Ok, you've forged, ground, hardened and tempered the blade. Now, especially for a big one for heavy chopping, it needs testing. You do this to find out
Does it hold an edge as it should?
Is it too hard/soft?
Is it tough enough to take hard use without breaking or chipping?
And does it handle as it should?
For the start, I clean up the surface, either grinding or using a buffing wheel with a 80 or 120-grit compound to shine it up. Look it over for warp, for any cracks or anything else that shouldn't be there. For hardness, basic test is with a sharp file. Generally, it either should not bite, or should barely bite on the edge. This depends on use; for a heavy cutting blade, the edge would not be as hard, usually. That's another thing that comes with experience and what you prefer on your blades.
All this checks out. This next I primarily do with a bigger blade. For flexibility, I clamp about 1.5-2" in a vise(padded, of course), grab the tank and flex it. I don't test to destruction unless I'm trying something that requires it, so I don't try to take it to 90 degrees; I flex it a suitable amount(yeah, that's not an exact measurement, live with it), and see if it properly returns to straight. If it cracks or breaks, either it was flawed or too hard; if it doesn't come back to straight, it was too soft where it counts. And I'll flex it both ways. This means the vise needs to be solidly mounted on something that won't move; that 12" bowie I showed once before, if I clamp it in the vise on the anvil stump, will act as a spring and dump the whole thing over.
Next comes cutting. I do the bulk of sharpening on the belt sander with a fine belt. Work both sides evenly at the proper angle(more variables, I know) until you get a burr that shows up on the side opposite the belt; that means it's as fine as you can get at that grit. Go to a finer belt or a buffing wheel, stone, whatever, and finish it. Good test for a smooth edge is to hold a piece of magazine page or newspaper up and slice it. Any roughness will snag and tear instead of cutting. If that checks, it's cutting time. But first...
This step I found in a 'Knives Illustrated' magazine, I can't remember the makers name. Take a piece of 1/4" brass rod and stick it in a vise lengthwise, so a third to half of the piece is showing above the jaws. You need good light for this: take the blade and lay it on the brass, then tilt it up enough that the edge itself, not the bevel, is on the brass, and push down. Watch the edge closely; it will flex. Don't push it too far, you just need a visible flex in the edge, then release the pressure. A properly hardened/tempered piece will flex, and the edge will return to true when you release the pressure. If it chips, it's too hard, put it back in the oven at about 25 degrees hotter for an hour and try again after it cools. If it stays bent, it may well be too soft for your purpose. If so, you'll have to go back to the forge/furnace and harden it again, then temper it at lower heat. I would suggest finishing the other tests first though, as it may turn out to be just fine for your purposes. You'll find out.
My main test for edge-holding is 1/4" manilla or sisal rope. Set a piece of wood in the vise, and start cutting. Depending on tang size/shape I may wrap it up with tape to give a better grip, and will wear gloves, and I mark a section with a marker so I keep cutting with the same area. Set the edge down about 1/4" back from the end, and push it through with your off-hand on the back. Move back a quarter inch and do repeat. Over and over, until it will no longer cut cleanly through. If you're being properly methodical about this, you'll take a knife of known cutting ability and use it to check a new coil of rope to see if it gives more/fewer cuts than the original, so you can properly guage things.
Results here will depend on the steel and intended purpose; one you need to hold an edge really well vs. one that has to regularly chop into hard stuff, for instance. Using 52100 or O1 steel, as a general rule, I should get at least 75 cuts(depending on rope) and still be able to shave hair off the arm, and it's not unusual to get over 100. With 5160 in a bigger blade, I still aim for at least 75; big blades should hold their edge well, too. At this point I'll go to a piece of copy paper and try slicing it to check for edge roughness; having dulled some should not cause roughness. If all this is good, with large blades I move to the next step.
Usually I touch the edge back up here, so as to start at the beginning, and go to heavy cutting. I try to save branches 1-3" thick when I prune just for this. Set a branch up so you can properly cut, and start chopping. Not light, delicate stuff, actually chop like you were using an axe. Chips should fly, if you have the bevels right. I'll cut through two limbs this thickness and check for sharpness(yes, when working on several I have bare patches on my arms); it should get through two and still either shave or almost, and it should still slice copy paper cleanly. Please note that if your first efforts won't shave at this point but will still slice the paper, be happy; that edge is still very sharp and very useable.
Let me touch on something here, sharpness. You sharpen different blade types differently. An axe has a wide, gradual bevel for toughness, and you wouldn't take one down to a shaving edge. A small knife for delicate cutting may need to be very thin to make curves or other cuts, and would need a thin, fine edge. Most blades are somewhere in between, that balance between thin/sharp enough for easy cutting and thick/strong enough not to break or chip under stress. You learn to balance the cutting/strength tests according to the blade type and use.
And that's the testing. If a piece needs some special quality, I'll test for that, but these generally cover toughness and edge-holding ability, which is what I'm interested in here.
By the way, I did the first part of this earlier; the rest was done just before bed with a glass of Cask & Cream on ice beside me, so if my spelling is a bit off, I really don't care right now.
Later.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Friday, September 16, 2005
On the subject of bikes...
I picked up a poster at a bike show years ago. I can't find the damn thing right now, this is some of what I remember about it:
MURPHY'S LAWS OF MOTORCYCLING
The farther it is to the next stop, the bigger the bug that hits your face shield
If you run out of gas, no matter which way you decide to push, the closest gas station will always be uphill and in the other direction. Corollary: The likelihood of running out increases when all of the nearby gas stations are closed.
The chance of your helmet dropping hard on concrete is proportional to it’s newness and expense.
You only realize the bike’s keys are in your pants pocket after you’ve put on all of your riding gear.
The more riders around, the more likely you will: a) Forget the kill switch is in the off position while trying to start your bike; b) Ride off with the sidestand down; c) Ride off with the petcock closed; d) ride along for miles with the turn signal on; e) get stung by a bee and do a roadside crazy dance shedding your riding gear.
Your first successful multi-gear wheelie will be past a heretofore unobserved police officer who dislikes motorcycles.
How long it takes to receive any back ordered part is proportional to how badly it is needed.
When your throttle cable snaps, you will always coast to a halt in front of a crack-house bust in progress.
The patch-wearing guy named ‘Tiny’ really DOES want to know what you are looking at.
The likelihood of falling over is directly proportional to a: how many people are watching and b: the ego of the rider
If I can find it, I'll put the others up
The farther it is to the next stop, the bigger the bug that hits your face shield
If you run out of gas, no matter which way you decide to push, the closest gas station will always be uphill and in the other direction. Corollary: The likelihood of running out increases when all of the nearby gas stations are closed.
The chance of your helmet dropping hard on concrete is proportional to it’s newness and expense.
You only realize the bike’s keys are in your pants pocket after you’ve put on all of your riding gear.
The more riders around, the more likely you will: a) Forget the kill switch is in the off position while trying to start your bike; b) Ride off with the sidestand down; c) Ride off with the petcock closed; d) ride along for miles with the turn signal on; e) get stung by a bee and do a roadside crazy dance shedding your riding gear.
Your first successful multi-gear wheelie will be past a heretofore unobserved police officer who dislikes motorcycles.
How long it takes to receive any back ordered part is proportional to how badly it is needed.
When your throttle cable snaps, you will always coast to a halt in front of a crack-house bust in progress.
The patch-wearing guy named ‘Tiny’ really DOES want to know what you are looking at.
The likelihood of falling over is directly proportional to a: how many people are watching and b: the ego of the rider
If I can find it, I'll put the others up
He did it!
Steve had a piece on motorcycles and the riding thereof on his original site, and he just posted it here!
Read, and learn.
And I do not 'whine'. I 'plead'(in a high-pitched voice)
Update: Right after I posted this, my daughter sent me this:
"I was driving home one day and this guy on a motorcycle stopped at a stop sign, and as I drove past, sort of tipped over. I turned around to see if he was ok, but he'd gotten up and hauled the bike up, and seemed more embarassed than hurt."
God, talk about timing!
Read, and learn.
And I do not 'whine'. I 'plead'(in a high-pitched voice)
Update: Right after I posted this, my daughter sent me this:
"I was driving home one day and this guy on a motorcycle stopped at a stop sign, and as I drove past, sort of tipped over. I turned around to see if he was ok, but he'd gotten up and hauled the bike up, and seemed more embarassed than hurt."
God, talk about timing!
Idiocy, Official and Un
One of the places I like to go to find information is Babalu Blog. Lots of stuff, with an emphasis on happenings in and to Cuba. One of the things to come up lately is this article on Official Idiocy in regards to rescue efforts in NO. Basically, bunch of swamp tour guides offer their airboats and other craft to do rescue operations, and are turned down: "What they lacked were the required number of life preservers (!!) - one per potential rescuee presumably, as required by the Coast Guard." Further into the Official Idiocy was having tons of food donations turned down. Just read it for all the details. If you're not ready to hang bureaucrats, you will be.
On the Unofficial Idiocy side, we go to Captain's Quarters for this about the Toxic Floodwater crap. And other nonsense that was thrown out about the hurricane and aftermath.
While you're there, check out both sites in general if you haven't already, lots of good stuff. And Val at Babalu will give you some eyes if you donate to Katrina relief. Go check it out.
On the Unofficial Idiocy side, we go to Captain's Quarters for this about the Toxic Floodwater crap. And other nonsense that was thrown out about the hurricane and aftermath.
While you're there, check out both sites in general if you haven't already, lots of good stuff. And Val at Babalu will give you some eyes if you donate to Katrina relief. Go check it out.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Enough hot air to float a blimp
That's what's coming out of the Senate hearings on Roberts. My God, it's hard to believe that any human being with enough working brain cells to attain the position of Senator can work so hard to show idiocy and childishness in public.
I haven't been watching all the hearings; no cable, and not enough patience anyway. I have been hearing bits and pieces, and it's confirmed two things: first, that the Senate has just about the biggest collection of arrogant jackasses in the world, and second, Kennedy and Biden really and truly suck.
Think about it; spend most of your time for questions talking, finally ask a question- we'll pass on whether the question makes sense or is at all fair- and then keep interrupting and wheezing and bitching so as to prevent the answer from coming out. If I were chairman of a committee like this, I'd have a switch for each Senators' microphone so I could turn the damn thing off, and after the second time telling someone to let the witness answer I'd turn theirs off until the answer was complete.
Of course, they see the place as the 'most exclusive club in the world', and no member would do such a thing to another member, now would they? They damn sure should; clubs generally demand at least a modicum of manners from members, and these clowns seem have all the manners of a spoiled 5-year-old.
How we've made it this long with clowns like this making it to such high office, I don't know. Divine intervention, maybe. Every time Leahy starts flapping his lips, especially demanding to be given classified or confidential information, I remember how his own pursuit of camera time and attention("I'm important! I'll prove it by telling you the classified information I just found out!") got him kicked off the Intelligence Committee. Which is why a certain radio personality started calling him Senator Depends. And yet he keeps being reelected. Just like Kennedy and Biden and a number of others.
"We have met the enemy, and they is us", indeed.
I haven't been watching all the hearings; no cable, and not enough patience anyway. I have been hearing bits and pieces, and it's confirmed two things: first, that the Senate has just about the biggest collection of arrogant jackasses in the world, and second, Kennedy and Biden really and truly suck.
Think about it; spend most of your time for questions talking, finally ask a question- we'll pass on whether the question makes sense or is at all fair- and then keep interrupting and wheezing and bitching so as to prevent the answer from coming out. If I were chairman of a committee like this, I'd have a switch for each Senators' microphone so I could turn the damn thing off, and after the second time telling someone to let the witness answer I'd turn theirs off until the answer was complete.
Of course, they see the place as the 'most exclusive club in the world', and no member would do such a thing to another member, now would they? They damn sure should; clubs generally demand at least a modicum of manners from members, and these clowns seem have all the manners of a spoiled 5-year-old.
How we've made it this long with clowns like this making it to such high office, I don't know. Divine intervention, maybe. Every time Leahy starts flapping his lips, especially demanding to be given classified or confidential information, I remember how his own pursuit of camera time and attention("I'm important! I'll prove it by telling you the classified information I just found out!") got him kicked off the Intelligence Committee. Which is why a certain radio personality started calling him Senator Depends. And yet he keeps being reelected. Just like Kennedy and Biden and a number of others.
"We have met the enemy, and they is us", indeed.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
NO gun theft roundup
Over at Geek with a .45, posted here is the situation as it currently seems to be.
In short, apparently enough people remembered their oath to the Constitution, and generally called bullshit on this idea, and enough people saw what a pile of crap was landing on the heads of anyone who was part of this, that it went away.
As the Geek put it, that's not good enough. Homes were invaded, property was stolen(no, I don't call it 'confiscated', I call this theft; heard of anyone getting their property back yet?), people were held at gunpoint and- as the video of that lady shows- physically abused. Those who did this crap need to pay the price for it. Violation of peoples' homes and rights MUST carry a price, and a high one.
As the man said, to those who remembered their oath, and what's right, applause. To the others, screw you.
In short, apparently enough people remembered their oath to the Constitution, and generally called bullshit on this idea, and enough people saw what a pile of crap was landing on the heads of anyone who was part of this, that it went away.
As the Geek put it, that's not good enough. Homes were invaded, property was stolen(no, I don't call it 'confiscated', I call this theft; heard of anyone getting their property back yet?), people were held at gunpoint and- as the video of that lady shows- physically abused. Those who did this crap need to pay the price for it. Violation of peoples' homes and rights MUST carry a price, and a high one.
As the man said, to those who remembered their oath, and what's right, applause. To the others, screw you.
A most useful tool
Oddly enough, this thing has been one of the more useful tools I've ever gotten hold of. It's a 2oz. ball-peen hammer:
You can find them new, only places I know are Brownell's gunsmithing supply and some watchmakers supply houses. I found this one at a flea market.
No, it's no good for pounding things into shape. However... in knife work, I use it for setting pins into place, for tapping a guard into place, I've used the peen end for giving a guard and/or pommel a hammered finish. In gun work, tapping pins into place, tapping a sight to one side or the other for windage adjustment(usually with a brass punch). With a wood block for padding you can move a tight part into place, like the gas tube assembly on an M1. Small rivits can be set, and so on.
Nice thing is that with the size of this, you'd have to work at it to hit a piece too hard, and it's light enough that making a lot of small, controlled strokes is easy.
As I said, a most useful tool.
You can find them new, only places I know are Brownell's gunsmithing supply and some watchmakers supply houses. I found this one at a flea market.
No, it's no good for pounding things into shape. However... in knife work, I use it for setting pins into place, for tapping a guard into place, I've used the peen end for giving a guard and/or pommel a hammered finish. In gun work, tapping pins into place, tapping a sight to one side or the other for windage adjustment(usually with a brass punch). With a wood block for padding you can move a tight part into place, like the gas tube assembly on an M1. Small rivits can be set, and so on.
Nice thing is that with the size of this, you'd have to work at it to hit a piece too hard, and it's light enough that making a lot of small, controlled strokes is easy.
As I said, a most useful tool.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Four years later
I thought about this yesterday. A lot.
That was a day off, I was making tea and listening to a local rock station when they came on and said there were reports of an airplane crashing into the World Trade Center. First thought, some idiot in a Cessna got caught in air currents while flying where he shouldn't and crashed. They didn't say 'airliner' at that time, so I didn't think much of it. Then (as I recall) the report came of a plane hitting the Pentagon. One plane, accident possibly; two planes, planned attack, and I turned on the tv, just a minute or two before the second plane hit the other tower.
I stood there watching this and getting more pissed by the minute. And the too-often inane chatter of the news weenies didn't help. And then, one of the idiots, a female I believe- I don't remember which channel I was on- repeated for about the fourth or fifth time something like "terror striking into the hearts of America" and I yelled "What about the PISSED OFF striking in the hearts of America?"
Damn near screamed it, really. I didn't need this idiot speaking as if everyone was huddling in front of the screen shaking, and it really annoyed me. And it still does. How can anyone NOT be pissed off about it?
How can anyone NOT be pissed at the bastards who did this? Listening over the next few days to people counseling that we wait, that we show 'restraint'- which to them meant saying "We're sorry!" over and over and crawling on our bellies-, then seeing protests that we should not use military action... I didn't understand it then, and I don't understand it now. I was sitting there thinking, I want them dead. The ones who helped them plan this, the ones who gave them safe places to train, the ones who gave them intelligence and aid, all of them. And I still do.
Bitch all you want to at Bush, I do. There's a lot he has and hasn't done that ticks me off. But bitch at him about real things. I hear some idiot spouting the 'War for Halliburton' shit, and I think seriously about running over them at this point. Mark Steyn said today that the loonies look on Bush as the nutcase moslems look on the Jews; responsible for anything and in league with the devil, and I'm sick of it.
I'm sick of politicians who voted to go to war giving speeches about how it's a mistake, and don't you dare bring up what I said in the vote. I'm sick of people who say "we support the troops but not the war" who off-screen speak of the troops as troglodytes who don't have the brains to think, and flatly say they want our troops to die. I'm sick of people who claim that being on the other side is 'patriotic protest', and scream "Don't you question my patriotism!" when this bullshit is pointed out. I damn well DO question your patriotism, and I do it based on your own damn words. I question the patriotism of politicians who think any military problem, anything that happens is nothing more than a way to push their party, regardless of consequences.
I'm sick to death of idiots who blame this country for all wrongs in the world. Yeah, we use a lot of energy; we also produce a huge amount of stuff, from food to machinery and tools and medicine and books and on and on with it, so shut the hell up. This country, despite the actions of some of these people- and I include a lot of politicians- is still the the place where you can speak your mind, where you can defend yourself, where you can read what you want and say what you think.
In a way you've got the war against the terrorists, fought with troops and equipment, and we've got the war against the terrorists of the mind. These are the clowns who think you shouldn't be allowed to say or think or believe anything that might 'upset' anyone, including the islamist nuts who want us all converted, dhimmi or dead. They think your right to think ends as soon as you have a thought that someone might be bothered by.
To both groups, a big Fuck You. To the first, you're dying by the bunch now, and you'll continue to do so. Despite what his the evening 'news' on the major channels, most of the people in this country support our troops and want us to WIN. Not 'come to accomodation' with you, to stomp you until you stop trying to kill us. For good. To the second, something you don't seem to understand: Freedom of Speech has to include people you don't like and ideas you don't agree with, or it doesn't actually exist. If someone is kept from speaking because their words might give you the vapors, there is no freedom of speech, that's become only a buzz phrase that makes you feel good to say you support. So screw you both.
I've got a flag flying out front, because I love this country. Not whoever is in the White House or Congress, the United States of America. Not a political party, but the Declaration of Independance and the Constitution. That gives you a problem, stick it up your ass.
I'm done for now.
That was a day off, I was making tea and listening to a local rock station when they came on and said there were reports of an airplane crashing into the World Trade Center. First thought, some idiot in a Cessna got caught in air currents while flying where he shouldn't and crashed. They didn't say 'airliner' at that time, so I didn't think much of it. Then (as I recall) the report came of a plane hitting the Pentagon. One plane, accident possibly; two planes, planned attack, and I turned on the tv, just a minute or two before the second plane hit the other tower.
I stood there watching this and getting more pissed by the minute. And the too-often inane chatter of the news weenies didn't help. And then, one of the idiots, a female I believe- I don't remember which channel I was on- repeated for about the fourth or fifth time something like "terror striking into the hearts of America" and I yelled "What about the PISSED OFF striking in the hearts of America?"
Damn near screamed it, really. I didn't need this idiot speaking as if everyone was huddling in front of the screen shaking, and it really annoyed me. And it still does. How can anyone NOT be pissed off about it?
How can anyone NOT be pissed at the bastards who did this? Listening over the next few days to people counseling that we wait, that we show 'restraint'- which to them meant saying "We're sorry!" over and over and crawling on our bellies-, then seeing protests that we should not use military action... I didn't understand it then, and I don't understand it now. I was sitting there thinking, I want them dead. The ones who helped them plan this, the ones who gave them safe places to train, the ones who gave them intelligence and aid, all of them. And I still do.
Bitch all you want to at Bush, I do. There's a lot he has and hasn't done that ticks me off. But bitch at him about real things. I hear some idiot spouting the 'War for Halliburton' shit, and I think seriously about running over them at this point. Mark Steyn said today that the loonies look on Bush as the nutcase moslems look on the Jews; responsible for anything and in league with the devil, and I'm sick of it.
I'm sick of politicians who voted to go to war giving speeches about how it's a mistake, and don't you dare bring up what I said in the vote. I'm sick of people who say "we support the troops but not the war" who off-screen speak of the troops as troglodytes who don't have the brains to think, and flatly say they want our troops to die. I'm sick of people who claim that being on the other side is 'patriotic protest', and scream "Don't you question my patriotism!" when this bullshit is pointed out. I damn well DO question your patriotism, and I do it based on your own damn words. I question the patriotism of politicians who think any military problem, anything that happens is nothing more than a way to push their party, regardless of consequences.
I'm sick to death of idiots who blame this country for all wrongs in the world. Yeah, we use a lot of energy; we also produce a huge amount of stuff, from food to machinery and tools and medicine and books and on and on with it, so shut the hell up. This country, despite the actions of some of these people- and I include a lot of politicians- is still the the place where you can speak your mind, where you can defend yourself, where you can read what you want and say what you think.
In a way you've got the war against the terrorists, fought with troops and equipment, and we've got the war against the terrorists of the mind. These are the clowns who think you shouldn't be allowed to say or think or believe anything that might 'upset' anyone, including the islamist nuts who want us all converted, dhimmi or dead. They think your right to think ends as soon as you have a thought that someone might be bothered by.
To both groups, a big Fuck You. To the first, you're dying by the bunch now, and you'll continue to do so. Despite what his the evening 'news' on the major channels, most of the people in this country support our troops and want us to WIN. Not 'come to accomodation' with you, to stomp you until you stop trying to kill us. For good. To the second, something you don't seem to understand: Freedom of Speech has to include people you don't like and ideas you don't agree with, or it doesn't actually exist. If someone is kept from speaking because their words might give you the vapors, there is no freedom of speech, that's become only a buzz phrase that makes you feel good to say you support. So screw you both.
I've got a flag flying out front, because I love this country. Not whoever is in the White House or Congress, the United States of America. Not a political party, but the Declaration of Independance and the Constitution. That gives you a problem, stick it up your ass.
I'm done for now.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
The more I hear about NO, the more pissed I get
Geek with a .45 has numerous links to video of the actions of these clowns. Including an old lady being body-slammed into a wall. She wasn't threatening; an officer asked to see her gun, she showed it to him, and he slams her into the wall and takes it.
On top of everything else, this is- I'm so damn mad it's hard to type. There is, as various stuff at the Geek's place and others listed there and at the Carnival point out, nothing legal about this. This is violation of the highest law of this land, and the police and Guard and feds helping with it do not care. They've got their orders, and that's all that matters.
It's as clear a demonstration as possible, that all too often the police are NOT your friend; they are a tool of whoever gives their orders. It's a disgrace, and I'm looking forward to hearing of lawsuits and trials. The officers/personnel doing this, and the chief of NOPD should be charged AND sued for this.
God, I'm mad.
Oh, and let's not forget that the private security guards, including the guys with M-16s and other automatic weapons, aren't being disarmed; oh no, THEY'RE just fine in the chief's eyes. The sorry bastard.
On top of everything else, this is- I'm so damn mad it's hard to type. There is, as various stuff at the Geek's place and others listed there and at the Carnival point out, nothing legal about this. This is violation of the highest law of this land, and the police and Guard and feds helping with it do not care. They've got their orders, and that's all that matters.
It's as clear a demonstration as possible, that all too often the police are NOT your friend; they are a tool of whoever gives their orders. It's a disgrace, and I'm looking forward to hearing of lawsuits and trials. The officers/personnel doing this, and the chief of NOPD should be charged AND sued for this.
God, I'm mad.
Oh, and let's not forget that the private security guards, including the guys with M-16s and other automatic weapons, aren't being disarmed; oh no, THEY'RE just fine in the chief's eyes. The sorry bastard.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Double-Barrel Carnival of Cordite
Now up at Gullyborg. Lots of disaster related stuff. And updates on the gun seizure BS in New Orleans.
They can't prevent looting, but they can steal your gun
The New Orleans PD, that is.
I first read about this on some news site earlier, and now Publicola has more on it, including links to other information and video. And a fine rant. It seems that there may well be federal agents and National Guard troops helping out in this. If so, want to be the Feds are using those NICS records they're not supposed to keep to tell the NOPD where to go? Illegal as hell, but want to bet against it? After that mess in VA at the gun show a couple of weeks ago?
Notice that the superintendant of police says ""No one will be able to be armed," Compass said. "Guns will be taken. Only law enforcement will be allowed to have guns."" Not 'nobody carrying guns', but "allowed to have guns". Coming from the idiot who couldn't do anything about looters, in an administration that didn't bother to follow their own damned evacuation plan.
And how much are you willing to bet that the owners will EVER get their firearms back?
Isn't this crap just wonderful? Brings back that saying about "I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help".
I first read about this on some news site earlier, and now Publicola has more on it, including links to other information and video. And a fine rant. It seems that there may well be federal agents and National Guard troops helping out in this. If so, want to be the Feds are using those NICS records they're not supposed to keep to tell the NOPD where to go? Illegal as hell, but want to bet against it? After that mess in VA at the gun show a couple of weeks ago?
Notice that the superintendant of police says ""No one will be able to be armed," Compass said. "Guns will be taken. Only law enforcement will be allowed to have guns."" Not 'nobody carrying guns', but "allowed to have guns". Coming from the idiot who couldn't do anything about looters, in an administration that didn't bother to follow their own damned evacuation plan.
And how much are you willing to bet that the owners will EVER get their firearms back?
Isn't this crap just wonderful? Brings back that saying about "I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help".
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Flashlights
With all the disaster preparedness posts going around, one thing that's almost always mentioned is flashlights. A standard-type can be found at the dollar store, along with batteries; quality, so-so. If you're willing to spend the money, you can find something like a Surefire; the least expensive G2 ain't cheap; but it'll blind somebody in a dimly-lit room or outside at night to amazing distances(thanks to the Geek for originally introducing me to these). And their bigger ones? DAMN! they're bright.
However, the one I mostly wanted to mention here is this beast, which doesn't even have a brand name on it:
I found it on Ebay, and the shipping cost more than it did. It's 3.5 inches long, the head is 1" across and holds 12 LEDs, and it runs on one AA battery. It puts out a nice, bright light with no shadows and a little bit of blue tint. I got this thing because I wanted a small light for the motorcycle kit, and it's a new gadget; having been without benefit of artificial light a few times, I tend to collect flashlights.
I've been using this thing for several months, a minute here, a couple there, and decided to see how long it'd last. So about 8 last night I turned it on and left it. When I left for work four hours later it was still bright. When I got home it was still on; not nearly as bright, I'd say enough to let you see where you put your feet at night. So this thing, on the battery that had already had use, put out full strength for at least four hours and was still burning at roughly 1/4 strength after 12 hours. That's not bad at all.
There are a lot of LED lights out there now, some good and some not. So for general use and for emergency kits, you might want to check them out.
However, the one I mostly wanted to mention here is this beast, which doesn't even have a brand name on it:
I found it on Ebay, and the shipping cost more than it did. It's 3.5 inches long, the head is 1" across and holds 12 LEDs, and it runs on one AA battery. It puts out a nice, bright light with no shadows and a little bit of blue tint. I got this thing because I wanted a small light for the motorcycle kit, and it's a new gadget; having been without benefit of artificial light a few times, I tend to collect flashlights.
I've been using this thing for several months, a minute here, a couple there, and decided to see how long it'd last. So about 8 last night I turned it on and left it. When I left for work four hours later it was still bright. When I got home it was still on; not nearly as bright, I'd say enough to let you see where you put your feet at night. So this thing, on the battery that had already had use, put out full strength for at least four hours and was still burning at roughly 1/4 strength after 12 hours. That's not bad at all.
There are a lot of LED lights out there now, some good and some not. So for general use and for emergency kits, you might want to check them out.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
The Axe, a test
I posted some pictures in the past of a fighting axe I made. I've used it off & on for trimming branches cut down in the yard, but never thought to treat it as a test. Then today, while I was pruning the trees(again) and cutting up the branches to stack, I remembered a: I have a camera and b: this would be interesting to actually check out. I had been snipping off stuff up to about 3/4" with short chops, not a lot of force, so I decided to measure some stuff and try some things.
First, this is the implement in question:
The head is a fraction shy of 7" long, the edge is 4 3/4"(following the curve), and it weighs about 1.25lbs. I'm guessing weight, I don't have a scale. The haft is oak, 36" from butt to bottom of the eye.
I took a couple of branches and propped them upright. Figure a full swing as being one you'd use with a timber axe to cut wood; one hand at the butt, one near the head, swing it up or sideways and then into the target, one hand sliding down to meet the other to amplify the swing of shoulders and upper body. This was made with one hand at the butt, the other about 2/3's up, making about a 1/2 distance chop with the hands staying in place:
This is elm, measured at 1.25".
Next was a piece 1.5" thick with just about a full-distance swing with hands same as before:
Both of these were a single cut. I've read that a sapling or branch of 1" diameter is roughly equivalent to cutting a human arm or leg bone, which means that either cut could neatly amputate an arm, and would come damn close to taking a leg off in one swing.
When they dug up graves at the Battle of Hastings site, among other things found were a body that had been cut in two at hip-level, the forensics people said by a single stroke. Some of the Saxons, the housecarls(most trusted warriors) of the chieftains in particular used axes with an edge up to a foot long, weighing several pounds, on a five- or six-foot haft. In the hands of a trained fighter, I have no doubt a single stroke could do it.
I've cut through 1" branches with single swings with a sword with no trouble, too. No wonder battles were so bloody.
Oh, while I was doing this my security team was doing some research of their own. Notice the apprentice testing tooth penetration, while the supervisor -er, supervises.
First, this is the implement in question:
The head is a fraction shy of 7" long, the edge is 4 3/4"(following the curve), and it weighs about 1.25lbs. I'm guessing weight, I don't have a scale. The haft is oak, 36" from butt to bottom of the eye.
I took a couple of branches and propped them upright. Figure a full swing as being one you'd use with a timber axe to cut wood; one hand at the butt, one near the head, swing it up or sideways and then into the target, one hand sliding down to meet the other to amplify the swing of shoulders and upper body. This was made with one hand at the butt, the other about 2/3's up, making about a 1/2 distance chop with the hands staying in place:
This is elm, measured at 1.25".
Next was a piece 1.5" thick with just about a full-distance swing with hands same as before:
Both of these were a single cut. I've read that a sapling or branch of 1" diameter is roughly equivalent to cutting a human arm or leg bone, which means that either cut could neatly amputate an arm, and would come damn close to taking a leg off in one swing.
When they dug up graves at the Battle of Hastings site, among other things found were a body that had been cut in two at hip-level, the forensics people said by a single stroke. Some of the Saxons, the housecarls(most trusted warriors) of the chieftains in particular used axes with an edge up to a foot long, weighing several pounds, on a five- or six-foot haft. In the hands of a trained fighter, I have no doubt a single stroke could do it.
I've cut through 1" branches with single swings with a sword with no trouble, too. No wonder battles were so bloody.
Oh, while I was doing this my security team was doing some research of their own. Notice the apprentice testing tooth penetration, while the supervisor -er, supervises.
Further thought on disaster guns
A comment on my last post on this brought up shotguns, which for some reason I neglected to mention. Happily, others did not forget this(American Drumslinger here).
Big oversight. Two of the reasons a shotgun is recommended as a self-defense weapon are a: it's easier to hit accurately with a longarm than a handgun and b: NO handgun ever made can equal the close-range stopping power of a shotgun. Period.
Another reason often mentioned is sound effect. Just about anyone who might enter your home or business with ill intent will know what it means when they hear the sound of a pump or semi-auto shotgun being charged, and it often makes bad guys decide to leave very quickly.
I think I passed over them before mainly because I had in mind the reports from NO about idiots potting shots at people from rooftops and windows. Generally speaking, a rifle is a better weapon as the range stretches out, allowing accurate fire at greater distances. I say generally because a shotgun(especially with a rifled barrel) and slugs that agree with it can be amazingly accurate to 100-150 yards. If I could choose only one arm to have in case of a disaster like this, good chance it'd be a shotgun. With a mix of buckshot and slugs available, you can take on literally anything out to the aforementioned range- including, if you live in a place where they are, bears and moose if you're stuck in the boonies or they come into town.
There are two problems with a shotgun; recoil and weight. A 12 guage with buckshot or slugs has what some people have described as 'brutal' recoil, and in a lightweight arm it can be nasty. It makes practice more difficult for some folks. You can reduce this by using a 20 guage instead of 12. At home-defense ranges the bad guy won't know the difference, and recoil is significantly less, making it more comfortable to shoot(making practice in good times and accurate repeat shots in bad times easier). Weight is more of a problem. Not in the weapon, in the ammo. No way around it, if you're carrying sufficient ammo for the possibility of having to fight off a gang of looters, shotgun shells are heavy and take up more space than rifle/handgun ammo.
Price is a good factor with them. You can pick up a good quality pump for less than $200 in some cases, and if the barrel is too long it's easy to have cut down; a gunsmith or a gunny friend who knows the procedure can take care of it. And some/I think I've seen Mossberg put out this out/ can be had with a short slug barrel and a longer bird barrel as a set, fast and easy to change.
Overall, the shotgun has a definate place in this. If the comments about recoil above scare you, I apologize, that's not the aim. Recoil sensitivity varies a lot with people(I know grown men who don't like .45's for that reason, and small women who aren't bothered by it), so try it out; it may not bother you at all. If it does a bit, there are options, like adding a high-quality recoil pad or, as I mentioned before with the Benelli Nova, a recoil absorber that fits in the butt.
So don't forget the shotgun as you weigh your options.
Big oversight. Two of the reasons a shotgun is recommended as a self-defense weapon are a: it's easier to hit accurately with a longarm than a handgun and b: NO handgun ever made can equal the close-range stopping power of a shotgun. Period.
Another reason often mentioned is sound effect. Just about anyone who might enter your home or business with ill intent will know what it means when they hear the sound of a pump or semi-auto shotgun being charged, and it often makes bad guys decide to leave very quickly.
I think I passed over them before mainly because I had in mind the reports from NO about idiots potting shots at people from rooftops and windows. Generally speaking, a rifle is a better weapon as the range stretches out, allowing accurate fire at greater distances. I say generally because a shotgun(especially with a rifled barrel) and slugs that agree with it can be amazingly accurate to 100-150 yards. If I could choose only one arm to have in case of a disaster like this, good chance it'd be a shotgun. With a mix of buckshot and slugs available, you can take on literally anything out to the aforementioned range- including, if you live in a place where they are, bears and moose if you're stuck in the boonies or they come into town.
There are two problems with a shotgun; recoil and weight. A 12 guage with buckshot or slugs has what some people have described as 'brutal' recoil, and in a lightweight arm it can be nasty. It makes practice more difficult for some folks. You can reduce this by using a 20 guage instead of 12. At home-defense ranges the bad guy won't know the difference, and recoil is significantly less, making it more comfortable to shoot(making practice in good times and accurate repeat shots in bad times easier). Weight is more of a problem. Not in the weapon, in the ammo. No way around it, if you're carrying sufficient ammo for the possibility of having to fight off a gang of looters, shotgun shells are heavy and take up more space than rifle/handgun ammo.
Price is a good factor with them. You can pick up a good quality pump for less than $200 in some cases, and if the barrel is too long it's easy to have cut down; a gunsmith or a gunny friend who knows the procedure can take care of it. And some/I think I've seen Mossberg put out this out/ can be had with a short slug barrel and a longer bird barrel as a set, fast and easy to change.
Overall, the shotgun has a definate place in this. If the comments about recoil above scare you, I apologize, that's not the aim. Recoil sensitivity varies a lot with people(I know grown men who don't like .45's for that reason, and small women who aren't bothered by it), so try it out; it may not bother you at all. If it does a bit, there are options, like adding a high-quality recoil pad or, as I mentioned before with the Benelli Nova, a recoil absorber that fits in the butt.
So don't forget the shotgun as you weigh your options.
Monday, September 05, 2005
St. Penn's Bogus Navigational Journey; I can't pass this up!
If you haven't already heard about this, Sean Penn decided to heroically rescue people from New Orleans. In a small boat. Including "...with members of Penn's entourage, including a personal photographer". Wearing "what appeared to be a white flak jacket". And almost sank.
This was so funny I almost choked laughing, and that was before I read Steve's take on it. And then, praise be, at Little Green Football he's got links to PICTURES!
It's just bloody wonderful. Idiot kisser of dictator ass goes for a big photo op and almost drowns himself. Of course, there's so much pollution in the water right now it's a shame to add more...
And if you're wondering: hell no, I don't think he seriously intended to rescue people. If he did, he'd have had a bigger boat and left his entourage back home. Including the damn photographer, whose presence is one of the big giveaways as to the real intent. If he actually DID believe he was going to accomplish something with that mess, then he's too stupid to be out in public without a keeper. Which he probably is, from past evidence.
In any case, go read and enjoy.
This was so funny I almost choked laughing, and that was before I read Steve's take on it. And then, praise be, at Little Green Football he's got links to PICTURES!
It's just bloody wonderful. Idiot kisser of dictator ass goes for a big photo op and almost drowns himself. Of course, there's so much pollution in the water right now it's a shame to add more...
And if you're wondering: hell no, I don't think he seriously intended to rescue people. If he did, he'd have had a bigger boat and left his entourage back home. Including the damn photographer, whose presence is one of the big giveaways as to the real intent. If he actually DID believe he was going to accomplish something with that mess, then he's too stupid to be out in public without a keeper. Which he probably is, from past evidence.
In any case, go read and enjoy.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Another thought on disaster guns
The posts I linked to earlier (here) had a number of good suggestions, both in the articles and in the comments. I thought I'd add two things here.
A tube-magazine rifle, like a lever- or some pump-actions, has two problems: they're slower than many others to load/reload, and more difficult to unload. But if that's not a problem for you, there's two good possibilities to consider. First, a lever-rifle in a pistol cartridge, like .45 Colt, .44-40 or .357 Magnum. If you have a pistol in any of these cartridges, you can use the same ammo for both pistol and rifle. And if you have problems with handguns, for instance living someplace like Chicago, these can somewhat take the place of one. Jeff Cooper once wrote of a man who lived in Chicago and showed up at Gunsite for a training class with a Winchester Trapper, a lever-action in .45 Colt. Since he couldn't have a handgun he'd taken this rifle, which has a 16-inch barrel, cut the stock down to the minimum overall length, and used that as his home defense weapon. Cooper said it worked out pretty well. This can also help out if you live in a place where an eeeevill assault weapon, like an SKS or AR-15, could cause you problems; few places will cause you heartache over a cowboy rifle like this.
The same could be said for a new rifle out, the Taurus Thunderbolt(reviewed here). It's a remake of the old Colt Lightning. From the report it's fast, accurate and reliable.
Another thing in their favor is power. All these cartridges have good reputations as fight-stoppers in handguns; add in the velocity you get from that 16-inch barrel, and you've got a serious boost in power, enough to make them able to give accurate fire out to 100 yards or a bit beyond.
One more thing. A .357 Mag chambered rifle can also fire .38 Special ammo, so you can use less expensive .38s for practice, and if stuck somewhere and you need to whack small game, use a .38 instead of the magnum.
The other thought was, if you have a problem with noise/recoil/whatever and just cannot deal with a powerful centerfire rifle or pistol, consider a .22. Not exactly the ideal cartridge for self-defence, but it has the following going for it:
Quiet, compared to just about any centerfire.
Virtually no recoil.
Inexpensive.
This last in important because if you trust in a .22 for your defense armament, you need to be able to hit where you aim, and make multiple hits(especially at close range); you don't have enough power to trust in 'close enough'. .22 ammo is CHEAP. Match grade can run as high or higher than some centerfire, but good-quality stuff can be had for anywhere from less than a dollar to two dollars for a box of 50. You can find what gives the best result in your firearms, buy it by the brick(500 rounds) and shoot a lot for not much money, which both increases your skill level and is fun.
And a good .22 rifle or handgun can be downright cheap compared to a lot of other firearms. A Ruger Mark II or 22/45 can be had for less than $300 new, same for the Browning Buckmark. Add a half-dozen spare magazines and go to the range. And there are a number of revolvers that are also very affordable. In rifles a slide-action or semi-auto can be had for less than $300, often less than $200. For instance, a Ruger 10-22 will run about $150-175 new, maybe less for a good used. Get a bunch of spare magazines, and you can deliver accurate fire as fast as you can aim and shoot for as long as the magazines hold out. And the fact is, you're not liable to need than many. If you need them, though, they're right there in your pocket or bag.
Just some thoughts I thought I'd throw out. Or in. Or whatever.
A tube-magazine rifle, like a lever- or some pump-actions, has two problems: they're slower than many others to load/reload, and more difficult to unload. But if that's not a problem for you, there's two good possibilities to consider. First, a lever-rifle in a pistol cartridge, like .45 Colt, .44-40 or .357 Magnum. If you have a pistol in any of these cartridges, you can use the same ammo for both pistol and rifle. And if you have problems with handguns, for instance living someplace like Chicago, these can somewhat take the place of one. Jeff Cooper once wrote of a man who lived in Chicago and showed up at Gunsite for a training class with a Winchester Trapper, a lever-action in .45 Colt. Since he couldn't have a handgun he'd taken this rifle, which has a 16-inch barrel, cut the stock down to the minimum overall length, and used that as his home defense weapon. Cooper said it worked out pretty well. This can also help out if you live in a place where an eeeevill assault weapon, like an SKS or AR-15, could cause you problems; few places will cause you heartache over a cowboy rifle like this.
The same could be said for a new rifle out, the Taurus Thunderbolt(reviewed here). It's a remake of the old Colt Lightning. From the report it's fast, accurate and reliable.
Another thing in their favor is power. All these cartridges have good reputations as fight-stoppers in handguns; add in the velocity you get from that 16-inch barrel, and you've got a serious boost in power, enough to make them able to give accurate fire out to 100 yards or a bit beyond.
One more thing. A .357 Mag chambered rifle can also fire .38 Special ammo, so you can use less expensive .38s for practice, and if stuck somewhere and you need to whack small game, use a .38 instead of the magnum.
The other thought was, if you have a problem with noise/recoil/whatever and just cannot deal with a powerful centerfire rifle or pistol, consider a .22. Not exactly the ideal cartridge for self-defence, but it has the following going for it:
Quiet, compared to just about any centerfire.
Virtually no recoil.
Inexpensive.
This last in important because if you trust in a .22 for your defense armament, you need to be able to hit where you aim, and make multiple hits(especially at close range); you don't have enough power to trust in 'close enough'. .22 ammo is CHEAP. Match grade can run as high or higher than some centerfire, but good-quality stuff can be had for anywhere from less than a dollar to two dollars for a box of 50. You can find what gives the best result in your firearms, buy it by the brick(500 rounds) and shoot a lot for not much money, which both increases your skill level and is fun.
And a good .22 rifle or handgun can be downright cheap compared to a lot of other firearms. A Ruger Mark II or 22/45 can be had for less than $300 new, same for the Browning Buckmark. Add a half-dozen spare magazines and go to the range. And there are a number of revolvers that are also very affordable. In rifles a slide-action or semi-auto can be had for less than $300, often less than $200. For instance, a Ruger 10-22 will run about $150-175 new, maybe less for a good used. Get a bunch of spare magazines, and you can deliver accurate fire as fast as you can aim and shoot for as long as the magazines hold out. And the fact is, you're not liable to need than many. If you need them, though, they're right there in your pocket or bag.
Just some thoughts I thought I'd throw out. Or in. Or whatever.
Gun show weekend!
And for a change, I was able to go.
I almost hate going to these things at times, because at a good show there's so much stuff you'd like to buy! Guns and ammo and cleaning stuff and knives and slings and reloading gear, and so on. This was a pretty good show, so a lot of drooling was done. Yes, I mopped up after myself.
Lots of surplus rifles, Enfields and Mausers and SKS and AK-47 clones; commercial and military pistols and rifles; knives; not as much cleaning stuff as usual. Some clothing, belts, lots of holsters of various types. And lots and lots of ammo. Ammo for almost everything.
This was a sort of family affair, too. My dad came in for it, and since my son was off work, he came along. Dad found some stuff he wanted/needed, I did, and my son found something he wanted. In the kids case a soft-air gun(I think his roommate has an annoying cat).
So a good time was had by all. Only things I was actually looking for that they didn't have was some case lube for reloading, and I need a bullet mold to throw a .38-caliber bullet of 200 grains. No luck on either of those.
But overall, quite nice.
I almost hate going to these things at times, because at a good show there's so much stuff you'd like to buy! Guns and ammo and cleaning stuff and knives and slings and reloading gear, and so on. This was a pretty good show, so a lot of drooling was done. Yes, I mopped up after myself.
Lots of surplus rifles, Enfields and Mausers and SKS and AK-47 clones; commercial and military pistols and rifles; knives; not as much cleaning stuff as usual. Some clothing, belts, lots of holsters of various types. And lots and lots of ammo. Ammo for almost everything.
This was a sort of family affair, too. My dad came in for it, and since my son was off work, he came along. Dad found some stuff he wanted/needed, I did, and my son found something he wanted. In the kids case a soft-air gun(I think his roommate has an annoying cat).
So a good time was had by all. Only things I was actually looking for that they didn't have was some case lube for reloading, and I need a bullet mold to throw a .38-caliber bullet of 200 grains. No luck on either of those.
But overall, quite nice.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Disaster guns
Mr. Completely linked to an article at Confederate Yankee here, on the subject. Nice piece of work, that also ties in with something Kim took time to post.
One of the things that comes to mind in this is that preparing for trouble doesn't have to cost a fortune. Canned/dried food is fairly cheap, so is bottled water. A good first-aid kit isn't too bad. And good guns for the subject don't cost a fortune.
I was at a gun show today/more later/ and among other things saw that you can buy a 59/66 SKS for $125 plus tax. 500 rounds of Wolf or other ammo can be had for $45-$55. Handguns are going to be higher for a good one, but a good-condition used .38 or .357 Mag revolver can be had for between $200-$300; some good semi-autos aren't much higher. And practice ammo for many handguns can run as low as $4 to $9/box; good defense ammo will cost more, of course. Shotguns? You can find a decent pump for anywhere from $150 up, depending on brand/features, and ammo for it- unless you're getting the gold-plated slug ammo- isn't bad. Thankfully, with modern ammo a cleaning kit can be very basic and do the job(note: a t-shirt you don't wear makes good cleaning patches).
I've known some people who flat would not take preparing for something like this seriously, because it scared them to think about it. It's not, after all, a pleasant subject. But it's one that needs to be considered.
One of the things that comes to mind in this is that preparing for trouble doesn't have to cost a fortune. Canned/dried food is fairly cheap, so is bottled water. A good first-aid kit isn't too bad. And good guns for the subject don't cost a fortune.
I was at a gun show today/more later/ and among other things saw that you can buy a 59/66 SKS for $125 plus tax. 500 rounds of Wolf or other ammo can be had for $45-$55. Handguns are going to be higher for a good one, but a good-condition used .38 or .357 Mag revolver can be had for between $200-$300; some good semi-autos aren't much higher. And practice ammo for many handguns can run as low as $4 to $9/box; good defense ammo will cost more, of course. Shotguns? You can find a decent pump for anywhere from $150 up, depending on brand/features, and ammo for it- unless you're getting the gold-plated slug ammo- isn't bad. Thankfully, with modern ammo a cleaning kit can be very basic and do the job(note: a t-shirt you don't wear makes good cleaning patches).
I've known some people who flat would not take preparing for something like this seriously, because it scared them to think about it. It's not, after all, a pleasant subject. But it's one that needs to be considered.
If I ever get married again and need rings,
I think I'll go here. I've seen this method used to make knife guards and pommels, but never seen it in rings before. Absolutely beautiful work.
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