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Manriki chain: Little Known Weapon for Self Defense

Inspirational quotes from great leaders and our nation's founders

A collection of our family favorite inspirational quotes and greats who have inspired us. Pin them and share them.

The ballot is stronger than the bullet. Abraham Lincoln

Do what you love and you will never work another day in your life.

For some, Hunting is a hobby. For me it is a Passion!

When things are not going right, just go fishin'  - One Arm Don

If I had a dollar for every "anti-hunter" who carries a leather purse or briefcase...I'd have more money than Oprah.

Life whispers. Listen Closely.

Let the people know the facts and the country will be safe. - Lincoln

You are not wealthy until you have something money can't buy. -Garth Brooks

Your mind will quit a thousand times before your body will feel the fear and do it anyway!

The real story of St. Valentine.

Taking time to enjoy life will actually inspire your work.

A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them. which would include their own government. - George Washington

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep. I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. -Alexander the Great

These quotes are not only inspirational but also great for uplifting you as well as family and friends! We’d love to see some of your favorite inspirational quotes from great men like these! Share your inspiration with the world. It’s the least you can do.

Honoring Your Service - Thank You Veterans

Extremely-Sharp has great respect for those who have served our nation.  We honor your service. We thank you for the freedom we enjoy. You are in our thoughts, our hearts and we pray for each of you and honor the sacrifices you've made. 

Bless you for being willing to serve this great nation and fight for freedom. 

This powerful photo of a widow laying on the ground in this cemetery, is a great reminder that freedom is not free.

What an amazing photo of military under our nations flag!

Generations come together in thanking and honoring our military for their service. She is proud to be an American and showing her thanks.

Veterans day - shadow of soldiers who serve our nation with pride. Honoring Veterans today, and everyday.

Honoring all who served.

Red white and blue. Wearing your uniform with pride.  Thank you Sailor. We salute you.

Need a Facebook cover or picture for a tweet to show your thanks to Veterans?

Freedom is not Free. We pray for those who serve, but also for their families.

Historic black and white photo. This fills me with pride and patriotism for America the Beautiful!

What does this historic photo of the flag being raised make you feel? 

Sword Fighting From Our Past

We have many left overs from our sword  fighting past.  Here are just a few:

- A man buttons his coat left over right  leaving his right hand free to draw his sword.

- We shake hands to show we are not armed

- A gentleman escorts a lady by the right arm because his sword hangs on his left.

- With the touch of a sword a man is knighted.

- With the breaking of his sword a man is disgraced.

Switch Blades Knives VS Spring Assist Knives

The switchblade (aka automatic, spring loaded) knife has been around since the mid 18th century.  By 1890 because of new mass production techniques switchblades became readily available at lower costs. After WWII American soldiers returning home from Europe brought home  switchblades that would become known as the Italian stiletto switchblade. These Italian stilettos used a new style blade, a slender bayonet blade with a single ground dagger edge that had an opposing false edge, designed primarily as an offensive weapon which was optimized for thrusting rather than cutting. Many of these blades had no cutting edge, made only for fighting. Switchblades became very popular.

 

In the early 1950's switchblades became associated with gangs and violence. Jack Pollack wrote a newspaper article calling switchblades a menace with deadly consequences. He wrote the switchblade was Designed for violence, deadly as a revolver - that’s the switchblade, the toy youngsters all over the country are taking up as a fad.  He urged for new laws that would address these Italian Styled knives.  It became a popular belief that carrying a switchblade and gang warfare were one and the same.

It’s only a short step from carrying a switchblade to gang warfare. By 1954,New York passed the first law banning the sale and distribution of switchblade knives. New York hoped this law would reduce gang violence.

Then came the movies.  Hollywood became fixated with  switchblades. Movies like Rebel Without a Cause,  West Side Story and High school delinquents lead to the public becoming aware of switchblades. The common belief that switchblades caused gang violence began to sweep the nation. In 1958 Congress passed the Switchblade Knife Act.

There were two problems with this act. The first problem was that the act did not distinguish between different types of switchblades.  There were many switchblades that were designed for utility use and general purpose use.  Ask any electrician or plumber how handy a switchblade can be when one hand is busy. But the new law banned all switchblades even those not used by criminals.  Stilettos without a spring were legal. Nothing stopped the gangs from carrying legal stilettos. With the flick of the wrist the blade of a legal stiletto snaps out as fast as any spring loaded knife and was legal.  The second issue was that gang members had no problems turning to baseball bats and guns to settle their issues over territory. The switchblade knife act failed. The law was ineffective but the public was able to take a small sigh of relief.

There are a few loopholes to the law.  If you are a civil employee, in the military, a police officer, or a fire fighter you can legally own a switchblade. If you are missing an arm, like myself, you can legally own a switchblade.   As with so many laws the loopholes make no sense. There are recent studies that have been unable to make any connections between crime and automatic knives. We can by Guns but not spring loaded knives.The second amendment does not mention knives. Laws are not always logical, but they are still laws.

However there is good news. While switchblades remain illegal in the U.S., in 2009 the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill focused on spring assisted knives and decided that the 1958 act did not apply to spring-assist, assisted-opening knives,  or knives with springs that require physical force applied to the blade that assist in opening the knife.  Spring assist knives are legal in all 50 states.

Types of Spring Assist Knives 

What is the difference between a switchblade and a spring assist knife? They have a similar function but their slight differences are important. A switchblade, opens its blade from the handle automatically with the press of a button, a lever, or a switch that is mounted in the knife handle. A spring-assist blade uses a lever or switch that is mounted on the blade or connected to the blade with a direct mechanical linkage. Manual pressure has to be put on this lever.  The pressure overcomes spring pressure designed to keep the blade closed, which in turn causes the blade to partially emerge from the handle. Just Push the blade out around 10% and the spring takes over, rapidly forcing the blade into an open and locked position. When observing both a switch blade and a spring assist knife I defy you to be able to tell which one is faster.

When thinking about purchasing a switchblade you may want to consider purchasing a spring assist knife.  They look and feel just like a switchblade, they function as well as a switchblade and there no legal hassles owning a spring assist knife.

Classic Americana War Posters

Meat for war poster. Can of bacon is a small thing in a world at war.

Honoring America by encouraging our troops

Roughin' It With Bannock

If you are going to be out in the woods for a long time, you may want to consider taking Bannock with you. 

Bannock is a quick biscuit–type bread used through out the world. Bannock is a small flat  loaf of bread. Modern Bannock usually has a  leavening agent. There are many different  types of Bannock with different names.   Bannock recipes are simple and designed to be cooked on a campfire. Bannock is great in the woods, warm, light  and filling. It is like manna from heaven.  Add some honey and you will never want to be without it. 

Bannock is Gaelic in origin. There are reports of soldiers eating Bannock on Hadrian's Wall over 1000 years ago. Bannock was primarily in Ireland, Scotland and Northern England till the 1500's. Eventfully Bannock arrived in the new world and was quickly adopted by Native Americans through out North America. Native Americans call their Bannock Fry Bread. But honestly, the controversy rages on whether Europeans brought Bannock to the New World or did they they had fry bread in the Americas long before Europeans arrived. We may not have the answer to that question but we do know that it is common thought that Bannock was favored by nomadic tribes because the dry mixture stayed fresh for long periods. They would add the fat or oil at cooking time.

Bannock is a versatile, quick, great tasting bread. Originally  bannocks were heavy, flat cakes of unleavened barley or oatmeal dough formed into a round or oval shape and cooked on griddles or hot stones. Now a days Bannock ingredients have been modernized, which includes adding a leavening agent, producing a lighter fluffier dough. You can include extras to make your bread interesting such as raisins, currents, blueberries, cinnamon or cheese if desired.

Every outdoors-men should know how to make this bread that sustained hungry voyageurs, settlers, and First Nations peoples alike in the early days of our country. Bannock, also known as fry bread, skaan, scone or Indian bread, is found throughout North American tribes, including the Inuit of the north and down south to the Navaho of Arizona.

Bannock can be fried, baked or cooked around a stick over hot coals. You can also drop spoonfuls of batter in a stew, producing something like dumplings. But most things just taste better cooked over an open fire or that perfect bed of coals and Bannock is one of them.

The best Bannock to me is carefully winding it around a stick, cooking it in an open fire, buttering it and just eating it. If you want a little more, cover your bannock with jelly, honey or syrup. Wrap your bannock over an impaled polish sausage or hotdog. To cook your Bannock on a stick dust your hands with flour, spoon up a handful of batter, and use your hands to pat it flat and shaping it onto stick. Make sure your edges are well pushed into each other so your bannock won't separate while baking.  Cook your bannock 7-10 minutes over coals until golden brown. Rotate continually for even baking and prevent burning.

Frying bannock in a cast iron pan is a great way to enjoy this bread. Put a few heaping tablespoonfuls of batter in a hot greased frying pan. Cook much like a pancake, do not use to much oil.  After it has cooked for a few minutes lift the edge with a spatula to keep it from burning.  Flip your bannock when the bottom is golden.  Remove from heat once both sides are browned and cooked.

Bannock Recipe

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 6 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup lard
• 2 eggs, optional
• 1 cup water or more

Combine the first four ingredients. Add the lard slowly, rubbing it in to form fine crumbs. Combine the eggs with water and add to the flour mixture.   If you are not using eggs just add your water.  Stir your mixture to form a soft dough, and knead briefly.

If using a frying pan to bake, grease the pan then dust with flour. Place about a quarter of the dough in the pan and heat. Bake until the bottom is lightly brown, then flip. Bake about 10 minutes on the opposite side. Bake remaining dough in similar fashion.

If baking in oven, pat down into greased pie plate. Bake in 400 degree oven for about twenty minutes, or until cooked in the middle.  Don't forget you can fry your dough in oil or slap it on a stick.

You can add raisins, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or whatever you like for a dessert bannock. Bacon bits, diced Spam, dried or fresh herbs, or cheese make a savory bannock.

However you decide to make your bannock it is a great addition to any survival situation, camping trip or some home cooked bread for dinner.

Nunchakus Come to Hollywood; Nunchucks and Bruce Lee

There are a lot of people out there that believe the Nunchaku was first introduced by Bruce Lee in "Enter the Dragon" This could not be farther from the truth. While Bruce made the Nunchaku popular, especially here in the west, the Nunchaku originated sometime in the 17th century.

The first mention of the Nunchaku can be found in ancient Chinese history, where two pieces of wood tied together by horse hair by mountain soldiers. 

This strange twirling weapon is said to have originated in the Song Dynasty derived from farming implements primarily used for threshing rice and soy. Later the Nunchaku made its way to Okinawa where many believe was the original source. Since the nunchaku was used for farming it could not be confiscated by the authorities after King Sho Hashi declared a prohibition to carry weapons.

Another belief about the nunchaku's history is that the nunchaku was developed from the Okinawan horse bit or muge. The handles of the bit were curved and later they were changed to the straight handled Nunchaku that we know today.

Okinawan Horse Muge Nunchaku                                       Nunchucks at ESKNIVES

The nunchaku wasn't a very popular weapon. There is some evidence for this since there are no traditional nunchaku katas. This weapon is nevertheless effective in self-defense, if the time is taken to become proficient with it. Let the practitioner Beware because this weapon has the tendency to cause many bruises. But due to Bruce Lee and the popularmartial arts movie culture the Nunchaku is one of the most popular martial arts weapon ever devised.

Another tail of the nunchaku's history is that it was once a night-watchman's rattle. And some say that the nunchaku was a Chinese weapon brought to Okinawa by Chinese immigrants. This last version makes sense since The term nunchaku derives from the southern Chinese term no-chiat kun. 

Nunchaku - 1. Himo, 2. Konto, 3. Jokon Bu, 4. Chukon Bu, 5. Kikon Bu, 6. Kontei