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Legendary swordsman Bob Anderson dies at 89

January 7, 2012 / Tim / 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 / Tim / 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 / Tim / 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 / Tim / 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.

SOG Trident aides in rescue from destroyed Mustang

December 15, 2011 / Tim / 1 Comment

Image of the wrecked Mustang courtesy of SOG Knives

This blog has always touted the importance of carrying a knife, whether a lockback clipped to your belt or a Swiss Army knife tucked into your pocket. Even though certain cities and organizations demonize knives as dangerous weapons, the functionality of a knife during harrowing situations should not be underestimated.

In our series Knives Save Lives, we thoroughly document how knives are used to help those in life or death situations. I stumbled upon this next example of knives saving lives on the SOG knives blog. A customer named Zach S. submitted a story to SOG about how he used his knife to rescue someone.

The story begins when Zach, a volunteer Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician for a New York fire department, was driving home from work on October 14, 2011. As these stories go, he found himself right in the middle of a terrible car crash. One car slammed into the other, but Zach was able to avoid hitting the out-of-control vehicles. Since he is a volunteer firefighter, it was instinctive of him to immediately pull over and help out at the scene of the accident.

Zombie Killer ‘Pestilence’ Chopper from KA-BAR

December 10, 2011 / Tim / 0 Comments

Tired of hearing and posturing about what you would do during a zombie invasion? I didn’t think so.

Earlier in the week, I posted about Gerber’s intense Apocalypse Survival Kit featuring some pretty badass tools like the awesome DMF folder that comes in handy when the undead are looking for fresh flesh. Knives, unlike guns that require ammunition, are perfect weapons for battling “walkers.”

So, offering their own solution to the eventual zombie invasion, KA-BAR has been marketing the ZK “Pestilence” Chopper knife as an ultimate zombie killer (hence ZK).

All these companies marketing their knives as safeguards against the undead is a genius idea. Although some people might perceive these tactics as demeaning and toy-like, the knives themselves boast pure craftsmanship.

The Pestilence has an overall length of nearly 16 inches with a 10.25-inch blade made from quality SK5 steel. It has an amazingly contoured handle that’s really comfortable despite the overall heaviness of the tool.

The main issue of the blade revolves around its versatility. It’s too big for everyday carry though not quite big enough to be a practical machete. Although its main trade is probably decapitating monsters, the Pestilence does do a fantastic job clearing brush and undergrowth out in the wilderness.

Four Knives That Make Great Stocking Stuffers

December 9, 2011 / Tim / 0 Comments

This Christmas, why not give the sharpest gift one can give: a knife. Whether it’s your mom, your dad, your crazy uncle or your fishing buddy, you’ve undoubtedly got a knife fan in your family. Here are five knives that make fantastic Christmas gifts.

Gerber Prodigy Survival Knife: $58

This award-winning knife measures 9.75 inches and has a full-tang high-carbon stainless steel blade that’s coated with black oxide for ultimate corrosion resistance. The handle is soft and ergonomic and the knife comes with a high-quality sheath in addition to a leg strap, ensuring that carrying is always convenient.

Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops Pocket Knife: $22.49

If you’re looking for the ultimate tactical folding knife, check out this Smith & Wesson masterpiece. With its reliable framelock, it can sustain a tremendous amount of pressure in any extreme situation. The sturdy thumb stud on the blade allows you to open it quickly and effortlessly with one hand when you need instant access to your knife. This finely crafted knife is ideal for everyday tasks or intense use in the heart of a jungle.

Carbon Steel Gurkha Service Kukri w/ Sheath & 2 knives: $39.99

This heavy-duty service Kukri is a woodsman’s best friend. Measuring in at a whopping 18-plus inches, with an 11.75-inch blade, this giant carbon-steel beauty slices through small brush with ease. Not only does this knife come with a classy-looking brass-tipped leather sheath, but it is also accompanied by two extra 3-inch knives, great for stocking stuffers for your family’s knife fans.

Personalized Smith and Wesson Military Police 2nd Generation M.A.G.I.C. Assisted Opening Pocket Knife : $59.99

If you’re looking to give a truly individual gift this year, consider picking up this Smith and Wesson military knife and having it stamped with a personal message.

This military police pocket knife is off the charts when it comes to its cool factor. Not only is this extremely sharp and practical, but it also comes equipped with a M.A.G.I.C. assisted-opening mechanism that will leave you and your friends in awe. With the release of a safety switch and the flick of a thumb, the partially-serrated blade will literally spring into action.

Got a favorite of these four? Let us know which knife you’d prefer to find under the tree in the comment section below.

Afraid of a zombie apocalypse? Get the Apocalypse Survival Kit from Gerber

December 5, 2011 / Tim / 2 Comments

Imagine this scenario. You wake up from a coma in an abandoned hospital. You can’t tell how long you’ve been out, but things seem to be completely different from what you once knew. As you’re exploring, you come across a group of hideously decomposed bodies. The only problem is these dead guys aren’t really dead at all. They are actually flesh-eating zombies looking to kill you. What could you possibly do?

Well, in the likely event of a zombie apocalypse (2012 is just a few weeks away, you know), Gerber is selling an Apocalypse Survival Kit, which comes equipped with three types of machetes, an axe, a fixed blade knife and a folder. Gerber knives, which is a brand that’s no stranger to exposure on television (see Bear Grylls), supplied these items for the season opener of AMC’s hit series The Walking Dead.

Since Gerber was able to help out the characters of the show with some amazing tools, they figured it would also benefit the greater population to offer the tools as a proactive measure for that inevitable zombie invasion. Unfortunately, the kits sold out quickly, but you can still buy each of the tools individually. For example, no apocalypse survivor or self-proclaimed zombie hunter should go without this badass Gerber Gator Machete Pro or awesome Survival Series Bear Grylls Parang.

If you’re having any doubts about the usefulness of these tools against an army of undead, check out the descriptions found on Gerber’s site.

Wanna Buy Lawrence of Arabia’s Pocket Knife?

December 2, 2011 / Tim / 0 Comments

If so, you’re in luck.

The trusty pocket knife of T. E. Lawrence, as he was formally known, will be going on auction in England next week and is estimated to be sold for approximately 300 pounds ($467).

According to a piece in the Mail, the knife was constructed by Royal cutlers Underwood and Farrant and pre-dates the long-popular Swiss Army knife.

If you’re not familiar, T.E. Lawrence became famous after he helped wage an insurrection in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. He was later immortalized in the film “Lawrence of Arabia,” staring Peter O’Toole.

The knife, below, was found near his former estate near Dorset, and is thought to have been carried during his Arab campaigns. It’s pretty sweet, but would you pay $450 for it? Let us know if the comment section below.

Knife Rights takes on Boston council over proposed ordinance

November 28, 2011 / Tim / 1 Comment

For most knife enthusiasts, careful attention is paid to the physical knife itself. They focus on what type of steel the blade is constructed from, the durability of the handle, blade thickness, etc. However, an important aspect of the knife involves the convoluted state of affairs in the political and governmental spectrum because they determine what people can buy and own. It’s times like these when we can be thankful for those who fight the good fight for knife rights.

Few groups are doing more of the dirty work to protect our rights than Knife Rights. Founded with the intention of stopping the United States taking stances against knives similar to countries in Europe, Knife Rights has gone on a crusade to defend the rights of knife enthusiasts through legal channels.

Recently, Knife Rights and the American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI) went up to Boston to advocate against a law requiring convenience stores to get a license to sell knives. While this might not seem like a major deal, this is a political move to demonize knives and gain points from constituents for being “tough on crime.” There is really nothing in the new legislation that would make Boston any safer from crime. There seems to be a concern that minors get knives from these stores to use with criminal activity, but there is already an ordinance that prohibits the sale of knives to minors. This new legislation is redundant and will only inconvenience small business owners.

Knife Rights and the AKTI offer a glimpse into the complex world of government by going to hearings and voicing opinions. Take the recent hearing in Boston for example. Only two councilors were at the hearing and they were the sponsors of the anti-knife bill. They contradicted their own statements and cited inaccurate news, which is very telling.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot