Review: Gerber Curve

In one of my recent reviews on the Gerber Octane multi-tool, I mentioned that while the tools were pretty good, the folding knife was functional yet very disappointing. SOG, Benchmade, CRKT, Kershaw, and dozens of others make hundreds of excellent high quality stand alone folding knives. They set a bar that the few multi-tools of the world are having one hell of a time leaping over. New models of multi-tools like the Octane, Leatherman Skeletool, Victorinox Trekker, and Wenger Ranger are trying to become more like tactical folders with improved ergonomics, locking blades, better steels, and/or pocket clips. Yet, the knives are still lacking.

Having been so spoiled by our excellent tactical folders, its hard to take a hit on perfection and return to the lowest common denominator. Nor does it make sense to. That sharp edge is what we generally reach for first. Many times over the other common tools. On the other hand, even the best tactical folders are not very good for prying or tightening screws unless you like bleeding. So what does one do? Carry both? That's a lot of extra weight especially when you're carrying a gun, spare magazine, flashlight, and an offhand fixed blade. One compromise I've found is the Gerber Curve.

I recently picked up a Gerber Curve for my wife for about $15 from KnifeCenter.com. She is constantly forgetting it, so I'm taking it over for now and putting it on my keyring. It is small and simple, but surprisingly useful. The fingernail opening tools includes a tiny knife blade, flat head driver, a hybrid flattened Philips head driver, a small flat head, file, and a carbiner/bottle opener. The knife, flat heads, file, and the bottle opener are perfectly functional. I'm not sold on the Philips. It will do the job, but not in a great way. There are dozens of tiny pocket or key chain tools with similar load outs, but unlike the vast majority all the folding tools on the Curve lock. Also, the curve is oddly ergonomic. Not so much in the sense of being especially easy to use or hold. Rather its ergonomics make it comfortable to keep on a key ring in your pocket. Other tools like the SwissTool and even some Leatherman-style tools are very likely to tear up pockets or even scratch your leg.

The Curve is not massively full featured. It is extremely minimalist approach. The Yet, it can take care of most of the small tasks that I require from its tools at a modicum of weight. My favorite folding knives can stay where they belong. JP also gave a little review on this tool.

More Thoughts on Pistol Caliber Carbines Options

This week GunBlogger Conspiracy regular, veteran Vicious Circler, & part-time rock & roll clown, Weerd, discussed pistol carbines and their virtues and deficiencies. I seriously do agree with most of his post. I have long held that pistol caliber carbines make excellent defensive tools. Accuracy, stability, low recoil, inexpensive practice, and sharing your handguns caliber. He also mentions

(tho technically you gain a bit of muzzle energy from that same pistol ammo, tho the end result is mostly academic) and the stopping power of a rifle or a shotgun)

This is actually only partially true. For most of the your semiautomatic pistol cartridges, it is correct. Perhaps a 100 or 150 fps can be added with the addition of a 16 inch barrel. This is due to the fact most all semi-auto carts are loaded with fast burning powders. They very quickly burn up the powder and if the barrel cannot go much past 16 inches before velocity begins to degrade. However, if you look at revolver cartridges, something magical happens. Most revolver cartridges are loaded with slow burning powder. Where fast burning powders have already reached their full kinetic force, slow powders are still building up.

Buffalo Bore provides an excellent example of this with their heavy(not +P) 125grain .357 magnum load. From a 4inch revolver this spicy load dishes out muzzle velocity of 1603fps. That's about 150 over the more classic hot anti-personnel 125grain loading. However, in 18.5inch barreled Marlin lever action, this load has an incredible 2298fps. It is firmly in the realm of the 30-30 and the classic 7.62x39 soviet rifle loads in speed and kinetic energy delivery.

It is a similar tale with other calibers such as the .45 colt and .44 magnum. Another example is Buffalo Bore's .44 magnum 180grain Anti-Personnel which exits a 18.5 inch barrel at 1987fps which is 570fps over the same round from a 4inch revolver.

I've known this for some time, but Weerd's comment made me think about this fact a bit more closely. I think decided to hit up Google and see if anyone has any slow burning loads for automatic pistol cartridges. While, I found no commercial loadings, I did find the results of an experiment one fine gentleman had loaded for himself to try out with a hi-point 9mm carbine. The results, if correct, are very impressive. He used Wolf 9mm and bulk Winchester white box as control groups, both using 115grain projectiles. They averaged at about 1250fps and 1300fps respectively. Then he used 3 loadings of his slow powder each with 115 grain projectiles. One load was near the maximum pressure for 9x19 using Blue Dot powder. It gave out an amazing average of 1700fps! WWB has an average speed of about 1150fps from a handgun. That is fairly normal for a non-+P 9x19 load. 1700fps out of the same cartridge in a 16inch barrel is not just academic. It's a game changer. Concealable class II bullet resistant vests could not be trusted to stop that sort of velocity. It adds a lot to the platform.

Despite these impressive findings, I am still a bit concerned with a few questions. Would it cause problems to the firearm being that its slow powder? Will it overheat faster? Can the barrel take the velocity? Will it cycle properly?

I shall try to remain optimistic about this. After all, the slow powder experiment was carried out successfully with a Hi-Point 995, which means I think ANY 9mm carbine in good condition could to it too. 9mm AR-15s are becoming more and more popular as time goes on and ammo prices mount. Some of these are going to be dedicated platforms too. They may be earmarked for younger or weaker family members in case of disaster. Uzi carbines, kel-tec sub-2000s, Beretta Storms, and a smattering of others are also available and would also be solid choices for a 2nd line defensive carbine or a primary depending on the user. A few magazines of higher velocity carbine loads would certainly go a very long way for the normally low power of the caliber. If viable, 9x19mm carbine specific loads might be something we see ammunition makers, big and small, work on next.

Japan: Gun Cultures in Worlds of Oppression

No big secret that I'm a big fan of Japanese animation and comics. I came to it in my teenage years after never seeming to find the kinds of visual science fiction that I desired. In the 18 years since, I've learned a lot about the culture and people of Japan in conjunction with this hobby.

One thing I learned was of the Gun and Sword Act. Since the 1600's, the common people have been effectively banned from owning weapons in Japan. This was quickly placed into effect by the Tokugawa Shogunate to cement their dominate position for the next 250 years. Even today, the Japanese have one of the lowest numbers of firearms in the world. It is almost 99.9% true that only the cops and criminals have guns in Japan. Despite this, I have discovered that there is indeed a firearms culture still struggling inside of Japan. Only has to look in their art to see the carefully drawn images of Glocks, m4s, Smith & Wesson both revolvers & semiautomatics. If it didn't matter, they wouldn't be so lovingly and exactingly depicted on the pages of comics and digital animation cells. They study them. They spend hours researching from some of the very same pictures we take of our own rifles, shotguns, and handguns just to show off. For these artists, this is gold.

Airsoft is popular there. Folks of all ages go play commando with what they legally can. Some save up to go on shooting parties in other countries. In their own country it is illegal for them to even touch a gun without a license. Yet, they're still there. Multitudes of common people, just like us, that want to go shoot a gun just for the joy of doing it. They talk like we do in gun shops and internet forums, but sadly most of them have no actually experience. They play the same video games that are getting our younger gunnie generation the urge to get out and shoot! But no one will ever be there to let them try out a Sig or an AK for their first time out to the range.

It's heartbreaking when you realize there are decent folks that honestly have no chance of changing things in their own country. Japan is more a police state than even many third world nations. We have comrades there and in many other countries all over the world. Put a few extra rounds down range for them. As long as we can keep owning and shooting, maybe we can give them a little hope.

Friday Wishlist: USA-made Kalishnakov Bayonets

There are a lot of AK clones in circulation in the USA 7 years since the Evil Looking Guns ban sunset, many of those now have their bayonet lugs. Bayonets are popular collector's items, but rarely fixed in the field. Older bayonets were not useful in both camp tasks and defensive use. Dedicated knives like Kabars and Bowies are still heavily used by military personnel. Recently for the AR/m16/m4 platforms, new bayonets have been starting to crop up. Makers like Zero-Tolerance and Ontario are starting to make bayonets that are actually more useful off the end of a rifle. I have to wonder then, why not new ones for the AK pattern rifles too? Low end Romanian builds aside, folks are putting down serious bucks for good Bulgarian, Yugoslavian, and Hungarian builds. Not to mention the many Saiga rifles and shotguns being converted. Some of these high end builds cost just as much as a lower to mid range AR-15. If I had the money or know how to put into this, I would. AK bayonets make some better sense to me as the ring goes where the finger guard would be on a normal blade. This would allow for a thumb to go up on some spinal jimping and add to control in normal tasks. I think it would be simple and not terribly expensive to get some of the bayonet mounting parts from eastern europe and create the blades themselves there. I am thinking about cracking open my Romanian bayonet to see how feasible this sort of transplant could be.

The Troll Hunter

Just finished watching this Norwegian film done in documentary style about a group of college kids recording the work of a professional troll hunter tasked with dealing with Norway's native troll population when they come into conflict with human interests. I saw the preview during some time spent looking for upcoming horror and sci-fi movies on youtube. At first I laughed at the concept, but as I watched the preview I got interested. Months later a copy showed up on the shelf of my local MaoMart for twelve bucks. Money well spent in my opinion. I love monster movies. I care little for horror movies with mere humans as the monsters. I already know we're the worst things out there, so not terribly interested there. I really enjoyed this one. It's a keeper in my book. At the very least worth a $1 rental at the Red Box or with your netflix account.

Review: Boker AK-74 Automatic Knife

One of the worst feelings is being disappointed after making a supposedly careful decision. We've also spent lots of money on impulse buys on things only to be disappointed. This feels bad, but isn't as bad. We tell ourselves that we were weak and somehow, it makes us feel better. Naturally, its a given we feel good when we make that careful thought out purchase and its exactly what we wanted or better. How about when we make a snap purchase and it turns out to be awesome? Nothing feels better. You just gambled and you won. I gambled on a Boker Kalashnikov AK-74 Automatic knife and I won big.

This is my first automatic knife. I've wanted one for a while. However, there simply isn't much in the mid-range of quality. It often seems that the autos out there are either junky imports or high end stuff like Benchmades and the super high end, Microtechs that make the Benchmade's look like mid-range! I had just finished looking at a Benchmade Mel Pardue auto at a gunshop, when a knife that I'd seen before online, one or twice, caught my eye in an AK magazine-shaped box. I picked it up and handled it. Felt good, looked good, locked good, opened good, and the price was good! Overall, I liked it better than the $150 knife I'd just handled. So I took the plunge, plunked down $45, and never looked back.

The Ak-74 is an automatic drop point tactical folder with a side-mounted push button lock-release. Much like with Benchmade's automatics, its just push and click. When closing, just push the lock and fold the blade. Pretty simple. It does not have a safety thanks to a lawsuit that Benchmade leveled at Boker. I'm not really sure who was in the right, but Boker started making the AK line without the safety and recessed the lock button down a little more. I think I had one accidental opening in the year and a half it was part of my EDC kit and nothing bad happened during it. As for carrying and using an auto, I found I really really liked it. I even carried it at work. However, I opened it so that the spine would hit my pant leg and I would then flip it out the rest of the way so as not to frighten the sheeple.

The blade is a handsome looking drop point, modeled slightly on the AK-74 bayonet. I certainly don't think its a close resemblance. There is a pseudo swedge that almost gives it a clip point appearance. The drop point's shape is excellent and both edge and point are controllable for food prep, opening packages, and other general cutting tasks. Its made of AUS8, so its edge is not particularly long lasting, but neither is it terrible. The maximum edge sharpness is perfectly adequate for EDC work. Never had any issues with corrosion. The handle is aluminum. The color is painted on, but it held up pretty well with regular use.

The ergonomics are among the finest I've ever felt on a knife. Its like it was made to fit my hands. The grip features excellent comfortable finger grooves so it doesn't feel like you're going to slip easily either way. Boosting this, are 3 raised portions matching the grooves along the sides. Everywhere else there is a pebbled texture that is smooth but still reasonably grippy. The jimping is wonderful on this knife. The jimping is deep and secure for the thumb in both normal grip and reverse grip. The pocket clips is a deep pocket design that is nicely secure, but its wavy shape impressively adds to the draw of this knife! A great feature. The lock may be the weak point. It is a single point of locking. As most side button locks are. Even so, I would rate this as a solid medium EDC choice.

There are many different styles of this knife. There is a liner lock version, which I have never handled. No matter the lock up there are several colors to choose from. They sell this knife without the springs too. So you can generally find these for order and buy it and the springs separate to get around the foolish federal laws on automatics. Remember, if you want an auto. Make DAMN sure, that you can legal own one. Kentucky CCW laws allow me to carry literally any weapon legal in the USA with my permit. But a few miles down to the south, I'd be in serious shit if a Tennessee cop found it on my person.

It has become one of my favorites, and its hard to say what could make it better, other than offering a some versions in a better steel and maybe even doing some polymer frame versions. It's made in Taiwan as part of Boker's Boker Plus line. I seriously have no issues with Taiwan. I've had and seen too many excellent knives made there. Sure, there are cheap shitty ones coming from there too, but if it says Taiwan I will be inclined to give it a chance.

If you're seriously considering getting an automatic knife. This is a wonderful place to start at. Automatics are very cool and surprisingly useful. There is no legitimate reason for them to be reviled and be subject to such outright stupid laws. I recommend that you give the Boker Ak74 a try before you sit down the serious cash for one of the higher end knives. If worst comes to worst, you'll have a spare auto that is won't hurt so bad if you loose it.

Shanghai Shadow: Cold Steel's Smatchet Wannabe

For several years now, I've been jonesing for a Smatchet. Smatchets are massive fighting knives featuring a ten-inch leaf-shaped often double edged blades that were designed back in World War One as a backup weapon when most folks were packing long bolt actions with long sword bayonets. The shanghai shadow is not a smatchet, but the 7 inch blade is very similar. Cold Steel lists it under their throwing blades, but I have serious doubt about its abilities in that. It pretty simple, carbon steel construction with smooth polymer grips. The large ring I find rather useless and in the way of making this actually a cool fighting knife. The guard functional, but not very good or even cool looking. It is however, extremely sharp out of the box. Play with this at your own risk. This thing may be a $25 Chinese cheapy, but it is extremely sharp and the steel seems quite solid. I have no doubts that it could certainly serve as a fighting knife. It has the length of blade to hit the vital organs and just enough heft to chop someone to pieces. The sheath is predictably barely functional and outright junky. If you wanted to carry this thing, you'd need to find or make a better sheath for it.
I really have no serious use for this, its there to look kinda cool and be something sharp if I really needed it. If you're looking for something just kinda neat but not expensive to scratch that knife itch, give it a try.

HATRED ALL CONSUMING

My favorite Internet Hate Machine, Mr. JayG, has shared with us this morning something that is quite literally causing me to loose control. As I type this, I can barely keep my fingers pressing down like a hyena's fangs upon the bones of a enemy.

In the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts, in the city of Bostongrad, Councilors Michael Ross and Tito Jackson are trying to combat knife crime by requiring knife sellers have license to be allowed to sell knives.
The video shows them and their concerns about how children could buy 4 or 5inch bladed knives for as little as ten dollars. Of how the government should have a say in where knives are bought and sold.

I've been mad before. I've been fighting mad before too. But now I'm BITING MAD. I suddenly recall the Tolneps from Battlefield Earth and how it was often threatened to strip members of this poisonous alien species naked and throw them into the streets to be bitten to death by small children. Well, I wouldn't want the guys to be naked. Think of the children! But I'm certainly cool with the rest of it! I would gleefully point and laugh before joining my youthful comrades. The smell of fear and tang of idiocy would prevalent upon my bloody maw. Their much masticated bodies would then be left in the councilman's executive mini-fridge as a grim reminder of the cost of moronic tyranny.

Seriously and obscenely though, talk about your useless fucktard feel good hippy pointless piss-gobbling piles of reeking bloody worm-ridden horseshit. This ain't like guns boys! THERE IS A KNIFE IN EVERY HOME. Usually several! They do not require highly advanced technology to fabricate, like firearms. All you fucking need is a fucking ROCK and a piece of metal, and a little elbow grease. Fuck! Metal is optional! Go ask your corrections officers you fucking little mini-Stalins. What about internet sales, you dirty-diaper-huffing morons?! GRAGHHHHHHHHGGGG- *insert an additional 5 minutes of hair pulling, obscenties, and 3 gallons lathery rage froth* This happens each time I listen to these guys talk.

If I have not said it before, I'll say it again. Knives are basic tools of human survival. Necessities for both modern an ancient living. They are more important that your existences, my egomaniacal Councilors. Your petty attempt to control to profit the machine with more government workers and more tax payer money, is an affront to civilization. Without even biting you, you've left me a bad taste in my mouth.

And no I am not advocating biting these two to death. That would be horribly unhygienic. I like kids! Even alien ones. I would not want them to get something horrible from these guys. You know how big city government types like to roll. Around. In a bed full of hookers and blow. I imagine the crabs in Mass. are most imposing. I shall just have to hope these turkeys try to drink the rain.

I don't expect much out of Boston

Gay Cynic administers a beautiful curb stomp to a craptacular Boston Globe editorial that tries to make us believe that both micro-stamping and New York firearm manufacturers are very cheap.

I've been Black Listed!

By the Gun Blog Black List. Oh noes! Check out all the other great folks that have been black listed too. DAMN THE MAN!