Just a few of the better ones, there are many more.

:: ::

Ooooh... You got some better pics than the ones I have... Nice...!!

I've used my instructors real Bujinkan climbing claws and foot spikes, beautiful steel claws with leather wrapping and a metal wrist bangle - loved them, they could take a blow from a sword effortlessly, then with a twist of the wrist lock in tight in the claws before pulling it away for a disarm.

Never seen any on the internet like them, I've really gotta find out who his blacksmith is.

O.k. First things first....Go read everything over at Phyreblade's place. He is the inspiration for this forum.

He did a review of the new 'Skeleton Claws' here http://thedarkblade.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/wolverine-claws-revisited/


I got mine in the mail today....So I'll give my review of the good and the bad...
Here it is next to my Wolverine 'letter opener'....looks pretty close.


Bad first so we can end on a good point.

The Bad:
It has the 'cheap' factor to it. It's just made cheap...crap materials. I'd rather pay twice as much for quality than buy it cheap and have crap!
Plastic. ....PLASTIC!!! What idiot came up with the idea to use plastic for the back of the skeleton hand?!? Just dumb in my opinion.
Cheap plastic 'pleather' wristband.Seems strong enough for what you can use this for....strapping it on and playing in the mirror
I've had plastic butter knives that were sharper than this. really, they didnt put a edge on this at all, the 'edge' is about a 32nd of inch.
I stabbed the box it came in and had the same 'fork effect' I've had on every other multi-bladed toy. One blade will sink deep, but when you have two or more, three in this case, the tips of the blades stop each other. As you press forward the material gets squished between the blades and causes them to jam up. I've said this before, in any real life fighting Xiphoid I'd only have one blade/claw as it would work so much better.




The Good:
It's just fucking cool!
It looks and feels really cool on your hand, this thing is the best feeling claws I've ever held.
It works best if you are alone and have a mirror
It's a good design and not bad for $50. Well worth it to add to the collection.
Did I say it's fucking cool?!?!

This just gives me ideas on how to make a better one.
Quality blade steel: 440 or ATS34...or maybe blade quality titainium. (the highest grade of titainium is known as 'blade quality')
Longer wristband, laced and/or buckled. Not velcro.
Longer blade support. The way this is designed if you really took a swing at something the handle will pivot in your hand and the back end will break your wrist. This needs to be made longer so the whole arm supports the blades and the handle can't pivot.
The move I play with it I think I prefer the vertical blade of the claws over the horizontal blade of my other wrist-blades. They sit higher and would be a pain to hide...but as far as striking and just basic movement with the blades it seems that vertical would be better and more in line with natural punches than horizontal like a punch-dagger.
Multi-blade for looks and play, but for anything serious it would have to be one blade.


This is nice, I'm happy with it. It's kinda like a Claw-Katar. I got what I paid for, it's a $50 toy, but I'd love to see the $300 version.


::

If you happen to have $5000 sitting around you can have this baby!!



Yautja - Predator Fighter
Handle: D2 with Ironwood Inlays
Blades: 10" CPM-154 (all three)
Size: 12 1/2" long, 7 1/2" wide
Price: $5000
Mitch Lum Photo

Good news for me.....

The maker of the above Predator Fighter, Todd Begg, lives only a hour away from me.
I sent him off a e-mail last night to see if I could come down and meet Todd and learn a little.
Got a reply from his wife saying how much they would love the company and that Todd also does 3-day knifemaking classes. Sign me up!
So, hopefully when we both get a free day here in the next few weeks I'm going to go down and meet Todd. I guess he has knife shows to be at for the next few weeks.
I went to his website and OH MY GOD what a killer shop!!!! I want those tools so bad!!


So guys....Find your local knife-makers and make friends with them. Most are more than happy to show you what they know.
Knife-makers are known for helping each other and sharing skill/secrets. It's a good community of people.

Make things happen people! ::

YES! At last!! A good, hands on review... It stuff like this that makes me wish i could get my hands on a sample of everything I see, but I would never get actually get anything done if I did that...

The one big thing that caught me off guard was the plastic backing on the skeleton hand... Didn't see that one coming... And the blasted velcro/naugahyde strap... I'm gonna have to amend my post now... Dagnabbit...

But it's got a good steel backplate, looks like the grip is solidly bolted to the backplate which is good.

And the Yautja fighter looks killer!!! That ones gonna have to go on my list...

Hey, thanks for the Pics/ review Sinz!!!

I held it today. I went down and spent the afternoon with Todd Begg, wonderful guy and a great knife maker.

The Yautja-PredatorFighter was nice! A 'rich' collector gets to have it and Todd will be working on a tricked out spear to go with it.

Todd was great. I can't wait until I can go back down and do some learning. I walked into his shop and it was like walking into Heaven.
Looking at all his knives started making my mouth water....his shop is sweet!! Everything he makes is so cool and of the highest quality.
You should see his throwing stars! Just killer looking!!

As I said before...look for and search out your local knife makers. Most are very open to meeting and talking about how they do what they do.
As I was there knifemaker Ken Onion called Todd and I was able to listen in on a 'Pro to Pro' phone call and I'm just eating it up like candy...

It was also nice to have a 'real' knifemaker take a look at some of my handmade knives.
Here's what I learned...Todd told me about the 3 steps in making a knife.
1. Cutting out parts...any monkey can do this part.
2. Putting the parts together so that they all fit and work perfect and the knife is functionable and strong.
3. Final shaping and finish to make it look and feel nice.
.
.
.
I have really nicely polished monkey parts.
He didn't say that, but that is what he was telling me. Great design, great look, great feel...now make it work perfect.
I'll be starting back at square one. Going back to the basics. I need more skill in machine work. Mills, Lathes, surface grinders....
Automatic knives are the most complicated to make and it was wrong of me to think I could start knifemaking at that level.
I just don't have the skills to make what I can design. So now I need to go back and work on the skills. Back to basics.
Time to make a few fixed-blade hunting knives, basic utility knives...just keep it simple and work up to the complicated designs I come up with.
I'm just designing way outside my skill level...and the fact that I really have no tools.
So I need to buy a mill and then pay for some training from Todd on how to use it to make knives. ...little by little.
Good thing is he really liked my designs and thought my prototypes were great for what they were.

.....back to basics....
And that Yautja-PredatorFighter

:: Knifemakers Rock!

Long Live the Monkey Patrol

LOL Nicely polished monkey parts... Nice way of putting it... LOL

I think that's gonna be my new exclamatory phrase, kinda like "holey rusted metal Batman..." Or "Great scott!!" I'll be like "Great Polished Monkey Parts!!"

People will probably look at me funny, but they do that anyways, so who cares...

I, for one, am proud to be a member of the Monkey patrol...

The Monkey Patrol

Damn....I feel like I joined the hair club for men....


'The Monkey Patrol....I'm not just a member...I'm the president'.



Really...he didn't tell me anything I didn't already really know.
I know what quality my work is and how much more it needs to go.
But while other people will just look at my stuff and think it's done and ready a real knifemaker can look at it and see all the areas where it need improvement.
So nice to have access to people with knowledge.

I'll say it again...Look for guys that make knives in your state. Give them a call and say you are interested and want to come by and chat. Most all are going to be very friendly and love to talk to others about knives. I learned so much just by spending a few hours with Todd. Reading it from books and magazines is great, but hearing it from the mouth of experience is priceless.

Reading it from books and magazines is great, but hearing it from the mouth of experience is priceless.

Why do you think I joined this site?

hey ich will auch son hemd wie der kerl auf dem photo

BlutGott wrote:hey ich will auch son hemd wie der kerl auf dem photo

In english:

"Hey I also want a shirt like the guy in the photo..."

Phyreblade wrote:

BlutGott wrote:hey ich will auch son hemd wie der kerl auf dem photo

In english:

"Hey I also want a shirt like the handsome guy in the photo..."

Ahhh yes....I'm sure you do....


SAY MY NAME BITCH! ::

Im a SkunkMonkey

Ahhh yes....I'm sure you do....


SAY MY NAME BITCH!

SINZA SINZA SINZA

Oi Sinz methinks BG didnt realise thats you in the pic eh?


I was gonna ask about the Ts Sweaters and Hoodies etc but i know you had other shit goin' on so didnt bother BUT.....now that we see you sporting a Shirt (looks good btw) does this mean they are available now Bruv?

BillSykes

Naw..sorry.

I got a few made about a year and half ago.

A friend was starting his own company, getting a .com and such.
So that was when I got my sinzaknives.com and I found a place named Queensboro.com and I had a few t-shits and a few button ups embroidered with my logo.

I figured we all wear clothes with someones name on it, I might as well be wearing mine.
But right now I need to make more knives than shirts ...ya know...

Naw..sorry.

okay, i'll try and let you off mate but cant promise

I figured we all wear clothes with someones name on it, I might as well be wearing mine.

That makes perfect sense to me Bruv, only thing that put me off of such personalisation (is that even a word?) is all the cctv i.e. BigBrother, like say for arguements sake i did sumink but swore blind i didnt, if its got my name/logo on it, it would eventually lead back to me im sure, or maybe just tooooo para

BillSykes

Embroidery shops will do standardized patches.
you can sew them onto hats, or jackets of work shirts later.

SINZA wrote:

Phyreblade wrote:

BlutGott wrote:hey ich will auch son hemd wie der kerl auf dem photo

In english:

"Hey I also want a shirt like the handsome guy in the photo..."

Ahhh yes....I'm sure you do....

SAY MY NAME BITCH! ::

No?

dang...

At least we can say we tried, Eh Bruv!?!

ROFL...

jerryk25 wrote:Embroidery shops will do standardized patches.
you can sew them onto hats, or jackets of work shirts later.

I'm liking this idea...

At least we can say we tried, Eh Bruv!?!

Oi you know it Bruv!

BillSykes

Found this to be interesting...

Xiphodin Tooth Double Blade Dagger


This incredible fantasy item is just waiting to unleash its ripping power! This unique design is based on the fangs of a prehistoric carnivorous mammal. This piece features one-piece stainless steel construction with wood scale grip. The two blades stretch 12", and the entire measures 13 1/2" overall in length. This fantasy collectible includes a wood display plaque. Tomahawk, XL1252.
Sugg. Retail: $46.99

I wonder how Todd Begg feels that they stole his design and are cranking tham out by the dozen?
At least I got to hold the original

AND check out that name...

I looked....xiphoidin dosen't seem to be a word. SO....looks like they got it from us. Maybe indirectly but still...at least it's one more example I can use to give the word credit.

Daganabbit... I was looking at that thing going... Wait a sec, isn't that Todd Beggs blade? then i saw the Tomahawk USA logo... Them thievin' Bastiges...
It's possible that it's a licensed reproduction, but knowing the kind of low down dirty peeps there are in the industry, I doubt it...

I like sharp metal things

Prepair to have Phyreblade go totally insane

i look forward to it

.
.
.
Fixed-Blade Xiphoids
You might want to check out this post.

LOL Errr... Ok, so before i go ballistic, could someone please tell me why am I about to go totally insane?


Oh, and should we merge this with Sinza's two topics or leave them as is?

You're hatred of cosmetics over functionality, combined with poor quality materials and fittings

Naw, we can leave it. Maybe we'll see someting new. I was a click away from merging it and I thought about how proud he sounded, so it stays....just as long as he add three times as many pictures

merge away my friend i dont mind at all
sorry i didnt know about the other posts so i thought id post a little collage. so go ahead merge that shit!

Merged with 18IsKewl's consent.

@Lord_Turkey
LOL... You know me too well...

I try not to go on my little rants here, I'd just end up hijacking over peoples threads all the time...