Knives

The older I become, the more interested I become in knives and assorted cutlery. Pocket knives, meat cleavers, claymore swords and Japanese katanas. For some reason I find a strange affinity for them.

While I share a growing affection for firearms and muscle cars, those are in a completely separate category from knives. Knives are more personal than the other two. While an M1911 or the new XM-8 has its appeal, a knife is something you keep on your person at all times. Perhaps it is something in the collective conscience that goes back to the first man that discovered sharpened metal was more durable than a sharpened stick and not as weighty as a sharpened stone - the assurity of higher knowledge combined with the primal instinct for protection. Knives and swords have been around for millenia, whereas firearms have been around at best for the past 600 years. Quite the comparison when compared to the history of the world.

I carry an aircrew knife on my person for the most part. It is styled after the same knife that military aviators are reknowned for using when they are using their survival skills in the wilderness. I also have a 10 inch black survival knife with serated edges towards the hilt which I have affectionately named Langrisser (Lung Ripper), a matching katana and short sword set named Divine Retribution and Morning Glory, a small pocket knife with serated blade that was given to me as a birthday gift by a former girlfriend, and a black boot-knife which rarely leaves my bed. I keep it beneath my pillow for the "uninvited guest".

Eventually I would like to own a replica Claymore, with ornate Celtic designs on the hilt, as tribute to my European ancestry. While I know little about Viking heritage, I know they sowed their wild oats throughout England and mainland Europe, so it stands to reason their artisans were influential on Teutonic, Aryan, and Norman culture. I will always share a love for the Japanese Samurai and the Edo period, however the Old World shares an equal abundance of beauty in weaponry that shouldn't go unappreciated.

When I get to Europe in the next few months, I will look around to see what's available. I may stick to Stateside merchants due to pricing and language concerns, however if I see something I like, I will gladly add it to my growing collection. I just hope I can clear it all through Customs!