Birthday blades!

All I can say is "OWWW! Hell-YEAH!" I made it to see my 31st year, provided I don't perish this evening from a freak accident or wolfing down undercooked meat. I checked myself into the ER at a hospital up North [they have all my records] on Friday morning. I was having symptoms which reminded me of when I came very close to the edge last summer. Turns out I'm fine, I did pass out and experience a heart stoppage in the ER though, while I had surly, coffee deprived, vein-digging nurses on either side of me trying their damnedest to find a suitable vein for an iv. Anyway, I had the opportunity to pick out a birthday present last week from Ma and Pa on a recent jaunt down to the local Cabela's. I've had my eye on Timberline/Gatco's Lightfoot Zambezi fixed blade. I've been price-watching the thing for over 5 years and decided it was time. It's an awesome hunk of combo-edge steel in olive drab and black with a *VERY* impressive sheath/carry system. More details later, but it's one of the few production knives I've seen that indeed has a full carry system, not just a sheath. Dad kind of balked at my choice, thinking I'd select a folder that could be carried daily. I explained to him I'd just procured 2 Benchmades in a month's time, and had been liking the Zambezi since I'd first seen it years ago. "What are ya gonna do with it? Polish it, look at it, touch up the edge, clean it?" I nodded in the affirmative and paraphrased S, B & T's very own Aeric, explaining to my old man that it'd be a fine tool if the shit ever hit the fan. He smiled, both of us knowing realistically, that I'll probably get way more use out of the Cabela's jacket he also paid for alongside the beast-knife. But, the Zambezi is a great blade and probably as close as I'll ever be able to come to owning a Greg Lightfoot designed knife. Sharp presents make me happy.



This morning saw me meeting up with the talented and tight-shooting Aeric for breakfast before a day at the sportsman's club. Upon seating himself, he presented me with a small blue box which indeed, was a Smith&Wesson HRT folder, made by Taylor Cutlery. Said box also contained 3 hand-tied lanyards. Aeric's lanyards are every bit as good, and probably better, than many sold on knife websites. I'm also the recipient of the first 'monkeyfist'/'slungshot' impact device Aeric made, [see the post from a week or so ago.] The HRT has a magnesium handle, a sturdy clip and an integral guard that doubles as a 'flipper' to deploy the blade with an index finger. The blade is plain, which I really love for ease of touch-up, and coated in black teflon, or something very similar to it. I adorned it with the black and green lanyard, and put the "rattlesnake" style one on a Cold Steel Pro-Lite bowie that I have clipped to the visor of my car. The slimmest and stiffest lanyard, of waxed cotton cord, went on my new Benchmade Rift, again for more info, see previous posts.



Aside from self hospitalization, the days leading up to my birthday have been quite good. We had a good time at the range, firing mostly .22 from our respective Rugers. I have a pair of nice new knives to add to the collection. The fixed blade is awesome to look at, and just plain reassuring, even though I own functionally redundant knives. The folder opens very nicely with a smooth yet crisp snap, needless to say it'll be my EDC in the coming weeks. On a note of superstition, legend has it that when a knife is given as a gift, the recipient must give the giver a penny. It's been said to be bad luck, and this way, the reciever technically "paid" for the knife. In the appropriately titled Anthony Hopkins/Alec Baldwin film The Edge, Hopkins' character explains that the penny prevents the 'cutting' of the friendship. The movie knife, from 'The Edge' incidentally is a very classy Brian Lyttle folder.Brian Lyttle's Edge knife is here
I don't buy into superstitions, at least not this one. If neglect for this custom resulted in true bad luck, I'd be in the negative friend-wise, and life would be hell for anyone who knew me. I've given and recieved literally dozens of knives and bladed tools as gifts. It's a cute custom, but a knife is a knife is a knife.