Weekend Open Thread: Stumbling out of the blocks edition…

H. Clay Aalders
Weekend Open Thread
·39 Comments··107 views

Happy New Year People of the Knife.

It is off to an inauspicious start for sure.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in New Orleans in particular. There is not much funny, other than eye rolling at the media response to a terrorist attack.

The Vegas Cybertruck explosion seems to be an elaborate suicide with oddly coincidental timing to the New Orleans attack.

Stay safe out there everyone. Things are nuts right now.

The physics of the explosion being contained by the cybertruck is wild. But enough about that. How was everyone’s New Years?

Kinda like an Irish Blessing on steroids…

Sometimes the best addition is subtraction.

But I remain optimistic…

Sod the Yankees.

No Knife Shows this week. There is nothing KNIFE Magazine Events Calendar until SHOT Show, and nothing public until the Gator Show January 31.

Kinda obvious what the musical guest is this week…


I am a fan of old U2.  Nothing after Vertigo I don’t think. Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum were their peak. If you are at all someone who enjoys music, you owe it to yourself to watch the video above. I find it really moving.

And yes, Bono has become insufferable.

I am going to assume that folks are not as interested in the College Football Playoffs as I am, given my Buckeyes are halfway through the gauntlet.

Seriously.  The Notre Dame/Catholic hate down here is real.

Texas in Dallas.  That shouldn’t be a hostile environment at all.

There are some salty people out there.

Especially the SEC, which has lost its place at the top, now that everyone can pay players.

 

The SEC has been overrated for years. Like most conferences, they have 3-4 elite teams, and the rest are no different than any other conference.

Kirk Herbstreit hardest hit…

The Skunk Weasels ended the season strong…

which they let you know at every turn.

8-5 is something to be proud of, I guess.

 

I am a Browns fan, we just went 3-14.

Our QB play is exceptional.

But the Cavs have been doing alright…

Cleveland Baseball team is dead to me. SO we move on to this week’s drawing.

Congrats to Cmeat. I didn’t even draw Hocky first this time.

Next week’s drawing will be for a CRKT Teuto

It’s a Voxneas design, and really snappy.  I like the action.

Usual rules apply, up to 5 comments or replies are your entries, and if you are a new commenter, your entries count double in next week’s drawing. Your first comments will be held in moderation until I can approve them.

Good luck everyone, and as always, thank you to CRKT for sponsoring the WOT.

Here are the non-themed memes of the week…

I was unaware those were a thing, but…ouch.

Its a shame

DnD humor.

Don’t forget to tip your waitress.

I am 1.5 Danny Devitos high.

.

The best humor is rooted in truth.

We used to be a proper country.

It wasn’t me…

You can’t prove anything.

It’s complicated.

The Schwartz is strong in this one.

h/t Jim Cobb for that one.

Should be my Mantra.

You know who is living an actual nightmare? The Israeli hostages, who have been held for 454 days.


And this week, the “Intifada” was globalized.

Israel has been on the front lines of this fight, and I have dedicated a portion of the WOT each week to voice my support for Israel, and to call for the return of the hostages. Bring them home now.

 

As there is seldom a good segue back, once again, our musical guest – U2…


I am not a big fan of “rockumentaries” or concert DVDs.  I think they usually fail to capture the experience. But there are few special moments, the two best being the videos I shared. The history in that studio is so cool.

It’d be a lot cooler if you did.

Not enough cheese actually.

Peopling is hard

Have a good weekend everyone.

‘Merica.

Go Bucks! Beat Texas.

 

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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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39 Responses

  1. I spent some time on Thursday the 9th rummaging through some “knife-related stuff” in a catch-all, I will get to it some day, cardboard box sitting in a corner of my basement.
    Several hours of sifting through pocket stones; and, knife paraphernalia that could make Bernard Levine’s “Whut Izzit” column in “Knife”, I had a few items that warranted some “Whut Is This?”. To share with my peer “WOT’ers”: One item is a 1″W x 3″L x 3/16″Deep sharpening stone w/a lanyard hole. There is a “spark rod (?)” embedded on one side . . Hmm-mm-mm, need to clean a semi-waxy crud off it. The reveal was “COOHLAN’S / Made in U.S.A” etched on one side. I put a magnet to it because the surface was bright and shiny . . . Not magnetic. It is not a mineral stone, duh. The end of the rectangle shows ‘diagonal lines” which may indicate that this is a composite material . . . Mystery material.
    So, I google “COOHLAN’S” and I find one photo of this “Shaving Stone” on eBay and Etsy. In a nutshell, “COOHLAN’S” appears to have had a factory in South Euclid, Ohio (suburb of Cleveland). Interestingly, the eBay photo shows “Winnipeg, Canada” Ltd./ Made in U.S.A”. I did not find any information on when “COOHLAN’S” was in business. The “embedded rod” seems peculiar . . . maybe, this was a camping tool. Strop your razor and spark a fire!

    Reply

    1. Hocky – is it a magnesium block with sparker as a fire lighter? You scrape off magnesium chips and then spark it with the ferro rod.

      Reply

      2. Hey Stuart; Like mark I was wondering how you were doing, bizarre how fast those fires in California have spread. Thoughts and prayers with everyone affected by these horrific fire-storms.

        Can’t imaging how to contain fires with those mind boggling winds?

        Reply

        1. We’re fine, as we are south of the main fire areas, but we have friends who have lost everything. They fought all that first day to save their house, no fire trucks at all to help, they kept the flames away with garden hoses, until those ran dry, then just had to sit there and watch the family house, and their in-laws house across the street, just burn to the ground. Their whole community in the Palisades is leveled.
          Pretty tragic and now comes the recriminations as the politicians are smugly deflecting from the lack of preparedness and cuts in the Fire Department budget (while DEI, etc. spending exploded). No responsibility or leadership shown. The fires, and now looting gangs, continue, it’s not a good look.

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          1. Just horrific Stuart.
            Heart breaking to see the loss of life and homes. Some crews from here have gone down to help, but the fires are so overwhelming and devastating!
            Don’t think anyone has ever had to deal with so many out of control fires.
            Hoping and praying for more help!
            Del & Family

      3. StuartB . . . I think you are correct! “Flaky” Magnesium and a spark. . . FIRE! So the words “SHAVING STONE” has nothing to do with removing whiskers. The “block” does not show any signs of use. To be on the safe side, I’m putting this “mag-block” outside the house.
        Thanks!!

        Reply

        1. Hocky – they are completely inert. Just shave off a few flakes of the block and ignite with the ferro rod. The block itself will not ignite unless its thrown in the fire. Funny how ‘shaving’ can be taken in different ways!

          Reply

          1. “Inert”? Noble gases are “inert”. Magnesium has many “inflammatory” functions . . . also, an element in my “Men’s +50” vitamins.

            I will keep it outside in the cold until the first “Fairgrounds” community yard sale in April. I will sell it along with a hi-carbon fixed blade for “shaving & sparking”!

  2. January 7, 1953 . . . “Today in History”: A storm put 1-3 inches of ice over several Mid-Atlantic states. Harry Truman announced to the world at his State of the Union address that the United States has a hydrogen bomb; and, Ricky Alan Hockensmith was born.
    I do not have any recollection of this significant event to start my existence in the material world. My “Mom” told me that I was born during a winter storm . . . on a Wednesday. My “Dad” was happy for another son (I have an older brother, Denny (1950)); however, I was not tax deductible for 1952. I share “January 7th” with: Kenny Loggins, Nicholas Cage, Katie Couric, Jeremy Renner; and, Lamar Jackson, to name a few other folks who are Capricorns.
    Starting my “72nd revolution around the Sun . . . I am enjoying the trip.
    “Hocky”

    Reply

    5. “Happy 90th, Elvis”.

      Pawnshop news: On my birthday, I landed a “Buck 110” (Date code: 2023); and, a “SEARS/ CRAFTSMAN/U.S.A. 95206 w/tang stamp. Both of them are in excellent condition. They are very, very similar and my curiosity sent me down the “Alice hole” of knife research . . .
      The “Date code: 2023” on the “110” raised this question: Is the blade 420HC or S30V? I put forth this question to “Buck” customer service.
      The “95206” has “CRAFTSMAN/STAINLESS STEEL” etched on the blade. “Sears & Roebuck” did not make knives. They contracted to numerous knife manufacturers, e.g. Schrade, Camillus Queen** and others. (**Queen Cutlery provided “specialty knives” to Sears and charged a significant fee). In all likelihood, my “95206” was made by “Camillus” because of the design of the frame and the “four pin” construction on the wood scales. A “Schrade”-made frame on their “LB-7” model “flattens” the arc on its pivot end; whereas, this “Camillus” maintains the smooth curve from the brass butt bolster to the pivot bolster.
      The “Camillus” may date from the late-60s to mid-70s.
      On the leather-side of knife life, I bought a “Valhalla Gear” EDC pocket sheath for $2 at a thrift store. What’s “Valhalla Gear” . . . I looked it up: A company in Guatemala. Makes a variety of useful “gear”. This sheath costs $15 on their website. I put a vintage Barlow in the bigger pocket and clipped the “Techliner” pen next to it. Neat little rig!

      Reply

        1. Del: When I was kid of school age around 1958 (Kindergarten at 5.5 years) and on into 1st grade and beyond, I thoroughly enjoyed “reading” encyclopedias, e.g. “World Book”; Atlases; and, spun many a globe “visiting” places. History books (non-fiction) were brought home from the library a half-dozen at a time. All these years later, my sources of reference are based on many of these “early learning” tomes of knowledge. But, “Wikipedia” and the wide, wide, world-wide-web of “everything that ever was” is absolutely awesome for me. The “Achilles heel” of the internet and “AI” is electricity. What do humans use when their computers go dark? Battery back-up for a while . . . I have my books and I have hundreds of back issues of “Knife World”, “Blade” and “American Blade”; and, the entire series of “Knives, 1981-2024”. I savor reading these and use them to glean information on the wide, wide world of knifemaking through the ages. In 2024, a member of the “Moran Foundation” donated over 200+ “American Blade” and “Blade” to the organization. I bought the entire lot which benefited the “Foundation” and my research. Oh, I have a “Generac” that runs on natural gas . . . even it has limitations.

          Reply

          1. That is awesome Hocky!
            I love to read, in school the only subject I did well at was English class.
            The summer I turned 15 my brother-in-law got me a job logging. So much for schooling

  4. HEY CLAY
    IF you’re coming to north Texas for the ball game, they’ve changed the weather forecast. Their best guess is freezing stuff starts falling Thursday mid morning. Predicted to fall all day, through the night, stopping midday Friday. Depending on the location of the low pressure system, the sleet/snow/wintery mix line is currently south of Dallas. Snow, some heavy, for the rest of north Texas. They’re guessing at accumulation amounts. 2-5” is consistent, but some models say 12”! If you’re coming, try to get here THURSDAY morning or earlier. Otherwise, you’ll be sol. We don’t have many snowplows. It will be a mess until Saturday when we get into the 40’s.

    Reply

    1. Nice to have a 4 wheel drive for those rare events! The “SOL” explains a lot. Stay safe if you are out and about Mark!

      Reply

      1. Yes sir! We’re planning on staying put until it passes. We average 1.7 inches of snow a year. Ice is our bigger problem. Not unusual to have 2-4 ice storms per winter. It doesn’t take much to turn things into a skating rink. And nobody has a Zamboni!

        Reply

  5. my sister in law says douglas murray is a rock star in in israel, i had never heard of him but i’m impressed after seeing that clip. if these channels don’t get silenced people might start to wake up a bit.
    nah.
    i used to think about starting a radio station with the call leters wdpt for we don’t play that. not to be a hater but the short list includes lots of stuff that may be amazing but has been so overplayed that i just can’t no mo. to be any more specific would almost certainly offend. my short list of videos that i frequent (not so much the tunes necessarily, but most vids are so stupid…) include born with a tail, merry christmas from the family, i fink you freaky, choctaw bingo and frontier psychiatry. decent production values and fun.
    much appreciate all the congrats, and aches supply line.
    the fanaticism of the irish (isn’t it a french cathedral? cornfused…) is bizaare, lots of them around these parrishes. my bookies license plate is rudy.
    the pack cost me a hondo for the second time not able to cover the spread but at least this time bears won. the money line last time was $250, this time $500, crazy. i sound like i know what i’m talking about but those are the only two games i consider wagering on.
    between cup cheese, extra sharp vermont cheddar, parrano gouda, bulgarian feta, shakey parm/ romano and sliced swiss i resemble that one statement.
    2025 will be violent and horrible; trunk will have tons to deal with. this intifada thing is going to snowball, i’m surrounded by fenna swaylins and sin alohans. they are here. buy some brenneke green lightnings.

    Reply

  8. Happy New Year to all. Prayers for New Orleans and the Israeli hostages. May the better prepared teams prevail in their respective games! And congratulations Cmeat!

    Reply

  10. Back in the day, Brit Pop was a stark choice between the divided camps of U2 or Blur. I was all in for Parklife. I prefer my music slightly less preachy.
    I hope you are all surviving the snowpocalypse, its down well into the 50s here in sunny SoCal, barely surviving.

    Reply

    1. I’ll send an Iditarod sled team with relief supplies!
      Front arrived early. We’ve dropped from 68 to 42 in 30 minutes! Heading to upper teens last they predicted. We’ll see.
      Hardly record cold here. Wind chill around 10 in the morning. That’s short sleeves for Del, but rather chilly for north Texas.

      Reply

      1. Mark – smart thinking, they wont be able to steal the wheels of the sled when it parks up here. Hope they manage to keep the power on in Texas!

        Reply

        1. Me too! I’m not too worried-with nothing falling there shouldn’t be many downed power lines. We’ve added a bunch more people and some crypto mining operations without building more power plants since the last time the lights went out. I’m more concerned about demand outstripping supply.

          Reply

      2. We are having a balmy winter here so far, snowed twice, just a skiff each time. My wife bought a Snow Joe 40 volt battery snow thrower just so she could have some fun too this year, I have a huge gas machine to clear our driveway and all the windrows on our main road.

        I think she jinxed us, although the Harley might get insured early if this keeps up!

        It is so unusual to have above freezing temps for so long. Our youngest daughter up North has had 40 below a couple times this year, Celsius and Fahrenheit merge at these temps for some reason?

        They are showing the record lows coming for parts of the U.S. on the news, lowest temps in a decade are the warnings.

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    2. the best thing about u2 was when negativland trolled them into suing them. their’s is the only version of still haven’t found what i’m looking for that matters.
      just be glad we can’t post links.

      Reply

  11. Hocky-The cold front arrives here at noon. Temps expected to drop 40-45 degrees by tomorrow morning! Nothing predicted n the way of precipitation. Be careful out there!
    CMEAT-congrats on your new knife!
    Given the mascot’s head, I think tOSu’s mascot is the seed rather than the tree.
    My dad went to ND as did my older brother. There will always be a part of me that roots for the Irish.
    Stay safe and warm all!
    Clay, I think I spotted you in the last picture!

    Reply

  12. January 5, 2025 . . . I am not in contention for the “Teuto” (Danish for “too toe”); because I could not confirm its Earth region of manufacture with the exception of “SMKW” who say it is Taiwan . . . who would be our ally. However, the blade steel is “specked as 1.4116” and most CRKT products selling for $30 or thereabouts are usually made “somewhere in Asia” exclusive of Taiwan.
    Regarding “WOT-memes”, I will use the “DeVito” as a standard of measurement for linear things that are approximately “five feet”.
    On the “Schwartz”, . . . “Spaceballs” quote is memorable, “May the Schwartz be with you”.
    The lead-in photo, i.e. reclining tiger, . . . Is this referencing “2025” as the “Year of the Tiger”? If so, I believe “2025” is the “Year of the Snake” in Chinese mythology.
    About the College Football Playoffs: I will root for Notre Dame. Penn State will be tough. Texas and Ohio State? Meh.
    Regarding the “Buckeyes”, do fans worship the buckeye tree or just its nuts? I reckon that a male deer’s eye may resemble a “buckeye” nut. Woody Hayes was confused about this, too.
    Waiting on the snowstorm tonight through Monday. Forecast is 3-5 inches of snow and no ice north of Virginia. Can not shovel ice . . . A safe “2025” to everyone, “Hocky”.

    Reply

    1. Hocky- I couldn’t find the Tueto listed on CRKT’s web site. But having gone to several reputable knife sales sites (Knife Center, A.G. Russell, DLT and others) all I’m finding say it is that it is made in Taiwan.FYI

      Reply

      1. The “Tueto” is discontinued by CRKT. It has features that make it worth considering, e.g. ceramic ball bearings. That said, thanks for following up on its origins. As before, I will “pass” on this knife.

        Reply

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