Mooch

Beautiful.

Its cool Ian, I didn't take it that way. I was being sarcastic about how the media can assigned characteristics like good and evil to tools. I wish I could get away with carrying my 14" Kukri. Now that is a wicked, naughty knife! Cheers!

I don't want to get into the "judged by 12 vs. carried by 6" deal but how a DA or grand jury percieves things is important. I mentioned in my intro post I wanted to make a 5" fighter to carry in a horizontal scabbard behind my back. Tactically that would be what I preferred. But if I can save my bacon with my 4" folder, which a good defense attorney could accurately describe as a "pocketknife" that might save my bacon a second time. Also, if my situational awareness or judgement put me in a bad position, those same people could be convinced I was some deranged vet kitted out like Aragorn in Lord of the Rings out looking for trouble and found it. I think sometimes John Q Public gets scared by stuff they dont understand i.e. the evil karambit or the evil "sniper rifle"

Thomas, Thanks again for the prayer. It really was a close thing

Y'know, I just re-read my post and have to say it sounded a little glib for such a serious subject. God forbid I ever have to "gut someone". If I'm ever faced with that, it means so many things - including my own awarness and judgement - have gone wrong

Well, fellas, I live in Texas and we can carry low-yield nukes provided they are in a porper suitcase container. Seriously, the way I read the law here, if the blade is less than 5.25", not a switchblade or a "dagger" (assuming they mean a two edge fixed blade) you can carry it. But Ian you're right about the stigma of a karambit; there can be no confusing what it intended for. Could be a real liability problem if you had to gut someone in self-defense

Anybody ever make a Karambit? I've looked over the galleries and archives and haven't seen one.

Yeah, I want to make a good fighter. Currently I carry a 4" CRKT Crawford and Kasper folder for personal defense. Its been all over and needs to be retired with honor. I'm going to a 5" fixed tanto with no secondary point carried in a behind the back leather horizontal scabbard. I've spent the last two days lookng at Cold Steel, Gerber, Emerson and holy cow the prices have changed. So I would like to make my own for the sentimentality of it as well as the price. I appreciate the fine welcome, fellas

Hey everybody, I'm not a blacksmith or craftsman but enjoy knives and training with them. I am a 14 year US Army veteran four of which was with Special Forces (1st Group mostly). I was a security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan for two years. In May of '04, I got gut-shot near Kabul as a result of a friendly fire incident ending my career. Now I just pretty much enjoy training. I'm also sandpile's nephew. I want to convey my gratitude to my aunt and uncle and their family as well as any members here who go the word and prayed for me. I very nearly died and I know prayer made the difference. I suspect I'll just do some lurking and reading while I'm here because I don't want to shoot my mouth off out of ignorance. Its a good forum with quite a bit of knowledge among the members. Looking forward to learning Mooch BTW "Mooch" was my old-call sign