Weekend Open Thread: Come and Take it Edition

H. Clay Aalders
Browning
·13 Comments·

Howdy folks…

It is good to be back. It is even better to have put the April issue Press Day behind us. Pulling together our annual New Release article was particularly challenging. With no SHOT Show, it was incumbent on us to chase down all the press releases, high-res photos, etc. required to write the article. But more on that later.

I try to keep the memes in these open threads apolitical, but these are scary times for the First Amendment. That is certainly fair game for a literal print publication. And my discussions with my friends of differing opinion have failed to yield a single one defending the Dr. Seuss cancellation flap. If people do not push back, there will be no stopping the iconoclasm. I am watching Casablanca at this very moment (the “La Marseillaise” scene just interrupted me). How long until the fact that Ingrid Bergman asks about (Sam) “The boy playing the piano” is enough to get it Memory Holed. 1984 was supposed to be a cautionary tale, not an instruction manual.

But enough about that.

We have a giveaway this weekend, and since it has been a few weeks, everyone is eligible. As always up to 5 comments or replies count as your entries towards a Browning Primal Folder (Small). The Primal Series of EDC folders compliments several combination sets of Primal game processing tools.

It is not a bad budget import. The overmolded rubber handle is comfortable and grippy. It has a deep carry clip, flipper and thumb studs, and liner lock. It won’t be the centerpiece of anyone’s collection, but it is a good all around user.

Do any of you hunt large game? We will be giving away the processing tools as well at a later time.

As I said, I would have more on the New Release article form the upcoming April issue. Here is a sneak peek at my introduction. I will be sharing each company individually on our social media and on the newsfeed, one each day.

Looking back, for many of us SHOT Show 2020 was the last milestone of “normalcy” before the pandemic “changed everything”. It is speculated, not without evidence, that the virus was already percolating under the surface at the show and that the infamous “SHOT Show Flu” last year was in fact Covid since some folks were hit extremely hard. Others reported symptoms like loss of taste and smell a full month before that made it into the national news stories.

We at KNIFE have chronicled Covid’s impact on the knife industry both online and in print, over multiple posts and articles. In fact, our first mention of the virus came as a sidebar to this very New Release article in the March 2020 issue. With 3 vaccines online less than a year after we barely recognized that this thing might be a problem, it looks like we all might be together by Blade Show…we hope.

So where does that leave the knife industry as we approach the end of the first quarter of 2021? Sales have been reported by many as strong throughout the past year, though shopping patterns have changed somewhat. Some companies are delaying new releases until midyear, others have cut back, while still others are charging ahead with dozens of new offerings no different than any other year.

Connecting with all the production companies without SHOT Show has proven to sometimes be a challenge. You get a sense for which marketing reps at which companies really excel at outreach and whom you know you will be able to rely on for a publication photo or email response at the last minute. Other companies have proven harder to reach.

So our list is a little different this year. There are some new additions, while some other companies were not yet ready to share. The knife industry seems to have weathered the Covid storm, and with a plethora of new offerings across the board, looks to build forward in a better 2021.

It has been a crazy year. I wrote this 1 year ago this week:

I think it held up pretty well.  What say you?

This harkens back to a couple of weeks ago. And it is one of the best I have seen…

Finally, this one isn’t related to anything, but it really cracked me up.

A little Viking dad-joke to round out your weekend.

Have a good one folks.

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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.

13 Responses

  1. No matter how earnest some people may be in their attempts to re-write history; or, re-visit nadirs in human history that continue to impact present culture, the fact exists and remains for humankind to learn from those mistakes and move forward to build respect and understanding of the diverse cultures in the world

    Albert Einstein is quoted, “Out of clutter, find simplicity; From discord, find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

    Another man: Solomon, son of David, penned the Book of Proverbs. On many a patrol on the USS George Bancroft SSBN643, I relied on the wisdom of the words written there. Heck, when I was underwater for nearly three months I read alot of books . . . the Quran and the Torah, both of which are essentially the same as the first five books of the Old Testament attributed to Moses. Nowadays, the Christians, the Muslims and the Jews just can not get along with one another. Beautiful day and I am going outside to dig and rake in my gardens and enjoy Mother Nature. Hocky

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  2. Navy story: Circa 1973 when I was 20-years old and a rookie nuke Machinist Mate 3rd Class on the USS Bainbridge DLGN-25 (. . . later re-designated CGN-25, but that is a different story), the Navy began a program designed to “breakdown” racial and cultural stereotypes. Now, the focus of the program was on “the black and the white” enlisted men. Officers were exempted. (Note: We were told that “officers” did not have prejudices because they were “educated”). So, us dumb-ass, dungaree clad honkies and colored people got to attend workshops where we could express our views on folks who did not look like us, talk like us . . .and so on. The ‘Bainbridge’ had a crew of about 430 men, including the officers.

    On day one of our workshop, the black sailors sat on one side and the white sailors sat on the opposite side. Our proctor, an “officer”, began by having the two groups write on a “flip chart” (Note: “Flip” was a derogatory term used for Filipinos. This flip chart had nothing to do with the ethnicity of a person from the Philippines.) Each side wrote down their “opinions”, aka stereotypes, of the other group. Blacks: White people can’t dance; “Whitey” ain’t got no rhythm; and other “serious” stuff. Whites: Blacks can’t swim; Blacks have big d —-; and other “serious” stuff. Everybody laughed their asses off! I reckon that the U.S. Navy achieved success with this program and racial harmony ruled on the “Bainbridge”.

    So, Is “Cancel Culture” the newest way to achieve racial, religious, literary, cultural, LGBT??X, and/or geopolitical harmony in the USA and on Earth? I do not want EVERYONE to look the same or talk the same; nor, do I want censorship of books, movies and cartoons. The “Hays Act” circa 1934 made Betty Boop cover up her breasts! Popeye got sanctioned for smoking his pipe and eating spinach (Note: Spinach was aka Marijuana . . . Reefer Madness, anybody?). It does come down to the basic issue of freedom of expression.

    So, I like custom knives. I like knives which are forged and I can accept knives which are stock-removal. I believe that the “heat treat”, toughness; and edge-geometry of a blade coupled with the overall balance of a knife are the important factors in a knife. This is my freedom of expression regarding knives. I respect the views of knife enthusiasts. Own what you like.

    “I am what I am and that’s all that I am” Popeye

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    1. CMEAT: Sandvik is a Swedish steel company. “14C28N” is a stainless steel with 14% Cr. The “nitrogen (N)” allows the steel to exhibit good edge retention and toughness. Bear & Son, Jacksonville, AL, USA uses this steel. It is counterpart to AUS8.

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      1. sometimes those “mov” chicom steels sound so similar to the svedska. it works well in the skyline and the upper tier swindle. i think my leek is sandvik spine/ d2 edge laminate, but that’s a poor example.

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          1. methinks all leeks.
            mine is the only serrated composite.
            it seemed like a good idea at the time.

    2. Hocky – I never got the connection between Popeye and the Mary J, now I see it its obvious, wow, mind blown! Maybe I can introduce you to a UK cartoon we grew up with, about cartoon pirates, called ‘Captain Pugwash’. Careful when you look that up!

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    3. Love this story, Hocky. Made me laugh out loud!
      To answer your question, sometimes I’m not sure what the cancel culture is trying to do, but I know what it’s actually doing… causing more division than unity. Chipping at little things over and over again before anyone notices a giant chunk is missing.

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  3. i learned it, colloquially, as, “common sense is anything but.”
    as far as sandbox taunts i’m sure i heard (sticks and stones), “names” rather than “words.” that nit picked; wonderful book titled, “i saw esau” lists hundreds of rhymes and otherwise chanted by children around the world, some origins and some lost to any sense whatsoever. great stuff.
    now, confusion: y’all describe mov steels as chinese; why do i consider something like 14c28v as swedish sandvik steel? don’t tell me the sveiks are using chicomflatware metal. what am i missing?
    “apple core! who’s your friend?”

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  4. Cancel Culture will chip away at our 1st amendment rights. Where they can’t win in court or congress, they will scare, threaten, and bully us into silence and submission.
    Pretty soon all of my favorite movies, books, childhood TV shows, presidents, sports heros, and national heros, will be erased and forgotten for some wrong or perceived wrong.
    I can’t even imagine being in high school or college reading (or teaching) 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 right now and NOT seeing (or teaching about) the similarities.
    …I should probably grab a copy before they get canceled.
    Anybody read The Prince lately? I bet all of your legislators and government leader have.
    Mark, I agree – more people need to be willing to openly disagree but acknowledge the other person’s right to say it. I’ll be using that phrase a lot more in my own public discourse.
    Clay, hope everyone in your house is feeling well and on the mend.
    I would say your article from last year held up pretty darn well.
    I always enjoy your articles. Thanks for sharing that sneak peek.
    Browning makes a good knife. I’ve become a fan of their products. After reading about the small Primal Folder, have no doubt it will live up to reasonable expectations.
    Hockey – i always appreciate a good idiom.
    Sounds like you scored a nice little knife find. I hope your research uncovers an interesting story.
    Take care everyone!

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  5. 18th century philosopher and writer with a biting political humor, “Voltaire” (born Francois-Marie Arouet in France) is attributed to the familiar quote which Mark references. It’s a good one to remember. Ol’ Volt is credited with “Common sense is not so common”, too. I have always adhered to the playground comeback, “Sticks and stones will break my bones; But words will never hurt me.” I think that Daffy Duck may have coined that idiom. Referencing the STUARTB view of “Chinasteel”, e.g. the entire “MoV” series, would not be missed. Gee, I reckon they could mix up a batch of “80Cr100MoV” . . . ChiComSuperSteel!!

    Clay: I bought a ‘SMKW’ knife at my favorite pawnshop. I normally do not buy this type of knife: A small, lock-back with a mallard duck on the scales, MIB. The interesting and “still unknown” aspects of this knife are “when was it made” and “who made it”. The cardboard sleeve has a postage stamp sized label that reads, “UNION MADE IN THE USA w/the Statue of Liberty head.”; and, also has a stamping in black ink: MALLARD / SM-3. The tang is stamped: SM-3, 440 / SURGICAL / U.S.A; and the reverse tang has the “SMKW” logo. Ray Montalvo at ‘SMKW’ is researching this for me. I will send you the pictures of the knife.

    (Note: My research of ‘SMKW’ shows that Jim Parker and Kevin Pines established their business around 1978. Not too long ago as knife companies go; and, just a few years after “Knife World” came into being.)

    Beautiful Sunday! Hocky

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  6. I’m not sure if we shouldn’t get ‘cancel culture’ to ban the plague of Chinese 8cr13mov Flippers that seem to have invaded our shores, it’s time.
    (Clay – I’ll take myself out of this weeks draw, thanks)

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  7. First of all, Clay, I hope you and yours are well, and/or well on the way to feeling well.

    Re: First Amendment: when I was a kid in the 60’s, almost every dad in the neighborhood had served in WWII or Korea (or both). I remember every one of them saying
    ,”I may not agree with what you say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it!”. I haven’t heard that quote in years. It needs to make a comeback.
    Casablanca! Great flick! I, too, am worried about it being cancelled but for another reason. Laszio leading the Marseille-often called the greatest movie scene ever- should keep Casablanca from being cancelled (but when it’s played today and the Woke realize they’re the Nazis shutting down Rick’s in response.to their feelings being hurt, they may nor want too many people reaching the same conclusion).

    Loved all the memes. Phillips head screw driver was snort worthy.

    Looking forward to hearing about/seeing Hocky’s newest acquisition..

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