ESLife

ESKNIVES Goes to BrickFair

Brickfair came to Birmingham, Alabama and the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, this January and ESKnives was there. I have never seen so many Lego enthusiasts in one place.

ESKNIVES Family

What is Brickfair?

This comes directly from the Brickfair Website

BrickFair brings together adult fans of LEGO from across the USA (and Canada, and a few other countries) to show off their projects, great and small, and to share their passion for LEGO - the most awesome toy - ever.

Brick fair is bringing together adult Lego fans.... I don't know. I was there and I swear there was a 2 to 1 ratio of children to adults. It was obvious that the kids didn't know that that Legos are now the property of the adults. The kids were having a great time.

This was my first BrickFair, my first Lego event ever.

There were the customary Lego Protesters. They always have something to say.

Lego Protestors

We can't go anywhere without the news getting involved. That's just the price of being a celebrity.

One Arm Don and the Mrs.

What these Lego Hobbyist make out of their little toy blocks is amazing. There was no way to describe the Lego convention in words. Presenting a few of my pictures might be the best way to give the reader an idea of what was going on in the world of Legos.

Alabama 5 Star Restaurant

Alabama Space and Rocket Center

Battleship

Ready for Battle

Gas Station

City

More City

Coke Building

Let's go swimming!

Knights in Battle

I had a wonderful time with the Family taking in the sites.

That's all I have for now.

One Arm Don

Extremely-Sharp and Big Chiefs

ESKNIVES and Big Chiefs ESKNIVES has been helping Big Chiefs for several years. We are proud to help them out.

The first step was to get with full-time teachers and find out which students could or would benefit from any kind of program that centered on respect, hard work, and fun.  The most we have had were 30 kids and 20 volunteers, and because of drastic reductions in donations that number fell to 18 kids in 2012.

We take the kids camping, hiking, fishing and do projects like building bird houses and feeders.  Other projects include building holiday baskets and delivering meals.  The largest project is what we call Firewood for the Poor.  There have been landowners locally that have had logging crews come in and make messes of their property.  We go in and cut into firewood the trees that were left behind and down by the loggers.  We do not cut standing timber." Big Chiefs is what we look for when sponsoring organizations. They are small group of guys that just want to help kids. The kids are their main focus. We need more of that. We at ESKNIVES tip our hats to the guys at Big Chiefs.

Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe: Quick and Easy

I like to eat. I like to eat good food. I like to cook. I work a lot. Most days I have little time for cooking, what with filling orders, buying product, adding product to the website and marketing the website. This is where a crockpot comes in handy. With a small amount of prep time you can have a great meal. My crockpot cooks at a low temp and all day cooking makes a great meal at the end of the day. Pot roast is always a good standby. Easy and tasty. This morning I put together the following:

  

Gift Ideas for Duck Dynasty Fans

   

 

 

  

 

   

Catching Your Own Fish Bait

You want to fish with live bait you go to the bait shop and buy some bait. What if you want to catch your own bait. After all you are limited on what types of bait you can buy at the local bait shop. If the end of the world, as we know it, happens you'll have to find your own bait. Here are some tips where to where to find commonly used baits.

Crickets are one of the most common baits. Great for pan fish like bluegills and sunfish. Crickets are pretty easy to find. You can find them in your house, or look outside under a few rocks, maybe in a local wood pile. You can find crickets most of the year somewhere.

Grasshoppers are almost as good as crickets. Finding them is more limited. You can find them in the tall grass during summer and early fall.

Mealworms are a great bait that can be bought at the local bait shop. Mealworms are a beetle larvae. These can't be found easily. If you are interested in cutting out the middleman you will have to raise them on your own. Wax worms, a moth larvae, are on the same level as mealworms and make a great bait. 

Grubs are found in the ground. Just a little digging in a grassy area will turn them up. Some fish will eat them up.

Night crawlers and earthworms are a staple for catching fish. We all know digging them up is the easiest way to find them. At night we go out with a high powered light and catchthe big crawlers coming out of the ground but you got to be fast. You can always fiddle some worms. I plan to write an article on fiddle worms in the future.

Bass and crappie love minnows. We catch minnows in a seine. Seines are hard in the colder temps because you tend to get wet using a seine. There are many types of nets out there to catch minnows but usually require two arms so I stay away from them. During colder weather is when the old minnow trap comes in out. A minnow trap, some oatmeal, and you can catch all the minnows you need. We use the standard metal mesh trap but I am thinking about getting one of these glass traps.

Large Bass, Northerns and Muskies love the Frogs. Frogs are easily found in ponds and lakes. Catching them live is another story. But it can be done. With practice you can have enough frogs for fishing and a tasty dinner.

Walleyes regard leeches as soul food and walleye is perhaps the best tasting fish ever. The easiest way to catch leeches is to roll up your pants and walk through a swamp. This is effective but not fun. The next best way is to get yourself a big piece of beef liver. Throw it out into a swamp one evening. Go back the next morning and your liver will be full of leaches.

Minnesota 2013 Walleye Stamp

Fishing with live bait is a great way to catch fish. Catching your own bait is rewarding and fun.

Shurikens: How To Throw a Star like a Ninja

Extremely Sharp Life: Welcomes Guests Bloggers

We are excited to start our guest bloggers series at Extremely-Sharp Life.

Do you have something great to write on that fits with the ES life?  More guest bloggers wanted! We would love to hear from you!  Contact us via twitter or comment on this post and we would love to talk with you!   Over the next few months you can expect to read some awesome content from all kinds of Extremely-Sharp folks. Hunters, fishermen, outdoor survivalists, professionals who specialize in adventure, wildlife photographers, and much much more!

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Stickin with the Cold Steel Sure Strike Shuriken

People love throwing stuff.  We at ESKNIVES love to throw knives and throwing stars. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing that "thunk" sound as a blade sticks in the wooden target.

Shurikens are a lot of fun.  I thought I would write in this article about Cold Steel Shurikens. Cold steel Sure Strike Throwing stars are a great way to get started in the throwing game. 

Sure Strikes aren't like the cheap, shoddy throwing stars you see at flea markets, guns shows, and in martial arts magazines. That's because they are laser cut from high carbon steel that's been heat treated to a hard spring temper before sharpening and then given a black, baked-on epoxy finish to protect them from the elements.  Professionally weighted, balanced and  fully sharpened ends.   Remember that these are serious weapons and not toys.  They will hurt people if not handled responsibly.

Cold Steel Sure Strikes

The Cold Steel Sure Strikes are modeled after the Shuriken that has been used for centuries in China and Japan.  Sure Strike throwing stars come in three sizes, light, medium and heavy.  Points are sharp and no need for sharp edges.  You can throw them for a long time without dulling the point.   They fly effortlessly. You can throw the sure strike  overhand like a baseball, side arm, underarm or back hand like a flying saucer.  When thrown straight,  it hits on at least one point every time.   That's why they are called Sure Strikes.

All three share the same sized diameter of 5.75".  Where they very is in thickness which varies the weight.  The light is 2mm thick at 2.8 oz, The medium is 4mm thick at 4.2 oz and the heavy comes in at 6mm and 6.4 oz. 

Sure Strikes-Light, Heavy and Medium

These sure strikes really help to get your ninja on.  I have thrown all three sizes.  I prefer the heavy sure strike.  The heavy sure strike is a heavy thick piece of steel.  They seem to stick better than the light.  The one problem I have encountered is when they stick, sometimes I have to  pull them out of the target with pliers.  After throwing them for awhile, I preferred the overhand method as opposed to the underhand (frisbe like) throw.

I have found that they live up to their name sure strike,

You throw them they stick. Even the light version did well. It still has some weight behind it and easily sinks into what ever you throw it at.

Great for new people. These stars stick each time and help boost your confidence. You don't have to be that good to make one stick. Take it from me, I used to be right handed before I lost my arm and even I can make them stick with a left hand throw. After continued use the paint on the outside will rub off some to reveal the silver metal.

These are the stars that stick every time, the Sure Strikes from Cold Steel. Have fun with them and be safe!

Life as a Trailblazer

 

In our line of work, selling survival gear, knives, swords and other awesome things. We have adopted our favorite word that encompasses the many people we come across all the time- TRAILBLAZERS. The thing that our friends have in common (hikers, fishermen, hunters, outdoor enthusiast, explorers, adventure seekers, etc)... is their spirits define this awesome word.

 
Are you a trailblazer?

 

Trailblazer: (n.) a person who makes a new track through wild country. Pioneer.

  

The hiker symbol. Known to many at www.Extremely-Sharp.com

  

There are some views that only Trailblazers can enjoy. This hiker reached the peak and a remarkable view as a reward for their bold and adventurous hike.



I am a trailblazer.  Pin this if you are one too!