Money Order or Paypal. Sorry, I am not set up to take credit cards. Why am I selling these off? To pay for my spate of knife purchases including the Dozier Crossada. I hope there is something here that strikes your fancy. If not I will list more in a week or so.

CONTACT ME @  ghdave2@hotmail.com AND put "Knife Sale" in the subject so I know its not trash or spam. Thanks

Steven Tedford Bowie: $250 This is one of Canadian maker Steven Tedford's early knives. The knife has a nice Amboyna (sp) burl handle and nickle silver guard. The carbon steel clip point blade is very sharp and nicely proportioned. I have the price this low because the sheath, while robust and functional, is a little crude. Make your self a new sheath and have a fine Bowie for a reasonable price by a custom maker. Blade is 8 inches OAL is 13 inches. A nice handy sized Bowie.

ITAC Series LargeRecurve: $350 A real sweet recurve knife, fast in the hand. Comes with the leather covered kydex sheath and zippered pouch. ITAC series features full tang construction, real hamon and 8 inch blade. The handle is wrapped with beautiful same gawa (ray skin) and leather over wrap. A nice large chrysanthemum menuki graces one side. The knife is 13.25 inches OAL. These knives are really top quality!

All of the ITAC handles are like this one!! The leather wrap is very comfortable and gives a nice grip.

ITAC Series Small Hawkbill: $325 Comes with the leather covered kydex sheath and zippered pouch. ITAC series features full tang construction, real hamon and5 inch blade. The handle is wrapped with beautiful same gawa and leather over wrap. A nice large chrysanthemum menuki graces one side. The knife is 10.25 inches OAL. These knives are really top quality!

ITAC Series Large Hawkbill: $350 Comes with the leather covered kydex sheath and zippered pouch. ITAC series features full tang construction, real hamon and 6.25 inch blade. The handle is wrapped with beautiful same gawa and leather over wrap. A nice large chrysanthemum menuki graces one side. The knife is 12 inches OAL. These knives are really top quality!

Brent Sandow Viper: $275 with kydex sheath and zippered case. This knife is made by Brent Sandow of Auchalnd New Zealand, A member of their guild and long time knife maker. Blade is 5 inches double edged D-2 with black milspec coating. Grey miacarta handles held by three screws and epoxy. Full tang and10.5 inches overall.

I will post more knives next week once I have time to take photos. Thanks for looking!!