Episode II - Attack of the Beer Cans

[Dave Rishar]

As I was sitting here resting after an incredibly filling dinner and enjoying some ginger tea, I felt that all was not right with the world. Something was amiss. It wasn't anything definite that I could put a finger on - maybe a sound only half heard, maybe a motion out of the corner of my eye, possibly a sixth sense. I felt ill at ease and couldn't shake the feeling that I'd done something wrong.

Then I remembered. It was time to put up some more of the videos.

My measley 10 megs of space won't hold much so the old ones had to come down, unfortunately. If you decide that you want one and didn't get around to downloading it, email me and we'll figure something out.

First up: my absolutely positively favoritest khuk thus far - my 25" Kobra. I've put some miles on this one and bonded quite a bit with it, and it handles very well for me now - much better than an object with that sort of balance ought to. Like I said, I like this khuk and it likes me. We were meant to be together.

The Kobra deals out aluminum death in stereo here.
Here, I try to sound cerebral and fail, the Kobra does what it does best, and I perform a bit of unintended comedy afterwards. No, I was not drinking while I filmed these. I wish I had been.
Three cans ambush me! Well, not really. I've always had an overactive imagination. Combined with too much free time, you can see the results.

As I've mentioned in passing before, the Cherokee Rose and I have had a love/hate relationship - I love this knife and it hates me. Things have gotten better recently; if I had to guess, I'd say that the damned thing has drawn so much of my blood that it simply can't deal with any more. The Rose has only recently started its turn on the Satori Endurance Trials and I figured that some cans were just what the doctor ordered.

This was the first swing of the day. It's also what gave me the idea for multiple cans.
Although not evident in the next video, this knife is actually quite lively in the hand...despite being, for all intents and purposes, a short sword. At first glance it looks like I simply knocked the first can off but look more closely - the Rose cut the first can cleanly, then severed its line as it cut the second can.

If I had to pick my second favorite HI product, it would be the AK Bowie. I don't know what it is about my personality but I always seem to like the ones best that are trying to kill me. (In this regard I can draw certain parallels between my HI collection and my love life.) I don't use my Bowie enough. The weather is getting warmer, though...

Here, the Bowie cuts up something besides my hands for once. My distance was off on the second swing, hence the "hanger." It's quite sharp, as evident from the first can. (Note that cool diagonal cut. I love that. I almost never manage to do that.)
In the next clip, I open a can HI-style and attempt to split it lengthwise. No joy - the tip contacted the stand first, preventing a full cut through the bottom. One more try: money. The can is cleanly bisected. I'm obviously pleased with this.
Third time's a charm: I attempt to slice a can full of water lengthwise. The only thing clean about this cut are the edges of the two can halves; I wind up getting soaked.

For something a little different, I broke out the WWII-issue khuk I recently received from Atlanta Cutlery. It's intended to be a display piece and not a user so I have left the edge alone. It's quite dull - I demonstrate this by running my thumb along it several times. The purpose of this swing is to demonstrate that, at least against beer cans, a proper swing is far more important to making a clean cut than sharpness is. Sharpness helps, of course, but is a small factor in the equation. Check it out.

In the interests of maintaining my humility, here's another blooper. This is why I'm a firearms instructor and not a swordsmanship instructor. I don't believe I could've sent a can flying that far with a baseball bat.

Again, enjoy. I sure did.

 

[Semper Fi]

Good info if I'm ever attack by beer cans.

Please tell me that was not perfectly good beer going to waste.

 

[munk]

Among the Beer Brotherhood, it is understood beer is an enlightening beverage not to be wasted. After a party the empties are thrown away. The partially filled cans or bottles are eyed skeptically. But the nearly full ones, those that reveal decadence and waste, belong to the outcasts. They have not been blessed by the Beer God. It is even worse if lipstick is found on the rims or edge of the almost full container, or worse, a cigarette in the brew. These are omissions that cannot be forgotten by the Keepers of the Keg.

There is only one sin greater; the newly opened container, one small sip removed, left lying out and wasted. Yes, wasted. If the next morning they are identified quickly the sin can be at least mended, if not entirely right, when the contents are downed lukewarm into a neophyte's throat.
That kind of waste?
Yeah, I remember those days.

Sorry; go on with your thread.



munk

 

[Daniel Koster]

nice vids.....

do this next:

2, or 3 cans lined up in a line...one cut to go through them all. When you can do that, add cans.

 

[DannyinJapan]

shoulders were level!!
Excellence!

 

[Dave Rishar]

Thanks all for the comments. None of the cans contained anything but water.

DIJ - these were filmed during the same session as the last ones. I think I need to work on my consistancy.

Dan - I'll make that happen next time. Great idea.

Munk - good man.

Semper Fi - I'd have to kick my own @ss if I was out there chopping up cans with beer in them. I did actually chop up one full can with the Talwar but it had been left out in the sun all day previously and was probably skunked. To be fair, I shook it up before splitting it and that's a pretty cool way to send a skunked beer off if you ask me. That vid will probably come up in the next batch.

 

[Semper Fi]

Thanks all for the comments. None of the cans contained anything but water.

DIJ - these were filmed during the same session as the last ones. I think I need to work on my consistancy.

Dan - I'll make that happen next time. Great idea.

Munk - good man.

Semper Fi - I'd have to kick my own @ss if I was out there chopping up cans with beer in them. I did actually chop up one full can with the Talwar but it had been left out in the sun all day previously and was probably skunked. To be fair, I shook it up before splitting it and that's a pretty cool way to send a skunked beer off if you ask me. That vid will probably come up in the next batch.

Thank the GAWDS!! It was only water!! I was TRULY horrifed when I saw those vids thinking the worst for that golden brew.

munk, your post was excellent. Beer is a gift from heaven to be enjoyed by manly men everywhere. Wasting good beer is akin to saying "NO" to a date with Ashley Judd. A most HORRIBLE thought indeed.