More Videos Soon-ish. Flipped.

Exciting pic right!? Stock footage baby, mine hasn't yet been unboxed, but I suspect 99% of you either have one or know what it looks like.

     When I began doing videos last year, I was apprehensive.  I'm not technologically-retarded or anything, I'm just a Goddamned writer by birth, for better or worse.  I was encouraged by a very well-known man in the knife-making business to try my hand at making videos, & while rough & uncouth, I'm confident I have a better grasp here in late 2011 on the whole thing.  I still, ironically, have yet to do a video on any of this man's wares, yet I've reviewed plenty of them in writing. 

      My point.  I have a decent webcam, if not a little rough on the pixel-side, & I bought a little waterproof Kodak thing that is way inexpensive & durable but does silly VGA video only.  I turned a year older this month, & the woman who brought me into this nightmare of a world (I love her more than anyone, don't get me wrong) asked me what she could gift me because of course "you MUST have something to open!"  Hmm, I thought, I have a trio of guns that fits me perfectly, & she's more-or-less against firearms, plus they're expensive...Hmmm again, I will NEVER stop buying & supporting the knife industry, factory and/or custom, it's just who I am.  Besides, it seems sort of impersonal to say "well there's this knife derp...".  So I just casually suggested I could use a higher res video device.  Guess who came through like a true Mom!?  Mom did! I'll be playing with more knife videos on my new Flip Ultra HD 8G, very soon...you know me, pretty soon is better.

I'll get Elsa Fantino's little neck knife on video & show you the works..along with SEVERAL recent Leatherman acquisitions just for fun.

-Take care.

HQ Pix of the work of Elsa Fantino, France's Woman of the Forge.

My cell pix in the post below did not do Elsa, or her work any justice, you really need to see the detail of these items, especially the neck knife.  They have a rugged, old world appeal to them (many of her knives) but still a distinct look of natural beauty.  I guarantee we'll be seeing lots of Elsa's work go through the various custom knife websites like the excellent Arizona Custom Knives (which is now actually out of Florida ;)

Sharpie pencil shown only for size reference, here's the untitled neck knife, I paid about $65 +shipping on AZCK

Devil Knuckle (aluminum) & knife (spring steel)

VERY solid & lightweight!

Man... the glass bead & skull round out a great looking package!

kydex sheath with Elsa's medallion

This knuckle comfortable fits even my large hand.

Again with the Sharpie liquid pencil for size reference, standard pen size

Elsa Fantino, French Awesomeness

This is just a quick phone pic of my new Elsa Fantino Devil Knuck, ground from aluminum (SOLID) aluminum.  Elsa has a fascinating background in metal arts and often forges with the great Fred Perrin, who I think of as sort of France's answer to a man like Ernest Emerson!

Skull knuckle, about $40 USD + shipping from Julie Hyman's Arizona Custom Knives

I bought one of Elsa's forged neck knives, sorry for the cell pic, but this thing is rad!! Forged from automotive springs with a jeweled and skulled lanyard!  Kydex too!

     I'm going to keep checking AZCK for more of Elsa's work, she is a unique martial artist but her craftsmanship (craftwomanship!) is outstanding.  Check out Elsa & Fred Perrin at work above, & see Elsa's section on AZCK

Ray Mears

LION-Spy(derco)??

I had to throw this up here....we've been hearing lots about Lion Steel's DPx HEST folder made for Jeff Randall's ESEE knives as part of the Robert Young Pelton "Dangerous Places" series.  I'm really curious to get my hands on a HostileEnvironmentSurvivalTool, & I'd love to handle the LionSpy, (SPYderco & LIONsteel).  Hey the name could have been worse, "Spyon", "Spyon Steel" etc.  Spyderco's description, found @ knifecenter:

SP157GTIP: C157GTIP LionSpy
Spyderco

Lion Steel Knives of Maniago, Italy represents three generations of knife manufacturing by the Pauletta family. The Spyderco/Lion Steel col - laboration uses Bohler-Uddeholm Elmax blade steel for high edge retention and low maintenance. The blade is hollow-ground with a drop-point shape. The two-piece handle is a black G-10 front scale and a titanium back scale. Both scales are corrugated for enhanced grip and constructed with an adjustable pivot and scale screws. Its Chris Reeve Integral Lock is augmented with a Roto - Block, a pivoting locking mechanism that functions as a back-up lock (doubly locking the knife blade open in addition to integral liner), while also inhibiting the lock’s liner from overextending.

Features

• Hand Orientation: Right
• Tip Carry Position: Up

Specifications

• Blade: 3-5/8" (92 mm)
• Edge: 3-9/16" (90 mm)
• Overall: 8-7/16" (214 mm)
• Closed: 4-5/8" (117 mm)
• Steel: ELMAX
• Weight: 5.9 oz. (168 g)
• Made in Italy

Pretty killer...at an MSRP of $499 it damn well be indestructible.  Knifecenter will be selling it for around $320 USD plus shipping to wherever.