Wheelchair Accessible - Ben's thread

[pomsbz]

Thank you for replying about how you landed in Israel. 
Interesting that you meet your wife a few thousand miles from where you both grew up. 

Your eye for photography and composing shoots is to be envied, enjoying your history and now can’t wait until your current exploits make the thread. 


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I'm getting there as fast as possible, honest!

[Zhenchok]

Thanks for the post Ben, very enjoyable read. I love reading the narratives and background stories . Can’t wait for you to post pictures of food as well, I remember a while back you posted pictures of the various meats you prepared. Also would love to see more pictures of city life in Israel.
 Thanks

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[pomsbz]

Pouches!

I don't like pocket carrying my knife. I just feel that it's going to go 'bye bye' at some point based on the days when I was biking 14km a day and the up/down of my leg when pedalling made pocket carrying something expensive seem precarious. I should note that I don't wear jeans, ever. Chinos or suit trousers for me.

First there was this Case belt pouch. Cheap as chips but a nice solid design. I used it for about a year. By then the stitching of the loop was getting a bit weak.



Next I bought this TBS Pouch. Also nice and cheap. A great pouch but just a bit too big for my traditionals. I had to shove a bit of old tshirt down the bottom otherwise I couldn't get the knife out.



At this point I'd realised that I wasn't going to find something that worked for me on the regular market. So I bought some leather and tools, watched some youtube videos and created this. Made specifically with stressed horse saddle leather to look old and worn. Part of making sure not to draw attention to myself in a very knife wary environment.



I kept playing with the design and 3 iterations later it had become this. I patina'd the snaps, stressed the leather and rubbed dirt into the stitching. You could hardly tell that the pouch as shown is a week old right?



This pouch worked really well for me but the vertical design of sheath still lacked somewhat for bike riding and I wanted to go even more 'grey man' with the carry at a time when people were being stabbed quite often and the police were super jumpy. At the time I got my Leatherman Charge and discovered just how well the included sheath worked in horizontal mode. Infact I was really impressed by the LM sheath design in total but I had no way to replicate it. I decided to make my own horizontal sheath. It took two iterations to get right but it's been on my belt ever since and I don't think I'd ever want it to change.







I realise the belt loop being so wide might raise some eyebrows but it allows the design to be incredibly strong in resisting any lateral pressure as well as curving round the body beautifully. The double snap design is a 'thing' of mine. Extra security and I like how it looks.

I did design a horizontal sheath for a Leatherman Charge. I did this one for a friend though.





My next project will probably have to be a fixie sheath. I've not felt a whole lot of pressure to do it though as the sheaths provided with my knives, the L.T.Wright Patriot especially, are really great already.

[pomsbz]

Thanks for the post Ben, very enjoyable read. I love reading the narratives and background stories . Can’t wait for you to post pictures of food as well, I remember a while back you posted pictures of the various meats you prepared. Also would love to see more pictures of city life in Israel.
 Thanks

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I don't really do street photography. The nearest to it is the kind of stuff I have on my website posted earlier and that is heavily and purposely romanticised as a historical perspective. I've always been a landscape photographer so the transition to urban landscapes comes easily but street photography is a blind spot in my skill set. Together with still life photography which I really suck at. You would think I would be good at street having been a wedding shooter but it's never translated in my mind. I always go out with a idea, concept, project or image in mind. Street photography is capturing stuff as it happens. It's a very different way of working. You're not pursuing a narrative as at a wedding, you're letting the street tell you what to shoot instead. I'm not good at being told what to do.

[pomsbz]

Thank you to all again for your kind thoughts on my journey!

[pomsbz]

Hanks...











I'm up to about 9 hanks now. I carry each for about a week. No I don't blow my nose on them . Hanks are a great way to enjoy EDC purchasing when funds are too tight for anything else.

[pomsbz]

Getting closer to present day.

Money was tight this summer and I decided that there was no point in owning knives I didn't want to carry and use. These two sadly had to go.



as did this one.



It bought the kids new coats for the winter though.

That left me with the SAK Pruner pretty much. When I said I would never buy a SAK I also said I would never buy a Barlow. Just had zero interest in the style of knife. Well, um...



My wife offered me a knife for my birthday a year ago. This was something incredibly interesting. Titanium and carbon fibre with an M390 spear blade for just over $100. I couldn't resist and heck it just worked even as a Barlow! It took almost a year for the pre-order to become a reality but I finally got it!

[Poncho65]

I suggest Poncho. 

Always Poncho

I hear he is quite dashing as well

 

[Poncho65]

You have good taste in blades for sure Well very similar to my tastes anyways Sorry to hear a few had to go but at least they went to a good cause with the winter coats

[pomsbz]

What I liked about the Lionsteel Roundhead Barlow is this. I think the slipjoint has a huge amount to offer in this modern world. Blade length in a tiny package, friendly to non knife people, thin slicey blades, looks, etc. However the traditional market is run by nostalgia selling the knives as history rather than utility. There is no possible way that the use of 1095 steel in $100 plus pocket knives can be described otherwise. Here comes a knife which has all the advantages of the traditional/slipjoint pattern with none of the drawbacks or limitations. I like that. A lot.

[pomsbz]

When I got the knife I had sent it to my usual sharpening guy in MI. I'd drop shipped all my knives to him for a while. He'd done incredible work on 440C, 1095 and D2 but when he did the S35VN fixed blade it came dull near the tip. I straightened that out myself and decided that it was an anomoly. Then this knife came back from him. It had a very sharp edge which lasted for all of two hotdogs and a carrot before becoming too dull to cut paper. This didn't sound like the fabled M390! When I asked him about it he told me that he'd brought it to a 8000 grit edge and that's why it had rolled so soon. Oh and M390 was a problem steel from his experience. Or in other words, like the S35VN before it, the guy didn't have a clue how to sharpen super steel. I sent it the knife to a youtube reviewer in Australia who fixed the edge for me as a favour. Here's the review he did.



So far the edge is holding up fine. I have to be honest, it's too thick behind the edge to fit my standards as a slicer though with that fine edge and FFG it was slicing carrots paper thin at lunch today when I took the time to do it slowly but when I try to cut the carrot in half quickly, one side pings off the opposite wall. I'm trying to work out whether this bothers me enough. I do find myself missing the geometry of the SAK main blade to be honest.

There are two options. I can either send it out for a regrind or buy another one from the current pre-order, which is supposed to be thinner behind the edge and sell this one. The second option is the cheapest to be honest.

There is another option. One of you good people might have the skill set to thin this M390 knife behind the edge for me. If so please send me a message and we can discuss options and pricing!

It is a fabulous looking knife though and hugely photogenic.

[pomsbz]

More than just the looks, it's the most comfortable pocket knife I've ever held, such a joy to actually use. All the edges are radiused making it a great 'fidget' toy, the blade has notches on both sides and a great light but positive pull together with a half stop making it perfect for my weak fingers to open. I also find the spear blade shape, as on the SAK, to be very people friendly.

[pomsbz]

Oh and at the same time as I got this knife, I finally persuaded my doctor to give me a signed and stamped letter. It says that I require the use of a penknife for medical reasons. I've been trying persuade him to give me this for a year and finally succeeded!  These knives are perfectly legal to carry but as I'm sure is the case everywhere, the police are not particularly well versed in minutiae of knife carry law. This allows me finally to relax....

[pomsbz]

You have good taste in blades for sure Well very similar to my tastes anyways Sorry to hear a few had to go but at least they went to a good cause with the winter coats

To be frank I'm not a collector, if I'm not carrying and using them, they might as well go to someone else. Oh and I approve of your tastes sir! They tell me they are similar to my own. 

[pomsbz]

So with the knife up to date, here's a current EDC picture. Not shown are the phone and pouch but then you've seen them recently



I finally upgraded the bike to a car, not out of any personal wish, I hate driving here, but I need to take care of my bones better given the past year. The Prometheus Kappa QR is invaluable for those of us who don't like all that keychain dangling on your knee when driving.

[pomsbz]

and a black and white picture because it's been a page or so...

[pomsbz]

...and now for something completely different.

Waxing Jute for a fire kit.









I'll get into bags, BOB's and outdoors ideas tomorrow.

[eamo]

 

[Dean51]

I've enjoyed the thread. 

[styx]

...and now for something completely different.

Waxing Jute for a fire kit.

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I'll get into bags, BOB's and outdoors ideas tomorrow.

I feel a bit dumb now. Actually very dumb as I never gave it a thought of doing it that (aka the easier) way

[ThePeacent]

Hanks...

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I've been enjoying the thread a lot so far, and the pics are eye candy. 
But his one just killed me. You have a hank of my favorite TV Show ever, and two of my favorite episodes of all time, the Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang (Season 5 finale)!! 

I really enjoyed that Van Gogh's painting and even printed it to have on my room as a wallpaper,  but I had never seen a hank with that picture! I got to have it now, may I ask where did you get yours?   

Thanks!!

[pomsbz]

Hanks...

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

I've been enjoying the thread a lot so far, and the pics are eye candy. 
But his one just killed me. You have a hank of my favorite TV Show ever, and two of my favorite episodes of all time, the Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang (Season 5 finale)!! 

I really enjoyed that Van Gogh's painting and even printed it to have on my room as a wallpaper,  but I had never seen a hank with that picture! I got to have it now, may I ask where did you get yours?   

Thanks!!

Hanks by Hank. I have to warn, it's not that great a hank for all that it looks cool. The material is not top grade by any stretch of the imagination. 

I have to admit the Van Gogh hank was also inspired by Dr Who (Vincent and the Doctor)

The show went bad with the introduction of Coleman whom I found really annoying, went worse with Capaldi who was super annoying and then of course died completely when they stopped all pretence of caring about the fans and not twisting the show to become a platform for political correctness.

[Gerhard Gerber]

Just caught up on this thread.....some thoughts.

Man you can take a photo!  Thanks for sharing! 

I drooled over one of those Navy knives recently, was for sale during ApostleP knife sale, surprised and saddened to see about the wood scales!

You filling so many notebooks reminded me that these days I struggle to write!  Just about the only writing I do is the date and my signature, and it's unbelievable how stupid a hand can get! 
Fortunately the ability (mostly) comes back after a few minutes.... 

Thanks again 

[eamo]

some fantastic shots and some good ideas too ! keep it all coming Ben.

[pomsbz]

Thanks all!

Question, my coat is dying. I'm interested in trying out an M65 style coat. Criteria are availability in black, available in the UK (where I'll be getting it), under £60 and either waterproof or I can waterproof it for rain use.

I've been looking at this one but would be glad to hear of better options.

http://www.military1st.co.uk/3108-2-brandit-m-65-classic-jacket-black.html

[Aloha]

Really enjoying this thread  .  Your sheaths are nice.  Its one thing to make a factory sheath work but entirely another to custom make one.  Your edc is well thought out and your gear is quality without being extreme in cost.  You've got a nice balance. 

[dks]

I have the Rothco m65 jacket, with the removable lining.

Very solid and good construction, but, also very heavy, something you may need to consider as you will feel the weight on you.

I use it for really windy or near freezing conditions as it will make you too hot in temperatures above 10 C, if you move around a bit.

[pomsbz]

I have the Rothco m65 jacket, with the removable lining.

Very solid and good construction, but, also very heavy, something you may need to consider as you will feel the weight on you.

I use it for really windy or near freezing conditions as it will make you too hot in temperatures above 10 C, if you move around a bit.

Thanks! I'm afraid it's outside my budget. It's also for use up to say 15C, as you said, will be too hot perhaps.

[dks]

I paid 50 Euro for it, I think. Without the lining it should be cheaper and lighter

[pomsbz]

I paid 50 Euro for it, I think. Without the lining it should be cheaper and lighter

Really? All the prices I'm seeing are near the $100 mark.