2019 Fall BeckerWest Nov. 15th-17th

[trailbum]

Looks like a great time.
Thanks for all the pics.

 

[Ethan Becker]

What a damned shame I missed this... That is one of the most lovely spots on God’s Green Earth and twice a year it has some of the finest humans around sharing food, conversation, a bit of brew and truly grand fellowship..... looks as if everyone had a good time....Wish I had been there ....I miss this!.... e

 

[Wapiti]

Wow, great job on the photos.
It almost looks like we had a good time!
(which, of course, we did)

Thanks again to all for the great time, and especially to Fall'er and Jonny1280 for all of their efforts to pull these events off.
Greatly appreciated.

 

[FAL'ER]

We've had a good run on that property, it is being sold and the bids are in. By the 1st of the year it'll be a done deal and I'm assuming we won't have access to it any more.
On the upside we have a few options we are looking into for future BeckerWest's.

 

[Pàdruig]

Another great Gathering in the books indeed. I had a hell of a great time as always, met some new folks (to me anyway) and definitely missed some regulars. Great food, good drink, and fantastic company made for a weekend of much merriment regardless.

I took a bunch of pictures and curated a few standouts. A few of the lads got some excellent landscape shots above, I always forget to walk down the hill a bit to take in the terrific view that can be had there.

I got a nice sunset shot coming from behind the treeline.

After the sun went down, the moon came out (and what a moon!). It lit up the sky and made for a neat backdrop.

Contest day arrived and we started with our fire-making endeavors. I got a sweet shot of FAL'ER 's sexy hands (the sparks were pretty cool too).

Here is Jonny1280 gettin' it done.

Contests continued with the axe throwing match. We had a pile of cheap Harbor Freight quality hatchets that folks could try their luck and/or skill with. Here is Abrasion attempting to show us how it gets done.

After much sharpened metal got tossed about and the winners decided, we went on to the shooting contest. Here is my brother and his buddy in a pitched battle of speed, precision, and... lots of luck.

Unfortunately the phone needed charging so I did not get pics of the slingshot contest. That said, pine cones make for miserable ammo for slingshots, kudos to the folks who actually hit stuff.

Implements of... errr... destruction...

My brother decided that he wanted to spit roast a hunk of cow. I heard it was tasty... Apparently I was preoccupied with something and it all got devoured before I could pull myself away from whatever I was doing. Probably checking out a gun or engaged in some sort of philosophical debate.

I'm a bit of a mushroom hound and it is a great time of year over here to hunt them down. I did not do a lot of foraging but there were a lot of chanterelles, LBMs, and such about. I always enjoy snapping pictures of my finds and then referencing my books later. Here a couple of neat pics.

One of the things that impressed me the most when I attended my first Gathering (aside from the terrific folks of course) is that you will hardly be in a place with more knives in one place and in such a variety than a Becker West Gathering, barring knife shows and the like of course. Though it is Ethan Becker, his designs, and the folks at Kabar that brought us all together, we are all inherently knife knuts and we enjoy a rather wide and diverse range of blades. It is always a joy to do some "horse-trading", try out some new stuff, and get exposure to some of the different styles and what not that we all gravitate to.

Below is a pic of some new acquisitions for me as well as some tried and true staples.

A terrific time, hopefully the sale of the property won't put a damper on our future Gatherings. I am sure we will make things happen one way or another. Thanks to Jonny and Nate for making this a reality for us and many thanks to Ethan and the folks at Kabar for their support and everything they do to bring us together.

Cheers!

 

[The Warrior]

Nice photos Pàdruig.

 

[1066vik]

love the looks of that bolo -- if you don't mind, what did you trade to Mack for it?

 

[Pàdruig]

Nice photos Pàdruig.

Thanks, man! I'm pretty proud of that striker pic, it turned out really good.

love the looks of that bolo -- if you don't mind, what did you trade to Mack for it?

I traded him a ZT 0301, it was the very first "nice" knife I ever bought myself several years ago so it had some sentiment attached to it. That said, I had not carried it for awhile and Mack was pretty thrilled with it.

 

[The Warrior]

Thanks, man! I'm pretty proud of that striker pic, it turned out really good.

My fav as well.

By the way, you've had long hair like that for some time now, haven't you?

 

[Pàdruig]

My fav as well.

By the way, you've had long hair like that for some time now, haven't you?

I've been growing it out a couple year now. I used to keep it long several years ago but cut it when I was working in a law enforcement capacity (they don't like long hair or beards...). I take pretty good care of it and will get the hair trimmed and the beard cleaned up a bit at my barber every few months or so to prevent split ends and the like. I'll have to find a picture of me on my wedding day - despite looking like a Norseman, I dressed in full Highland Scottish attire that day. Well over 15 years ago, I think.

 

[The Warrior]

I've been growing it out a couple year now. I used to keep it long several years ago but cut it when I was working in a law enforcement capacity (they don't like long hair or beards...). I take pretty good care of it and will get the hair trimmed and the beard cleaned up a bit at my barber every few months or so to prevent split ends and the like. I'll have to find a picture of me on my wedding day - despite looking like a Norseman, I dressed in full Highland Scottish attire that day. Well over 15 years ago, I think.

I'm of Scottish descent myself. I started growing my hair long. Hasn't been long since I was young. I also shaved my beard 7 months ago, after growing it for 15 months. Growing it back as well. Here's a photo taken a few weeks ago when the wife and I were on vacation. Glad the ol' grey beard is getting long again. This is about half as long as it was. It'll get there though.

 

[Pàdruig]

I'm of Scottish descent myself. I started growing my hair long. Hasn't been long since I was young. I also shaved my beard 7 months ago, after growing it for 15 months. Growing it back as well. Here's a photo taken a few weeks ago when the wife and I were on vacation. Glad the ol' grey beard is getting long again. This is about half as long as it was. It'll get there though.

That is freaking awesome, man. I say flaunt it if you got it - that's what I tell myself anyway.

 

[The Warrior]

That is freaking awesome, man. I say flaunt it if you got it - that's what I tell myself anyway.

Haha, I hear ya man. I hear the Santa thing all the time, but it's all good. When it was shorter I was Kenny Rogers, then as it progressed I was Grizzly Adams.

 

[1066vik]

I cut my hair when the folks at work put up a poll asking who I looked more like -- Manson (not the young one), Rasputin, or Jesus.......

 

[The Warrior]

I cut my hair when the folks at work put up a poll asking who I looked more like -- Manson (not the young one), Rasputin, or Jesus.......

 

[Pàdruig]

Haha, I hear ya man. I hear the Santa thing all the time, but it's all good. When it was shorter I was Kenny Rogers, then as it progressed I was Grizzly Adams.

I see nothing wrong with any of this - well, maybe Kenny Rogers - but the rest? Badge of honor, in my opinion.

 

[Awesom-o-4000]

Looked like an awesome time like always. I am disappointed that I couldn't make it this time though looking at the picture with all the axes I feel that I was there in spirt

 

[Pàdruig]

Looked like an awesome time like always. I am disappointed that I couldn't make it this time though looking at the picture with all the axes I feel that I was there in spirt

We missed you, man. 'Twas a hell of a good time. However, all the metalheads were either MIA or turning in early. I had no one to play air guitar and drink whiskey with into the wee hours of the morning .

 

[Jonny1280]

Looked like an awesome time like always. I am disappointed that I couldn't make it this time though looking at the picture with all the axes I feel that I was there in spirt

You were missed.

 

[Mack]

From what I'm reading, these can grow up to four feet.
Most don't have any, though.