Weekend Open Thread: Deflation Nation Edition

H. Clay Aalders
Weekend Open Thread
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Hey everyone, and welcome back to the Weekend Open Thread. Or, I guess you all have been around, but I was AWOL last week. It was Press week, so I was already playing catchup from Wednesday and Thursday, and I had lacrosse referee training until 9:30pm. I returned home to the the news that my younger cousin was killed in a motorcycle accident in Thailand. He was 33. His folks are my daughter’s Godparents, and it came as a heck of a blow to everyone. May his memory be a blessing.

I spent another hour on the phone with a different cousin, breaking the news and catching up with her. So I don’t figure y’all will hold it against me that I never quite got to pulling a WOT last weekend.

But enough of the downbeat news. I am pretty amped up tonight, since I am reffing my first real lacrosse games tomorrow. Girls High School games in Gatlinburg. I coach middle school girls and we had a good week of practice – our first games are on the 25th. So on balance, things are pretty good. I hope the same is true for all of my KNIFE friends.

Things are not so good on the Cold War II: Balloon Boogaloo front. What a Charlie Foxtrot this has been.

Of course, they did try in Missouri…

China denied the whole thing of course…

But we know what it really was…

This would be better…

Apropos of nothing at all, there isn’t a good Chinese takeout place in Knoxville. Maybe the next balloon can deliver some.

At least they were able to locate the debris…

 

We can’t let the Chinese gain a technological edge on us…

Turning now to the KNIFE Magazine Events Calendar…

Spring California Custom Knife Show

That is the only show this weekend. Nothing next week that we are aware of, then a whole slew of shows the weekend of the 25th. (ignore the dates in the previews, these 4 are on Feb 25th, 2023)

California Knife Expo

Oklahoma Custom Knife Show

Keystone Blade Association Knife Show

New York Custom Knife Show

Meanwhile, it is not just China that is in on the balloon espionage game.

Now I would believe the Irish could wander off track accidentally.

Not sure if the German’s will have the same issues.

Of course, the US has ways of retaliating.

Even more lethal…

 

 

 

Even Del is getting in on the action.

Drawing time folks…It has been 2 weeks, but the winner of the SHOT Show Swag Bag o’ Sawg is Steve T. I will get that out to you soon. Congrats.

 

This week’s prize is a B’YondEDC Geo folder. It is designed by my buddy Nick Piatt (@bladedginger on Instagram). I knew he was working for David Sun, but I didn’t know he already had a design in production. I am not a big fan of top/front flippers, but I find this one snappy and about as intuitive as the style can get. Once opened, I love the wharncliffe shape for EDC.

Usual rules apply. You get 5 entries – which are your replies and comments on this post. I draw one at random to determine the winner.
If you are new to the blog, your first comments will be held in moderation until I have a chance to approve them. After that you can post at will.

I know I am a couple of knives behind. I have Hocky’s ByondEDC Kibuga sitting beside me, I had temporarily misplaced it in my workshop, but I will get it out on Tuesday. And I have the QSP Penguin, but I forget whom the winner of that was. If you remind me in the comments, that’s great. If not, I will go back and look it up.

Onward and Upward as it were, to this week’s non-themed memes…

More like when I clean out the shower drain.

Who else is hungry?

What would you shame your dog for?

That sounds like a good excuse to me.

Life goals.

No Cromwell lobstertail. I object…

While I am going medieval…

Not really a meme per se, but who wants whiskey, cheese, and an argument?

Trying to picture a sequel to this famous scene, just on the island…

Almost as classic as the Parrot Sketch.

Moving on…

It’s good, but I don’t know if it is the best ever. In fact, there is already a great meme spoofing History Channel’s Giorgio Tsoukalos.

I was never an X Files fan anyway.

He looks cap-tivated.

 

I’m just out of bubblegum.

God that song is terrible. I claim no responsibility if it earworms you.

the more you know.

If you really taught him well, he’d leave you hogtied in a ditch.

I’m sure it has nothing to do with the pile of money you and your son absconded with.

I hate when that happens.

I like when that happens though.

One thing Bookface is good for.

Yes, there are still egg memes too.

That is all for tonight. Have a good one everybody. I will be back next week.

 

 

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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.

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22 Responses

  1. Wednesday the 15th: “Pawn Shop Finds” . . . GERBER “LMF II” w/sheath – $10. Knife “never used”; sheath “beat up but functional”. This is a 12 oz. whacker!! (I am keeping it because I gave my son, Jake, the “Strongarm”). CRKT M21-04G (“Big Dog”, Kit Carson Design) – $10 Does not appear used; Research revealed that the steel is “7Cr17MoV”, so it is most likely made in Red China (which sucks). It goes in the peddler bag

    “Boker Plus” Mod.40151 Credit Card Knife, NIB. – $10. 440C Blade, Ti frame, G-10 blade stop
    *John Kubasek – Maker, East Hampton, MA. (*Etched on blade). Has a removable clip (5th pocket or wallet??) . . . I reckon it could be used as a money clip, too.

    Saturday the 18th is “Open Shop” day at the “Moran Academy”. Members get to use the shop equipment . . . I got a couple of blades to grind.

    Reply

  2. in regards to right front pocket carry: i have added a third to the rotation. if i understand, bark river had a budget line called blackjack knives. maybe. anyhoo, blackjack made a small clip point boot model called the 155. discontinued. the one on fleabay was too high at 149, i saw one used on a forum for much less but i don’t have any of the proposed payment methods. i found a website (all but one) that was sold out of every version but the pink, so i’m pulling in two new at 59 each. i like 154cm, we get along well, less fond of clip points but this one is not upswept. good size, good steel.
    led a friend into a knifesilo fiasco that eventually turned out ok; he received the wrong zt model but was refunded… better than a scarf! hoping “knifeworks” is legit.

    Reply

    1. knifeworks legit, 155’s arrived. diminutive things, popping sharp convex grind. cheesy kydex does the job. barely 2oz, so whoever was tweaking about backpacking might want to get the last of the pink ones as they are out of production.
      surprisingly i cannot pull up a parawrap vid for this weird hole configuration. there are three medium holes large enough to pass through twice running the length of the middle and six small holes staggered in pairs near the edges. and of course, the big “pinky” hole ala eskabar. any suggestions from the teeming masses braintrust?

      Reply

      1. Twerker would be me! I see they also sell green micarta scales to add on, would make a great color combo in pink. I’ll pass on the grind though – FFG FTW.

        Reply

  3. Hockey and Jason-Good ideas. Thanks. I’ve got to make a hardware store run tomorrow. I’ll see what they have on hand.

    Reply

  5. Thanks for the evening entertainment, Clay. Sorry for your loss, have had more than my fair share of deaths recently. Not a pleasant thing, but a good reminder that tomorrow isn’t promised.
    So many good memes. Put me in the kettle hat helmet camp. “Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries”
    Only recent knife acquisition was from a friend’s estate I was trying to organize after his passing. An old Gerber with MOP inlays. Well used, a good reminder of him.
    Hope everyone has a good weekend. Shazbot Nanu Nanu!

    Reply

  9. Clay, I am sorry for your loss. May his name be a blessing.

    Moose memes!
    Worse puns!
    I actually groaned at the counter argument!
    Medieval helmets- depends on the fight. Armet if I’m on horseback. I think it provides most protection and just looks intimidating! If I’m on foot, Sallet over chain mail. Easier to breathe in, lots of protection.

    Jason won the Penguin. (Great name for a rock band!)

    Hockey, again I say you have the best pawn shops! I went to a local pawn shop this past week. If I wanted a double bladed Batman logo knife in red, blue, or green they had them.
    That was about it.

    Reply

  10. Clay, my condolences on the passing of your cousin.

    Secondly, you sent me the “Kibuga”, or somebody at “Knife” sent it to me, two weeks ago. I got it on a Monday . . . name drawn on Friday. Airmail? Chinese jet balloon? Thank you.

    I showed my wife the process for cleaning out a “J-trap”. She now brushes her beautiful long hair onto the floor.

    Favorite helmet? The one worn by “Friar Tuck” in “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, 1939. Got to be “1095”. Useful as a soup bowl.

    Willem Dafoe in “Platoon”. I have disliked Tom Berenger ever since.

    Slip-joint alert: Quite a number of ‘Case’ and ‘Queen’ slip-joints showing up in Hagerstown pawnshops. Some vintage (’50s and ’60s). I got a Case XX U.S.A. “6265 SAB” (1965-69), red-bone scales. VG-EXC condition, no box ($20)

    Reply

    1. Hey Hocky, we now know why the balloon wasn’t shot down right away, your “Kibuga” had to be delivered! Great scoop at the pawn shop!

      Reply

    2. Echoing Mark, you clearly have an amazing pawn shop scene there. Lemme know if you happen across a good-great Case XX Whaler, 60’s – 70’s, preferably a ’74 6 Dot, or any decent ’74 6 Dot for that matter.
      Errol Flynn is the only Robin Hood in my book. Thanks for the reminder, think I’ll watch it again tonight. “You speak treason… fluently”

      Reply

      1. “1974” . . . Birthday, correct? Just for information, “Case” tang stamping from 1940-1964 was “CASE XX”. “CASE / XX / U.S.A” started in 1965-1969. Then in 1970 the “ten dots” started. A ’74 Whaler

        The “Shenandoah Valley Knife Club (SVKC)” show in Harrisonburg, VA is March 31 – April 1. I will look for some CASE ’74s . . . and, a “Whaler”. Tony Foster is usually there. He specializes in “CASE” and advertises in “Knife” . . . always looking for a “10-Dot”.

        Re “Robin Hood”, all my “staffs” are modeled after Lil’ John’s (Alan Hale). I just cut a 2-inch diameter branch from the river birch that’s about 6-feet long and decently straight. Something to whittle down a bit.

        Reply

        1. Not much birch around here. I’ve got a black walnut stick a buddy gave me a few years ago. 2” around, shoulder height. It’s a stout piece of wood. Took forever to dry out. It’ll dish out some punishment if called upon! Need to find a good tip for it.

          Reply

          1. Black walnut does take forever to dry because of its “oil”. I reckon it would make a robust “defensive” tool!! Regarding a “tip”, I will ask Steve Nuckels. He forms sheet copper on his “walking sticks” to protect the tip. The “Morel” stick that he made (and I bought at “Moran” Show in October) has a copper tip. I will send Clay a photo(s).

          2. I like to use 2-3″ of copper pipe on the base of my sticks. Secured with some marine grade epoxy. On the top of the stick is usually a bird carving with a short, sharp beak. Both ends are business ends.

  11. Hey Clay! Happy to see you back, really sad to hear about your cousin.

    The balloons are hilarious. As I was scrolling down I just knew you wouldn’t leave out the goose or moose. Thanks brother!

    The birthday thing is a hoot, ot needed in our house, my wife hears someone’s birth date once, then every year out of the blue on that day she remembers their birthday. Well, everyone’s except her own. And I’m not on FB!
    Have a great weekend everyone!

    Reply

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