Just a note...

I HAVE AMMO FOR THEM ALL!!!! Not zombie apocalypse amounts for all of them, but enough to go to the range and shoot a couple of rounds.  Wanna take a stab at what calibers these are?

A tale of two....

knives.

As you are well aware, I'm not one to do product reviews.  That being said, here's one. Warning, lots of pics. For me, anyways.

For a long time now I've been living on those 10 dollar blister pack folding knives for EDC.  I figured it was time to 1) Stop doing that, and 3) Look at getting an assisted opening one for EDC.  Being the cheap pilot that I am, I didn't want to spend 5 bajillion dollars on something that was going to get used, abused and possibly lost.  So, after hunting around and talking to a couple of people I picked out 2 knives for my initial foray into the Pocket Knife arena.

The Kershaw Cryo and the CRKT K.I.S.S. ASSist.

 

Both knives  were available for under $50. Both approximately the same length folded as well as blade length.  Each used a different assist method.  The Kershaw with it's flipper and the CRKT using their patented Fire Safe (tm) system.  I've carried both for only a couple of days each now and I wanted to get my initial reactions down.  First off, neither knife came in a blister pack, so you didn't need a knife to open the knife. If you know what I mean.   The Kershaw had a standard blade while the CRKT had a tanto style blade.

 

 

Out of the box, the CRKT disappointed me with it's relatively poor initial edge.  While the Kershaw was, out of the factory, sharpened nicely enough to shave the hair off my arm.  I suppose any knife sharpener at a gun show could improve the edge on the CRKT, but I'm just one of those guys that likes things to be right out of the box. Point to Kershaw. Other than that, I much prefer the tanto blade style.  It's held up better to the uses I put knives to over any other cut.

Other things.  In the above pics, you'll notice the CRKT has a much longer pocket clip than the Kershaw.  In fact the Kershaw's clip was small enough that I sometimes had problems trying to catch the clip on the pocket edge and the Kershaw also sometimes wouldn't slide on easily.  But neither knife felt like it was too loose or would accidentally work out of the pocket.  And it may be that the Kershaw clip just needs to be worked in a bit more. But point to CRKT on the clip length.  But, the clip on the CRKT can only be mounted in the one spot, so if you're left handed or like to keep your knife on your off side, then you'll be fumbling with the knife to get it spun around to open.  The Kershaw, on the other hand has 4 positions that the clip can be mounted to.  Meaning, tip up or tip down, strong side or off side, the knife can be clipped such that you can one handed draw and open the knife without any fumbling to get it into position.  Point to Kershaw and that ties the knives up in the clip department.

Both use assisted opening mechanisms.  Of the two.  I have to give it to Kershaw's system.  Much easier to use than the CRKT, never failed to go all the way open and locked, no matter how I tried to soft flip it. Very simple. Place your finger on the stud, press down and it's open and locked.  The system on the CRKT on the other hand took me a minute to get used to and a bit of practice to get down to the point of muscle memory. It's a two step process to open. You press down on the stud with your thumb and then press outward to open the knife. And I found if you soft press it outward, it sometimes wouldn't fully open and lock.  That's a biggie with me.  I want a folder to positively open and lock when I open it. Speaking of, the locking mechanisms for the two knives.  The Kershaw uses a frame lock and the CRKT uses a stud lock.  Both are solid and about on par for getting unlocked.  But I'm giving this to Kershaw. You need less fine motor movement to disengage the Kershaw lock than the CRKT's. I tried to take close ups of the locking mechanisms, the pics are a bit fuzzy, but here they are anyway.

You can see in the top pic, the upper right is the stud that you have to press down and push out to open and to the left of the brass colored pivot is the lock. If you use my thumb in the lower right as reference you can see how small that unlock stud is.  Verses the Kershaw where you just have to sweep the frame lock out of the way.

Neither knife is especially uncomfortable in the pocket.  Not too heavy, not too wide to sit on.  Although as you can sort of see, the CRKT is much thinner. 

In fact the CRKT with clip was no wider than the Kershaw without. But again, I haven't run into that as an issue carrying either.  I suppose if I have a day where I'm driving 5 or 10 hours, but we'll see when that happens. 

Other things, the Kershaw blade folds down into the frame with the entire blade covered.  The CRKT when closed only has a guard that covers the edge on the outer half of the blade. The paranoid lizard part of my brain kept looking at the knife and saying, "you're gonna cut your hand open every time you open that fool thing!" Style wise, I do prefer the CRKT over the Kershaw.

Overall, I've been leaning towards the Kershaw for what I'll grab off the dresser when I get dressed in the morning.  But again, I've only been carrying either for a couple of days each.  We'll see what long term sees, I guess.

I'll just leave this here.

The first step.

Is admitting you have a problem.

Hi, my name is Jim and I'm an addict.  I can't help myself.  It is beyond my control.  I am a oldguncollectoraholic.  I see old guns and I just can't stop myself from getting them at reasonable or better prices.  Today, I went down to Jackson Armory to pick up my Martini Henry I had some work done on and walked out with this as well.

 

 



It's a Smith Corona WW2 vintage M1903A3.  Original stock, but otherwise a good arsenal example.  Gauged at less than a 1.5 on the muzzle and throat. So, in general, a good shooter.  Which is what I have been looking for.  Honest.  No really! I've been looking for an 03 or 03a3.  No, I'm not lying. I was.  I swear.  Fine, don't believe me.

Anyway, I've found a oldguncollectorsaholics anonymous group.  We meet every Tuesday afternoon at Jackson Armory.
 

I can neither...

Confirm nor deny that the following pic may or may not be a representation or not of the Savage rifle that may or may not have been mentioned or not in the last post

or not....

 

The things you find when you're not looking...

So, I'm driving through $SmallTown Nebraska today. Don't ask.. okay, you can ask, but I'm not explaining why.  And right smack dab on my route south is a gun and pawn shop.  "Kismet?", thinks I. So, I stop and skip on in. I'm still trying to find ammo for my Springfield Trapdoor and I'm having an extraordinary lack of luck in that department.

Other than on guy in North Dakota who's convinced that ALL .45-70Gov is low pressure. Because, you know, it's a hunting round.

Yeah, I'm still trying to figure that one out too.

Not wanting to blow a 135 year old gun up in my face, I told the guy he was flat wrong.  I think those were my exact words too.  That felt sort of good and liberating.  Ya'know?

Anyway, so I saunter up to the ammo case below a rack of consignment guns in the pawn shop and the owner (I assume) greeted me and asked if he could help.  Told him I was looking for ammo. He asked, .22? And we both had a little chuckle over that one.  Then I told him I was actually looking for .45-70Gov for a trapdoor.  He said the only .45-70 he has was a box of extreme and he pointed down to the bottom shelf.

Low and behold, what is sitting under it, but this.

Now, the box is slightly yellowed like it's been on the shelf for a while and I couldn't remember how rare or common or easy or hard to find 7.65 Argentine is. So, after a couple of quick calls to a couple of my guys...

Yes, I have guys, thanks Lawdog and NFO, to see if anyone we knew had anything to use this, I bought it on principle.

So, I've got a box of 7.65 Argentine. Possibly rare, possibly not. possibly old, possibly not.  Anyone need it? I'll trade you straight up round for round for .45-70Gov. I think Remington make a low pressure black powder safe round in .405gr.

Oh, and I bought the Savage 1899A lever action rifle made in 1911 from the gun rack above it too.  Did I forget to mention that?

Tyranny Alert

Via Tam:

http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.ca/2013/07/cradle-and-grave-of-liberty-part-deux.html

This is what a police states looks like folks.  On the day when we in this country are supposed to be celebrating our freedom FROM tyranny we have those who would subjugate us doing their best to do just that. 

We need to mobilize the gun owning public and make this go viral.  We may be beyond the point where shining the light of day upon this kind of action will kill it, but we are never beyond the point of fighting against this.

Happy United States Independence Day

I hope you all have a great 4th of July. For those of you who can, be careful with the fireworks.

And please, while you all are going about your day today, seeing friends, cooking out, whatever, take a moment and remember those who have served in our armed forces.  They have made, make, and will ensure that this day's celebrations remain possible. Also, please say a prayer for all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our country and our way of life.

All things being equal....

Kansas is flatter than Nebraska. That is all.

Happy Father's Day...

everyone!

(or should it be Happy Fathers Day?)

Remember the old axiom.  Fathers don't care about fair, Fathers only care about quiet. So, go give your dad some of that today.