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Buying Knives at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

March 24, 2011 / Tim / 2 Comments

CHIANG MAI, Thailand—The Chiang Mai night bazaar is a good place to buy a light-brown Chang Beer tank top for $6. There are also numerous silk robes for sale in the same price range, in case you’re looking for something more modest.

If you fancy neither of these items, then you can choose from the following: fake Rolex watches, ostrich-leather wallets (I have two), knock-off Tiffany jewelry, statues of the Buddha, cowboy hats, necklaces, flower-shaped lampshades, boxing shorts, or if you want to drop out of reality for a few weeks, the entire series of “The Sopranos.”

I walked through hundreds of these stands last night, buying nothing, until eventually I stumbled onto a cart stocked with an armory of knives, swords, throwing stars and machetes run by a very small man who drives a hard bargain and rarely tells the truth.

I had already been burned by buying counterfeit knives once on the Thailand-Burma border, where I bought a fake Dark Ops Stratofighter Stileto for $15. For this reason, I wasn’t particularly interested in buying any pocket knives, especially after the merchant selling them told me that a Browning pocket knife, which had USA clearly written on it, was produced in a village 10 km away.

Ceremonial Daggers Banned From Detroit School… Again

March 23, 2011 / Tim / 6 Comments

More than a month ago, I blogged about a decision by a Michigan school district to allow small ceremonial daggers in their schools. Now, after furious parents complained and legal debate engulfed the district, the daggers are once again banned.

The kirkpan, which is a small ceremonial dagger typically between 3 and 5 inches long, is considered a rite of passage for young baptized Sikh males to carry as a symbol of fighting evil and greed.

The district first faced the issue back in December when a fourth-grader brought one to school. After the district held meetings with Sikh groups, it ruled they were acceptable granted they follow strict guidelines: the blade must be dull, it must be sewn into its sheath so it can’t be taken out, it must be no bigger than 2 1/4 inches and it must not be visible.

Breast doctor by day, knife thrower by night

March 22, 2011 / Tim / 0 Comments

For anyone who thought knife throwing was only for die-hard outdoorsmen, you’re wrong.

A record-breaking doctor known by many for his breast augmentation surgery also spends his spare time throwing knives for sport. What makes this even more amazing is that he’s highly skilled at both.

Dr. Ted Eisenberg from Pennsylvania holds the Guinness World Record for most breast augmentation surgeries at 3,460, and he’s won multiple awards during tomahawk and knife-throwing competitions.

A few weeks ago, I posted about how to become skilled at knife throwing, and this just goes to show that knife throwing is such an enrapturing and peaceful sport that nearly anyone who starts instantly becomes hooked.

For Eisenberg though, it took him a little while to actually get started. After being inspired by the Crocodile Dundee and James Bond movies, he asked his wife for a throwing knife as a present.

The first time he thew it at a tree, he told AOL news he felt so bad that he even “went and hugged the tree.”

Washington Firefighter Designs World’s Biggest Pocket Knife

March 22, 2011 / Tim / 0 Comments

Size matters when choosing a pocket knife, at least according to Washington firefighter Tom Horne. I recently stumbled onto an article about Horne, who has constructed what may be the world’s largest pocket knife, the Jake Knife.

The Jake Knife has a blade that is nine inches long when closed, 16 inches when opened. It’s made from stainless steel and has a liner lock. According to Horne’s website, it’s capable of doing some pretty heavy-duty stuff, like:

Knives Save Lives: Tom Tilley

March 21, 2011 / Tim / 5 Comments

Whereas some of the previous examples about how knives have saved a person’s life prominently feature amputations, the man in this story used a knife as a weapon for self-defense. What he was defending himself against, however, was a huge black bear.

In 2006, Tom Tilley, a then 55-year-old outdoorsman from Canada, went on a 12-day canoeing trip with his trusted dog Sam. While walking on a trail about 4 days into the trip, he came across a 200-pound black bear.

Annually there are between 1 and 2 bear attacks a year, so this isn’t really an uncommon experience. So, Tom did what you are supposed to do when you encounter a bear, he waved his arms and slowly back away.

Nevertheless, the bear was hell-bent on attacking and continued his march toward Tom. He described what happened next to the CBC news:

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7 Unique Uses For A Utility Knife

March 17, 2011 / Tim / 1 Comment

The utility knife is an amazing multipurpose tool with countless uses. Its retractable blade and lightweight design allows it to be safely carried in pockets or toolboxes.

Aside from cutting boxes or tape, there are a number of other uses you may not be aware of. Here are 7 unique ways you can use a utility knife.

1. Removing paint-covered screws

After you’ve painted the house, you may have accidentally gone over a number of screws that you now need to take out. Nevertheless, a utility knife makes the task effortless. Simply go to the screw, carefully scrape out the paint from the slots and unscrew it. Be sure to completely scrape off all the paint from the slots, so the screwdriver can get a strong grip.

2. Cutting foam

Foam is a great way to protect and organize your tools, which is why people usually use it to line their toolboxes. Since it requires precise measurement, utility knives are perfect for cutting the foam into rectangles.

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Nevada Knife Law Would Make it Illegal to Bring a Pocket Knife to a High School Football Game

March 17, 2011 / Tim / 9 Comments

A proposed Nevada knife law, which would criminalize possession of a wide range of knives on school property, would make it illegal for a parent to possess a pocket knife at a high school football game.

The bill, SB. 171, was introduced earlier last month by Nevada State Senator Shelia Leslie and classifies any knife larger than 2 inches as a “dangerous knife.”

Anyone who possesses a dangerous knife on school property or at a school function could be charged with a misdemeanor, face a fine and be imprisoned for up to 15 days.

The bill even goes as far as to prohibit knives at “any activity sponsored by a private or public school or child care facility.”

It doesn’t just apply to students and would extend to those in vehicles on school property as well.

Link Between Samurai Swords and Japanese Nuclear Plants

March 16, 2011 / Tim / 2 Comments

According to an article published today at Japolink.com, the walls of the imperiled Japanese Fukushima nuclear plant are made by a steel company that still forges samurai swords by hand.

Japan Works, a major steel company with over 5,000 employees, constructed the containers in a tedious process that utilizes a 14,000-ton press to shape a special steel alloy

The company has built almost all of the containers used in Japan’s 54 nuclear power plants, yet despite it’s high-profile nuclear manufacturing, it reportedly still has a sweet spot for making high-quality samurai swords.

Knives Save Lives: Sampson Parker

March 15, 2011 / Tim / 5 Comments

After watching the film 127 Hours about Aron Ralston and posting on the astonishing case of doctors having to amputate a man’s legs with a Swiss Army knife, I became fascinated with the concept of life-saving knives.

It’s no secret that knives are extremely helpful in everyday life, but there are also many examples when carrying a knife has saved someone’s life or prevented them from being significantly injured. Occasionally, I’ll be posting examples of these gripping tales I find around the web.

Although not all examples of knives saving lives involve amputations, the story of Sampson Parker was so amazing that it’s the first story we’re looking at.

Sampson Parker, a farmer from South Carolina, found himself in a terrifying life-or-death situation a little more than three years ago when a corn stalk became lodged in his giant mechanical picker. He mistakenly tried to get it out with his hand, which was instantly sucked into the machine.

His first idea was to simply pull as hard as he could until his hand would get loose, even if it meant literally pulling his hand off. Unfortunately, that’s when the situation turned even uglier.

Top 5 Coolest Movie Swords (That You Can Own)

March 13, 2011 / Tim / 5 Comments

Last week, I posted the Top 5 Movie Knives (That You Can Also Own), and, as promised, here is the next installment: the top 5 coolest movie swords (that you can own).

There are a few arbitrary rules I set for qualifications. Firstly, the sword has to have appeared in a feature film. Secondly, you have to be able to buy it either as an officially licensed or unofficial replica. Finally, it has to be awesome.

There are undoubtedly many movie swords that deserve to be on this list, so if you think I missed one, feel free to argue your addition in the comments section.

Without further ado, here are my top 5 coolest movie swords (that you can own).

0. Longclaw Sword of Jon Snow from The Game of Thrones ($334.99)

Ned Stark’s bastard son, Jon was raised at Winterfell on near-equal footing with his siblings. After joining the Night’s Watch he served as steward to Lord Commander Mormont. Instead of joining Robb on the battlefield, he remained up north to honor his vows to the Watch. While traveling beyond the Wall with the Lord Commander, he was separated from the rest of the group.

The Game of Thrones Longclaw Sword of Jon Snow was painstakingly recreated from the actual props used on HBO’s hit fantasy epic Game of Thrones. The officially licensed collectibles are made from the highest quality materials and have been crafted with special attention to reproduce the authentic details found on the props. Each sword is serialized and will come with a wall mount and a certificate of authenticity.

1. Maximus’ sword from The Gladiator ($68.95)

With the release of The Gladiator in 2000, we witnessed some of the gritty battles that took place in ancient Rome. The most impressive battle of the movie was at the very beginning when the main character, Maximus, leads his forces against Germania. In the scene, Russell Crowe uses a beautiful sword with a scabbard that fits around his shoulders. There are several types of unofficial replicas on the market, but all of them have about a 30’’ blade, an ivory handle and come with those really cool straps.

2. The Spartans’ swords from 300 ($29.66)

Say what you will about the violence in 300, but the movie spotlights a lot of exceptional weapons. The Sword of Sparta is prominently featured in the film with its unique shape and rugged appearance. The authentic replica is 34 1/4” overall and has a 27” blade. It also comes with a hand guard, so you can wield it easily.

3. Captain Jack Sparrow’s Cutlass from The Pirates of the Caribbean

It’s impossible to compile this list without having at least one cutlass, since there were so many movies with great cutlasses. For this we turn to the craggy Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, from The Pirates of the Caribbean series. Throughout the films, Sparrow is never far from his trusty cutlass that he uses in numerous battles. The great thing about the authentic replica is its sturdy construction and wear marks, so it looks weathered. The sword is about 30” and also comes with a display.

4. Robin Hood’s sword from Robin Hood (2010 version) ($44.99)

Even though Robin Hood may be known for his bow and arrow, the most recent edition of the Robin Hood story featured a truly awesome sword. Our second Russell Crowe movie shows a huge battle on the beaches of Dover with Robin Hood wielding his huge sword on a horse. The officially licensed sword of Robin Hood measures 40” with a blade of 33” made out of high carbon steel. The sides are engraved with two phrases: “Rise and Rise Again” and “Until Lambs Become Lions”.

5. Aragorn’s sword from The Lord of the Rings ($209.99)

The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy of epic proportions featuring a slew of cool looking medieval weapons, such as Frodo’s Sting sword and Gimli’s iconic axe. However, none of those weapons match the impressiveness of Aragorn’s heroic sword used in the final chapter of the series. In the film, the legendary sword is used to summon the army of the dead and battle countless orcs.

The officially licensed Anduril Sword of Aragorn is made at a massive length of 52 7/8″ overall with a blade measuring 40 5/8″. It features an inscription in Tolkein’s language of Quenya and a leather-wrapped steel handle. It also comes with a plaque that has the symbols of the Kingdom of Gondor. This sword is a must-own for any collector of awesome movie replicas.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot