KNIVES!!!

Knife Collecting is a joy as well. Oh yeah, trust me on this...I got the scars on my hands to prove that I'm sick in the head or something. Here's my story. I got my first knife when I was like 11 or some crap like that. It was a Swiss Army knife, kinda like what MacGyver used to lug around...the little red thing that had just about every mini tool you could think of from pliers to a machete. Well, from there, I'd play around with my dad's own knife, this LONG mean lookin Butterfly knife, what we P.I.ers call a "Bali-Song." Thankfully, I never lost a finger. This thing was like 9 1/2 inches long and folded down neatly to fit in yoru pocket. That blade was SHARP too boyeeee...lotsa fun.

Later, I met this guy who would become one of my closest friends...Rod "Knife Freak" Lambourne. Now this guy had a knife collection that made me wanna cry like a little bitch. He had MANY knives...big ones, small ones, he'd flip them up in the air, twirl them around his fingers, everything. He made me go NUTS. So, a few months later, on my friend's birthday, I went and bought myself my first butterfly knife...the first one in the crew...(Bear© Brand, can be found in Remington Stores across the US for the suggested retail price of $22.50) and I taught myself how to open and close it on my own. Oh yeah, I learned many a tricks with that little devil, and not too long afterwards, my 757 crew started going ape as well, purchasing many a butterflies. Oh, there are still a few tricks I need to learn with that thing...my Tito Rey knows something that I haven't mastered yet...how to open the butterfly upside down in ONE MOTION...heh heh, talk about style points up the ass!!! So with that, I moved on to better things...I then bought my first tactical knife, but it seemed that none of my friends took too much interest in it, since it was kinda cheap...then I bought something that resembled a "raptor claw" and now, well, needless to say, it is the object of desire of many. I however, gave it up to my close friend SEn1Le for a Christmas present. I have now moved on to serrated knives, knives that can cut right to the bone. My favorite company is Spyderco©. Their tactical knives are used by the Navy S.E.A.L.s as well as many Law Enforcement Agencies all across the world. Centered in Seki City Japan, they use superior quality steel in their blades that provide long years of service. If you ever have a chance to thumb through a catalog with SpyderCo© knives, look for the "Civilian." It is basicaly a "raptor claw" on steriods.

Visit here for more info on purchasing knives

Visit here for more info on SypderCo© knives

---

---

---

Well, now that you have the means to purchase a knife, let me give some advice...if you want to buy something just to impress your friends, then a good $10 will be enough. However, if you, like myself, want a knife that you can USE, then expect to spend anywhere from $30 to $100. Is that kinda steap? Well, you don't buy it every day, so don't consider this steap. What are the qualities of a good knife? Well, a good knife doesn't have any of the following...chipping paint, a 'coating' that comes off when you sharpen it, a blade what 'moves' when it is in your hand, or a blade that will break if you were to drop it on the ground or if you press on the flat of the blade hard with your thumb. A good knife DOES have these qualities; it sharpens easily, it isn't coated with chrome, the blade can witstand harsh treatment, and the paint doesn't rub off. If you sharpen the blade, then if it is used on a daily basis, it should remain sharp for quite some time, around a week to two weeks. If the blade dulls by then, it is a cheap quality blade. A knife should always be sharp because a sharp knife is a safe knife. Also, one should oil the blade to ensure that rust does not become a factor. Rust is the WORST thing that could happen. It means that the blade is either in need of replacement, in need of serious attention, or it is close to breaking. With butterfly knives, one should not spend more than $30 on one since these usually go through more wear and tear than normal. The life of a Butterfly knife, if it is used every day, is only about a year to two years. I usually give mine a daily swing just to maintain mah skillz...which includes dropping it a few times and other crap like that. I'm up to my third one now. So my parting words to you, keep your knife sharp and oiled. Don't buy anything worth $10, and maintain caution at all times, don't want to open any veins or nuthin...