Soldier On! 2026

[Tuisto]

    Started watching The Comancheros with John Wayne last night.  I thought I remembered the movie, but I must have been thinking of something else.  I think I have about an hour left.  Might watch it this morning.

With embarrassment I admit that I've never seen a movie with The Duke. Maybe I should give one a shot.

Day 9:

Used the soldier to open a new pack of strings.

I was looking at the gauges on those strings and was absolutely bamboozled until I realised you probably play guitar as well. I was thinking that even on my six-string, only my high C string is even close (32). Here's a photo of the Soldier with my six-string.

[nate j]

With embarrassment I admit that I've never seen a movie with The Duke. Maybe I should give one a shot.

You are missing out!

[IMR4198]

You tell him, Nate.  Best wishes.  G

[gustophersmob]

With embarrassment I admit that I've never seen a movie with The Duke. Maybe I should give one a shot.
I was looking at the gauges on those strings and was absolutely bamboozled until I realised you probably play guitar as well. I was thinking that even on my six-string, only my high C string is even close (32). Here's a photo of the Soldier with my six-string.

Yeah, I play guitar as well. And ukulele, and mandolin, and a little bit of banjo, and harmonica… I’ve gone off the deep end

[Tuisto]

You are missing out!

You tell him, Nate.  Best wishes.  G

Haha, any recommendations, guys?

Yeah, I play guitar as well. And ukulele, and mandolin, and a little bit of banjo, and harmonica… I’ve gone off the deep end

Man, I wish I had a knack for musicianship. It took me like a year to figure out something as simple as slapping and plucking...

[fullbreakfast]

With embarrassment I admit that I've never seen a movie with The Duke.

Check out True Grit (1969), maybe his most iconic performance. The Coen Brothers remake of 2010 with Jeff Bridges is also excellent, maybe better than the original, but you’d want to see Wayne do it first.

[Sos24]

Day 9
Not much use, just staying warm despite cold and wind.

[Sos24]

Haha, any recommendations, guys?.

Depends on your tastes.  Although he is most known for westerns, he also did some good WWII movies, then he even has a couple that didn’t really fall into either category.  A few I like are In Harm’s Way, McLintok, Big Jake, Quiet Man.  If you like fiery women, then watch one of his with Maureen O’Hara.

Man, I wish I had a knack for musicianship. It took me like a year to figure out something as simple as slapping and plucking...

Doing better than me,  I joke that some people are musically inclined, but I am musically declined.

[nate j]

Haha, any recommendations, guys?

Wayne was a prolific actor, appearing in well over 100 films during a career that spanned half a century.  While he could and did act in other types of movies, his westerns will always be my favorites.

He probably received the most awards for True Grit, though many consider The Searchers to be his finest work.

While far from his first movie, Stagecoach is generally considered his breakout performance.

Wayne is but one member of a star-studded cast in Rio Bravo.

The Shootist is his final film and something of a farewell.

McLintock! is a personal favorite.

[IMR4198]

Day 10

    John Wayne movies?   Hmmm?  I will tell you which ones NOT to watch.  Don't bother with the really old stuff.  Things like the 1930's Lone Star production cheaply made movies.  All with the same actors, locations, and shot from beginning to end in one day.  These were fillers made for Saturday Matinee theatre goers.  Got to see one between the newsreel, cartoon, serial chapter, and main feature film.  Little kids watched these while eating Sugar Daddies and popcorn and wiping their sticky hands on the theatre seats. 
    Trooper photo with some raisins.  Raisin pack required a knife blade.  I ate them, then wiped my sticky fingers on stuff.  Best wishes.  Gary
 
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[Barry Rowland]

  with you Gary.  I think I've seen most of them, and he definitely didn't hit his pace until the 40s. 

Day 10

    John Wayne movies?   Hmmm?  I will tell you which ones NOT to watch.  Don't bother with the really old stuff.  Things like the 1930's Lone Star production cheaply made movies.  All with the same actors, locations, and shot from beginning to end in one day.  These were fillers made for Saturday Matinee theatre goers.  Got to see one between the newsreel, cartoon, serial chapter, and main feature film.  Little kids watched these while eating Sugar Daddies and popcorn and wiping their sticky hands on the theatre seats. 
    Trooper photo with some raisins.  Raisin pack required a knife blade.  I ate them, then wiped my sticky fingers on stuff.  Best wishes.  Gary
 
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[Barry Rowland]

Day 9: Some treats for Art.  These have the aroma of an old diner at 7am!

[BPRoberts]

D+8

Anyone else getting errors when trying to post lately? Broke a nail and just had to Soldier On! until I got home. Normally, I'd use the Executive scissors.

[WECSOG]

Day 2: I never noticed this before.  The Hunter is the only 111 I've seen with an eyelet in the awl.

My Rucksack has the eyelet.

D+9

Opened a package that just arrived. And what was in the package, you ask?

[Barry Rowland]

I wonder if they're similar age WECSOG? I'd rather have the eyelet.  While I'm not good at it, my wife can sew with the Vic awl, and crochet with the hook.  It addsza lot of utility to the knife and the particular tool.

[WECSOG]

I wonder if they're similar age WECSOG? I'd rather have the eyelet.  While I'm not good at it, my wife can sew with the Vic awl, and crochet with the hook.  It addsza lot of utility to the knife and the particular tool.

I wouldn't be surprised if they were similar age. My brother has a slidelock that he says I gave him back in the '80s. I'll have to ask him if it has the eyelet, or better yet let me actually put eyes on it. No pun intended. 

[Barry Rowland]

 

[IMR4198]

D+8

Anyone else getting errors when trying to post lately? Broke a nail and just had to Soldier On! until I got home. Normally, I'd use the Executive scissors.

I have been getting 507 Insufficient Storage message for a few days now.  Comes and goes.  Best wishes.  G
 

[WECSOG]

I have been getting 507 Insufficient Storage message for a few days now.  Comes and goes.  Best wishes.  G
 

Same here.

[WECSOG]

I wonder if they're similar age WECSOG? I'd rather have the eyelet.  While I'm not good at it, my wife can sew with the Vic awl, and crochet with the hook.  It addsza lot of utility to the knife and the particular tool.

I've been looking at 111s on ebay, and every slidelock I've seen with the awl, has the eyelet. I awlso bought another one; a slidelock Adventurer. It has the eyelet.

I saw your mention from 2021 of Nix' 111 Challenge (of which I was previously unaware) and set out to find it. Now I'm thinking about doing a similar challenge later this year, using the same rules Nix used, including Rule 5 which states that you can switch up 111s during the month. I think there have been other 111 challenges since that required carrying the same one awl month.

[Farmer X]

Trimmed a thread on my shirt.

Be careful doing that!

I transferred some coffee into a canister, then cut off the label to put in the label pouch on the canister.

I've never heard of Warpath Coffee. Will have to check them out.

Here's a photo of the Soldier with my six-string.

I'm not a bassist, but six strings seems a little much for me...

Some treats for Art.

Art is probably happy that you carry an SAK!

What was in the package, you ask?

Day 9 (catching up)

The awl is one tool that's waiting to be used.

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Day 10

The saw is awlso waiting to be used. Unfortunately, since I no longer live in a house and it's too cold for me to want to go camping, it may not see use for this challenge. But it does add extra utility with little weight or bulk.

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[Tuisto]

I used the Soldier to hold open a particularly stubborn split ring so that I could affix a tweezers to one end of the long chain that comes with the Victorinox belt hanger. I have actually been really liking this method of chaining a Vic to something. I have this pair (which I call the 'Jony Fire Special') which is a Ranger attached to a green Classic. And then I also have a custom Cyber Companion attached to a Rovyvon A4 ti. With the Ranger/Classic, I keep the Ranger in my fifth pocket and the Classic in the main pocket, and when I need one or the other I pull it out and leave the other in the other pocket, same thing with the Cyber Compact/A4. It ends up being like a long, durable lanyard. In the case of the Cyber Compact/A4, it has everything I generally carry on a daily basis in one unit (knife, flashlight, pen).

I am editing this to add: 1) I have not been carrying anything but the SI; I was using these chained units before the challenge, and 2) how do you guys sharpen the wire stripper thing on the inside of these older cap lifters?

[BPRoberts]

At one point, I knew how many points on the 91mm saw were in an inch, so I could use it as a cludgy ruler if I needed to. I think that was helpful exactly once.

D+9

No use, so how about a cameo from another Soldier? This Wenger Soldat/Standard Issue was my "carry" Pioneer before this month. I like the bail, and it's not a BYSAK or anything, so I wouldn't be as upset if it got lost.

[gustophersmob]

Day 10:

It was a busy day, almost all meetings. Got a new boss today too.  So, I got nothing as far as use is concerned, so here’s another pic of the same ol’ knife.

[Sos24]

I decided I would give a bonus  entry for Sub-Mission 1

MK-15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System or better known as CIWS
It is also sometimes known called R2D2. 

Since about 1980, the CIWS has been installed on almost all US Navy ships.  However, beyond just its presence in the US Navy, it has come to also be on Navy ships of 12-15 other countries and the US Army even has a land based version

 As the name indicates, CIWS was designed for short ranges as a last line of defense against inbound missiles, rockets, or aircraft.  It is a system that once properly set-up can detect a potential threat, evaluate against certain parameters, and engage automatically or with minimal human action.  Even after 50 years, CIWS has remained one of the best systems for what it was designed to do. 

However, as threats threats have changed, the systems has had some changes to expand its capabilities beyond what it was originally designed.  With some upgrades it can  be used against small fast boat attacks like has been seen in or near certain international straights.  A self-contained version has also been made so it can be used on land against rocket or mortar attacks.  That system is known as C-RAM or Centurion.

if interested you can find some videos on YouTube of the system in action.

[Sos24]

Day 10
The Combat Knife was put to use for a makeshift mailbox repair today.  The screw that held my mailbox in position on its pole rusted and broke causing it to slide to the ground,  i cut a stick into a couple 3-4inch pieces and then hammered them inside the bracket as shims.  It seemed to do the trick until I think of something better.

I also noticed the storm door latch was loose, so tighted that with the tip of the can opener.

[Tuisto]

I decided I would give a bonus  entry for Sub-Mission 1

MK-15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System or better known as CIWS
It is also sometimes known called R2D2. 

Since about 1980, the CIWS has been installed on almost all US Navy ships.  However, beyond just its presence in the US Navy, it has come to also be on Navy ships of 12-15 other countries and the US Army even has a land based version

 As the name indicates, CIWS was designed for short ranges as a last line of defense against inbound missiles, rockets, or aircraft.  It is a system that once properly set-up can detect a potential threat, evaluate against certain parameters, and engage automatically or with minimal human action.  Even after 50 years, CIWS has remained one of the best systems for what it was designed to do. 

However, as threats threats have changed, the systems has had some changes to expand its capabilities beyond what it was originally designed.  With some upgrades it can  be used against small fast boat attacks like has been seen in or near certain international straights.  A self-contained version has also been made so it can be used on land against rocket or mortar attacks.  That system is known as C-RAM or Centurion.

if interested you can find some videos on YouTube of the system in action.

There's a video on YT of this thing 'accidentally' locking onto a passenger aircraft. It would be hilarious if it weren't so terrifying (since it's framed as an 'intrusive thoughts' thing in the YT video). Let me edit this to add that it is a very cool system and a fantastic write-up. My favourite is the GAU-8 on the A-10 Warthog, but I have to say I don't know much about these things to begin with.

[WECSOG]

I decided I would give a bonus  entry for Sub-Mission 1

MK-15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System or better known as CIWS
It is also sometimes known called R2D2. 

Since about 1980, the CIWS has been installed on almost all US Navy ships.  However, beyond just its presence in the US Navy, it has come to also be on Navy ships of 12-15 other countries and the US Army even has a land based version

 As the name indicates, CIWS was designed for short ranges as a last line of defense against inbound missiles, rockets, or aircraft.  It is a system that once properly set-up can detect a potential threat, evaluate against certain parameters, and engage automatically or with minimal human action.  Even after 50 years, CIWS has remained one of the best systems for what it was designed to do. 

However, as threats threats have changed, the systems has had some changes to expand its capabilities beyond what it was originally designed.  With some upgrades it can  be used against small fast boat attacks like has been seen in or near certain international straights.  A self-contained version has also been made so it can be used on land against rocket or mortar attacks.  That system is known as C-RAM or Centurion.

if interested you can find some videos on YouTube of the system in action.

Did you post about this recently in another thread? I remember reading about it not long ago, and watching videos. Awesome bit of ordnance.

[Sos24]

There's a video on YT of this thing 'accidentally' locking onto a passenger aircraft. It would be hilarious if it weren't so terrifying (since it's framed as an 'intrusive thoughts' thing in the YT video). Let me edit this to add that it is a very cool system and a fantastic write-up. My favourite is the GAU-8 on the A-10 Warthog, but I have to say I don't know much about these things to begin with.

The videos do look bad if you are not familar with the system and how works.

What makes it look so bad is because it is all connected the CIWS gun moves  when the tracking antenna moves to follow the aircraft.  However, in reality the aircraft wouldn’t have ever been in any danger because its movement wouldn’t have met engagement criteria.

If I were to speculate the videos look like the ship was conducting a periodic check to make sure the CIWS was working properly.  Part of this check is having the system track evaluate then drop a contact.  During it there would be someone (most likely the person recording) watching for proper movement and keeping others away for safety.  That would explain why some was right there ready to record.

Did you post about this recently in another thread? I remember reading about it not long ago, and watching videos. Awesome bit of ordnance.

I don’t remember but might have

[IMR4198]

Day 11

More walky down the road pix.  Cold mornings, but warm afternoons.  Best wishes.  G
 
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