Rifle / Pistol Cleaning Kit.

I've already written a short bit on modifying gun cleaning kits to have a straight wood handle as opposed to the horrible plastic T handle. This next bit is about making a storage tube for the new, streamlined kit. This is simple.

Take a cardboard poster mailing tube (my wife orders the occasional poster for her classroom, so these are in no short supply at my house) and cut it to the length of the longest rod, leaving about 3/4 of an inch extra for the cap and space. The cap on one end is usually stapled securely in place, and the other end taped. Cut from the taped end.





After cutting to length, seal the freshly cut end by running a band of plastic packing tape around the tube, leaving 1/2 inch or so overlapping past the end of the tube.





Cut the overhanging tape into 1/2 strips, then fold them over, sticking them to the inside of the tube. This helps keep the business end of the tube from fraying so quickly.





That's all there is to it. A 1 1/2 inch tube will hold a pistol rod and 3-piece rifle rod, with room left over for brushes, jags, and patch loops. Best of all? It takes up very little room in my range box.

Jim Moyer Knife maker

I like this guy. He reminds me of my Dad. Jim is a knife maker in Idaho City, Idaho, and he turns out some of the prettiest damn knives I've ever seen. His work is art, pure and functional. His video is such a pleasure to see, because it's a rare treat in life to be able to watch a craftsman ply his trade.

The best thing about Jim? There's no b.s. in him. He isn't a "bladesmith," "armourer," or some other such foolishness. He's a knife-maker. He's been a knife-maker most of his life. He's one of those happy men who takes pride in his work, and rightly so.

I could order a knife from him by phone - I love that he doesn't sell many knives on the Internet! and I may do just that after the gun shows this weekend and next. In any case, I want to see him work firsthand. Watching Jim make knives - watching a man of his skill work - is an experience one only gets a handful of times in life.

In short, I'm going to Idaho this summer, just to spend a day or two around his shop. I'll bet I can learn more in two days of watching Jim work than I could learn from reading a hundred books on the subject.

In the meantime, enjoy his video!

Watch this video on VideoSurf or see more Steel (The Twilight Videos or Blade Videos

If I were President...

Ugh. I should be in politics. There are days I feel like the last man in America with any measure of common sense. Let's fix the economy in three easy steps, ready?

1. Reduce the tax burden on American corporations. If they have more money, they'll expand, hire, and pay dividends to stockholders.

2. Create an American-made friendly marketplace by taxing the hell out of imported goods. This levels the field so the American worker can earn a decent wage and compete with the 12-cents-a-day sweatshop workers in China.

3. Rethink many of our bloated social-welfare programs. I've seen too many healthy people drawing SSI disability. It makes me physically sick. I'm not talking about people so physically or mentally damaged that they are incapable of working, but the losers milking the system.

Welfare, foodstamps, etc. (everything but Social Security and Medicare) should be considered TEMPORARY arrangements, a little help until the individual can get his/her life together and become a productive citizen. My Dad had polio. He couldn't walk without a leg brace and walking sticks. He worked every day of his life (most of it in construction) until he retired at 60. I have zero patience for the belly-achers who do nothing but wait for the first of the month and their government check.

Will my three little steps fix everything? No. But it would be a dandy start.

It's time for us, as Americans, to collectively suck it up and get moving. The alternative is to give away everything those who came before us worked so hard to build and earn. Wow, there are two words I don't hear much these days.

Pure Classic: (The ad and the rifle)

Printable Targets

Here are three printable targets. They're simple affairs, but simple often works. Click on the image to get the full-size printable target. These are pixel-shaded, so they're photocopier friendly, which I believe to be cheaper than buying pre-printed targets.

The Resurrected Henry Rifle Company : An American Legend

So, I'm liking the Henry Rifle Attitude. Here are two of their newer ads. I love the notion "They get made here or not at all." A Henry U.S. Survival is definitely in my near future :)




I also like the ads themselves; they remind me of the best gun ads that used to appear in magazines like National Geographic and Field and Stream.

Ode to Plaid Redux

An Ode to Plaid

Oh plaid,

How you comfort me.

You are a non-glowing,

Satisfyingly earth-toned,

Never neon,

Un-guy-liner-ed,

Not-pastel,

Why-yes-this-is-a-BELT,

Symbol of my status

As a man.

I will wear shirts of you year round

with white tees underneath,

and adorn the pockets with the finest inexpensive pens.

I will cherish you in weather hot and cold.

I will seek out and purchase handkerchiefs

Cut from your cloth,

And tuck them away in my pocket

For the little emergencies.

I will celebrate your perfection

By carrying my plaid lunchbox

And plaid Thermos

To work,

Filled with bologna sandwiches

And Beenie Weenies,

Or the occasional can

Of Potted Meat (with saltine crackers).

Happily bygone are the days of salads

Or apples

Or low-MSG foods.

I will associate only with other of your faithful,

Consorting with well-groomed men

Of uncertain age

And hostile disposition

In restaurants and bars,

stores and malls,

Complaining of the ignorant masses

Who’ve yet to discover your subtle joys,

The constancy of your fashion sense,

The eternal un-hipness of you.

I will seek high office

So I can redesign our state flag,

In adoring homage to you -

A glorious plaid field

With a rifle and burning cigarette (rampant)

In the foreground.

And in the evening,

I will don pajama pants of you,

In pleasing blues.

And sleep like the man I am,

Snoring,

Farting,

Drooling,

Blissfully dreaming of shooting small furry animals,

Until dawn graces the East.