Over at Murdoc Online, I’ve started a new weekly feature called Civil War Saturday. It generally features a period photograph and an essay by AW1 Tim, a longtime reader and commenter at MO.

This week’s entry, the third, is about Bayonets. Go check it out and add to the discussion in the comments section if interested.

New from SOG Specialty Knives & Tools in Lynwood, Washington:

SOG Power Assist Multitool

PowerAssist

The new PowerAssist takes multi-tools to a new level. This is the first in the world to house not just one but two SOG Assisted Technology™ blades. Start to open the main blades, which are available when the main tool is closed, and S.A.T. takes over to complete opening. When not in use, these blades lock closed using our patent pending side release. Flip open the tool and experience the precision of the heavy-duty plier capability and large wire cutters. Smooth handle surfaces promote comfort on even the toughest jobs. While open, five other components are now available and individually lock open with the new patent pending Piano-Locks.You’re going to love playing these keys! Also includes Compound Leverage™, gear covers, hex bolt construction, V-Cutter, and built-in crimpers.

There are a lot of choices out there for multitools, but this assisted-opening system looks like it might be worth checking out.

A commenter on Sunday’s post about the most recent mass stabbing in Tokyo pointed out a comment over at Steven Den Beste’s that includes:

As for cultural passivity, there was a recent incident on a train where an unarmed guy flashed a girl, and when she protested, he beat her up right in front of the other passengers and at the next stop stuffed her down between the train and the platform. No one did anything to stop him during the act or his escape, and no one even stayed as a witness. Yes, this does happen elsewhere in the world (however, non-involvement is the norm in Japan) but nontheless it always leads to a lot of extra soul-searching in Japan, as it should, since they pride themselves so much on their social responsibility and cohesiveness. When one of the witnesses to the train flasher assault later came forward via anonymous phone call to a TV station, he said the reason he didn’t want to get involved at the time was he didn’t want to get hurt (the pathetic pussy) but worse, he would have been late for work if he’d stayed to be a witness for the cops. He was dead serious with that excuse and had called in to make it clear he had a perfectly understandable reason for not getting involved.

Go read the whole thing.

This reminds me of the whole A kid punching a playground bully is a ‘vigilante’? discussion in April:

In a comments thread over at Dean’s World, responding to a commenter who wrote that women should simply yell “Masher!” and hit the offender across the face if pressed against or fondled by a stranger:

That’s called vigilantism…So if you wish the people not to descend into tribalism and lawlessness, you would have to stop advocating ‘take care of it yourself’ for an official government law enforcement policy.

Response:

Oh for pity’s sake. Is it ‘vigilantism’ when a kid punches a bully in the nose?

Answer:

Yes, of course.

In my school we seek to ensure that he does not have to do so.

So here we have a case where a woman stood up for herself after being flashed, and the flasher proceeded to beat her up while everyone else stood and did nothing. They probably didn’t want to become ‘vigilantes’ by helping the woman (another ‘vigilante.’) Absolutely pathetic.

Then, to top it off, the non-’vigilante’ witnesses don’t even bother sticking around to help the authorities pick up the pieces after the fact. Indefensible.

So finally we have this, left in a comment on Sunday’s post:
(more…)

7 die in Tokyo Stabbing spree:

A man who police said “was tired of life” drove into a crowd of pedestrians Sunday and then went on a stabbing rampage in Tokyo’s premier electronics and video game district, killing seven people and wounding 10, authorities said.

Yes, he drove a truck into a crowd, doubtlessly injuring some of them and leaving other stunned. But it seem outlandish that he was able to stab 7 people to death with a knife. This wasn’t some samurai with a sword, just a deranged lunatic with a knife of some sort.

(Qualifier: We don’t know how many of the 7 dead and 10 wounded were killed or wounded by the truck in the opening moments of the attack. Maybe he only stabbed a couple of people after driving over and killing 5. That would at least make more sense.)

Now, Japan’s gun control is among the most restrictive in the free world, so it’s not surprising that someone didn’t use firearms to defeat the attacker. But what sort of mind-set must have been present to allow this guy to do this? Were they just standing around hoping the police would show up before the slasher got to them?

We hear a lot of stories about 70-year-old WW2 vets fighting off street hoods while outnumbered three-to-one on American streets. And, no doubt, similar things happen in Japan from time to time. But I’m not aware of any mass-stabbing attacks in the US lately.

Armed with a gun, with a backpack, or with nothing, self defense is a mind-set first.

Joe Huffman on the coming battle over the right to keep and bear blades.

Lots of people will tell you that you’re silly if you think anyone wants to take away your knife. It’s only the assault weapons and unregistered handguns they want to take away. Well, then the other handguns, too. And, after that, the competition rifles.

But don’t worry hunters. It’s not your guns they want.

Well, unless they get the rest and all that’s left are hunting guns. At that point, why not take them?

When they’re gone? What else is there to take?

Well, swords for starters. Just the big ones that no person really needs, after all. And then the small ones, too.

Sure seems silly. Except that is what is happening almost everywhere else.

There’s probably a logical explanation for this, but I wouldn’t recommend stopping to find out…

Of course, next time I’m on the highway with my thumb out and an axe in my hand, hoping someone stops to give me a lift, I’ll probably be out of luck.

UPDATE: That’s not one of the gunbloggers headed home from Louisville, is it?

The anti-gun folks in England will not allow bending the rules to allow Olympians to practice in their own country.

Remember this when the grabbers say that whatever ban they’re pushing on any given day won’t affect many people.

Their goal is to ban everything. It’s what they succeeded at in Britain, and now look at what happens next. Well, this and the sword bans.

Kit Up! at Miliary.com notes the Gerber Yari II Knife.

In addition to being impressed with the quality of the knife’s construction, I was also quite impressed with the quality and construction of the sheath as well as the “attachment” options that come with the knife. In addition to the now standard MOLLE attachment straps, the sheath also comes with a belt loop, as well as a screw-in clip for attaching the knife to a molded plastic drop leg pistol holster such as the Safariland Model 6004. While the knife is held securely in the sheath by a pair of “grippers” molded into the sheath (which is how I currently have it configured) an optional thumb release strap is included with the knife for additional retention piece of mind.

Good discussion in the comments section, both pro and con. Also, this one:

I’ve carried my KBAR since the War of 1812 and there is no better knife. All other knives are not worthy of the name knife.

When James W. KBAR invented the Knife, it was a KBAR.

—Sorry, I just thought I would get that out of the way…

Funny!

This month’s Frost Cutlery Twelve Pack at Smoky Mountain Knife Works is a dozen Delta Command Linerlocks for a cool $24.99. Hard to beat that.

I picked up a dozen of these from Smoky Mountain Knife Works when they were offered as their January Twelve Pack. Should make nice little gifts for friends and family.

February’s Twelve Pack is a dozen Zeppelin Linerlocks for $19.99.