Gear Geeks Live

Andrew and I discuss, you guessed it, gear. VPD: Andrew: Anso Carabiner v. 3 Klarus M1 10 Rockstead TEI Tony: Peak Eiger SOG Mini Aegis AG Russell Small Skorpion New and News: Andrew drops some knowledge about the Anso carabiner and we talk SOG knives a bit.  I also apologize for missing the genius that is Anso's designs and blade shapes. Main Topic: We discuss the utility and value of One Piece Multitools and how the secondary market prices have skyrocketed.  Andrew presents a level headed argument and I go on a rant. Mail Bag: We answer questions about sharpening. Apologies for the lack of a musical intro, I couldn't get it to work.  We'll try next episode.

What is old is new again--Aaron is back.  Andrew had a fancy photoshoot in the Artic with Kate Upton so he couldn't be here.  Can you blame him?  I am just kidding about the Kate Upton thing.  Aaron from www.practicallyeveryday.com stepped in to help out. VDP: Aaron: RJ Martin Overkill and McGizmo Haiku Hi CRI edition Me: Charles Gedraitis Small Pathfinder and Muyshondt Aeon Mk. II New and News: We both comment on the triumphant release of the Tuffthumbz Tanic.  If you can hear a lump in my voice and the American flag flapping behind me as I speak about how awesome it is to see someone reach for their dream and achieve, well good for you.  I am sentimental sap.  What can I say? We also discuss the quirky and slightly disappointing Spyderco Southard. I talk about a $7 pen, yep, a pen.  The Tombow Airpress is a quirky, rights anywhere alternative to the Fisher Space Pen.  It is a Japanese pen that pressurizes the refill when the knock extends the writing nib.  And it is $7.  Super cool. Finally we discuss the new LL Bean high end soft shell hoodie, marketed as a hunting jacket, but clearly aimed at the TAD Gear Stealth Hoodie. Aaron talks about the new Dave Coye Whiskey 2 Ti Framelock Flipper.  Its a big blade, 4.25" and the second run is open but filling up fast. Main Topic: Knife Terms Aaron and I go on a wandering journey through various knife terms.  It was intended on being a glossary of sorts, but it really became a ranking and discussion of preferences with a few definitions thrown in for good measure. Review Winner: Strider SnG.  Hit me up at everydaycommentary@gmail.com Special Gear Geeks Live What's My Wife Cooking in the Background Bonus: This week my wife was cooking Haluska in the background.  It is a traditional Hungarian comfort food. It is also excellent this time of year because of the wide availability of cabbage, a central ingredient.

This episode we focus on the custom knife world and it is current design rut.  The framelock flipper arms race has all but supplanted any other design.  We talk about why that is the case and what it means for knife knuts. VPD: Andrew: Spyderco Techno Me: Strider PT CC and Aeon Mk. II New and News: We both run through a ton of lights and gear we have in for review.  I gush a little about how cool the EagleTac TX25C2 is. Main Topic: Ramble fest on custom knives and good design Mailbag: Official rules for the music intro submission contest are reviewed.

Andrew makes his triumphant return with tales from Blade Show 2013.  He brings with him tales of lotteries that he vows to never enter and then did. Virtual Pocket Dump: Me: MBI HF-R and Al Mar Hawk Ultralight Andrew: Nilte Quiete (we talk about this blade for a long time, you really need to see it). New and News:  We run down the Blade Show winners, a list of which can be found here. Main Topic: Andrew talks about the actual experience of going to Blade show and Dan's attempted murder via alcohol poisoning. Mailbag: We skip mail bag to announce two contests--drop a review in iTunes and you will be entered to win a KaBar Mini Dozier and give us a 30 intro with music for the chance to win the HF-R and a prize to be donated by Andrew. Special bonus background/kitchen noise (because it is not a GGL episode without kitchen sounds): My wife making my favorite pasta salad for Father's Day.

With Andrew (and Aaron and Dan) at Blade, I reached out to one of the gurus of cutlery science Cliff Stamp.  He does admirably filling in for Andrew and gives us the straight skinny on blades, steels, and locks.  All of your CATRA questions are answered, including "What the fuck is the CATRA machine?"  And no it does not analyze your aura.

In the Virtual Pocket Dump we talk about what we carried today: me: Aeon Mk. II and SAK Cadet; Andrew: Spyderco Techno and JetBeam Raptor.  In the New and News section we talk about the Todd Begg reality show, Blade Brothers on Discovery, TSA rescinding the pocket knife rule (and I have an answer to why it was 2.36 inches), and finally we talk about the new Smart Lock from Viper.  In the main segment Andrew lays out a pretty compelling argument for carrying big blades and we talk about some options and run down the performance of various hard use locks.  In mailbag we answer the question of what to get if you missed out on the Aeon Mk. II but still want a nicer than average light.  The options I came up with ranged from the esoteric (the Exolion Ti) to the fantastically hard to find (Surefire Titan T1, not the T1A), to the easy to find and nice to use 47s Mini CR2.

Its official, Andrew, from Edge Observer is the new cohost.  We brought the booze--in my case Woodford Reserve bourbon and his Jameson Irish Whiskey.  After that we talk about our EDC that day.  Andrew carried the glorious TiSpine and I had with me the Black Nishijin CF ZDP-189 Dragonfly and the Aeon Mk. II.  Then we start talking a bit about the business side of gear, a conversation prompted by Thomas W's comments on Everyday Commentary, found here.  After that we take a peek at the world of aftermarket product mods, starting with an amazing company Texas Tool Crafters.  Andrew references another modder, Custom Scales Division, and we both give high marks to TuffThumbz, especially his full custom knives.  Then we switch to the main topic, new flashlight tech.  We focus on two things Total Internal Reflectors and Quantum Tunneling Composites.  In the process I confess that I am a Surefire fanboy.  We finish up with a mailbag question on sharpening and both concur that stropping is key.  Andrew recommends a 1 micron diamond stop spray, you can find a strop spray here.

Andrew from the wonderful Edge Observer website and Youtube channel sits in the cohost chair.  We run down his EDC, the Fantoni Hide.  We chat about Todd Begg's new Discovery Channel show, Grim Cleaver.  That leads us into a design discussion that touched on many of the points I brought up in my series on custom knives that culminated in the review of the De Coene Hybrid.  Then we switched gears and talked about behind the scenes stuff at Edge Observer, his crazy rigging and gear used to get the masterful snap zooms, rotating shots and track-dolly-like pans.  We talk about three interesting knives, two of which he reviewed, the Rockstead and the Carter Murray knife, and one I saw, the Hitchmough Regent.  It is a long podcast and I enjoyed some good bourbon during the recording, so sit back and relax.  Oh and before I end these notes, EO will be making a One Piece Multitool some time in the future.  Be excited.  VERY excited.

This one is a solo show, as Aaron is swamped with work and the schedule won't allow for a weekend recording.  In this episode I go through the regular stuff, the virtual pocket dump, and the news/gear purgatory, but then lay out the thinking behind what I carry everyday and why.  On any given day here is what I am hauling around with me: Tom Bihn Cadet (with two accessory pouches, including a power pouch with Monoprice Car USB charger) Reuseable, fold flat insulated lunch box Camelbak Tritan Insulated Water Bottle Humangear Capcap A knife or multitool A flashlight A pen, usually the Tuffwriter Ultimate Clicky (rocking either the Space Pen insert or the Moleskine roller ball insert for sketchnoting) This is a shorter than usual episode, but hopefully enough to hold you over until Aaron's baritone returns.

This week we take a look at custom flashlights, going through some (though not all) of the biggest and best makers in the world.  We tour through some of Don McLeish's best designs, Cool Fall's kilobuck torches, Mac's bargains, Jason's photon cannons and a few other big names.  McLeish, aka McGizmo can be found here.  Cool Fall here.  Mac here.  Photon Fanatic here.  Prometheus here.

Aaron is back and ready to roll.  We run down what we are carrying, including Aaron's take on a fine light, the Olight S10 Baton.   We also run down the list of upcoming Spyderco releases that Sypercollector posted on his site.  Aaron tells us a little about his newest, super newest custom the Blount Surge.  You can reach the maker via email at jbblountknives@gmail.com.  Then we roll up our sleeves and have a show down on the merits or flaws of the Kershaw Cryo.  My review is here.  Aaron's is here.  To close out the show we answer an age old question Gear Geeks around the world have: how can I bring myself to use this new, beautiful (insert high priced piece of gear here).  Note the slight gasp Aaron makes when I confess to wanton abuse of my new custom knife.

With Aaron buried at work, Jacob from Blade HQ joins Gear Geeks Live for the show.  After the Virtual Pocket Dump, we chat a bit about my new custom blade from Steve Karroll (found here).  Then Jacob gives us a preview of some of the new Blade HQ exclusives and talks a bit about Knife Rights.  Finally, I take two questions from the mailbag on selector ring and infinite variable brightness flashlights.  My suggestion, the Peak Solutions Eiger, Oveready Edition can be found here.   Thanks to Jacob for stopping by.

Here we go in earnest.  The first show with both Aaron and I and we use what will be our standard format.  We both fawn over the new CPM steel in Aaron's new custom--REX 121 with a HRc of 71.5.  Then we chat a bit about Aaron's response to Nutnfancy's Chinese knives post.  Its a little rough, but bear with us.  And as always, thanks to Blade HQ.

This is the first podcast of Gear Geeks Live.  Hopefully more to come.