Knife Rights Aggression

[James Helm 119]

My donation blade for Knife Rights' Ultimate Steel fundraiser came a bit late this year, but I got it to them at the Blade Show. I was not able to get a good photo before handing it over.

 

http://www.kniferights.org/2015prizes/helm_te_2015.htm

 

I decided that since Knife Rights aggressively defends the Second Amendment, that one of my Aggression knives would be appropriate. This one is a 12" blade forged from 80CrV2 steel, with marine epoxy-impregnated paracord over leather for the wrap. Usually these are double edged, but, ironically, I made this one have a false edge due to restrictions in different states being different.

 

 

Knife Rights has been working in Texas for the last several legislative sessions, working this year for a preemption law that would prevent local jurisdictions from having stricter regulations on knives than the states (passed and signed), and a law that would have eliminated restrictions on knives (pulled from getting voted on at the last minute for political vindication having nothing to do with the bill itself). They will be back next session to yet again work for the latter.

 

And I will have another donation piece to support their efforts then, too.

[Dan P. 39]

My country has very strict knife carrying laws. Having seen people being stabbed (gross, upsetting, in equal measure), I can say I personally am fully behind those laws.

[James Helm 119]

Ok. Then don't buy a ticket for a raffle supporting freedom in a country you don't live in.

[Robert D. 94]

Stormcrow.

 

I first saw your knives on iforgeiron.com, where I am also a member, and your skill at doing " forged finished " blades is just beyond amazing, One of these days, I WILL own one, because regardless of where my own skills take me in the knife making world, I want one of your blades for my very own, your eye for a rough forged finish and your ability to create is just outstanding. And the turks head knots on your paracord knives has been a tempting concept for me since the moment I saw it.

And Dan, each nation has its own laws, this knife may not be legal for you to have, but you must admit it is a wonderful piece of work, Even if you cant own one where you live, you can still appreciate the skill involved and time taken to master and make such a piece.

[Collin Miller 136]

Aggressive defense, I like it.

Great job on the knife, and I'm glad it's going to a good cause.

[Dan P. 39]

 

And Dan, each nation has its own laws, this knife may not be legal for you to have, but you must admit it is a wonderful piece of work, Even if you cant own one where you live, you can still appreciate the skill involved and time taken to master and make such a piece.

 

This is "bladeforums", after all!

I just sometimes wonder if individuals who suggest that their work is suitable for harming others have seen the effects close up.

Besides which, I understand the philosophy of carrying a weapon for self defence, but when it comes to knives and swords I am happy to see it remain in the realms of fantasy.

 

Stormcrow, I have lived in the US in the past, and may choose to live there again in the future, so sure, this is something that may effect me. Even if it doesn't, I reserve the right to comment, and as we are all gentlemen I see no problem there.

Edited July 2, 2015 by Dan P.

[James Helm 119]

Robert and Collin - Thank y'all!

 

Dan - I have a strong aversion to criminalizing objects, particularly when laws exist prohibiting evil behavior already. What is the difference between stabbing someone with a knife versus an icepick? Or beating their head in with a hammer? The behavior is the issue, not the object used to perpetrate it. That's a big part of what Knife Rights does. A recent case was that of New York state Senator Tony Avella, who tried to pass state legislation outlawing machetes because two people in a city of 8.4 million had been attacked with them. Two people did evil, but 19.75 million were going to be denied owning an object because of it. This genius also wanted to pass legislation against vandalizing police cars because that had been in the news recently, even though there are already laws against vandalism and defacing public property. Knife Rights worked to defeat the anti-machete legislation, and succeeded.

 

On a personal note, I have no problem with my blades being used in a lawfully violent manner. I hope they don't ever get used that way, but there are circumstances where it may happen and I'm ok with that. A lot of my customers are military. If an American soldier has to pull steel against a jihadi because he's in a situation where there's no other option, I want the American soldier to be the one that walks away.

 

Same reason I built a knife for my at-the-time-future wife to carry when she was in nursing school. She was going to her car in a parking garage after night classes once when she spotted a shady character hanging around. She pulled her cute little pink-handled knife that I had made for her out of her purse and slipped it into her back pocket, and he beat tracks out of there. Another nursing student got raped in the parking lot of a hospital during the same time.

 

If one of my blades gets used for unlawful evil purposes, I will not be glad, but it will not have been my fault any more than if I made custom pillows and one got used to smother someone. In the meantime, I'd rather have the option of a blade available to my wife, myself, and any other law-abiding citizen to have on their person for whatever purpose does not violate laws against evil behavior. And I will continue to support the organization that fights for my right to have that option.

Edited July 2, 2015 by Stormcrow

[Kelly Akers 1]

Very well said James!

[James Helm 119]

I don't know that these pictures are better, but I found these among the photos I took before the Blade Show.

 

 

[Dan P. 39]

I expect that many, many more lives have been saved by knives being taken away from people who intended to use them for nefarious purposes than ever were saved by people carrying them for self defence. This particularly true in my hometown, where kids just love to stab each ther, often to death. However, we have no way of knowing who might have been stabbed and killed but wasn't. We can only guess.

 

As for your knives being used by soldiers, I truly hope that in the wildly unlikely event that I ever have to "pull steel" against some enemy, the steel in question will be a firearm that I had the foresight to bring along! War being war and all!

[James Helm 119]

Sounds to me like y'all have a problem with y'all's youths, not y'all's knives. Not sure why it matters what they have in hand when they're misbehaving, the misbehavior is what is causing the issue.

 

But once again, support greater restrictions where you live if that's what you want, and I will continue to support greater freedom where I live.

Edited July 2, 2015 by Stormcrow

[M. Cochran 4]

Sounds awful but I bet someone here is all for gun control too. You know cause guns kill people, it's not about the intent the person holding it has at the time, it's the guns fault. The right we have as Americans to have weapons is always under attack and lately no matter how many people served this country like I did or died like some of the guys I knew while I was in combat it's getting to where our policy is being influenced by other countries view points. Things are getting harder here with our 2nd amendment rights because all these other countries bent over and took what the government give them and let the take their rights. They might be 'safer' now but just wait, one day you people will see the error in your ways.

 

Now let's all quit bickering and get back to why we're here.

 

Storm row, I've seen several of your various blades and they all have a charm and simple beauty I hope to achieve one day. Thanks for sharing.

Edited July 2, 2015 by M. Cochran

[Dan P. 39]

Sounds to me like y'all have a problem with y'all's youths, not y'all's knives. Not sure why it matters what they have in hand when they're misbehaving, the misbehavior is what is causing the issue.

 

But once again, support greater restrictions where you live if that's what you want, and I will continue to support greater freedom where I live.

 

You are right, we have a problem with our youth, and with knife laws like the one you support, the police would not be legally able to disarm them before lives are ruined.

[Dan P. 39]

Now let's all quit bickering and get back to why we're here.

 

 

 

Nobody's bickering here. If Stormcrow wants to promote his political views on this forum, which may or may not be allowed, I don't know, then others are allowed to comment, surely?

[steven smith 93]

Its either cowboys or knights, how else can you fight bandits?

I can only carry a 3.5" blade, thats gonna do a lot of good against a baseball bat or a kitchen knife, you could just scare someone away with a 12" blade.

[Dan Rice 1]

That's a formidable looking blade, and a good cause as well. Sadly, it is no use arguing with prohibitionists. They refuse to understand that violence in the UK is caused by "cultural enrichment", not the presence of knives.

[Shawn Hatcher 3]

Beautiful blade, James. Thank you for supporting Doug and through him, all of us who value liberty.

[Rob Toneguzzo 786]

Nice blade James...I have always admired your work.

[Austin_Lyles 147]

I'm a sucker for forged finish's. The wrap is damn good lookin too. Nicely done!

[Alan Longmire 2,659]

Thanks for self-moderating, gentlemen!

[Clifford Brewer 358]

 

Nobody's bickering here. If Stormcrow wants to promote his political views on this forum, which may or may not be allowed, I don't know, then others are allowed to comment, surely?

It's not a political view, IT'S OUR RIGHT !!!!!! wether you like it or not !!!!

Edited July 4, 2015 by Clifford Brewer

[James Helm 119]

Thanks, guys!

 

Happy Fourth of July!

[Dave Stephens 416]

Guys:

 

Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, but we try (as much as possible) to keep politics out of this forum.

 

This is a forum that is focused on the art and craft of bladesmithing, and the various technical and scholarly areas of knowledge that support the craft.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[Miles Hebbard 2]

Too true Dave, great knife James!

[Einar 52]

Stormcrow, I'm watching epsiode 2 of a new survival reality show called "Alone", and one of the contestants, Lucas who is some kind of survival instructor, has a big knife that looks a lot like your socket handled bush swords. Do you know if its one of yours?