Weekend Open Thread: We don’t deserve dogs and other musings

H. Clay Aalders
Dogs
·13 Comments··7 views

Hey all…

Another week ticks off the calendar, and we keep plugging along. It is the calm before the storm here in the Knife Magazine office, we are 2 weeks out from our next press deadline, and so I am trying to chip away at some knife reviews and the like. We just received a trio of new ZT’s, an 0707, 0235, and 0357.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEK0Mi_jzCL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

They are all very different knives, but I am having fun putting them through some light testing. Question for y’all – which of the 3 would you most like to see a full review of, possibly for print?

I am not sure what the final disposition of these will be. I am sure I will end up keeping whichever one I beat up doing a full review of. The others will be contest items I imagine. Maybe another crossword. Any ideas for themes?

Earlier this week, I posted a somewhat off topic article from Outdoor Life about training your dog for the upcoming hunting season. It triggered a bit of discussion, so I figured that I would bring the dog talk here to the Open Thread. Tell us about your 4 legged companions. That is Wahoo (18m month old lab) and Trixie (10 month old GSP).

As I write this, they are snoring next to me.

If you want to share a pic of your furballs, send it to clay(at)knifemagazine.com.  I will toss them up for folks to see. Note on the above picture: It is completely coincidental that I am wearing the shirt that Jason K. sent me. Is your brewery back up and running buddy?

One last avenue of inquiry, and that relates to our newsfeed. Hocky remarked that a lot of our posts are of a somewhat advertising nature. Frankly, new release information is one of the most common things I come across, both from the companies themselves, as well as from sites like KnifeNews (owned by KnivesShipFree). There are a lot of reviews as well, as there are countless blogs and YouTube channels reviewing knives. I have my favorites, all of whom I either know personally or have been following for a significant period of time. Obviously, breaking news sneaks in from time to time, and my absolute favorite things to share are “knife stories” and local media features on knifemakers.

So my questions are these:

How am I doing with regards to variety?

Is there something you see too much of, or not enough of?

How may YouTube videos are too many in a given day?

What YouTube channels, blogs, or websites would you suggest I add to my content trawl?

Any other thoughts, comments, or suggestions are appreciated.

Last week we offered up a copy of Ron Stewart’s Standard Guide to Knives and their values.

The Standard Knife Collectors Guide, 6th Edition by Ron Stewart

I drew Hocky as the winner. (if he doesn’t yet own the book). This week’s winner gets their choice of that book, Trzaska’s Military Knives Reference Book, or Goins Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings.

Goins’ Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings (Second Edition) by John and Charlotte Goins

Military Knives: A Reference Book by Trzaska, Silvey, Windrum, et al.

I gave you all plenty of topics to tee off on. Feel free to use those to kickstart the conversation, or come up with something of your own. Up to 5 comments/replies are eligible for entry.

Finally, here is a picture of my daughter and our last dog, Billie Holiday, taken about three months before she left us. She gave us 14 wonderful years. George Carlin said it best when he remarked “Life is a series of dogs”. Billie was our “practice kid” and then a wonderful nursemaid to our real ones. I miss her daily, it took two dogs to (not quite) replace her.

 

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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

  2. TONGUES! Both hanging from their right side. What are you holding to get them to pose for the photo?? Got to be a “Bone handled” knife! Hocky

    Reply

  3. Clay, I went tubing down the Swatara creek this weekend with some friends. One of the guys works for Ducks Unlimited and was sharing a lot of information about the creek and the area. Apparently there is a lot of ecotourism on that creek.
    Have your adventures in PA ever taken you along there?

    Reply

    1. … user error… hit the button too soon.
      how about a review of that ZT 0357? Something about that blade style looks pretty cool. I’d like to know how it holds up – you did a great job on the We Banter.
      I enjoy the variety, even when it’s a little “off topic”. It’s a chance to be introduced to something a little different.
      I like the videos just as much as the written articles, especially if it’s a “how to” type of video.
      I learned about this magazine through CulteryLover a while back and I’ve been following you guys ever since. Check out some of his stuff, see if it’s what you think.
      Finally, I’m not a pet person – once my kids were out of diapers my wife and I decided that we had cleaned up enough poop – but those are some nice looking pups. I love dogs… as long as they live at someone else’s house.

      Reply

  5. I spent some time yesterday looking through “KNIVES 2016”. (I have been organizing my reading materials.) Jason Knight has a knife on page 149 in the section, “Damascus for the Best of Us”. The section titled, “Wood, Bone, Horn & Stag Hunters” captured my interest as I am gaining ideas for a knife to be created by my friend and hometown maker, Steve Nuckels. Joe Szilaski’s knife on page 135 is so unique! His copper bolsters, forged guard and antler scales provide the flow. Steve, like Joe, is a sole authorship knifemaker. Both of them create knives and sheaths in an early American-style, aka frontier type, that sparks the imagination and conversation.

    “Imagination is more important than knowledge” Albert Einstein

    Hocky

    Reply

  6. Howdy strangers, been hiding out from the internet lately. Thank you for the well wishes, we opened up the beer garden, which is fine till the weather turns, then I’m not sure. Every day is a new challenge. I took a camping/road trip down the oregon coast into the California Redwoods, it was good. So, I’m about 60 miles north of the California border/customs when I pass an empty 4 lane weigh station on the side of the highway, way off in the distance was a man sitting at a tiny table on a tiny chair. He had a pink posterboard with barely legible sharpy, “AUTOMATIC KNIVES FOR SALE”. Long story short the wife was already grumpy with me before I bought a knife on the side of the road, and illegal in CA.
    Clay, personally I enjoy the variety. Keep it up. As per videos, I enjoy Shabazz and David C. Anderson. For the ZT knives, I’m intrigued by the 0357. I’ll send you a pic of my 14 yr old Blue Heeler, Flora. I’ve never been without at least one cat and dog. I enjoy having the companionship without the talking.

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  7. that’s the first pic of you i’ve seen with no smile.
    the zt in the photo has a blade shape i would buy.
    the dogs in my life now are not mine, but there have been many. they leave too soon.
    the content of this sight is great. i don’t watch the vids or podcasts (shabazz and his hands disturb me) but there are plenty of avenues to pursue and holes to scuttle down even so. sculumbria has influenced a number of purchases.
    i’m looking forward to the v2 as i think it may facilitate discussion.

    Reply

    1. So many questions, Clay! We’ve had a number of dogs in our lives, but none since Lucy, our golden retriever passed 10 years ago. Smart, sweat loyal. Just a great dog.
      As for your 3 ZTs, I think I’d like an in depth review of the 0707. In part, because it’s just different enough that I’d like to see you put give it a through workout. As for videos, I watch them on weekends. They help the time pass. I enjoy the variety currently. If your looking for new topics,–on TTAK, I always enjoyed your interviews/chats with knife makers.
      Finally, I hope Jason K’s brewery survives and thrives!I read an article this morning that micobreweries have really had a hard time during pandemic.

      Reply

  9. Firstly, thanks Clay for not calling me a “complainer”. I greatly appreciate having an opportunity to openly discuss items and issues on your website. Hopefully, all of us enthusiastic knife people, animal lovers, gardeners and fun folks can share our thoughts with you to make “Knife” and knifemagazine.com the No. 1 source of information in the world of knives!

    Secondly, thank you for drawing my name for the book. I do not own it. It will compliment my library which includes my “Official Price Guide To Collector Knives, 13th Edition” signed by Houston Price, B.R.Hughes and Joe Keeslar at the “Bill” Moran 1st Annual All-Forged Knife Show. Additionally, I own the Houston Price/Mark Zelesky-autographed “Official Price Guide To Collector Knives, 15th Edition” acquired at the Moran Knife Show auction. Man, I miss the knife shows.

    Thirdly, Aubrey G. Barnes (“Barney”), MS ABS, has a birthday today, August 22nd. I am proud to know him and be his friend. Barney knew Bill Moran for nearly fifty years and was close enough to Bill to love him like a brother. Anybody who has seen Barney’s knives will recognize him as a truly outstanding bladesmith. Should you have the occasion to ‘hold and feel’ one of his creations then you will realize his touch in the lightness of the knife, the flowing contours and the artistry of his handles.

    Finally, “When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops”, Carlin says . . . In the future, “Man will learn to control the weather with a large hammer.” Sounds like forging. Enjoy living, Hocky

    Reply

  10. Last month ‘Pooch’ passed away here. She was 22 years old, originally from an island off Hong Kong, where we picked her up as a kitten. Despite not being a real dog, that cat gave us such joy. Hard to see them pass.

    As for content, you present a great range and you can never feature too many of anything. I get to pick out what I like and scroll through the rest, who could object to that?

    Reply

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