Charles Stross' The Atrocity Archives. And I am already 50 pages in (I was tempted to take the book to work, but sanity prevailed).

I suspect it will be utterly forgettable at the end, but big fun meanwhile. Like a RPG session, actually.

José

This.

Yesterday though, I got what I think is the
remainder of wave 1.

hmm...

Nope. Still the one I ordered from the UK.

Next week, wave two should start pouring in. On
Sunday, I'm going to start lining up wave three.

What... you got a butler?

quote:

Originally posted by Mean Old Man:
What... you got a butler?

No, but somebody else will be getting one. In a
few short months, that is.

Oh.

You've 'ad it, mate.

*whip sounds*

quote:

Originally posted by Pauline:
*whip sounds*

D'oh.

Spyderco Tasman Salt. Spyder edge, H-1 steel (non-rusting), titanium clip, fiberglass reinforced nylon handle, very early production number. Very similar to the Harpy, but with a far more practical handle than is offered anymore on the Harpy, lighter, and rust-proof. Me happy.

Perfectly appropriate for Pirate Friday. Yarrrrgh.

I don't know anything about knives. What's the hole in the blade for? And no yarn spinnin' hijinks, mister. Arrrr.

For opening it. The pad of your thumb fits into it nicely, allowing you to snick it open safely. Spyderco nearly always puts a similar hole in the blade for opening. It seems like overkill, but it's very nice, actually. If you're using it for work, then you might be wearing gloves, etc., making the smaller opening stud on some knives impractical. If you're using it for self defense, then having a secure grip on it while you're opening it is very important. All around, ugly but practical.

I see. It seemed like the obvious answer, but so often the obvious answer turns out to be RIDICULOUSLY wrong. And I have my pride.

Sentinel400 thought it was used as a cigar cutter.

Well, if I find you smoking a cigar in my favorite eating establishment, it just might be used for that after all.

I've had my eye on the Kumo

I generally have no use for cord-wrapped handles except on training knives. My fingers are freakishly long, and the grip just isn't good for me unless the handle is pretty severely contoured and rigid. Besides which, if you actually want to carry it, fixed blades bring all sorts of inconveniences with them.

But the Kumo, she is pretty. I especially like the tip of the handle. Good for a less-lethal option.

Freakishly long fingers eh? Must be why you are a decent guitar player. Me, I have a fist full of bananas for a hand. In general, I prefer fixed to folding, but carrying does present problems. Your note regarding the handle end sheds new light on your improvisational mindset.

quote:

Your note regarding the handle end sheds new light on your improvisational mindset.

Not improvisational at all. Kali is full of attacks using the handle of your weapon. It's called a punyo. Works for sticks, plus some knives and swords. When you get in close, doing locks on an opponent's arm, it's much easier to punyo them in the eye/throat/nerve center than it is to stab or slash them sometimes. Plus, kali tends to emphasize making use of every single motion to attack. So you thrust in for a stab, then punyo on the way back out, etc. One of the characteristics of kali that other styles' practitioners often notice is the number of attacks that kalistas dish out in tiny spaces of time. Using every surface of the weapon is part of how that's achieved.

Spyderco has a folder called the Scorpius which incorporates a handle point like that, for use in pain compliance by design, but also good for punyos. It can even be used thusly when the blade is closed, keeping it less likely to go lethal:

Interesting. I've only heard bits and pieces re. Kali. Ms Shake and I did Aikido for about 4 years, long ago. We'd like to get young ms. shake into it, but for ourselves, we've been looking at other forms. Krav Maga has struck our interest, and hopefully one of these days we'll actually get back to training.

I think somebody really needs to start a blade
thread. This is what, the second or third time
this tangent has shown up. Keep Gromit happy!

My Kung Fu school teaches Kali too. I've never done it myself but watching people spar is something. So fast.