Major Kong

Actually Eric, I think you're absolutlely right. I'll take that Gadsden Sebbie off your hands so you won't have to deal with it anymore. Seriously though, I've owned both knives (traded the Umnum away last year) and I'd be happy to carry either one. You really can't go wrong with Chris Reeve.

I got lucky on that one. Willis passed on it so I got his leftovers.:D

This. I don't want to be coffee buddies with the mall-ninja behind the counter. I want to be greeted, asked if I need help and then either be helped or be left alone until I need help. CCA is only about 5 miles from my house but based on multiple crappy experiences in there I haven't darkened their door in a couple of years.

This place sounds like Coal Creek Armory West.

Fantastic! Glad it all worked out!

For a small(er) 1911 I carry either my Dan Wesson CBOB or my Dan Wesson CCO.

That's the nicest looking R1 I've seen. Congrats.

I just ordered one of the 1911 kits in 10mm from Fusion Firearms. They send it with the frame, slide and barrel fitting already done and you do the rest of the build yourself. I see a couple of advantages in it. First, I'm going to learn a little more about guns. Second, I'm not going to waste factory parts and time and money customizing a factory gun to be the way I want it. It will be my way right off the bat. Third, though I'm not sure yet, I think I'll be able to get a custom quality 1911 for less than a custom price.

Beautiful one Steve! My Baer Premier II is the sweetest shooting of my 1911's. You'll love it. Why don't you bring it to Knoxville and we'll take it up to ORSA and break it in?

I'll be glad to bring it if there's a safe place/distance to shoot it.

Merry Christmas Steve and everyone else out there in internet land!

I'm not going quite from scratch but I'm on the verge of ordering one of the Fusion Firearms frame kits in 10mm. I'll probably be spending a lot more time in this subforum as I try to figure it out.

Crap. More competition on the Blade Exchange. I guess I'll have to learn to type "I'll take it" faster now.

I'm going to be in Vegas that week, but I'm leaving on the 16th. Piss poor planning on my part.

I've got about a half a dozen on order right now, so I think 2012 looks a lot like 2011 up to this point. I can't wait!

I'm guessing the link issue is just a matter of East vs West longitude, but I haven't checked it.

I'm interested if my schedule allows it. How much shooting space is there? .50 BMG allowed?

I just saw on BF that kershawguy has some of these available right now.

I like those orange scales Mav. Did you get them from Monkey Edge? I'm in Phoenix this week and their shop is only about 10 miles from my hotel.

I'm not sure it's possible for me to narrow it down to one favorite. For production/semi-customs I like Busses, Chris Reeves, ZTs, Kershaws, Hinderers, ESEEs, Benchmades and Spydercos. For customs I like Ban Tang, Bill Siegle, Bill Akers, and too many others to even list.

INFI is a great all around steel. I love the BATAC. It's a great mid-sized blade. I would also look at the SAR-6 and the Basic 6. I have one of each and they're probably my favorite all-around knives for everything except heavy chopping or batonning.

First off, I agree with you 100% on the Microtechs. I owned several of them a while back and sold them all. I own one knife I can think of in the criteria you set that I wouldn't carry. It's a Sebenza Lisa's Pick from December 2010 that my wife got me for Christmas last year. It's not the most expensive or the most valuable knife that I own but it's the one I like the most that I didn't pick out myself.

I'll admit right off the bat that I have a Busse fetish. I love their knives and have about two dozen of them. In my opinion they are the best made heavy duty fixed blades you can buy. You can get into a great Busse chopper for around $400 if that's what you're looking for. I have a Bushwhacker Mistress that I use around my place for chopping, splitting, batonning, etc and it does all I ask of it and still wants more. The one I use the most is the 4th from the left.

Nice combo Steve!

I actually enjoy my knife collection much more than my gun collection. There are so many people out there making high quality knives. There is just always something or someone new to discover.