by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Roanoke Airgun Expo
Before we begin, Davis Schwesinger has just sent me the flier for this year’s Roanoke Airgun Expo. It will be one month early this year, on Friday, September 27, and Saturday, September 28.
The show is held at the Roanoke Moose Lodge 284 at 3233 Catawba Valley Drive, Salem, Virginia. It runs noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. From past experience, I can tell you that most of the best deals are gone by the time the doors open on Friday, so buying an Early Buyer’s pass for $50 is the best way to get what you want. Tables are $50 and admission is $5.
Contact Davis Schwesinger
130 Holder Rd.
Pine City, NY 14871
607-734-7340
email
Now, let’s see what today brings.
Walther’s MultiTac 18-function tactical knife packs a lot of utility into a small package.
Man uses tools. And those who read this blog tend to use them a lot more than most people. Over the years, we’ve talked about knives, tactical flashlights, knife sharpeners and even exotic ways of sharpening knives. At one time, several of us feared we might lose our Matt61 to knife-sharpening, as his comments indicate it absorbs a lot of his attention. So, at the risk of jump-starting yet another tool/knife discussion, I reveal today’s topic — the Walther MultiTac 18 function tactical knife.
Edith found this knife for me several months ago on Pyramyd Air’s website. She knows of my obsession with knives and multi-tools, and, truth be told, she carries a Swiss Army knife and a multi-tool in her purse. Her favorite kitchen knives are officially the set of ceramic-bladed knives we got at this year’s SHOT Show, plus a set of French Opinels that my late friend, Mac, introduced her to. So, she supports me fully in my quest for tools. She also understands that, while I may own lots of them, I don’t necessarily use any of them much — nor am I especially skillful when I do. You don’t have to know how to build a watch to tell time.
I reported on the basic Walther tactical folding knife last October, in an article I wrote while on the road to the Roanoke airgun show. I showed that knife to a lot of people at the show and was thoroughly entranced by it — both for what it is, but perhaps more for the low cost of just $19.95. Well, today’s toolkit in a pouch sells for just 4 cents more!
I love mulitools! Despite the attempt at humor, I really do use them all the time, with the Gerber Crucial being my favorite. Today’s Walther will never be a favorite because of its size. But there is one thing it has/does that the Gerber cannot have/do. It has 18 functions to the Gerber’s 5. That’s more than 3 times the tools in a relatively small package. Not small enough to carry in the pocket, like the Gerber, but certainly small enough to stow in the center console of my truck, where the glass-breaking stud will come in handy when I’m upside-down in a shallow river and water is gushing in. That hasn’t happened yet, but it’s nice to know I’m prepared.
The glass-breaker stud on the end of the tool may be overlooked until you need it. Then, it’s priceless!
Is it made in China? Of course it is. There’s no way something could be built to sell at this kind of price and not be made somewhere where the labor rates are very low. And it does come in a belt pouch, though I am at the limit of what I can carry on my belt and in my pockets. Unless I start wearing Batman’s utility belt, the bulk and weight of my cell phone, hideout gun, pocketknife and keys is the absolute limit for me. When I drop trousers in a bathroom stall, I now have to be careful not to crack the floor tiles!
But my range box is loaded with tools like this, and they have saved the day more than once. And the center console of my truck backs up those tools with even more useful things. Sometimes, you really need 2 pliers instead of just one. That’s where this new Walther lives.
What’s good about it?
The Walther has plier jaws that spread apart a useful distance. I use the pliers on multitools more often than anything other than the primary knife blade, so pliers and knives are the two criteria I use to judge a new tool. And the new Walther MultiTac has the jaw width to be very useful.
Walther’s MultiTac 18-function tactical knife jaws (right) open wider than the jaws on the Gerber Crucial and Leatherman Wave, combined!
Also, the wire cutter inside the plier jaws can be an important tool — if it works. The wire cutter on the Walther works very well; and because the jaws have a spring-loaded action, it works faster than even my Leatherman Wave. That’s saying something!
Another handy thing for airgunners are the Phillips screwdriver bits that come in the rubber accessory package stored inside the Walther’s pouch. There are 3 of them and surely one will be exactly what you need to tighten those pesky stock screw on your springers.
The Walther tool comes with 3 different Phillips bits. How could an airgunner not like that?
What is not as good?
The knife blade is not as convenient to use as a dedicated pocket knife blade would be. I guess that’s why I always carry a pocket knife! In fact, when I wear jeans and have a watch pocket, I carry 2! But if I needed to use the knife blade, it’s sharp and sized to use. I would have no qualms about using it all day, if I had to. And I’m set up to sharpen both normal blades as well as serrated blades, so the serrations only make more sense on this tool.
Is the metallurgy as good as other multitools? Quite frankly, my dear, I doubt it. While it’s made from 440 stainless steel, I wouldn’t expect it to stand up to the same abuse as a Leatherman. And, I don’t care. It costs less than one-third as much, and I’m not planning on building my life around this one tool. It will do what I want, and if it should ever fail, how much am I out? That’s right — $19.99.
The bottom line
The real reason I’m telling you about this multitool today is because it makes a wonderful gift. You always need something in this price range, and I can’t think of anything that’s better than this multitool (that’s how we ended up buying 5…one for each of our vehicles and 3 for gifts). It may not be the sort of possession you treasure above all others, but how nice to have it in your glove compartment or range bag when you need it.
I too have been known to have an obsession for multitools. I have to grit my teeth sometimes to keep from buying more. It is not unusual for others to feed my obsession, especially around Christmas.
Like BB, I found a multi-tool with a number of screwdrivers, torx and hex keys is indispensable in my range box, especially with springers. It was at the range that I discovered my newly purchased TX200″s muzzle brake was loose and not lining up with the cocking underlever to lock it in place.
Fred DPRoNJ
I hope its OK to ask an off topic question, but I cannot figure out what the eye relief spec means on a scope. On PA web site the UTG scopes usually have a range, and the others (Hawke for example) just have a number. What does that mean? Does you eye have to be exactly at that range? The ones that list a range, does that mean you can be anywhere in that range or does it change with magnification? I only have experience with very cheap low end scopes. I know the ones I have are difficult to get a full field of view, but I don’t know how that compares with better scopes.
I have a Benjamin Trail NP XL 725 and I need a new scope for it. I don’t want to spend any more than necessary off course, but I want to get one that is good enough. I would like side parallax and maybe 3-9 or 12 magnification with 40 or larger objective. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
By the way, I love all the info on your blog here. I have read a lot of the reviews here and really enjoy them.
CB,
Eye relief is usually given as the maximum distance your eye can be from the rear scope lens and still see the whole image in the scope. If there is a range, it is the minimum and maximum distance for the same thing.
You don’t have to be at the exact eye relief to use the scope, but the image will appear smaller than the entire lens.
When you mount a scope you slide it back and forth ’til the image appears whole and bright with the rifle mounted on your shoulder. Unfortunately, this will be in one place when shooting offhand and another when shooting from a rest. Go for as close to the center of the range when you mount the scope (and check it offhand) and it should work under all conditions.
B.B.
That helps a lot. Thanks BB
PA has some reasonably priced scopes that match your description for what you are looking for. I have a Leapers Compact 4-12 X 44. You will find the longer scopes will give you a better image (not blurred around the edge). Here is a link to where to look.
/accessories/scopes/30mm-tube/variable-magnification
I have a Ruger Air Hawk that came with a 4 X 32 fixed parallax. It is very clear at 50 yards. Unfortunately, it is unfocused at 25 yards. Why they would put such a thing on a sproinger is beyond me. You might think about one of the Bug Busters. As soon as I sell my Daisy 717, I will be putting one of them on the Air Hawk.
Captain
Your field of view is related to your scope’s magnification. The higher your magnification the lower your field of view. And vice verse. Pardon my latin. So use the lowest magnification for the maximum field of view. Once your target is acquired, increase the magnification if so desired. This is assuming an adjustable magnification scope, of course.
I have two of these scopes:
/product/utg-3-12×44-ao-swat-accushot-rifle-scope-ez-tap-illuminated-mil-dot?a=3493;jsessionid=00038251A9D10447BC830AA839480AD3.app03
I can’t recommend them enough. I would like to own a Hawke scope, but at double the price of a Leapers/UTG, I cannot justify the cost. If you have the extra dough, more power to you.
Happy shooting,
Slinging Lead
RidgeRunner and Slinging Lead, thanks for the links. The one LS mentioned is the one I had pretty well decided on based on the link RR listed. Now I just need to wait for stock to come in. Thanks.
You said it is big but when all closed up how long and wide is it?
Cole,
This comes from the description the pictures are linked to:
3.19″ blade
7.6″ long
12 oz
B.B.
Hi BB,
I like multi-tools too. I usually carry a Leatherman Wave. I am going to have to check out a Gerber Crucial. I am not familiar with that one. I looked it up online and it looks interesting.
My wife keeps a cheap multi-tool in the glove compartment and even a cheap multi-tool comes in real handy.
David Enoch
B.B.,
I, too, am a sucker for multi-tools, but that’s OK, as there is a place for each one, what with multiple vehicles, my wife’s purse, and my own belt. I am glad that I have received a few free cheapo (but quite functional) multi-tools as premiums for magazine subscriptions, throw-ins in multiple item trades, and such. I also have found that a reasonable solution to having the typical junk/basic tool drawer in the kitchen is to replace a lot of the small tools with one large multi-tool. Believe it or not, the one in the kitchen drawer at the time has a small claw hammer on one end, and it actually works for tacks, wire nails, and nail pulling.
My best one, which resides in my truck’s glove box, is the very largest one Gerber made at the time. I also have a vintage Leatherman, which, by today’s standards, is limited, but it is very well-made. That’s the one on my belt.
And I have a modest collection of hobo knives I’ve accumulated going back to when I was a boy. One is a huge camp thing that includes a full-size fork and spoon.
On the P.A. webpage for this Walther multi-tool, image #8 shows the tool and rubber accessory package halfway into the nylon sheath. To me it looks like a tight fit for both at the same time. Is that just a photographic illusion, or is it indeed a tight squeeze for both of those in the sheath?
Thanks much,
Michael
In some respects, I enjoy camping just so I can use my Hobo knives! I HAD to have them when I saw them. They are the cheap ones with two halves that clip together, fork on one half, spoon on the other, and 50 other tools (knife, saw, bottle/can openers…) between the two; nothing special but reminded me of the old days. I had a really neat one when I was a kid; it wasn’t divided, but was like a Swiss army knife on steroids and had its own belt holster. Someone stole it at the end of a week at summer camp, I’m afraid, although I always held out hope it would show up somewhere.
Yes! My large elaborate one does split into two halves, one with the spoon and the other with the fork. It has its original, cheapo (and ineffective) suede leather sheath with a top strap that snaps down. The knife would fall right out onto the ground through the gaping hole on the side!
Ah, the memories. I still have it.
Michael
Michael,
The fit is just right — not tight at all.
B.B.
Hmmm. I just might need to get one or two of these with my next P.A. purchase in order to qualify for the free shipping. ;^)
Michael
Michael,
B.B. is also a sucker for hobo knives. These come in handy for all sorts of situations, including bugout bags.
Edith
B.B. and Edith,
Yesterday I broke down and added a Walther MultiTac to an order from Pyramyd AIR. Those holiday coupons that also allow for free shipping are great, and yep, the multi-tool helped me get up to the free shipping magic number.
The hilarious thing is that most of the order is ammo and cleaning stuff, unexciting necessities. So the thing I can’t wait to get is the Walther MultiTac! It’ll be the first thing I unwrap and play with. No loose screw in the house will be safe!
I’m such a big, goofy kid.
Michael
Michael,
Well, from my perspective you’re pretty normal.
B.B.
Mr. BB likes it, Ms. Edith likes it, Fred DX likes it, think even Mikey likes it & he hates everything! Good enough for me. Ordered 1 for the range bag. Have a great weekend ya’ll, shoot/ride safe.
Beaz
I also have several. One of my favorites is a no name, cheap, Chinese flip grip that I got as a safety bonus at work. You flip the handles one way and have needle nose and the other way and have normal pliers with a stronger grip. The blade leave a bit to be desired, but the screw driver has the replaceable bits like this Walther.
/Dave
Ohhhh….I’m a sucker for these things too.
My first Leatherman was one of the originals which I’ve had since the early 90’s.
The only thing I didn’t like was the way you had to open and reverse the handles to get the knife out (which of course is usually them most used tool).
I graduated to a SOG about 5 years ago…the blade of which can be flipped out single-handed….big improvement if you were in an emergency.
Last year I picked this up http://guntool.com/ which resides in my range bag and has replaced a not so small handful of other stuff.
Now I really want a Leatherman Mut, which is specifically designed with the AR owner in mind.
But at $150 (CDN)…and the fact that I don’t own an AR…it seems like money I don’t need to spend.
Or….if I bought an M4 than I’d have a reason for buying the Leatherman 😉
I don’t have a lot of multi-tools but I like them a lot.
I have and old trusty gerber needle nose pliers where all the accessories are locked when in the open position, I’ve had for a long time, always on my belt and I have a spare one in my tool box but that’s it. They’re built tough and I’ve never needed another one.
Edith talk to me about those ceramic knives. I’ve been looking at them for a while now but I’m hesitant at buying one. Can it be sharpened like a regular knife? How about the claim that it won’t oxide stuff you cut with it?
I love Opinel knives and always carry my folding one when I’m wearing board shorts and I can’t wear a belt. It’s light, sharp as a rasor and won’t fold on your fingers in use.
I have one that my grand father had since he was a kid (he was french) and that actually went with him everywhere he went (so it went from France, to the US for military training, then back to France and to war and then to Canada where he met that sweet young french speaking Canadian girl that was to become my grand-mother) and it still works as good as the day he got it. You can’t beat the simplicity of those knives and if the kitchen ones are as well made as the pocket ones they must be great.
J-F
J-F,
Opinel folding lockers are great! I had a chance to buy one from a buddy back in my school daze but didn’t, and I’ve regretted it ever since.
Michael
My Mom loves ceramic knives for her cooking. Truth be told, I think she even prefers them to my exquisitely sharpened knives. And in this way, she would be no different from Edith who prefers them to B.B.’s knives which can be sharpened to cut a frog’s hair–although he still has not told me how to do that. Edith said the super-sharp metal knives get dull quickly which my Mom has said too. The deal with ceramic knives is that they don’t get very sharp, but they never get dull either. And that’s good since they cannot be sharpened by the usual ways and must be taken to a specialist at great expense. In other words, they’re good for people who like to do a lot of cutting and bad for people like me who are mostly interested in the aesthetics and the sharpening process.
Matt61
Matt,
When I was a Boy Scout we had an elaborate lesson in using a whetstone and oil, as I recall. The Scoutmaster first explained that there are two different edges one can sharpen a knife to: a “razor’s edge” and a “working edge.” He explained that for certain work a razor’s edge is the best. He felt a filet knife ought to have a razor’s edge. Most other knives, he believed, should have a working edge, which, while not as sharp, did indeed keep its degree of sharpness longer. He argued that usually knives with a working edge lasted longer because they required fewer sharpenings over the years, and also, he argued, a razor’s edge might be more subject to chips and other damage.
For what it’s worth, he used a straight razor to shave with every morning, even on camp-outs. I can still picture him shaving with that thing using the outside rear view mirror on his truck. The assistant Scoutmasters always cautioned us to be quiet and not approach him while he was shaving, no doubt as an excuse to calm us rugrats down!
Michael
Hah, the scoutmaster was lucky the Japanese master wasn’t there to tell him that hair-shaving sharp was a low-level of sharpness. On the other hand, the master’s demonstration consisted of shaving himself with a bowie knife. It wasn’t exactly a razor, but I didn’t see much of a difference.
I too have heard of the paradox that the sharpest knives go dull the fastest. I’ve attributed that to the thinness of blade that you generally need to get that sharpest edge. But check in with FrankB. about how he gets his lawn mower blades shaving sharp. In discussions with him, I came up with my own personal fantasy weapon for Conan like scenarios. You have a club made out of some incredibly hard material–obsidian, adamantine whatever. Then you form the club so that its surface is divided into facets which join at an edge. While the angle between them is fairly shallow, the edge is so clean that it is razor sharp. These edges will not, as FrankB, gave me to believe penetrate deeply like a thin edge. But they will do amazing surface damage while lasting forever, and they will also have the terrific blunt impact of the club behind them. Truly the ultimate weapon of the fantasy world.
Matt61
So it would be wise to invest in a good quality ceramic knife in order to get an already as sharp as possible edge since it wouldn’t be easy to sharpen…
When I was in school I would get my wood chisel rasor sharp and I do the same with our kitchen knives.
a few strokes on the sharpening steel (I believe that’s what it’s called in english) to keep the edge from roling if the cutting edge is too long and it should be fine.
I like sharpening knives, it’s like meditation. I think the repetitive sound and motions are a bit like a mantra or hypnosis.
J-F
Matt61,
My ceramic knives are VERY sharp. The other knives I like are French and made by Opinel. I loved them for years and refused to use any other knife…until I got the ceramic knives. The Opinel knives are not stainless steel, so they get sharp but don’t stay sharp as long as I’d like them to. Ceramic is top-dog in my knife drawer. In fact, I would like a couple more ceramic knives of different lengths than what I now have. There is one thing a ceramic knife cannot do, and that’s cut open raw spaghetti squash or butternut squash. For that, I have a very large Opinel knife that’s 11″ closed and has an 8.75″ nonserrated blade. One whack, and it’s done!
Edith
Idle curiosity: white ceramic or black ceramic — my first ceramic knife is a Boker lock-back folder, pocket size with titanium sides, and black ceramic. I have (unopened) a black ceramic kitchen knife. The other three are all white ceramic.
If I understand Wikipedia and other sites, the black ceramic are a bit harder.
Thanks for the info.
I don’t think I’ll have much of a choice but to buy one…
I think I’ll try with a small office knife (you can never have enough of those anyways) and if it’s good I may buy a set.
J-F
Wulfraed,
My knives are white ceramic.
Edith
Well… So much for getting a field report on the effectiveness of the difference…
I don’t do enough cooking to even evaluate the three white ceramic I have next to the knife block — may major use is either a chef’s knife, or a santoku equivalent — both in metal; I don’t know how ceramic would take the rocking chopping motion… Slicing OTOH I’ll give to the ceramic.
It is hypothetically possible to sharpen a ceramic blade…
But you must use a diamond dust “stone” — no natural (Arkansas/Washita) or synthetic (various carbides, crock-sticks) will work. And you need to be very good at holding the angle (European/American tend to be around 20-22deg; Japanese tend to be around 15deg — one reason those Santoku blades seem a bit sharper).
One thing you don’t have to worry about with ceramic is producing a “wire edge” (when the metal is so thin it curls over rather than cutting). Razor edges are near that, but on a good straight razor, the edge hollow ground design allows for a fairly thin edge even with a slightly steep edge angle.
An off topic question…
I have a Ruger P95 pistol (love it!), but with the price (and availability) of ammo I am looking for an inexpensive way to target practice in my backyard.
I posted a comment a couple of days ago on an older blog asking some questions about the Beeman P17. It seems to fit my needs and was pretty much ready to get the P17, but I keep considering the Crosman 1377 since I have read other reviews comparing the two pistols. It seems the 1377 is about as accurate (or more depending on who is commenting) but easier to maintain with just pellgun oil. It is a bit longer and has a heavier trigger – from what I’ve read. Between the the two which do you think would serve me better? FUN is also a factor! Thanks in advance for any thoughts or comments.
Jeff
Jeff_290,
I own both the P17 and the Crosman 1377. in fact, I’ve owned at least 3 1377’s over the past several decades.
The P17 feel good in my hand, has a good trigger, excellent sights with the rear being fully adjustable in both windage and elevation. It is also reasonably accurate. Unfortunately, mine was very flaky. There is a spring inside the grip that keeps slipping, causing it to not cock. I’ve fixed it (putting things back where they belong), but it eventually slips again. Even worse, mine will on occasion go off (fire) while closing the top after loading. You don’t want to shoot a gun like this indoors, if at all, unless you don’t mind having a few pellet holes. There is so much that I like about this gun, but could never recommend it because it is so flaky.
I first shot a 1377 back in the mid-70’s, when I competed in precision class air-pistol using a FWB 65. Back then I could easily hold the 9-ring with the 1377. It was surprisingly accurate. I can’t say the same for my current one, because i simply haven’t shot it that much, and certainly not for score. The 1377 doesn’t feel nearly as good as the P17, and it has a much worse trigger. In addition to this, it’s a pumper, so it isn’t nearly as nice to shoot as the P17.
If the P17 was not flaky, there would be no comparison between it and the 1377. I wouldn’t even consider the 1377. But unless mine was a fluke (but I think others have had similar experiences to mine), I’d go with the P17. But based on my experience, I’d have to recommend the 1377. Really too bad that the P17 has so much going for it, and yet one major flaw.
Victor
My vote is for the P17. Buy from a reputable dealer and if you get a dud return it until you get a keeper.
The sights and trigger are much better on the P17 IMHO and veleocity is consistant being a SSP.
The 1377 requires pumping and I think you would get tired of pumping it if you are practicing target shooting.
The 1377 is faster and can be hot rodded but again the pumping gets old for target practice. Mine sits in the cabinet but I shoot the P17 all the time.
HTH,
Mark N
When I was in the army a carried a nice gerber lockblade knife with nice heavy brass bolsters and ebony wood handles. The brass was always shined to a high polish and wood carefully waxed. I could grab it out of it’s leather sheath (which was naturally spit shined like my boots) by the blade, give it a quick snap of the wrist and grab the handle in one easy movement every time I needed a knife. I kept the thing surgically sharp too. You did not want to test the sharpness by trying to shave the hair off a part of your arm. The hair would be gone but so would the skin under it and you’d never feel it. I miss that knife. I do not know what happened to it. Nowadays I carry a camillus assisted opening knife with a razor sharp half serrated tanto blade. It’s only a single blade knife instead of a multi-tool. But when I need a knife fast this fits the bill. I have a multi-tool too but it gets relegated to my range bag and only used when I need a screwdriver on the range or when hunting. I use my camillus knife much more. But if I ever need a new multi-tool I know there is a decent one out there.
My wife and I have been carrying Swiss Army knives for decades. I even have a credit card sized one that I carry around. I have multi-tools seemingly everywhere, including back-packs, computer cases, and all cars. This Walther MultiTack looks like a good one.
Once I got to lockback folders, it’s hard for me to go back to conventional pocket knives. But locks are no guarantee either. I was trying to demonstrate to my brother how to open his large Cold Steel folder that I bought him with one hand. I wasn’t used to the larger size and nicked myself. But that razor sharp blade caused me to bleed all over the knife.
Matt61
Swiss army knives are the best. I have continued to carry my small/medium Victorinox even after getting a Buck 110 that is many times the knife (and, as Matt would point out) locks; in fact the blade is half its original length as it has broken several times and been sharpened about 1/4 of the blade width. Still sharpens easily and hold an edge pretty good, and I never know when I might need a toothpick or a screwdriver; the tweezers went AWOL when the scale that held them was lost.
BG_Farmer, I was truly astonished at your post about how you preferred a one-handed grip for a large revolver. Was it a 1873 Single Action Army design? I can’t remember. Last night I pulled out my handguns, and there was no comparison in the steadiness between one hand and two. Just imagine gravity pulling down on that weight at the extreme end of your lever and making it shake. Then you’ll appreciate the value of two hands. And that goes for B.B. as well. 🙂
Matt61
Matt,
I was talking about a 1911 in that case, but it goes for pretty much everything. Two handed just feels awkward to me, and somehow messes up my sight alignment (probably due to my build — I can’t get the sights out as far). The weight is pretty negligible to me, either way, although it gets squirrelly on me after a time, just like a rifle. Followup from recoil takes a bit longer, though, but I’m working on that and still trying two-hand holds also.
BG_Farmer,
That little credit card sized package has a razor sharp knife, tweezers, a file, and toothpick. I use the knife often, but not for anything hard (mostly for cutting paper or tape). I got it for my birthday, and it came as a set that included a larger knife. I lost the knife while on jury duty. I checked it in, but forget to reclaim it.
Victor
B.B., you’re not likely to lose me to anything. I see airgunning in everything as I found with my recent tennis experience. My knife sharpening also appears to have plateaued. The summit of my achievement was putting a razor’s edge on my Roman gladius with its very slightly recurved edges (the better to carve up the enemy). I did manage to shave hair with that blade. Beyond that it’s hard to get motivated to the next stage such as the Japanese master for whom hair-shaving sharpness is a low-level or FrankB who can sharpen lawn mower blades like razors. Besides, I have FrankB to advise me on anything specific. And also there is the time factor involved with my new tennis interest and my piano arriving next month… On the other hand, it wouldn’t do to predict. I’m methodically working my way towards purchase of a real samurai sword. How to justify this, when I really have no room indoors, when I dare not practice outside in California, when I don’t want to go through the hassle of acquiring targets to cut, and when I’m averse to the risk of cutting off my leg. The answer is iaijitsu, the Japanese art of drawing and cutting in a single movement. It is fairly unique in knife and sword styles or at least is developed to a much higher level. And I believe it was also something of an inspiration for the quick drawing of guns, at least in the movies where Sergio Leone copied a lot of samurai films for his Clint Eastwood series. So, I can accomplish something significant while drawing and cutting in a small space, the same as I do with my five yard indoor range. And with a sword, there will be plenty of real estate to sharpen.
Gifts are a great outlet for things that I can’t justify for myself. My brother is sold on the Kukri machete I bought him, the UTG flashlight that B.B. recommended (even without all the features), and even the lockback folder despite my flawed demonstration. And B.B. has all the right reasons. The only way I persuaded my brother to take the folding knife was that he could cut the seat belt if trapped in a car. That $20 Walther folder is mighty intriguing.
Duskwight, the ORSIS T5000 is pretty slick. I’m curious if Russian guns are entered in the 1000 yard world shooting championships. One reason I love the Savage rifles is the way their factory rifles have beat out a lot of custom guns in that contest.
This is another call to Derrick and Vince to contact me if you’re out there. I’m stalled at trying to reseal my Daisy 747. You can contact me at gufgo24@yahoo.com.
Matt61
Matt61
I know Derrick looks in from time to time, but summer is the busy season at the bike shops. So I am sure he has his (very gifted) hands full. You may have read it already, but Derrick blogged resealing the 7XX series Daisy pistols. The series can found here:
http://anotherairgunblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Daisy%20747?updated-max=2010-01-12T13:00:00-08:00&max-results=20&start=5&by-date=false
If you have a more specific question, I think you might have better luck asking on his blog than on this one.
BTW I hope your Mosin Nagant is all you dreamed it would be. Channel your inner Vasily Zaytsev.
Thanks a lot, Slinging Lead. I figured that he might be around much.
Matt61
Say, Slinging Lead, do you (or anyone) know what is Derrick’s blog. I would like to say hello. He really is one of the coolest guys.
Matt61
Matt61
The above link is for Derrick’s and Nick’s blog. (Another Airgun Blog.) The most recent one can be found at http://anotherairgunblog.blogspot.com/.
Well now that we’re onto knives, I treated myself last week to one I’ve always wanted…the classic WWII style Ka-Bar.
It’s 2PM here (Edmonton) the weather is great and in 1/2 hour I’m picking up a friend and we’re heading to the range…woo-hoo!!!
Yes, the KaBar! I’ve grown to love that knife and, as is often the case, I was dead wrong in my initial review. I had thought that my Cold Steel Bushmaster–a conventional hunting design with substantial curve–felt more graceful and lively in the hand. With its straight edges and heavily weighted pommel, the KaBar didn’t feel as good for cutting movements. Wrong, wrong, wrong. While the KaBar won’t match a curved edge for cuts, it is extremely rapid at changing direction which is what you want more for a combat knife, like the Roman gladius. The tip is ridiculously sharp for stabbing. Any number of demonstrations will show that the knife is no slouch at cutting either. And the heavy pommel feels good in the hand and plenty substantial for hitting. Besides, the reviews from the jungle front were glowing. It is an awesome and iconic weapon.
So, CowBoyStar Dad, enjoy, and have you set your sights on other WWII or other classic knives? You know from airgunning that the anticipation is half the fun. How about the Sykes-Fairbairn commando knife, even more iconic than the KaBar. The V42 used by the special service force was just an inferior imitation in my view. The Randall combat knife got rave reviews in all theaters but is a little pricey. The German fighting knife by Boker was used in both World Wars which says something. The Gurkha Kukri feels amazing in the hand and has a pedigree going back to the Spartans. I believe that for regular infantry, Fairbairn actually favored the Smatchet, an interesting design that leaves little doubt about its effectiveness. But its leaf shape is a very old design that I have in other forms. There’s a whole world of amazing bladed weapons to enjoy.
Matt61
Matt, admittedly up till now my interest in knives has been pretty mundane.
I always carried a Swiss Army knife when I was younger. At the time I had a Lotus Cortina (a late 60’s rally super car) that was pretty clapped out…the running joke amongst my friends at the time was that it broke down so often and that 90% of the time I got it running with my Swiss Army.
I got rid of that car and upgraded to an Alfa in the mid 70’s…also used, also somewhat clapped out…and also kept running by the same knife 😉
Anyhoo…my current interest in knives was pretty practical…in that I’ve got a couple of good tactical folders (SOG and CKRT) and a Kershaw fixed blade.
But then I happened on an article on the Ka-Bar and found that it has so much history, is still being made, and as you mention is still a first class knife…one of those ‘ancient’ designs by a master who just got it right…without the benefit of CAD/CAM.
I have started looking at some others (a local dealer has nice selection of WWII era bayonets…and I have just started looking into the history of the Sykes-Fairbairn…it would be the perfect complement to the Lee-Enfield.
As a biker I love these things and use them alot-the high dollar units don’t last any longer than the cheap ones, so $20 is right up my alley! I didn’t see it mentioned in the description, but are the bits/bit holder magnetized?
Have a couple of off-topic questions too….First off, has anyone tried the pricey new H&N pellets? I see they’ve copied the predator design.
Secondly, I may have mentioned before that I am a pistol guy, and I’ve been eyeballing the 3 high end pistols from Umarex: The CP88, Beretta 92fs, and of course the 1911. Does anyone here have any experience with these guns? I ask because I own the P99Q, which uses the same magazines, so I assume the all share the same working mechanisms. To be honest the Q has a lousy trigger, and if the other three are the same I’d find it difficult to justify the $100-$150 difference simply for a different ‘skin’.
DD,
Yes, the silver drive bit is magnetized to hold all the bits.
B.B.
My kingdom for an edit key!!!! That ‘the’ up there should read ‘they.”
And I forgot to ask one other thing… awhile back you asked us to mention any particular guns we’d like to see Umarex reproduce…..did anything come of that?
DD,
Nobody has added any guns to the short list I gave Umarex. It’s the Colt SAA and the Broomhandle Mauser at this time.
B.B.
All right, gents (ladies), I’m officially depressed. On the winds of exultation from my new tennis hobby, I looked up my hero Monica Seles to see what she’s been up to since retirement. It turns out that at age 39, she’s dating an elderly billionaire. Augh. Here she was supposed to get it together after leaving her compromised career and what does she do but take up with a guy old enough to be an old father. Maybe I’ve seen too much of these old codgers between Rupert Murdoch and Wendy Deng (although she is no shrinking violet by any means) or Hugh Hefner and his multiple girlfriends young enough to be grandchildren. Bleach. Everything just seems kind of…pointless…futile…
Anyway, one must press ahead. I’m making huge strides there with the tennis just by practicing short against the wall and working on control. As in airgunning, the quest for power just retards everything. As I remember my tennis training, I would hit balls fired from a sort of air cannon until the time I paid for ran out. Or I would hit with partners until they got bored which was fairly quickly. I’m accomplishing way more with the method derived from shooting where you start close to the target and steadily back up as your ability improves. Even after a few sessions, I was socking the ball in there harder and more accurately than I dared hope, just by giving myself a chance and starting slow. What won’t this method accomplish?
And I’ve discovered some interesting things about the samurai. Did you know they were actually great guys bent on living their lives to the full and trying to make the world a better place? They weren’t the bloodthirsty, homicidal, death-obsessed maniacs sometimes seen in popular culture. Hm. You find a lot of this revisionism going on in martial arts. For example, the ninja were not violent, amoral, assassins willing to kill anyone or do anything for a price (even hiding in toilets for hours and days with their swords just waiting for the target to come into view). What they really were were people blending with nature to overcome obstacles and achieve ultimate good. Maybe that’s why a certain branch of them migrated into the Japanese police force with the modernization of Japan.
Well, whatever one wants to believe there is not doubt that the samurai knew how to fight which is what I happen to be interested in at the moment. Otherwise, living in the fallen world and vale of tears as we are, violence is part of the reality that we are born into, and since we are sometimes called to face violence through no desire of our own, it stands to reason that the methods we might have to use justifiably to make our way in the world are not devoid of what is good–not just the devices or techniques, but even what might be called the martial virtues. As an example, deep in martial arts training I got fairly sickened at some of the things that were taught with their destruction of organs, nerve centers, bones, and joints in some cases beyond repair. It all seemed to be dripping with the violence of centuries. But then it occurred to me that among other things, this was all a picture of what someone, somewhere might want to do to me. Had no problem with the stuff after that. So, it seems that the goal is to snatch the bait from the trap and, in the case of the samurai, to skim off the considerable things they did accomplish that might be of use and skip the rest. For example, their goal of heyjonshin, translated as “Peace of Mind” seems to be something that anyone can use.
And on the subject of turning swords into plowshares, I got some very good use out of my sharpened entrenching tool and hunting knives, scraping out certain obscure corners of the apartment in preparation for the management’s inspection.
Matt61
Matt61,
I’m not surprised about the non-violent nature of the samurai. The same is true of most professional fighters. Sure, there were exceptions that the media is sure to exploit, but that was not the norm. I know a guy who is a professional sports journalist. He says that boxers are among the nicest of all professional athletes, including some of the most hated. On the other hand, off the court, he’s found some of the meanest and nastiest professional athletes to come from basketball. He says that they can throw violent tantrums, physically hurting others, and they are allowed to get away with it. They become spoiled and arrogant, believing everything they are told about how they are more special. I’m sure there are exceptions.
Victor
Got an off topic question for you guys…
Anyone know if the valve in the S200 tank is the same as the one in the T200 tank ??
I am getting tired of waiting for PA to get the T200 tanks back in stock , and am considering getting the S200 tank as a spare.
twotalon
TT
The tank for the S200 and T200 are one and the same. Unfortunately, that means it is also out of stock.