Smartie's Bar & Grill #73

I collect knives.Or used to.There's a great Case Knife store
within a few minutes of my Home.I use my little Case Trapper
every day.Can't touch a custom knife for under $ 500.
I have a few Damascus knives.A Chris Reeves
Small Sebenza 21.With Devin Thomas " stainless ladder "
pattern Damascus.
Also a Custom { Semi-custom technically } Brous Blades
Flipper.It's a bear.Even though a Carbon Fibre handle.
I broke my old Carbon Fibre SOG.All it needs is an
OEM pin to anchor the blade to the handle.
I have around 5 Benchmade knives and 5 Bear & Son.
probably 10 Case knivesAnd 2 HELLE hunting knives from
Norway.Beautiful construction.The Blades have a mirror finish.
I also have 5 Buck knives.Including a special Ron Wood
Hoodlum 5160 carbon steel.
When one collects knives they need to study up on blade steel.
That is the most crucial part of understanding a good knife from a
great knife.Even though Case knives are all the same steel.
Basically a good surgical steel.I have a few ATS 34 knives.
Case has knife manufacturing down to a science.You won't
find a sloppy Case knife.They are all solidly built for use every day.
I lost one of my knives { I use around the house for utility }
a Smith & Wesson.I loose a knife or two a year.Usually find them
where I left them when I'm fixing stuff.I still can't find my small benchmade.

 

One problem with setting up a new tank is getting over the desire to load it up with fish right away. Fish create ammonia in the water, which is toxic. Over time a beneficial bacteria will grow that converts ammonia into nitrites. Nitrites are also toxic to fish but once present, another beneficial bacteria will convert the nitrites to nitrates. Once this has happened, the tank is said to have cycled. You start out with a few cheap fish of the type you want to keep, allow the tank to cycle, (30 days IIRC) then you can start slowly adding more fish. Dumping a pile of fish in a brand new tank will cause ammonia poisoning before any beneficial bacteria has a chance to get started.

 

My tanks are filled with water from my cement pond that has plants and goldfish. I fill the cement ponds and pools with rainwater. I also add lime to the ponds rarely. After that I put the water from the ponds into my tanks with about an inch of pea gravel. Then it sits with the filter running off and on now and then for at least a week. I may feed the empty tank once for bacteria. To cycle the tank I use fish. Right now I have 20 feeder guppies in a 40 gallon tank. This is my only heated tank. The rest will be what I call seasonal tanks. And finally.... Most newbies worry fish to death.

 

The other problem is keeping fish kinda warm.Go to an old
Fish Aquarium store and the windows are fogged-up.
So if one loses electricity in the Winter a fish tank is up
sh!t creek w/o a paddle.Literally.
Fish cannot handle cold.Maybe big Goldfish can.But not most
aquarium fish.

 

That is why I will only have one heated tank. All I have to do is keep them from freezing. Swamp crayfish survive in Michigan. I am sure they will be warm enough here. I am also thinking about Oranda goldfish. My goldfish outside give me offspring every year. Thinking about Orandas breeding in unheated tanks during spring. I can keep the tanks from freezing in my old shed on the coldest nights with a couple of kerosene lamps. Or a space heater.

 

Have you ever visited Smoky Mountain Knifeworks in Sevierville TN?
You're welcome.

https://www.smkw.com/

 

That reminds me...

I lost one of my favorite knives, last year. I want to replace it, but I cant remember who made it.

 

Here are two interesting knives. Better to buy them from the makers or a local retailer, but Amazon, as usual, makes shopping very easy.

Railroad Spike

https://www.amazon.com/Railroad-Spi...j1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ

Fat Boy

https://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Kni...&keywords=button+knife&qid=1581017617&sr=8-41

 

I've seen those railroad spike knives. Thay are cool.

The one I lost looks like this one. That's not it, though.

 

In the age of Amazon it is always a good idea to carry at least one little retractable box cutter.
The tiny single blade ovals are about the size of a silver dollar and look bright and friendly.

 

There are a lot of button knives now that are easy to carry.

 

Spring is cool.Winter is Cold and Escrow is like
a pint of leftover Rye,left in a fishing tackle box.

 

Switchblades are illegal in most states.Benchmade has an
auto knife with a slide button for a front release blade.
Mine is a D2 blade steel.Used to be,one needed a
conceal carry permit for an auto knife.They changed that
requirement a few years ago.I had an old Smith & Wesson
side release switchblade with a little button.It was bulky
and heavy.Some kind of aircraft aluminum for the handle.
I have a nice custom knife from Canal Street made by
Michael J. Prater under his Painted Pony designs.
Very pretty.It's numbered 004.The blade steel is not given.
It cost $ 300 in 2010.Has a nice wood display case,felt-lined.

 

That is the men's jobs and I don't micro-manage.

 

That is the men's jobs and I don't micro-manage.

 

Is that a folding Tanto knife?

 

It is a lot of work pounding out a railroad spike into a knife, spring steel, plow blades and lawnmower blades are all good for making knives. My son makes knives and spring steel is his favorite material for making knives.

 

Easy to sharpen.

 

Easy to polish too.
He uses railroad spikes to make oyster knives.

 

Yes. That one is "chisel ground", meaning that the other side of the blade is flat. Mine was bevel ground on both sides.

 

Kissin

The knife you had was could it have been a Kissing Crane Black Angus?

 

I just don't remember.