Last time I wrote, I talked about knife tangs and why they matter in terms of knife usage. Now I will discuss more types of knife tangs that you should own.
December 2015 Newsletter – What’s New at Battery Junction?
November 2015 Newsletter
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What is a knife’s tang and why is it important? Part I
A knife tang, which many people may not realize, is one of the most important structural components of a knife. It is the portion of the knife blade that juts into the handle of the knife and gives it resistance and strength and durability when performing tasks big or small. The tang comes in many different forms, such as a full tang (which is ideal to have), a partial tang, a push tang, and a skeletonized tang. The tang is most commonly found on fixed blade knives.
There are several other kinds of knife tangs, which I can’t cover today, but I will renew this discussion in a future post.
Friday the 13th Survival Guide
Nothing ruins a nice relaxing trip to Camp Crystal Lake on Friday the 13th like the abrupt intrusion of that hulking wall of undead flesh known as Jason Voorhees. That hockey mask wearing hooligan has been ruining everyone’s fun for years, and here at Battery Junction we think it’s about time to put that masked meat-bag down for good. If we’re gonna survive his unstoppable onslaught, we’re gonna have to get to know our enemy.
Keep the (Flash)Lights On This Halloween
From the look of all the spooky decorations covering people’s yards, it appears to be that time of year again; Halloween. Pumpkins are acquiring faces, children (and adults) are acquiring costumes, and the scary movies that used to keep us up at night are being re-watched and frightening us all over again. While we tell the younger generation there is no such thing as monsters, our ordinarily logical minds seem to have trouble this time of year avoiding thoughts that something is waiting for you in the shadows. Halloween has a knack for temporarily sparking fears we thought had been long extinguished, and while we are aware there’s most likely not an evil entity waiting on the poorly lit path between your car and your house, that certainly doesn’t stop us from getting some exercise along the way by sprinting to the front door. In any case, whether you are out Trick-or-Treating with family, searching the basement for an old costume, or going on a late night walk through the woods, it can never hurt to have a little extra light at hand when things get spooky.
Watching the leaves change can be a great activity this Autumn, so great that you might lose track of time. As the sun sets and that forest of beautiful reds, oranges and browns turns black and ominous, make sure you have a reliable light bright enough to find your way back like the Fenix FD40 LED Flashlight. With a maximum throw distance of 300 meters, nothing can escape the 1000 Lumen brightness (as you can see below) of this powerful illuminator . You can light your way back to civilization assured there is nothing malevolent waiting for you along your path, but on the off chance Michael Myers or the Wolfman cross your path, you can use the FD40’s disorienting Strobe function to blind them long enough to get away, making yourself far more competent than the average horror flick victim.
Now it’s the kids’ turn to brave the night. The act of Trick-or-Treating is composed of every yearning you have as a child; the ability to wear a bizarre outfit of your own choosing, the acquisition of sugary sweets, and the temporary liberation from their parents’ supervision as you walk from house to house. While candy and costumes aren’t much to worry about, most streets in rural or suburban areas aren’t lit at night and might require some extra illumination in order to navigate to the next house. To keep your trick-or-treaters’ eyes on the road, we suggest partnering them with the Fenix UC40 LED Flashlight, a lightweight and convenient carry for any trick-or-treater this Halloween. This Lithium Ion-powered flashlight can be charged internally using the USB charging port located on the tailcap and is able to run for up to 7 hours on its high setting of 140 Lumens, more than bright enough to guide your way to the next sugar source. (An added bonus if your child is dressing up as a Jedi; the UC40 looks strikingly similar to a lightsaber.)
Now that the kids are out indulging in the festivities, it’s time to dust off that old copy of “The Exorcist” you have in the basement and celebrate the horror holiday your own way. But oh no! Your basement light is out! Your life is slowly beginning to follow the plot to a cliché slasher flick and although you must be the hero and brave the potentially haunted cellar for your prize, don’t make the same mistake as the movie character and bring a reliable flashlight. Equip yourself with the UST Brightforce LED Flashlight, a reliable every day light that you can run on ordinary AA batteries. The flashlight’s beam is able to focused from narrow to wide so you can get a broader view of your surroundings, giving any potential ghosts and ghouls fewer places to hide. The Brightforce even comes with a non-slip silicone sleeve so even if you lose your grip and get a little scared, you’ll at least have a grip on your flashlight.
Of course we know Dracula isn’t real. Of course that rustling in the bushes was probably just a squirrel and not a brains-famished zombie. Of course you’re more likely to find an old high school yearbook in the attic than Frankenstein’s Monster. That being said, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a bright, reliable flashlight at your side to make sure you’re never left questioning yourself in the dark this Halloween.
Flashlight Review – Niteye KO-01 First Impressions
Niteye have recently released a series of brand new LED flashlights, so we’re going to take a closer look at one of the standouts: The Niteye KO-01. Among the new entries the KO-01 fits the role of the slim styled light with a brutally powerful 1080 lumen beam. This flashlight review will outline the overall pros and cons of this new light, based on the light’s specifications and our initial impressions. We’re putting the KO-01 on the chopping block, so is it going to make the cut?
Varieties of Knife Grinds, Part II
This is the second portion of my discussion on knife grinds. Today, I’m going to talk about chisel grinds, compound/double bevel grinds, convex grinds, and asymmetrical grinds. This is essential to understanding the anatomy of a knife, and it will help you to learn to use any knife, basic or more specialized, and to use it more effectively in your tasks and activities.
Prepare for Joaquin With Fenix
It appears that hurricane season has begun on the East Coast and the name Joaquin hasn’t appeared in the news this much since “Her” was nominated for Best Picture. With a performance by (Hurricane) Joaquin coming to a city near you, what better way to prepare for him than with a selection of Fenix products. No need to “Walk The Line” of safety; you can never be too prepared for a natural disaster. According to weather.com, meteorologists are predicting that the hurricane could make landfall in New England any time between this coming Sunday and Wednesday and the forecast of 85 MPH winds and torrential rains is more than enough to knock down power lines and leave your household in the dark . When that time comes, you’ll want to make sure you have the fiery shine of a Fenix flashlight.
Start your Joaquin preparations with a flashlight that can help you weather the weather conditions he’ll bring; the Fenix TK15C Waterproof LED Flashlight. This powerful illuminator is able to maintain its maximum output of 450 Lumens for about the run time of the movie Gladiator (2.5 hours) and boasts a peak throw distance of 200 meters, nothing will be out of sight even if the street lights go out. The TK15C also features 2 less intense brightness settings to help you see around the house, as well as a strobe function and red and green LED settings that could be used as eye-catching signals in the event of an emergency. The flashlight is not just useful in such weather; it is prepared for hurricane conditions, made of hard-anodized aluminum resistant to impact damage and waterproof up to 2 meters underwater. The TK15C is definitely a good first step in your Joaquin preparations.
While the TK15C is a good starting point to your Joaquin preparations, there may come a time when your hands are full, whether you be swinging away at an alien intruder, or more likely fixing something in your basement or carrying supplies, and you don’t have anyone to shine a light for you. Time to check out the Fenix HL55 LED Headlamp, all the power you’ll need in a durable design. Like its TK15C cousin, the HL55 is made from hard-anodized aluminum be submerged under 2 meters of water for up to 30 minutes, so it won’t fall victim to the elements easily. With four different constant brightness settings this headlamp can provide the light needed for any situation, whether it be in close quarters or out in the yard, and even features a “Burst” setting that will momentarily provide you with 900 Lumens of illumination to either signal someone or just to get a better view. Joaquin can sure be a handful, but with the HL55 , you’ll have your hands-free for whatever he throws at you.
While these lights are going to be a valuable resource to you during Joaquin’s performance, they won’t be very useful without a way to power them. Luckily, both of these flashlights can be powered by the Fenix 18650 3.6V Lithium-Ion Battery, a rechargeable battery that packs quite a punch. The battery is able to store an amazing 2300 mAh of power, enough to ride out the hurricane with plenty of use from your flashlights. And while you’re at it, you might as well pick yourself up a Fenix ARE-C2 Multi-Charger to keep those batteries charged and your flashlights useful long after Joaquin passes.
Whether or not we expected him to appear, Joaquin is on his way and he’ll surely be as dramatic as always. Ready yourself for his latest production by going full Fenix in your preparations.
Haikus to Recharge the Heart
I broke my first flashlight at 13. It was a compact maglite, built to keep me safe during the scout jamborees and band camp. It sat in my pocket as a lightweight reminder that I was prepared.
Prepared to fight a burglar.
Prepared to fix the circuit breaker in a black out.
Prepared to kill a spider in my sister’s bedroom during the blackout that crawled up her arm before being flung across the bedspread.
But before the end of the second week, my batteries were dead. In the crux of my newly born passion for flashlights, my energy source had been sucked dry. With no means of making it to the store, I asked my mother for more money.
“One small investment,” I pleaded. “It WILL make the difference between OUR safety or OUR sorrow.”
I pronounced each word carefully, straining to find the right angle to help her see the light. She looked at me expressionless, soaking in my junior sales pitch with no inclination to lean one way or the other. Rubbing the ball of her foot into the hard tile, she waited for me to finish my lecture on the importance of rechargeable batteries, and how they would save us millions. As I concluded, she reached into her faded blue jeans and produced a folded piece of paper from a yellow legal pad.
“You make some great points,” she agreed. “But batteries don’t grow on trees.”
She handed me the folded paper, and launched a campaign of her own. She didn’t have to explain that rechargeable batteries were expensive. She didn’t have to explain that pennies saved are pennies more sweetly earned. She merely created a lane and asked me to stay in it. She was shining a light of her own.
So I worked, and began saving for a four pack of AAA batteries for my Mini Maglite. After one month, and some extra chores, I had enough for some batteries. By the end of the second month, I had bought another pack of AAA, a new mini-flashlight, and a charger for my batteries. Thanks to a lucrative packed lunch and canned soda business during lunch hours, I was making a killing. Now, more than a decade later, I own more flashlights than I will ever need. My battery supply is plentiful, and I will never need to worry about running out again.
And I paid for it all with MY sweat. MY tiny tan hands swept, wiped, and dragged garbage to the light.
Sweet, LED light.
In gentle reverence to the noble battery, I offer up several haiku poems from my private collection. Enjoy.
Selections from General LuPont’s Batteries over Broadway: A Celebration of Energy
78.2
Batteries, I think
power life-forces mad quick
but it never lasts.
18.7
They breathe life in two
AA, AAA, give
whole circuits thrive
17.11
They dance gingerly
The acid corrodes their stage
Soon it shines no more
14.256
Battery sits caged
Plastic cartons won’t protect
inevitable