MacGyver

For those in Nashville, there's a great new coffee shop at Trousdale and Backman in Crieve Hall called Roast. It's owned and run by a husband and wife who have a passion for good coffee. They do all their own roasting onsite, and are super nice. I've got a definite soft spot for the small business guy who thinks they can do it better than the big guys and decide to make a run at it. I'll drink Starbucks, but usually regret it. I don't know what they put in their coffee, but whatever it is, it goes through my colon like a freight train.

Two great knives! You'll be happy with both. At least you'll probably be able to keep your knives in the divorce.

Personally, between those two, I'd choose the Zero Tolerance. I like the way S30V holds an edge. Also, when it comes to serrations, I prefer one or the other - not both. And, for an EDC, I prefer a plain edge. It's just easier to maintain. They're both fine knives, though. You'll likely be happy with either of the two.

Good luck with the checkride! I'd love to get multi rated one of these days.

I like that finish. What is it? It looks like a bead blast over some other surface coating.

Love them on my shotgun. Pistol - not so much.

Yeah, I know the pain. It's good to shoot with friends, though.

Sorry. I consider it Smyrna because I don't feel like I'm going all the way to Murfreesboro when I get off at Medical Center Parkway. It's the location at 915 N Thompson Lane.

It's short notice, but if anyone is interested, a few of us are shooting at OnTarget in Smyrna tonight. We'll meet after work - about 1845CDT and shoot until they close at 2100CDT. It would be good to see a some other TGO's there.

Looking forward to some backpacking in the cooler weather. Hopefully I'll be able to get one last surf trip in before it gets too cold, too.

The first two in this series were awesome. This will make a great addition

I'm going to go with JeffL and endorse the Spyderco ParaMilitary Plain Edge as well. I usually carry a full sized Military, but it might be too big for your liking. The ParaMilitary is s30V steel, holds a great edge, is fast to deploy and the G10 scales are remarkably grippy.

The ESEE RC-5 is a big knife for doing big jobs. It is overbuilt for the jobs most people use a knife for, but that's what gives me confidence. The blade is 1/4 inch thick. You can use it as a stave with no worries of breaking it. I've also got an RC-3 MIL. It's a great blade. Great quality, but I wouldn't choose it as my primary knife in the field where my life might depend on it. I guess it depends on what you're going to use it for. Everyday use and general camp chores give you a lot of options. I like the RC-5 for exactly the reason some reviewers don't like it. It is a heavy, overbuilt blade. But, my life has been saved by the tools I've had on me at the time more than once. I like the fact that I can trust that if I call on this tool to do a hard job, it'll send the reaper away empty handed.

I hope they send you a Christmas card. I don't think they get a better evangelist for the line than you. I'm looking forward to their new one.

That Cold Steel Kukri is a great blade. Especially for the price. Moped, I agree with you on the Mora sheath. While it definitely goes along with their simplicity, I'd probably replace it, too. Great blade, though. And you can't beat the price on it either.

I'll start us out: I trend towards working knives that can do a hard job well. I like high carbon steels, too. Fixed Blade: My trusted Rat Cutlery (ESEE) RC-5. I've trusted my life to it more than once. And probably will again. Folder: Spyderco Military - In my opinion, everything a working knife should be. Positive grip, fast to deploy, wickedly sharp out of the box, and able to hold a great edge. Despite the great name Spyderco made for themselves with serrated knives, I love the plain edge on this one. Serrated blades have their place, just not very often in my pocket. Multitool: I'm such a tossup on this one, as I think in general multitools try to fill a lot of roles, and don't do any one thing well.. My current EDC is a Gerber Crucial. My multitool for use in the field when I've got more room is a SOG EOD. Neither has failed me yet. I gave up on Leathermans a few years ago. Despite trying to like them, I broke at least half a dozen. Automatic: I love my Microtech Ultratech OTF Plain edge. Machete: Currently a Swamp Rat Waki. Also have to give honorable mention to the Bark River Golok. I've yet to find what I really want in a machete. One of these days I'll get my act together and some spare time and turn one out. The Swamp Rat is a great blade, though. If I had to ditch everything else, I would keep the RAT RC-5. Hands down.

So I got to thinking last night, and thought this would be fun to get some different peoples' favorites. So here's the deal. You have to ditch every knife you own but one. Which one blade would you keep? Since I know people will throw out the different categories of knives to try to keep from narrowing it down to just one, you can list in any of the following categories. Also, since this is purely for fun, lets assume that you can own, possess, carry and use anything you want. You don't have to own the blades to post - this can be your wish list if you want. But, you must end your post with the ONE single blade that you would keep. Here are the categories: Fixed blade: Folder: Multitool: Automatic: Machete: As always, pictures are a plus. Remember, you have to narrow it down to a single blade.

When I was a kid in Atlanta, the Penny's at the mall by our house had a gun counter, as of course did Sears. My first pellet gun - a Crosman 760 pumpmaster came from Penny's. I also bought my most formidable weapon there - a Daisy Wrist Rocket. With a pocketful of Pachinko balls, there wasn't a can in a three country area that was safe. Penny's was also the place where we went for all of our Boy Scout Uniforms, as they had a section devoted to Scouting - both uniforms and most of the old BSA branded gear. I spent a lot of time in those two sections as a kid.

Just make sure you have several knives that you care nothing about to start with. It's definitely and art, and while capable of developing an amazing edge, can screw up a good blade in a second if you aren't careful.

You're right. And, it's stamped right on the blade, too. I know that being fully US made has been a big commitment of their's in the past. I'm curious about the change now.

Here's a picture from their site. I'll post a picture of my well used version when I get back.

If I had to ditch every other knife I owned, and could keep just one, my RC-5 would be it. I've got big expectations for this one. It is a lot, but I think it's worth it. I like Jeff and Mike a lot, and like the fact that they're committed to making all of their blades here in the U.S. They are small, so you're not getting the benefit of quantity that a larger maker does. That said, you're getting a handmade tool that you can trust and has a lifetime no questions asked guarantee.

I've been waiting a year for this one to hit the street. I can't wait. Nice find!

Nice. Great to support a Tennessee company, too.

Congratulations!