"The Right to Knife" From Straight Forward in a Crooked World

Matthew over at Straight Forward in a Crooked World has an exceptional post about the use of knives for defense and defensive offense. It is less on the knives themselves and more on the reality of having to take a sharp blade to someone and the results of that. This post paints the reality of such action in appropriately grim and brutal fashion. It has really got me thinking of testing the abilities of my knives.

My First Big Bore, the Sig P245

Well, things finally worked out, and I am now the proud owner of a used but still minty, Sig-Sauer P245. This .45 ACP is has a compact 3.9inch barrel but a nearly subcompact grip. It disappears OWB or IWB. It uses 6 round magazines normally, but this one came with three 8rd magazines with grip extensions. I'll be carrying with the 6rd mags but keep the 8rd mags for reload.

This particular Sig is special, as I know and have been friends with the original owner, Alan, from SnarkyBytes for several years now. It has even spend time on the range with the world's most dangerous librarian. It is a most welcome addition to the household arsenal, and I look forward to hitting the range with it.

I picked up a simple Don Hume 721, thumb break holster for CC and OC. It also works well with my Zurich Sig 225. While not fitting as tightly, the thumb break keeps it nicely secure. However, I am considering some nice leather for this one.

Walmart is Testing the Waters with EBRs

I managed to find out from a manager that the Sigs and Bushmasters are not part of our replenishable inventory. They were apparently bought in bulk and are currently going out to stores to test the waters to see if such rifles will generate enough sales to become regular inventory. As such, the stores cannot order additional rifles. Instead, stores can put in a request for the rifles but with no assurance that they can actually get one. If you see one and the price is right, grab it. There's no telling when and if we will see the rifles become a normal item in the inventory. However, my store has sold every Sig m400 and 522 we've had in, though the Bushmaster has been untouched. I think that we will see EBRs as part of the regular inventory. Just can't say when.

Review: Timberline Tactical ECS-4

Originally, I said that I would carry the new Timberline Tactical ECS for a few weeks. It did not work out so. I do not know if I have ever been both so impressed and disappointed in a knife, but that isn't exactly correct. It is a bit of a convoluted situation.

Getting to the negatives first, the knife came unusable as a cutting device. I do know that I've never had a knife come out of the box with a worse edge. After using my Griptilian for nearly two months, did I feel the need to get the edge back into shape. This was done in about ten minutes with a set of Lanskey Croc Sticks. After nearly 20 minutes of work with the same, the improved edge still wouldn't cut the top off a tied plastic Walmart bag. I was warned by the single review on KnifeCenter, but I didn't not take it too seriously. To be perfectly honest, my sharpening skills are poor. That is my fault, but putting edges on metal is not my job. If I wanted to redo an edge into functional status I would be making my own knives and I'd have a RK mk1 subhilt on my hip and be busy selling you guys knives verses reviewing them. I have two fixed blades with not so great edges, however both are styles that are known for this very problem. One is a small double edged spear point, Fallkniven Garm, and the other is a single edged dagger point, Boker Trench. Neither broad enough to have the deep bellies that make for great cutters. The ECS-4 possess a modified spear point making this rather inexcusable when other examples like that on the Kershaw Skyline are excellent. As a result, I did not carry this but a few times just to see how it carried.

The ECS line's featured gimmick is a locking system. By pressing a springy metal bar where your index finger rests, you release the knife from its polymer sheath. I am happy to say that this works very well and I think this is a winning idea. I am very interested to see how this might apply to larger knives. There are two caveats that I cannot bring to call full negatives. The first is that you will not be able to operate this easily in other grip that a pinch between index finger and thumb. I don't see you being able to generate the pressure in a reverse grip or round hold. That may be a deal breaker for many, but I think of this to be like the retention system of a Blackhawk Serpa. Like the Serpa, the ECS is designed to be drawn with a certain grip. Doing so otherwise is impossible. That also makes this acceptable as an open carry knife. The other is that the sheath lock is a two part deal, requiring both the sheath and knife itself to be designed to work in unison. Having to deal with the locking nub, would mean that 3rd party sheaths are going to be difficult and repairs in the field useless.

The ECS does have nice deep jimping on both the spine and the unlocking bar, but the rearward ones were pretty useless, it is too short for a reverse grip. The holes in the grip did help a bit with providing more friction, but I think G10 would have been a better choice than the slicker stock polymer. The cross style guard for this seemed a poor choice for this smaller version due to the style in which the blade must be drawn. To be more in line with that, perhaps a thumb ramp instead of the top guard and then extending the bottom guard would fare better. I found that the grip was simply too short for me. I wish I could handle the larger versions to see if the grip design is only problematic in this shorter neck knife version.

Most sheath systems are the weakest part of a knife. Otherwise we wouldn't have piles of leatherworkers and kydex folders out there making a tidy profit. However, for the ECS the sheath system is a welcome surprise and in my opinion overshadows the locking system.

The polymer sheath itself is well thought out. It is two piece held to together with several screws. A most excellent feature was included by the knife's designer Brian Fellhoelter, was the indent that keeps the knife from rattling in its ABS plastic home. The ECS is mounted either belt or molle via a harness. This harness slips in the four rectangular slots in the sheath and then hook together with alligator hook and loop catches. This ambidextrous design allows for a quick switch to left or right side. The belt loop is simple and effective and very back is a solid MOLLE connection. The MOLLE design has a snap strap that thankfully keeps those hateful MALICE clips out of the equation. The strap also will easily fold back into the harness unobtrusively for belt carry. The larger version of the ECS also include a belt/boot clip. I really wish I had one of those to try out. I really want to know if it measures up to the belt/MOLLE harness.

According to Brain Fellhoelter the ECS stands for Emergency Condiment Spreader. He also comments that it was designed to be a knife for river guides. Sadly, Timberline's production take on his custom is pretty much only good for spreading peanut butter without some initial work. Rereading his site, I wish I could try one of his custom ECS models or the larger production models to compare. Even flawed the Timberline ECS-4 shows that his concept works well. If the larger one have a proper working edge, I think they'll measure up far better.

The knife aside, I find this sheath system to be so excellent that I am tempted to make a kydex sheath with harness slots cut to use it with other knives like my Boker Trench. In fact, I think that once some folks get a hold of these sheaths that folks would buy the harness alone. With wider harnesses, this could take off like the popular Tek Lock.

UPDATE: I emailed the designer, Brain Fellhoelter, and found out that the webbing harness is based on his idea, but resigned and improved by Timberline. I also found one of the custom ECS blades for sale on Arizona Custom Knives. Notice the difference in the cross guard. This one looks more like a thumb ramp. Excellent high-vis G10 scales, too! A bit pricey for my tastes. If it were a subhilt, I'd be tempted to put this bad boy on layaway.

More Intel on Walmart Evil Black Rifles

Talked to the manager over sporting goods. According to him, there is no order catalog for the Sigs and Bushmasters that have been showing up. As they sell, replacements are automatically ordered by the perpetual inventory system and sent to the store. I've asked him about finding out more. However, it being the holiday season, this might take a while.

Ruger Gunsite Scout Available At Walmarts

I finally managed to get into the 2012 Walmart firearm order book and found a lack of ordering information for evil black rifles like Sigs or Bushmasters, but I did find the listing for the cool Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle. It is running for about $760 or so. Not exactly a 'deal'. It would be about that or less at most gunshops.

Sadly, this and the Ruger Mini series were the most evil and black rifles in the book. Yet, the Sig 522s, 556s, and m400s as well as Bushmasters are being sold. Still working on more info.

SIG 522 sighted at Walmart!

A SIG-Sauer 522, the .22lr 556 lookalike, was waiting for someone to buy it in the guncase at work. It had the iron sights included and was priced at $487. I've been wanting one for a long while. If I wasn't getting the Sig 245, I would have most likely bought it today. Nevertheless, this is the second true evil black rifle to be seen on Walmart shelves recently. Hopefuly, we will see lots more and be able to order them.

I'm working on using my employee status to get some concrete details on what all will be listed for special order. So far, I have found out that Walmarts are supplyed by South Sports, which is a major distributor that sells just about everything out there. There are instructions for ordering a catalog, but I'm still hunting for the new one we should either have already or be getting soonish.

UPDATE ON ORDERING

Can Abortion be Considered Justifiable Homicide?

After failing to make a post happen about the Mississippi vote to give fertilized human eggs full human status, I ended up starting a rather heated discussion about the subject in the Gunblogger Conspiracy IRC channel. All sides made some rather good point and some bad, and after having abortion called murder so many times, something stuck with me about it. At work tonight, my thoughts turned back to the conversation and a stray thought hit me hard. Could under certain circumstances an abortion be considered a justifiable homicide?

Killing in self defense is not an uncommon topic in the gunny world. We who carry weapons must deal with the idea that we may be forced to use it. When it comes down to it we allowed by law to commit homicide in protection of ourselves, others, and sometimes our property. Under many state's laws, we do not have to wait for the assault to come, but merely the threat of imminent harm is enough to justify a self defense shooting. Such shootings are different from murder because of the intent. The intent isn't merely to kill someone, but to prevent or stop that person from causing harm. This remains true even if the perpetrator did not mean to harm anyone. Not all criminals are out to harm you, and sometimes people are accidental criminals such in the case of intoxicated persons breaking into homes that are not theirs. The fact that they represent a possible real and present danger is enough to justify their deaths in the eyes of the law. It is tragedy.

In the case of an abortion, the same may hold true. Especially in the event of the rape of a minor. While, opponents point out that while it is terrible that a child was raped, the baby growing inside them is blameless and thus not to be held accountable for the crime committed by the father. To terminate would be murder. But murder is in the intent isn't it? Pregnancy is not always safe. Especially for physically immature mothers. There are real dangers to life and permanent health associated with such pregnancies. Terminating the fetus could be construed as protecting the life and well being from harm rather than murdering it. Is this necessarily so different from an intruder in your house? Will they hurt someone or take something or just go? We do not know until the end. But waiting until the end we could hit the worst possible result or the best. We do not know.

This concept could be expanded to even mature rape victims. Just as in Texas, a thief can be shot down in the back for stealing property, a child is such a massive financial burden for so long... It wouldn't take much to apply it I think. This is really some major food for thought.

KnifeCenter's Prompt Response

Yesterday, I received a knife that was simply not the color as depicted on it's product page at KnifeCenter. While, I still opened the package, I sent an email complaining about the misleading image and that they should change it.

I checked the product page and found a new image in place of the old. One where there is no doubt that the blade has a dark coating. Waiting in my email was their apology for the inconvenience, an explanation that it was an image from the manufacturer, and a thank you for bringing it to their attention.

The KnifeCenter has always done good by me, and this just cements it. It took them less than 24 hours to fix a mistake. I'm sure if I had not opened the package, and returned the knife, there would have been zero issues. You may pay a few extra bucks at KnifeCenter, but the service here tends to be fast and any problems will be solved quickly. They also will give you a small extra if you review a knife for them. Using my last review code, I got a free Camilus Lubricant and Wipe cloth. The time before that, a decent paring knife. These goodies aren't much, but it feels nice getting a little extra in today's economy.

Trial of the Canton PD's Victim

Many have seen the unbelievable video of Officer Daniel Harless of the Canton PD Ohio's verbal assault and threats against the CCW permit holder, William Bartlett, on Youtube. He was arrested and charged with failure to inform an officer of his concealed weapon.

It is pretty clear in the video that, Officer 'Roidrage', verbally and physically intimidated this man and simply would not allow him to give that information immediately. Thanks to the video the genie is out and Harless will have to face the music eventually. However, the local law enforcement is not happy to be caught and are working hard to make Bartlett pay for the crime of standing up to their bullying.

The trial against Bartlett is proceeding and Ohioans For Concealed Carry are looking for donations for legal defense. I've tossed a few bucks into the pot and you can too here. Please donate to this worthy cause. Show those bullies that there are far too many of us for them to just 'go home and sleep like a baby' when they beat up on the little guy.