Weekend Open Thread: Christmas Movie Madness Edition

H. Clay Aalders
Weekend Open Thread
·21 Comments··14 views

Howdy folks. 2 weeks until Christmas, the bowl games don’t start for another week, time to watch some Christmas movies. Like Die Hard.

Die Hard is actually our family’s New Years Eve tradition. And A Christmas Story is the best Christmas movie. Everyone else is wrong.

Honorable mention goes to White Christmas. We have already watched it a couple of times this year, starting with having it on while we decorate the house and tree.

Never much cared for Rudolph, except Yukon Cornelius – the OG of EDC. I am surprised they haven’t CGI’d away his pistol yet.

How delightfully Orwellian.

Seems legit.

Mortal Combat: Christmas Edition.

My wife is hooked on the Hallmark Movies There are two that are actually somewhat watchable. Most notably Christmas in Handcuffs, which has Mario Lopez and Melissa Joan Hart. But the completely formulaic ones are pretty bad.

There are also brunettes. Danica McKeller (Winnie Cooper) is in a bunch of them.

Kinda like playing a country song backwards.

Reads like Chinese ad copy.

 

 

 

There are not any knife shows that I am aware of until January, though I missed the Kentucky Custom Show last weekend. I went in 2019. It was unique, but a good experience. I just plain didn’t realize it was coming, and they don’t put it on our Event Calendar.

Steve T. is the first “ticket holder” for the Spartan Astor folding knife. It takes two to win, so everyone is still in the game. Just post comments and replies, and if you are drawn twice, you win this rock solid USA Made folding knife.

Up to 5 comments/replies count as your entries. If you are new to the blog, your first comments will be held in moderation until approved. After that you can post at will.

Now back to the memes.

Hat tip to Mike Rowe for that one.

OMG, we are all going to die. Someday. Most likely not from WuFlu.They haven’t found a cure for the common death yet.

We stay away from the political as a general rule, but now that he is officially convicted we can say, “Good”. He tried to start a race war to boost his popularity. How is that working out for you?

I hope he actually does at least a little time. A slap on the wrist isn’t going to help things.

No. Go away.

Can’t argue with that. Did anyone see the end of the Purdue/Rutgers game the other night? If not, you need to watch the last 30 seconds.

Strangely topical.

Turn it up to 11. All new mothers want you to.

That made me laugh. As did this week’s official Dad Joke:

Those crazy Swedes and their ready to assemble furniture. And Meatballs.

 

And finally, I am not ready for 2022 yet.

Have a good one everybody.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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H. Clay Aalders

H. Clay Aalders is a lifelong edged tool user. He spent the past 20 years as a woodworker and fishing guide in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Tennessee. While guiding in Idaho, Clay worked part-time writing for a local newspaper, and upon moving to Tennessee began writing for the blog The Truth About Knives - spending his last 5 years there as Managing Editor. His background is in fixed-blade hunting and bushcraft knives, but has jumped into the world of vintage slipjoint collecting with both feet since coming to work at Knife Magazine. Clay’s primary role is as Digital Editor, curating and creating new content for our website and blog, as well as maintaining the Knife Magazine social media accounts (FB/IG: @theknifemag, Twitter: @knifemagazine). He is also a contributor and Associate Editor of the print magazine.

21 Responses

  1. Going down to the “Moran Forge” on Saturday morning. Steve Nuckels is giving a demonstration of silver-wire inlay. Coffee and donuts, too!! Show and tell: “Barney’s” Camp Knife – the “Cloverleaf” . . . gorgeous silver wire.

    I bought a “new” 2008 F-150. When I found my Dragonfly 2 beneath the driver’s seat, I saw holes in the floorboard of my reliable 2003. Corrosion has taken it’s toll: Rocker panels, the bed and bed supports . . . Too expensive to fix (Estimates of $8K). I got a good nine years from this truck. Only has 90K miles. Good 6-cylinder, 4X4 and absolutely no-frills. Roll down windows, bench seat and the original spare tire with the “hairs” on it. So, the ’08 has a 5.4L Triton, 4X4, XLT (. . . no idea what this means) and it is a king cab. I can put a child seat in it for my grandson, Axel, and have plenty of room for my “knife rack and staff”. It does have a 6 ft bed w/liner. (The ’03 had an 8 ft’er which was great for 4’X8′ sheets of plywood, etc.). The previous owner is a retired Maryland State Trooper. He maintained it in excellent condition and has all the maintenace records. I am very happy with the deal . . . I have money left over for my 2022 knife buying!

    Enjoy life and stay well

    Reply

  2. “FIF”, Wednesday, 12/15/21, . . “Billhook”. Making this blade pattern takes quite a bit of skill. Making it in a definitive time from thin nickel sheet, 1095 and 15N20 makes little sense to me. I think the producers of “FIF” should step back and apply the “KISS” principle to their show’s format. I am not entertained by frustrated knifemakers.

    Reply

    1. Proof of what you say was in the results after round one.
      I have never missed an episode and these were the worst four knives after the first round ever.

      Reply

  3. we four (two pack, two bear) threw a pleather couch (they slaughtered many naughas) into a work van (driven down from finger lakes) and attended the game in green bay. stayed in algoma. smith & cross, probitas, johnny drum. venison brats, pulled pork, 7qt 4lb meat chili.
    alpaca ponchos are useful.

    Reply

  4. I found my “DF2”, . . .Yea! Short explanation: I was driving and my urge for peppermint was overwhelming. Grabbed an un-opened gum pack. Fought the cellophane wrapper . . . removed ‘DF2’ from 5th pocket and slit it. Could not re-insert ‘DF2’ due to seat belt and sitting position. Realized that ‘DF2 was not there’ at Goodwill store. Search and rescue . . . Dragonfly under the bench seat. Yea!

    Reply

  5. “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt . . . or, as his Mom & Dad call him, “Jay”. My Mom told me about a mountain man near Edgemont named, “George Pinckney White Hallum Hap Cap Patterson”. Local folks called him, “Bo”. My Mom’s four brothers were “Glenn, George, Jesse and Harold” . . . the not-so-well known Warner Bros. Respectively, they were referred to as “Bud, “George”, “Head” and “Pill”. “George” was pretty mean and did not like nicknames.

    That “Spartan Blades-Astor” is very nice. I shared with Clay that “Spartan Blades” and “Ka-Bar” entered into a partnership in 2019 that created “Pineland Cutlery”. Both “Spartan” (North Carolina) and “Ka-Bar” (Olean, New York) make their knives in America. The “Pineland Cutlery” knives are may be made in the USA with some being produced in countries “friendly to America”: Germany, Italy and Taiwan. Go visit http://www.spartanbladesusa.com for some great background information.

    Uh-oh, I have misplaced my Dragonfly 2. Tearing up the F150 in an intensive search and rescue. (Already checked all my pockets . . . Damn!)

    My only work-in-progress at the moment is a new handle for my son’s Spyderco “Moran” trailing point. Curly maple with antler bolster and buttcap. Working with Shawn Hendrickson, JS/ABS. (Shawn’s father is E. Jay Hendrickson, MS/ABS).

    Other knifemaker news, Aubrey G. Barnes, MS/ABS (“Barney”) and Steve Nuckels, “Potomac Forge” are collaborating on a couple of things: cable damascus, “war clubs” and knife boxes. The “Moran Foundation” has started the initial site preparation for our bladesmithing school. Ran into “footer” problems with the clay soil. Moved forward . . . “Anticipation” (Carly Simon).

    Reply

    1. I’ve watched several cable Damascus videos. I am fascinated by the shear volume of wields necessary to make it work. Of all of the various techniques, I think cable Damascus involves the most magic. War clubs? Like Algonquin ball clubs? I’ve always thought they were beautiful functional art. Looking forward to future reports!

      Reply

      1. Yep, “War Clubs”. I sent Clay a photo of the one that Steve Nuckels sold at the “Moran Show”. Barney has “one-in-progress” that is a ‘hand grasping a ball’ . . . pretty neat looking.

        Reply

  7. The ‘Juicy’ memes are gold, though in that case really is more bizarre than fiction, you just cant write that stuff. I went back and watched the Chappelle skit on him before the trail, priceless

    Reply

    1. Our 3 kids, their spouses, and kids will all be here for Christmas. We haven’t all been together since the Friday before the lockdowns began. And that was for my mother-in-laws funeral. I just want to listen to the noise! The laughter. I.don’t need anything, really.
      Now, if you’re playing secret Santa….I kinda like the Case Copperhead (stainless steel, 2 blade, clip main blade).

      Reply

    1. The general rule in our family is “you don’t get anything for yourself after Halloween.You can make those purchases after Christmas@. Or so says my lovely wife!
      .
      There are a couple of SAK Spartans to go with the Classics I’ve previously picked up as stocking stuffers. But nothing sharp and fancy yet.

      Reply

  10. I have an appreciation for dad jokes. My granddaughter (15) got me a book of them for my birthday-said something about me needing new material!
    I never thought about the Home Alone/Die hard comparison before….but it is SO clear now!,

    Today is my lovely wife’s birthday. So we’re headed out for dinner with our eldest and her family.. Have a great weekend ya’ll.

    We were the Spartans in high school. School colors are green and white. I’m feeling that blade calling to me……

    Reply

        1. Glad to hear that. It seems like Gerber and SOG are finally starting to catch up to the quality that some other newer brands are bringing.

          Reply

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