What do you do to protect your self in Scary Area's?

[crazydrummerdude]

Mine's a Paul Chen Raptor, Shinogi Zukuri style blade, made at CAS Hanwei, of 5160 spring steel, which is an alloy steel.

Ok, I don't believe you're a genuine nerd. You're throwing out some amazing troll bait here.

By the way, what's an "alloy steel"?

[Nicotti]

Weird... I always thought the right to bear arms had something to do with taxidermy. Then again it was my American Government teachers first year teaching outside of the alternative school.

[Nicotti]

Me, I support the right to arm bears:

[redox]

LMAO

[DeathByMoth]

How did you get away with intent to distribute? Any officer who would write a ticket for intent generally would not, unless he had reasonable cause. Tickets like that are only written in the case that you have a relatively large amount or you have your stash in multiple bags or places... Both of which would be admissible in court! It would be hard for the court not to be able to press charges in those circumstances!

I had a small bag of good nugs in my watch pocket, as well as some schwagg. And they found every pair of scales I ever lost down in the back seat. I would've been using them if I'd known they were there, instead of hitting up office max every couple weeks. They had seen my vehicle at some 'seedy' places, that were connected with known drug activity. This happened on New Years Eve, and I was 18. When NYE came again 3 years later, I still hadn't been charged.

I'm pretty sure it's due to botched protocol; They left my keys in my seat, with the windows down, 2 blocks from Jonathan's Apple Market. They put me in suicide watch when I got to jail, and wouldn't tell me why. If you've never had the pleasure of seeing what that looks like, they put you in a blue velcro vest, and that is fucking it. No, mattress, no T.P., no undergarments, no nothing. Oh and it's freezing cold. It's like they put you there to make you commit suicide...

Anyway, I was released after a 24 hour hold, and never saw a single charge from the whole ordeal. I have amazing luck with the cops/courts, they know me like a fuck-up son. The first time I went to court I was 14, answering to a speeding charge. Because I was going 104 in a 60, and was driving my parents' van, that I stole that night. Ever since they first saw me in court, I've received undue lenience. It's pretty fucking sweet, considering how much trouble I got into before my mid twenty's.

I haven't gotten any charges in 3 or 4 years. Mini-vans people, they're invisible to law enforcement.

[SubLunar]

Mini-vans people, they're invisible to law enforcement.

Truth.

[DeathByMoth]

Mine's a Paul Chen Raptor, Shinogi Zukuri style blade, made at CAS Hanwei, of 5160 spring steel, which is an alloy steel.

Ok, I don't believe you're a genuine nerd. You're throwing out some amazing troll bait here.

By the way, what's an "alloy steel"?

Oh, I totally am a nerd. I'm just better than you.

An alloy steel is any steel that contains sufficient trace elements, such as Manganese, Chromium, Nickel, Silicon, ect. The idea of adding these to steel is increasing wear-resistance, edge-holding, rigidity, flexibility, and durability. Essentially, an alloy steel will display properties that regular steel will not. Stainless steel is technically an alloy steel, as it contains more than 11% Chromium.

Alloy Steels are common in the production of swords, because more strength and flexibility is demanded than a knife blade, where high carbon(such as 1090) and stainless steels are the predominate materials. If you need a more detailed description, read here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alloy_steel

[GlassCurtain]

Seriously, I fucking love weapons! G.C., I always love meeting people who like traditional weapons, what kind of Katana do you own? Mine's a Paul Chen Raptor, Shinogi Zukuri style blade, made at CAS Hanwei, of 5160 spring steel, which is an alloy steel. It's withstood a number of bad cuts on hard wood. What do you use/prefer?

Wow I totally didn't see this among all the bullshit. I'm really not sure of the sword I currently have. I was about 13 when I bought it from Asian World of Martial Arts. I was a first degree black belt in Taekwondo but knew nothing about swords. I eventually found out it was cheep and only had a half tang. But I was comfortable wielding it.

But I've recently purchased a custom made left-handed iaito sword from Zhi forge. It will take them a couple of weeks to make it but I will definitely post pics once it arrives.

[DeathByMoth]

Nothing wrong with a half-tang, as long as it's not a rat tail. Really, for self defense or light cutting they're just as effective as a full tang. The half-tang's tend to have a higher balance point, but that's great for heavy, cleaving blows.

I'm guessing the Iaito blade will be stainless? All the ones I've handled were, except one, which was Titanium. The owner assured me that it was "stronger and lighter than steel" and "a superior blade material". He was really nice, so I didn't tell him that he clearly had no knowledge or experience with Katanas, or swords for that matter, or that Titanium is barely stronger than Aluminum. I'd love to see him use it for actual cutting. I'm fairly certain I could cut a Titanium blade in half with my sword.

G.C., have you heard of Isao Machii? Fucking amazing... just fucking amazing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... j1Jytiw8e0

[GlassCurtain]

Nothing wrong with a half-tang, as long as it's not a rat tail. Really, for self defense or light cutting they're just as effective as a full tang. The half-tang's tend to have a higher balance point, but that's great for heavy, cleaving blows.

I'm guessing the Iaito blade will be stainless? All the ones I've handled were, except one, which was Titanium. The owner assured me that it was "stronger and lighter than steel" and "a superior blade material". He was really nice, so I didn't tell him that he clearly had no knowledge or experience with Katanas, or swords for that matter, or that Titanium is barely stronger than Aluminum. I'd love to see him use it for actual cutting. I'm fairly certain I could cut a Titanium blade in half with my sword.

G.C., have you heard of Isao Machii? Fucking amazing... just fucking amazing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... j1Jytiw8e0

The blade is made of 1050 carbon steel. That video was awesome! Cutting an airsoft pellet out of mid air?! Iaito blades are usually blunt for training but I paid extra to have Zhi Forge sharpen it for Tameshrigri.

[DeathByMoth]

That's awesome. 1050 is an excellent mid-way blade. Did you know the last two digits of a steel's rating are the carbon content? For example, a 1050 contains .50% carbon, by weight. Mine is 5160, meaning .60%. Higher Carbon content means a more rigid, hard blade, with better edge holding. Lower Carbon makes a more flexible, resilient, durable blade. I've had harder blades crack, like a 1095 Katana I owned. Great sword, but with such a high Carbon content it took sets too easily. It wound up snapping when I was straightening it. Turned it into a Kodachi and a Tanto, and lemme tell you from experience: If you ever want a short sword, or any blade under 2 feet long, go with higher carbon. I wish I'd broken my old Katana sooner, because that Kodachi is an amazing cutter, and hasn't yet bent or set.

Good call on the 1050, those are really durable, and hold a great edge. That range is ideal for a weapon, a tool, or for frequent medium cutting. I'm assuming you'll be cutting tatami? I'm poor and always end up dropping saplings instead. Did you order yours with a bo-hi(fuller)? I love the sound of a grooved blade singing towards a target, and I've heard that adding a fuller increases rigidity, and it certainly drops the weight. My Raptor doesn't have one, and it seems to give the blade some epic cutting ability. I've dropped 4" inch wide sassafras trees with one shot, and the extra weight really helps. You really notice the extra heft in the blade, and it moves the balance point up. It handles more like a half tang because of that. You said you were pretty comfortable with your h.t., I suggest going with no bo-hi if you ever get a new blade, it really changes the handling and should feel more familiar.

It is hard getting used to such a quiet blade though, I'd only owned Katanas with fullers before. They sing, and you get used to listening for the 'right' sound, to judge how straight and fast the edge moved. Not having a bo-hi makes it difficult to judge your strikes without actually cutting something...

[GlassCurtain]

yup added a Single Full Bo-hi.

[crazydrummerdude]

Girls are icky. Yay swords!

[DeathByMoth]

I can't stop myself... I have a disorder. Please, forgive my ignorance.

Well that's okay buddy, how about a Quesadilla?

[Raspius]

....ANYWAYS.....

I usually carry a daggar or a maglight. Pretty much the Moth has it on lock with the armory when we go out so I don't feel like I need much more.