Bree

Bob... It's interesting how your strike on the heavy maul is in the center of the maul while you strike the lighter mauls closer to the top.

Vinegaroon turns leather black because the tannic acid in the leather acts as a mordant for ferric acetate in the vinegaroon. If your "brew" of vinegaroon doesn't have enough ferric acetate or if the leather doesn't have enough tannin or if there is not sufficient chemical reaction, the blackness won't be there especailly inside. It isn't like paint or normal dye... it is a chemical reaction that is causing the change which is why it acts within the leather and not on top of the leather.

I am not a believer in this way of thinking. I never ever try to intimidate. I might succeed and then again I might fail. Maybe the attacker is on crack and doesn't care about the sound of the shotgun pumping. In any case, I have given away valuable information to the bad guy. I have given away my presence, my location, my armament type, my probable limitations etc. I don't want to do that. If my firearm ever comes out, it is because use of deadly force is justified to stop a theat. And if that use is justified, I am immediately and without hesitation going to stop the threat. There is no bargaining or negotiation... no counterthreatening.... just action to stop the deadly threat posed to my life or the life of another. If I am forced to mount my firearm, it's already too late for communication. My #1 thought is to save my own life and stop that threat. Communicating information about myself may very well increase the threat and I am not willing to do that when the threat level is already at "deadly". It's possible that the bad guy could save a lot of pain or even death by immediately dropping his weapon and standing down the threat but I am not waiting around to see if that will happen. The moment my gun comes out, action is intended to follow. I understand the power of the pump's sound. But I prefer to keep my shotgun in Condition 1 with safety on to reduce the time needed to bring the gun into action rather than add a step to try to frighten someone intent on killing me. A different point of view on that issue.

Hey Bob... how the heck do you decide which swivel knife you are going to use today?? That rack of swivel knives reminds me of Imelda Marcos' Shoe closet!!

General George Patton's Colt 45 Peacemaker. Patton's .357 Magnum Both of his sidearms have ivory grips. Now I wouldn't want to insinuate that the General was a "pimp". At least not to his face!!!

Holy smokes those are some nice belts! Great job!

I have a 64 oz maul that I got from Weaver which is made by Barry King and a 20 oz that I got directly from Barry at a show. The Weaver Master Tools Mauls are Barry King mauls at a discount... at least the last time I looked.

I have both and I prefer angled poly by a slight margin. I can use either but the poly has a good feel and nice "stickiness".

I sharpen mine (Osborne 84 type splitter) by removing it and honing it on a granite surface plate. You can use a stones like soft/hard Arkansas stones or waterstones. You can also use sandpaper affixed to the surface plate if you have one with sufficient certified flatness. Be careful because that blade is very sharp even when it seems dull and can easily inflict a serious wound very fast.

Ha! Now comes the really hard question... Do you love ME or MY GUNS!! :wtf:

Slicker than spit!

A woman's self defense needs differ from those of an ordinary man. Normally a woman must stop the bad guy before he can get to her because she is at a big disadvantage in hand-to hand combat. Consequently, as far as handguns are concerned, a woman needs to carry the largest caliber that she can handle. If at all possible I recommend .45 ACP. Second would be the .357 Magnum with 125 gr. cartridges. The recoil of the .45 ACP is actually less than that of the .357 Magnum but both are within the range of almost all women with some training and practice. Both have substantial stopping power. Best for the situation described is a 12 Ga shotgun with either slugs or 00 buckshot. I would add a Knoxx Spec Ops Recoil Reducing stock. The stock will absorb about 75% of the considerable recoil of the 12 Ga. That makes it a doable option for any woman and extremely powerful. A shotgun slug is just about the strongest stopper you will find. Shotguns must be aimed so practice is necessary. A shotgun with a slug is not unlike a rifle in that respect. Buckshot will expand giving you some leeway but of course the expansion reduces the effectiveness as fewer pellets hit the target and penetrate to vital regions. At ranges found in home defense the expansion won't make much of a difference and buckshot is highly effective. Bottom line women need BIG self defense power to stop big attackers before the BG can get to them. Go to the range and rent handguns of different calibers and find the biggest caliber that she can fire with reasonable comfort and accuracy. Then find a make/model that suits her taste. For shotguns... make sure you get a 12 Ga that supports the recoil reducing Knoxx Spec Ops stock. Just trust me on this one. The difference is HUGE. Myself, I have a Springfield Armory XD 45 Compact, a Ruger SP-101 .357 Magnum, and a Keltec P3AT .380 as a backup pocket pistol. For home defense I have a Mossberg 590 Mariner 12 Ga and a Rock River Arms AR-15. For plinking at the range I have a fun gun... the Ruger 10/22. Oh... don't forget pepper spray. Fox Labs... 4 oz can is perfect. Fox is top rated... what the cops and military use... really strong stuff. She should carry it everywhere she goes. She is much more likely to use pepper spray then a gun. Get the best that is legal and available in your state. Pay extra to get the best. Even the threat of using it will stop most would be attackers. When they look down the bore of the spray nozzle they think twice. I have used it 4 different times and I believe that it has saved my life.

Not that there's anything wrong with THAT!

Smart looking case... beautifully crafted. That's a case that someone will be proud to own and treasure for a lifetime.

Tom... That's really creative! The heart is awesome and the necklace is really cool. Well done!! How much time did it take to produce?

Shorts... Trust me they know. Focus on your own needs and requirements. Check out the equipment and the total picture. You will have the machine for a long time and service is more important than price. Find the folks you are most comfortable with and make a good deal for yourself. Let them sort out their own problems.

Equals Occupational Upgrade Opportunity

LOL!! Now there's a philosophy for y'all!! Sounds like something I should have said!

Ryan... excellent post. It would have been interesting (and a lot more difficult for me) if you guys had made it to IFOLG last year when I was in the market to buy a 441 clone. I ended up buying a 4000 LA-25 from Steve and Jerry... as they were there... but I must say that I respect you very much and have always liked your style. Your post is indicative of your quality.

This little roll in the mud may well prove to be very expensive for everyone concerned. I hope the boyz will learn some lessons from this foolishness! But then boyz will be boyz won't they!!

Nobody really knows why Artisan lowered their prices. They may be feeling the economic slowdown more acutely than we are. You have to make payroll you know and that takes immediate cash. Who knows... not me. In any case, it doesn't matter. We all make the best deal we can at the time we make it. I bought a full price 4000 LA-25. I bought it because it was a good deal for me the day I bought it. If they were giving them away today, that wouldn't change a thing about the deal I made or my satisfaction with the product. So trying to psychologize Artisan and their leaders really gets nobody anywhere. Concentrate on using your equipment to make outstanding leather products. If you are in the market for new equipment... make the best deal that you can consistent with your business goals and needs. What ever tomorrow brings will be what it is if tomorrow ever gets here. I keep noticing that it is always today.

LOL!! I have about 50#'s of their thread crack!! It's a lifetime supply!!

The Thread Exchange http://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merc...de=nylon-thread

Very nice! It screams right out at ya!!

Great job especially for numero uno!