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Post by User Unavailable on Dec 7, 2012 22:55:41 GMT
Well, I collect militaria, but I collect USEFUL items. If I can't use it for something, I typically don't get it, unless it is such a bargain or a rare item that I am likely to never run across again.
Examples of useful items, Wool Great Coats (overcoats). My favorite is a one of those reddish brown Russian ones from the Cold War era, out of the former Soviet Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic). It is sure is warm and handy on windy days, when it is cold. I will wear to the field or to town. I used it in Chicago on those windy 30 degree days we had in late October, early November.
Also, rucksacks (ALICE type) and ALICE type, load bearing equipment. Which I use hunting and hiking.
I have some Swedish surplus, Alcohol burning, field stoves and mess kits. Great for power outages and hunting, camping and hiking.
Heck I've got a shed full of militaria.
I also collect knives and bayonets. Preferably military and fixed blade, but also civilian and folding as well as civilian and fixed blade.
My most valued (to me anyway) are an Original WWII M3 Trench/Fighting knife Type 1, in a Type 2 sheath. (I also have a reproduction Type 2 knife in a Type 1 reproduction sheath, and a WWII Navy Corpsman Knife with no sheath, stamped USMC and Village Blacksmith on the blade. These were used by Corpsman to cut wood for splints, poles for litters and for shelters in the Pacific. Lastly, I have a original WWII Japanese Arisaka bayonet. It is in very rough condition, but I value it non the less.
I am not sure how many knives and swords and bayonets I own.
I also make walking/hiking sticks out of hardwood saplings and/or straight pieces of tree branch. I currently have several cut and drying out, in the old garage and will shave the bark, sand and stain them in the future. I have one leaning in the corner, by the front door, that I have recently shaved the bark off of and will sand and stain it before too long.
I am going to find me some sassafras saplings and make a walking stick or two out it. I bought one at a re-enactment/vendor a couple years ago, because the guy said it was sassafras and it was lighter in weight than hickory and oak and had a very interesting pattern to the wood grain after it was stained with clear stain.
I make things out of 550 cord (paracord), such as survival bracelets and carrying straps and rifle slings.
I picked up a desire to do leather work while up at the blind center, and in researching I found it is somewhat expensive to get into, but I am going for it and plain on making rifle slings, knife sheaths and later on some pistol holsters. (While at the Blind Center I did make a holster for my folding cane and a custom designed {my design} iPad case.
I plan on mixing the walking stick and leather work together by putting leather hand grips on the sticks. Will also mix the stick making with the paracord by putting caracord handles on the sticks, with a longer handle, using more cord, to supply cordage for emergency, field use.
My biggest personal project for leather work, is I plan on making a suspension system (military load bearing type H-harness) to combine with my 1912 pattern leather gun belt, magazine pouch and .45 automatic pistol holster. (My Ka-Bar also rides on this rig and I plan on adding custom leather submachine gun magazine pouches for my Sterling to the rig in the future) These are all long term goals and won't be completed, like next month or the next few months or anything like that. ;D
I also, hunt, camp, hike and sometimes just like to bust out a field stove and go cook myself a meal in the outdoors in a canteen cup. Sometimes I just go out and start a fire in the fire pit, using one method or another, to keep my skills up.
I like to shoot and have collected a few guns over the years. Pistols, rifles and shotguns and a few BP guns.
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Post by Cybermortis on Dec 7, 2012 23:53:27 GMT
I also make walking/hiking sticks out of hardwood saplings and/or straight pieces of tree branch. I currently have several cut and drying out, in the old garage and will shave the bark, sand and stain them in the future. I have one leaning in the corner, by the front door, that I have recently shaved the bark off of and will sand and stain it before too long. I am going to find me some sassafras saplings and make a walking stick or two out it. I bought one at a re-enactment/vendor a couple years ago, because the guy said it was sassafras and it was lighter in weight than hickory and oak and had a very interesting pattern to the wood grain after it was stained with clear stain. Do you sell them? I'm always interested in walking sticks, given that I'm now at the stage where I have to use one while out walking to the shops, even though I'm not really in a position to buy any right now unless I see one for a few quid in a charity shop - I got one for £3 that as far as I can tell was made out of an old oak beam, but the handle is about an inch long. |
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Post by User Unavailable on Dec 8, 2012 0:17:51 GMT
I also make walking/hiking sticks out of hardwood saplings and/or straight pieces of tree branch. I currently have several cut and drying out, in the old garage and will shave the bark, sand and stain them in the future. I have one leaning in the corner, by the front door, that I have recently shaved the bark off of and will sand and stain it before too long. I am going to find me some sassafras saplings and make a walking stick or two out it. I bought one at a re-enactment/vendor a couple years ago, because the guy said it was sassafras and it was lighter in weight than hickory and oak and had a very interesting pattern to the wood grain after it was stained with clear stain. Do you sell them? I'm always interested in walking sticks, given that I'm now at the stage where I have to use one while out walking to the shops, even though I'm not really in a position to buy any right now unless I see one for a few quid in a charity shop - I got one for £3 that as far as I can tell was made out of an old oak beam, but the handle is about an inch long. Well, I usually just give them away to friends or family members, though I have thought of doing some for sale. Though, are you wanting a cane type walking stick? I make the staff type walking sticks, anywhere from chest to shouder hieght in length. Thats what we refer to as walking sticks over here. The shorter ones (say about waste hieght) with a handle are canes. Thouh yes, some folks over here also refer to those as "sticks" as well. (Usually the much older crowd, such as folks in their 80's or older) If I could find a proper topping, I have thought of making a few thicker and heavier "Wizard" type staffs done up all in black. By topping, I mean like some kind of ornamental dragon or glass sphrere/gazing ball in an ornate holder, or a claw holding a glass ball/sphere. Perhaps even incorporate an battery powered, glowing glass orb, if I find the right one. (I have been combing various shops and Hobby Lobby and such. What length and type handle are you looking for? Edit again: I am also thinking about making a "Swagger Stick" every now and then, when and if I come across components to use for tips and such. Edit again: By the handle being about an inch long, what do mean exactly? |
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Post by Cybermortis on Dec 8, 2012 1:07:18 GMT
Yes, by 'walking stick' I did mean a cane - I usually use that term myself but for some strange reason didn't. (Walking stick in British English, or at least what passes for that where I live, can mean either the 'staff' type used for hiking or the hip-height type with a handle. A cane is usually similar but without a handle. But both terms seem to be interchangeable.)
I've got hook and Derby handled canes, as well as the aforementioned home-made one which has a short inverted 'L' shaped grip. This grip, once you account for the thickness of the shaft, is about an inch long. Now I'm a short-ass, and don't exactly have huge hands, but this is a little too short for comfort. What is even stranger is that the whole thing was about five feet long when I bought it - and had clearly been used. So either someone very short was using it as a staff, or the last owner was seven feet tall with very small hands.
It may well be worth selling canes and sticks online, the prices I've seen for handmade canes range from around £20-30 up to £100+
As to what I was looking for, just a nice cane really. I did buy a cheap hook-handle cane with the intention of painting it at some point, but my current finances are not good and my back is currently worse. I did consider a cane-cane (if that made sense) but suspect I'd just get cramp using one. Well, that and they are not easy to find and absurdly expensive.
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Post by User Unavailable on Dec 8, 2012 2:03:45 GMT
Ah, I get you now and I had completely forgotten about the straight, cane length ones which are called...walking sticks, over here as well. I forgot about them because they are not common anymore. I shouldn't have forgotten them because I walk past my Grandfathers "walking sticks" in the old butter churn full of his old canes and walking sticks, every time I am at my parents house.
That little short handle may have just been to hook a finger or to on to hold onto it or from the way you describe it, it may not have been a cane or walking stick at all. It may have served a completely different purpose, that the shop owner or whoever sold it to the shop had no idea what it was and just assumed it was a cane.
If you have an idea of how many inches long the minimum length of a cane or short straight walking stick is for you, let me know and I will keep my eyes open for odd or nice looking specimens of the minimum length or longer (you can always take a little off the bottom end). Nice canes and sticks can be found for a couple dollars in thrift and antique stores around here.
I may make up some sticks and staffs and sell some. That was my thoughts on the "Wizards staff" and sell it for a nice profit.
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Post by Cybermortis on Dec 8, 2012 2:13:20 GMT
Around 30-31 inches - told you I was a short ass  |
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Post by freegan on Dec 8, 2012 2:31:28 GMT
Sounds like what you had there, Cyber, was a thumb-stick.
And FM, I find an occasional source of reusable leather can be found in charity shops in the form of shabby old leather coats and jackets, often heavily marked down due to their lack if any modern fashion appeal.
You might find some in your thrift shops.
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Post by User Unavailable on Dec 8, 2012 4:12:48 GMT
Around 30-31 inches - told you I was a short ass Hehehe. I'll keep that in mind when I am out looking or if I come across a suitable sapling for a nice short walking stick, I might make you one. Ironhold, I had to google "thumb stick cane" to find out what that was as I had never heard the term. You may be correct. Seems they were longer than a regular short walking stick, without being as long as a staff type walking stick. Yes, some leathers can be reused for some purposes. Though if you want to tool leather (carve or stamp it), you have to use full grain, vegetable tanned leather for best results. Garment leathers are typically top grain, splits or sueded splits. You also kind of get stuck with the color of the leather you are salvaging, unless you go darker. (From what I've gathered so far) |
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Post by the light works on Dec 8, 2012 6:46:08 GMT
interestingly, my shotguns, if I truly wanted to abuse them, are long enough for me to use as crutches - and I'm NOT particularly short...
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Post by User Unavailable on Dec 8, 2012 15:24:41 GMT
interestingly, my shotguns, if I truly wanted to abuse them, are long enough for me to use as crutches - and I'm NOT particularly short... I have read accounts from way back in the day, of long arms being used as crutches, by wounded soldiers and injured hunters. Rifles have gotten a "lot" shorter than they used to be, while shotguns (with sporting/hunting length barrels) have not gotten much shorter. My Grand Daddy's old shotguns, could certainly be used as crutches. My Mossberg 500 could be used as a crutch with the full stock and 28" modified choke barrel on it. As it is with the pistol grip on it, it's not even a good cane. ;D |
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Post by silverdragon on Dec 10, 2012 9:06:26 GMT
Cyber... Walking Stick, I have several, I get them from local market, at about less-than-a-tenner.... If you can, go for Ash. Ash is slightly subtly bendy, it gives a little and is forgiving. Length?.. buy too long and cut to length. Handle, go for the flatter right-angle straight handle type instead of a U-Bend "Hook", they are more comfortable to use. Get a Wooden handle... again more comfortable to use. Something like this  They are much easier on the hands and wrists when you get to extended use and walking.... "Fancy" handles?... they get uncomfortable after a while.... I have several, and I have always bought LONG ones and cut down to size.... rubber "Ferrule" boots on the bottom are a MUST as they stop the thing slipping on polished surfaces. |
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Post by Domovoi on Dec 10, 2012 13:32:19 GMT
I see that you're keeping yourself busy FM.
Ive had to cut some of my hobbies since I moved back to the midwest. I was limited on space in the U-Haul. So my forge got left. But I managed to keep ahold of all my guns. And got back into bikes. I just finished a panhead bobber, and am building a chevydavison trike for a friend.
ill probably be selling the bobber. Im getting too old for a hard tail.
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Post by ironhold on Dec 10, 2012 15:28:04 GMT
I've got multiple hobbies going myself. *I'm active in the Transformers fandom, such that I help edit TFWiki.net (I created a lot of the pages relating to third-party merchandise and the companies that produce it) and even occasionally do fanfic and toy reviews (under the username Firestorm) at note that a *lot* of my early stuff was actually rather terrible due to the fact that I was just starting out and was basically just using it all as practice. *I do a lot of pen-and-paper RPGs, as noted in the appropriate thread. *As time permits, I do a lot of religious writing and apologetic work. For those who don't recall from the old forum, Im an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, better known as the "Mormons". Given that I live in a rather religiously hostile area, I frequently have to deal with a lot of less-than-informed people. |
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Post by cijay on Dec 10, 2012 15:41:37 GMT
My cousin is Mormon, too and has to deal with the same. Constantly having to educate people regarding polygamy...and they still don't believe him, they turn around with the same views they had going in there.
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Post by the light works on Dec 10, 2012 15:52:13 GMT
interestingly, my shotguns, if I truly wanted to abuse them, are long enough for me to use as crutches - and I'm NOT particularly short... I have read accounts from way back in the day, of long arms being used as crutches, by wounded soldiers and injured hunters. Rifles have gotten a "lot" shorter than they used to be, while shotguns (with sporting/hunting length barrels) have not gotten much shorter. My Grand Daddy's old shotguns, could certainly be used as crutches. My Mossberg 500 could be used as a crutch with the full stock and 28" modified choke barrel on it. As it is with the pistol grip on it, it's not even a good cane. ;D something about the length of the barrel affecting the pattern, I think... |
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Post by User Unavailable on Dec 10, 2012 16:39:05 GMT
That actually is a "myth" as well.
My 18 1/2" cylinder bore barrel, has no significant difference in pattern size from a 28" cylinder bore barrel.
We had a pretty good discussion on this at the old forums and Bikewer, I believe posted some good info about the pressures in short versus longer barrels, which DOES affect the effective range of the shot, but not the pattern much.
Choke, not barrel length, affects the spread pattern more. Shot Shell configuration also affects the spread more than barrel length. Distance of travel affects the spread most of all.
The old video game and movie "myth" of a sawed off shotgun firing a wall sized pattern from across the room distance is pure BS.
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Post by the light works on Dec 10, 2012 18:15:25 GMT
it would probably take hardcore skeet loads to get that much spread out of the muzzle.
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Post by Domovoi on Dec 10, 2012 18:20:25 GMT
I remember several of those topics. A buddy had a dump gun with a ten inch barrel. There was really no measurable difference between that and my 870 without a choke. Its all pretty much common knowledge, but as we all know from yeas over there, common knowledge really isn't commonly accepted.
Cijay. Not that it really matters here. But I for one do not care if it is one man one woman, two men, two women, one man ten women, one woman ten men, or ten men and ten women. It is none of my business. If someone's relationship causes me no harm, it is none of my business. I don't care what your religion is, or lack there of. We are good until that person tries to force their religious beliefs on me.
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Post by ironhold on Dec 10, 2012 22:19:24 GMT
My cousin is Mormon, too and has to deal with the same. Constantly having to educate people regarding polygamy...and they still don't believe him, they turn around with the same views they had going in there. My last GF (this was eight years ago) told me that she was afraid to introduce me to her parents; they were so far backwards when it came to religion that her mom actually thought we have horns. (What happened was that J. Golden Kimball, then a somewhat obscure mule driver, got called on a mission and sent to the South to aid the church's efforts during Reconstruction. Kimball and his fellow missionaries soon wound up in an area where the KKK was so ever-present that he and the others were in constant mortal danger. In an effort to try and skirt the Klan, they decided to meet in a grove of trees late at night in order to correlate with everyone. The Klan somehow found them, but the trees were so thick that the riders hesitated to actually go inside in the dark. Kimball realized that the riders were too scared to actually come up in person, and so bluffed them by claiming that they'd be gored if they got too close. Not only did he successfully fool the riders, the riders passed the "information" on to their superiors, who felt obligated to "warn" the nearby Klan cells. In short order, the entire KKK and a number of their allies legitimately believed that we have horns and so were wary around anyone who was openly Mormon.  To this day, there are still people who buy into it.) |
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Post by rory on Dec 10, 2012 22:35:56 GMT
Do you wear big hats to conceal the horns then?
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To this day, there are still people who buy into it.)