Page 110 of 131

Breast implants: the ultimate armor against knife attacks?

January 27, 2012 / Glenn / 1 Comment

After centuries of looking for the best defense against a knife attack, we’ve finally found that the answer has been literally right under our noses: gigantic fake breast implants.

Sure this is a cheap story and cheap topic to cover relating to knives, but it’s been in the news and it seems like there’s no way to avoid it.

Apparently, a Florida woman was attacked by her ex-fiance’s new girlfriend with a knife. The woman said she was trying to calm the new girlfriend down before she suddenly took out a knife and stabbed her. The woman said the next thing she knew, she was covered in water.

That water turned out to be the saline water from inside her implant, which was just strong enough to save her from getting a punctured lung. The woman, who wishes to remain unidentified, said the $6,000 to get implants was the best investment she’s ever made. The new girlfriend is probably feeling pretty foolish after grossly misusing a knife and ultimately puncturing an implant.

But, if you think this is an extraordinary story that’s atypical, think again. Another case of life-saving breasts happened not long ago.

A while back, a Russian woman got into a pretty intense fight with her husband that culminated in him pulling a long knife on her. However, when he tried to stab her in the chest, the knife became lodged in what one Russian news organization called her “silicone body armor.”

The ironic part of this whole event is that her husband encouraged her to get the implants five years ago. Although he was trying his best to stab her in the heart, his own vanity was blocking his vapid attempt at murder.

Knives Save Lives: Man fights off vicious staghound dog with pocket knife

January 24, 2012 / Glenn / 0 Comments

A 69-year-old man was taking a peaceful jaunt down the street with his Jack Russel Terrier in New South Wales, Australia, when a wild, enraged staghound attacked him and his dog.

Undaunted, he used his pocket knife to fend off the beast, slaying it in the process, another prime example in our series of how knives can save lives.

Staghounds are often used, and, in many cases abused, during the process of hunting wild boars. These dogs are can weigh up to 130 pounds and are often poorly trained by cruel owners who keep them in small confines.

According to this article from ABC News, these giant staghounds have been wreaking havoc on the Australian town of Wagga Wagga lately. Last month five people were injured when two staghound dogs attacked them and officials say that the unregistered, wild dogs present a continuing problem.

Check out the brand new 2012 Spyderco knives

January 20, 2012 / Glenn / 0 Comments

Spyderco is a brand well-known for innovation, unique designs and quality, which is why we’re so excited for this year’s batch of brand new Spyderco knives. Here’s a look at a few of the most anticipated new blades you can buy today.

Spyderco Junior by Alexandru Diaconescu

Inspired by his son who was entering a “curious stage in his life,” Romanian designer Alexandru Diaconescu created the Junior with uncoordinated child’s hands in mind. The handle gives the wielder complete control without running the risk of accidentally sliding their fingers upward. This design has been making the biggest waves in the knife community.

Spyderco Squeak Slipit

Here’s a description from the Spyderco catalog: Produced in Maniago, Italy, the Squeak SLIPIT is a non-locking, one hand open, clip carry folder. Need I say more about this awesome-looking knife?

Continue reading

The Dos and Don’ts of Carrying Knives While Traveling

January 17, 2012 / Glenn / 2 Comments

Leaving your favorite blade at home when going on vacation can be a bummer, especially if it’s something you need for your job. Since 9/11, intensified security screens have made it increasingly difficult for knife owners to transport knives. A recent article in the New York Times highlighted the innumerable difficulties these crackdowns have caused on hair stylists, chefs, engineers, knife collectors and others who use knives as a function of their job.

So, what do you do if you must bring your knife on a trip?

The best course of action is to put your knives in your checked luggage, although many knife owners are hesitant to part, even momentarily, from expensive shears or blades. However, some knife owners are able to buck security and make it through.

According to the article, chef Rey Benavidez is usually able to travel from San Francisco to New York with his chef knives in his carry-on luggage. He packs his knives in a special chef’s kit and even wears his chef jacket. However, Benavidez said he’s still forced to check his knives, worth approximately $500, at times.

For these occasions, he has GPS tracking tracking chips in his knives and photographs his suitcase contents before flights.

Custom knifemakers who travel frequently to knife shows can have knives worth tens of thousands of dollars that need to be transported. In this situation, the best course of action is to have these knives shipped via UPS and insured for the full amount.

Ken Onion, a knife maker from Honolulu, said he had 14 custom knives worth about $40,000 stolen from luggage in 2006 on a trip to a show in California. He recommended that travelers buy insurance and that they photograph or videotape luggage contents and the handover to airline employees.

For valuable items, he said, “place them in a Pelican case, with a GPS tracker at the bottom of it,” adding that once his luggage has been checked in, he can follow it via the GPS locator to ensure it is on the same flight.

How about you? Have you flown with knives since 9/11? Do you have any advice for those with knives pursuing air travel? Let us know in the comment section below.

World’s oldest Swiss Army knife made by Romans

January 13, 2012 / Glenn / 0 Comments

Some 1,800 years before the production of the first official Swiss Army knife the Romans built their own multi-tool that both stands the test of time and is really cool.

Many times people (myself included) get so pumped up and excited about latest and greatest inventions that we fail to reflect on history, but this ancient knife is truly something to marvel at.

This multi-tool, which dates back to sometime between 200 AD and 400 AD, features a spoon, fork, blade, spike (probably for eating snails), toothpick and spatula. The surprisingly well-kept tool is made entirely from silver except for an iron blade.

According to the History Blog, multi-tools like this one weren’t uncommon in ancient Rome, but they were typically made from bronze and had significantly fewer parts. That’s why it appears as though the owner of the knife was probably much wealthier than others at the time and may have even been a traveler.

Student suspended after accidentally taking knife to school

January 10, 2012 / Glenn / 0 Comments

A while back, I took an informal survey on Facebook of whether there should be any laws restricting the use of knives in the United States. While a couple people thought there should be none, a large number said that schools are among the few places that should have restrictions on knives (for obvious safety reasons). However, no one could possibly support what happened to a boy at a Georgia school.

According to WSB TV, seventh grader Jack Persyn was suspended for accidentally bringing a 1.5-inch knife to school. Here’s a description of the incident from the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Jack Persyn discovered a pocket knife in the military-style backpack his aunt had bought second-hand at a yard sale and had given to him for Christmas. The teen reported the knife and turned it in to his teacher.

But even though the 7th grader admitted having the knife, and his parents contend it wasn’t his fault it ended up at school, the boy was given a four-day in-school suspension for violating the Gwinnett school district’s policy on weapons.

Knife groups are up in arms over what they’re calling a zero tolerance policy gone awry. It’s hard to disagree with the knife groups.

Had the boy knowingly brought the knife to school, things would have been different. Had the knife been discovered by a peer or a teacher, it might have even been different. However, it was an accident and he did the right thing by turning it in to school officials. Punishing him for telling the truth is simply wrong.

Legendary swordsman Bob Anderson dies at 89

January 7, 2012 / Glenn / 0 Comments

Every now and then, we like to eulogize those who have made a significant impact in the world of knives and swords. While most people we honor were bladesmiths, the recent death of Bob Anderson at 89 is something we can’t ignore.

If you’re not familiar with the name Bob Anderson, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the work he’s done. Anderson was the man behind (and sometimes in) many of the most notable sword-fighting scenes in the movies for the past five decades. Examples of the movies he had a hand in include the original Star Wars trilogy, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Princess Bride, The Mask of Zorro, Highlander, The Moonraker and much more.

Before becoming involved in the movies, Anderson was actually an Olympic fencer before answering an ad to work as a fencing coach for a British film studio. Although he didn’t win any Olympic medals for his fencing prowess, he gained much more fame and exposure working in the movie industry.

A while back, I wrote a post on the most badass sword fighting scenes and Anderson’s work featured prominently in the list. His most notable role by far was in the original Star Wars trilogy. In A New Hope, he did some training behind the scenes to prepare the actors for sword fighting. However, in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Anderson actually donned the Darth Vader outfit and performed the stunts himself. While this went uncredited for a long time, Mark Hamill finally revealed the secret in an interview later.

Although Anderson may have recently passed away, you can still see some of his new work in the upcoming 2012 film The Hobbit. If you can’t wait, simply put on one of the biggest epics that featured sword fighting and you’ll see his skill translated through the big screen.

Knives Save Lives: Utah Children Saved From Sinking Car by Gun and Pocket Knife

January 3, 2012 / Glenn / 1 Comment

Imagine this:

You’re driving down a snowy highway on a cold winter night, when the car in front of you careens into an icy river. A distraught and panicked father climbs out, only to dive back in, desperately trying to pull his three children from the wreckage.

You jump in the water and try to help him unjam the doors, but they’re stuck. Luckily, you have your revolver on you, so you shoot into the window smashing the glass. Inside, you find the children on the verge of drowning. You try to grasp them, but they are trapped by their seat belts.

What do you do?

(a) Watch them die wishing you had a knife on you.

(b) Take out your pocket knife, slice through the seat belts and free the children.

This isn’t a fantasy or a made up story, but an account of a dramatic rescue that happened in Utah just the other day.

After witnessing the aforementioned crash, retired police offer Chris Wilden was able to stage a dramatic rescue. But according to press reports, if it wasn’t for his pocket knife, at least one of the kids, all of whom survived, would have lost their life.

One of the girls had found an air pocket and was breathing fine but was trapped in her seat belt. Willden cut it with a pocket knife and pulled her from the rear passenger window.

Australia to prohibit pocket knives, turn farmers into criminals

December 27, 2011 / Glenn / 7 Comments

Considering taking a trip down under this year? If so, leave your pocket knives at home.

Australia is moving ahead with some of the most repressive anti-knife legislation in the world, prohibiting pocket knives and “flick knives,” and mandating that anyone caught with a pocket knife in public explain to police why they need it or face arrest.

According to a recent article in the Warwick Daily News, this sweeping legislation could turn approximately 50,000 formerly law-abiding citizens into criminals over night.

National Public Relations Manager for Katter’s Australian Party Scott Barrett said enforcing the law was a “restriction of freedom, adding,

“It’s purely a political game they’re playing to give us further restrictions. It’s not criminals that will be targeted by this; it’s farmers and fishermen who might have a knife in their tackle box, or tradies who have one on their tool belt.”

Knife laws in Australia and Europe are generally more restrictive than the United States. However, recently the city of Boston has considered further regulating pocket knives and New York City has recently been sued by the knife advocacy group Knife Rights for their campaign against knife owners.

What sort of blade should you get the knife lover in your family?

December 20, 2011 / Glenn / 0 Comments

So, you’ve made the decision to buy a knife for Christmas for a friend or loved one. That’s terrific, but now comes the hard part: what sort of knife should you get them? To make things easier, we’ve created four archetypes of the modern knife fan along with a few suggested models. Have some additional ideas? Then, let us know below.

The Jack of All Trades

Do you have a brother, father, mother or lover who can fix the toilet, gut a deer, whittle a masterpiece and prepare a delicious dinner all without breaking a sweat. Lots of handymen and craftsmen fall into the jack-of-all-trades category. These knife lovers are constantly dabbling in different projects and pursuing various hobbies. They love to learn on the go and aren’t worried about making a mistake or two along the way.

Recommended Knives: For such a diverse set of tasks, you’ll need a knife with a lot of range. Consider a 3-blade or 4-blade pocket knife, which combines blade types such as pen, sprey, sheepsfoot and others, providing an excellent range of tools perfect for those who like to do everything themselves. Multi-tools and Swiss Army knives are also great choices.

The Minimalist

He wears the same pair of faded blue jeans every day. He only owns one pair of shoes. He eats the same cereal every morning, occasionally drinking his orange juice out of the carton. When he goes on trips, he never, ever checks a bag. All of us have a minimalist in our life, someone who likes to keep things as simple as possible, including when it comes to knives.

Recommended Knives: A Single-blade folding knife is at the top of the list. This kind of fellow is looking for a knife with one good blade that’s functional, strong and versatile, and that fits efficiently in his pocket. A neck knife, which is conveniently suspended from a lanyard, will also appeal to him, especially if he’s often on the go.

The Show Off

Did he wear a light-blue tuxedo to the prom when everyone else was in black? Does he always have the biggest truck and the most badass T.V. for watching the game on? When it comes to blades, the Show Off needs something big and burly that will set himself apart from the pack.

The Cutting Edge