A year and four months.

shopdoc said:
Great book! Think Ill read it again. If I recall, he had some buddies fly over their camp and drop off crates of champagne and glasses. Love it!
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I remember that incident in the book!

There Was something special about that date/time/location, but I can't recall what it was. But they felt strong enough about it to have made arrangements for an air drop of the Champagne and glasses. They were very serious about toasting someone/something special. If you find out, let me know what it was.
 
jackknife said:
I remember that incident in the book!

There Was something special about that date/time/location, but I can't recall what it was. But they felt strong enough about it to have made arrangements for an air drop of the Champagne and glasses. They were very serious about toasting someone/something special. If you find out, let me know what it was.
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I will definitely let you know. I forgot how great this book is. Wonderful tales, but it’s also very funny. I just downloaded his other book to listen to and from work.

I was looking at Executives on Ebay. Prices are even worse now. It’s a darn shame.

Time to grab my pole, hike to 9000ft in the Sierras and try my hand at some Golden Trout Yeager style.
 
shopdoc said:
I will definitely let you know. I forgot how great this book is. Wonderful tales, but it’s also very funny. I just downloaded his other book to listen to and from work.

I was looking at Executives on Ebay. Prices are even worse now. It’s a darn shame.

Time to grab my pole, hike to 9000ft in the Sierras and try my hand at some Golden Trout Yeager style.
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Don't forget the pen knife!
 
This fine Saturday I built a fence and a door for my garden. Tired of feeding the rabbits. Then I piped up a backup sump pump so that I could quickly drop it in if my primary fails. For this suburban dad, that’s about as involved as it gets in terms of outside of work duties. Just minor household chores. And nothing larger than my small SAK was needed. Larger duties required dedicated tools. Having a larger knife would not have helped me one bit. In fact for some of the duties it would’ve gotten in the way.

To be honest, the only time I really use a larger knife or even a sheath knife is because I created a situation that needed it… or maybe I should say used it to handle a situation just so I could use it when another tool would’ve been much better. I could’ve used a larger Swiss Army knife with saw to cut the PVC pipe. But it was a lot easier using my small multi material circular saw. I could carry a larger knife when I’m working in the garden, but to be honest, small pruning shears work much better. If you are pruning up 10 tomato plants, those small pruning shears are golden. I could use a sheath knife to cut off some small branches in the yard, but once again, a small saw would work better. Most of the time when I run into these situations, I’m at home where I have plenty of other, better tools. It might take me an extra 10 steps to grab that tool is all.

Unless I’m camping or fishing, I just don’t need anything larger than a 58 or 74mm SAK.
 
shopdoc said:
This fine Saturday I built a fence and a door for my garden. Tired of feeding the rabbits. Then I piped up a backup sump pump so that I could quickly drop it in if my primary fails. For this suburban dad, that’s about as involved as it gets in terms of outside of work duties. Just minor household chores. And nothing larger than my small SAK was needed. Larger duties required dedicated tools. Having a larger knife would not have helped me one bit. In fact for some of the duties it would’ve gotten in the way.

To be honest, the only time I really use a larger knife or even a sheath knife is because I created a situation that needed it… or maybe I should say used it to handle a situation just so I could use it when another tool would’ve been much better. I could’ve used a larger Swiss Army knife with saw to cut the PVC pipe. But it was a lot easier using my small multi material circular saw. I could carry a larger knife when I’m working in the garden, but to be honest, small pruning shears work much better. If you are pruning up 10 tomato plants, those small pruning shears are golden. I could use a sheath knife to cut off some small branches in the yard, but once again, a small saw would work better. Most of the time when I run into these situations, I’m at home where I have plenty of other, better tools. It might take me an extra 10 steps to grab that tool is all.

Unless I’m camping or fishing, I just don’t need anything larger than a 58 or 74mm SAK.
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There's a lot of truth in your statement "created a situation that required it"
It is like those, ah, individuals who intentionally go out into the woods, and not bring an axe so they can use their esee 6 or whatever to baton wood when an axe works so much better. A 10 dollar axe chops better than a 400 dollar fixed blade and all that. Most fixed blades are too thick behind the edge, they aren't even all that good at cutting, not like they use to be, when they were slightly thicker than a swiss army knife on pioneer. The best way to see just how useful a swiss army knife is, is to use instead of anything else as if it's the only knife you had and then it would be learned that it really does do the job
 
ShaiHulud said:
There's a lot of truth in your statement "created a situation that required it"
It is like those, ah, individuals who intentionally go out into the woods, and not bring an axe so they can use their esee 6 or whatever to baton wood when an axe works so much better. A 10 dollar axe chops better than a 400 dollar fixed blade and all that.
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It’s true. My $20 Home Depot brand ax is far better suited for that kinda work than a knife. Regardless of what kind of “super steel” it may be.
 
Daedric Panther said:
It’s true. My $20 Home Depot brand ax is far better suited for that kinda work than a knife. Regardless of what kind of “super steel” it may be.
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That reminds me of when I was young and my dad would tell me to get a hammer when I was beating on things with my hand...
 
Why do you need an ax or hatchet? Unless you are 'creating a situation that requires it' for the express purpose of playing Mr. Bushcrafteer and destroying some part of nature?

This whole bushcraft crap has pissed me off many times in the past when I went hiking, and came on a clearing that had been created by some energetic numbskull with his big chopper and hacked down everything he could to prove how good his big blade was at destroying nature. The area littered with remains of small trees that had been hacked down, then into small pieces of debris for what purpose? So some idiot with more money than brains could play bushman.

For a few dollars, you can drop a plastic 10 foot by 10 foot disposable drop cloth from the paint department at Walmart or Home Depot. Its about the size of a paperback novel, weighs about the same, yet can be strung up in a few minutes making a totally waterproof windproof shelter that is tons better than anything you can make in 2 hours hacking away at the wilderness with some big knife or hatchet. I know, because I've done it.

When I got out of the army with my right foot and ankle pinned back together and had to go to ultra light backpacking, I got a light nylon waterproof tarp that rolled up about the size of a loaf of bread. Very light weight. It gave me a 12 foot by 12 foot area that I sat out thunderstorms under staying totally dry. A ping pong ball and a roll of jute twine completed the shelter. Never had to cut so much as a twig. Put the one ping pong ball in the center of it to hang it up like a big pyrimid for shelter. Ran some twine out to saplings to the sides to make a waterproof tarp tent. A coffee can hobo stove used small twigs for fuel so no chopping needed. If it was wet, some army heat tabs were used to boil water for coffee or oatmeal. Once I sold off that Ridiculous Randall 14 that I never used for anything, I carried my Wenger SI to deal with any cutting or cooking job, or slicing up a nice Gouda cheese for trailside snacking.

All I ever saw from the bushcraft idiots was areas of nature devastated by irresponsible hacking away at the woods to prove what a great thing their big chopper was.
 
jackknife said:
Why do you need an ax or hatchet? Unless you are 'creating a situation that requires it' for the express purpose of playing Mr. Bushcrafteer and destroying some part of nature?

This whole bushcraft crap has pissed me off many times in the past when I went hiking, and came on a clearing that had been created by some energetic numbskull with his big chopper and hacked down everything he could to prove how good his big blade was at destroying nature. The area littered with remains of small trees that had been hacked down, then into small pieces of debris for what purpose? So some idiot with more money than brains could play bushman.

For a few dollars, you can drop a plastic 10 foot by 10 foot disposable drop cloth from the paint department at Walmart or Home Depot. Its about the size of a paperback novel, weighs about the same, yet can be strung up in a few minutes making a totally waterproof windproof shelter that is tons better than anything you can make in 2 hours hacking away at the wilderness with some big knife or hatchet. I know, because I've done it.

When I got out of the army with my right foot and ankle pinned back together and had to go to ultra light backpacking, I got a light nylon waterproof tarp that rolled up about the size of a loaf of bread. Very light weight. It gave me a 12 foot by 12 foot area that I sat out thunderstorms under staying totally dry. A ping pong ball and a roll of jute twine completed the shelter. Never had to cut so much as a twig. Put the one ping pong ball in the center of it to hang it up like a big pyrimid for shelter. Ran some twine out to saplings to the sides to make a waterproof tarp tent. A coffee can hobo stove used small twigs for fuel so no chopping needed. If it was wet, some army heat tabs were used to boil water for coffee or oatmeal. Once I sold off that Ridiculous Randall 14 that I never used for anything, I carried my Wenger SI to deal with any cutting or cooking job, or slicing up a nice Gouda cheese for trailside snacking.

All I ever saw from the bushcraft idiots was areas of nature devastated by irresponsible hacking away at the woods to prove what a great thing their big chopper was.
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Here in California every acre of parkland, forest, or anything that resembles an area made for camping and backpacking is protected, no cutting or chopping of anything, not even a felled dead tree. Only free fallen small stuff like branches and sticks already littered about and it had to be left there upon leaving. Fat fines were issued to any and all dense-head "survival men" who wanted to attempt anything they've seen on a YT channel. Batoning wood for a fire with a knife is a useless practice, use an axe, if you need a hammer, rock or the axe head reversed. And a swiss army for cutting. You'll want for nothing I promise. Yes, a swiss army tinker isn't as "cool" as an esee 4, but it's loaaaads more useful
 
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ShaiHulud said:
Here in California every acre of parkland, forest, or anything that resembles an area made for camping and backpacking is protected, no cutting or chopping of anything, not even a felled dead tree. Only free fallen small stuff like branches and stuff already littered about and it had to be left there upon leaving. Fat fines were issued to any and all dense-head "survival men" who wanted to attempt anything they've seen on a YT channel. Batoning wood for a fire with a knife is a useless practice, use an axe, if you need a hammer, rock or the axe head reversed. And a swiss army for cutting. You'll want for nothing I promise. Yes, a swiss army tinker isn't as "cool" as an esee 4, but it's loaaaads more useful
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What gets me is, the don't realize that, aside from the YouTube gurus putting all kinds of crap out there to fill up time as they get a decent amount of money for the videos from advertisers, that you can split wood with a small saw way, way, WAY easier than with any hatchet or ax. Just saw halfway through the piece of wood to be split. and then hit it against a tree with the saw cut on the side away from the impact. It will split off right down the gran of the wood. To quarter it, repeat the process. I've done it with a small folding Opinel saw that's about the same size and weight of an Opinerl number 12, and a Gerber/Fiskars sliding blade saw that is maybe 3 ounces in weight and the same size as the Opinel.

Sawing takes a lot less energy, way WAY less chance of a serious accident with a hatchet or ax in back country, and it's way quieter. The saw on a SAK huntsman or farmer will work for inch to inch and a half diameter stuff. The Fiskars and Opinel saw will handle 2 to 3 inch stuff with no problem. Heavier stuff won't matter, since you're camping, not starting a lumbering operation.
 
I am still far too much in love with my 91 mm SAKs to drop down to a 58 or so for everyday carry. The tools on the 91 are invaluable, and the blades sizes for me are just right. I have too much on my keychain as it is to put something else on it.

However (you knew that was coming)....

One of my EDC's is the Vic money clip. If you haven't seen this, you're really missing out. It holds my bills (obviously), but also has a nail file, scissors, and small blade. I can't tell you how many times I've been caught without a knife, usually because it's hot and I'm wearing some lightweight shorts with pockets, and I needed a knife. Now my 91 mm's would be too heavy, but the money clip is always there with my backup blade.

And it cuts like the dickens. I'm never without it.
 
sodak said:
I am still far too much in love with my 91 mm SAKs to drop down to a 58 or so for everyday carry. The tools on the 91 are invaluable, and the blades sizes for me are just right. I have too much on my keychain as it is to put something else on it.

However (you knew that was coming)....

One of my EDC's is the Vic money clip. If you haven't seen this, you're really missing out. It holds my bills (obviously), but also has a nail file, scissors, and small blade. I can't tell you how many times I've been caught without a knife, usually because it's hot and I'm wearing some lightweight shorts with pockets, and I needed a knife. Now my 91 mm's would be too heavy, but the money clip is always there with my backup blade.

And it cuts like the dickens. I'm never without it.
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Nothing wrong with 91mm, not too much larger, it's not a one hand Trekker, it also pairs nicely with a classic
(see spartan-classic duo)
And sometimes you just need a little extra that the pen knife on 58 mm can't provide
No shame in it
 
I'm starting to shake my head every time I see people discuss "hard use knives" and refer to a knife as a "beater" --- I've been pursuing this rabbit hole for years and it's taking me this long to be completely confused by the whole thing. Why do you have to beat on a knife? Or use a knife ro beat on something? Sounds like you're using it wrong at that point, or on materials that probably wants an entirely different tool at that point. I just looked up beater knives on YT, and of course, they're beating on wood.. I mean..
---
Just use an axe? Sometimes they will hide beater knives in the phrase "work knives". Same thing, just a euphemism. I've been chasing these "hard use knives" for the better part of 12 years, and of the few I sporadically obtained and seldom kept, I never once ran into a situation I didn't artificially create to require the need for a "beater"
 
I think many people wish to have a knife on them at all times that will handle a post apocalypse situation. Marketing at it’s finest.

Being a connoisseur of 1980s post apocalyptic movies and therefore an expert on the subject, I have news for everyone. If you don’t have cool sunglasses, big hair, and, most importantly, an Uzi…you aren’t going to survive!!
 
shopdoc said:
I think many people wish to have a knife on them at all times that will handle a post apocalypse situation. Marketing at it’s finest.

Being a connoisseur of 1980s post apocalyptic movies and therefore an expert on the subject, I have news for everyone. If you don’t have cool sunglasses, big hair, and, most importantly, an Uzi…you aren’t going to survive!!
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They live!!!!
 
The classic rescue:
Were at Safeway, the wife and I, I told her I wanted to get her flowers, so as she was making her decision on a dozen of 12 pink, one of God's masterfully hidden defensive weapons to protect the flowers snagged her finger. A very small brown spine went through her finger. She tried to pull it out by pinching it but to no avail.
She has an alox classic but it doesn't have the tweezers, I happen to have my classic in yellow cellidor. The tweezers removed the splinter immediately, let's see a dedicated larger folder do that!
 
shopdoc said:
I think many people wish to have a knife on them at all times that will handle a post apocalypse situation. Marketing at it’s finest.

Being a connoisseur of 1980s post apocalyptic movies and therefore an expert on the subject, I have news for everyone. If you don’t have cool sunglasses, big hair, and, most importantly, an Uzi…you aren’t going to survive!!
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Just watched Escape from New York recently. You need that Mac-10 with silencer and sniper scope attached to it.
 
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