I hope to do a little more crowd sourcing with topics, and to that end I thought I post the pre-show research notes here.  Episode 17 is in the works already and the main topic is going to be EDC gear and Kickstarter.

New Stuff and News:

A lot of things happened in the gear world in the past few weeks, some of which we held off talking about because Aaron was MIA.  Here is a sample of what we plan on discussing on Episode 17:

• The USN Gathering V with an analysis of show winners and trends
• Community Reaction to the Spyderco Domino, including Aaron’s take
• The triumphant (?) return of Tudor to America
• A few new SOG releases that break the SOG mold

If there is a piece of news we are missing, send it to us.

Main Topic:

I have reviewed  a few pieces that were part of Kickstarter campaigns and I have a few others in the works.  The crew will be discussing the pros and cons, interesting gear, and what’s missing from Kickstarter.  If there is a piece of gear you’d like us to talk about, hit me (Tony) up at the contact page.  I can’t guarantee we’ll get to it, but we can try.

Mail Bag:

Here is the easy way, just comment to this post and we’ll look into it.

Remember, we still have two contests running.  Here is the official information for that.

Okay, so a few months ago I was thinking that I could entice folks into making intro music.  I have received exactly ZERO submissions (Andrew wrote the current intro music).  SO…let’s change things up a little bit.

Contest #1: Topic Suggestion

This is simple.  Send in a topic suggestion (here is the Contact page, you can send it to me and I’ll send it to Andrew and Aaron).  We will pick a winner and that will be the topic for Episode 20.  Don’t submit anything we have already covered.  The winner will receive the MBI HF-R that was to be the giveaway for the intro music contest.  We’ll probably get around to other submissions, but Episode 20 will be the contest winner.

Contest #2: Rate and Review

On Episode 16, I’ll choose a winner for the best review comment on iTunes (here is our page).  The winner for Episode 16 will receive a CRKT Enticer.  On Episode 18, I will choose a new comment (one written after episode 16) and that person will win a Kershaw Cryo.  Yeah, yeah, I know.  I don’t like it.  Maybe you will.

We have a lot planned, including some cool guests, so stay tuned.

VPD:

Aaron: JB Stout Slimline/McGizmo Haiku

Andrew: Nilte Quiete/Montblanc Miesterstuck Solitaire Rollball

Tony: Small Sebenza/McGizmo Haiku

New and News:

Andrew got in a heaping helping of fixed blades.  He also got in a few lights from Sunwayman and an Obtainium Wallet.  Tony had three things in for review: the Kershaw Injection 3.0 (good), Zebralight SC52w (awesome), and the Spyderco Zulu (not sure yet).

We also discussed the Todd Begg suped up Boker Field Marshall and how this represents a new space for custom makers to explore.  Aaron came out against.  Tony was in favor.  Andrew was on the fence.

Main Topic:

We have a long roaming discussion about design and custom knives with a hit on steel v. titanium for frame locks.  We also look into the new Featherlite steel in the AG Russell Skorpion.

Mail Bag:

Beef Jerky top fives and Andrew’s quilting website.

Podcast: Download

Podcast: Download

What is old is new again–Aaron is back.  Andrew had a fancy photoshoot in the Artic with Kate Upton so he couldn’t be here.  Can you blame him?  I am just kidding about the Kate Upton thing.  Aaron from www.practicallyeveryday.com stepped in to help out.

VDP:

Aaron:

RJ Martin Overkill and McGizmo Haiku Hi CRI edition

Me:

Charles Gedraitis Small Pathfinder and Muyshondt Aeon Mk. II

New and News:

We both comment on the triumphant release of the Tuffthumbz Tanic.  If you can hear a lump in my voice and the American flag flapping behind me as I speak about how awesome it is to see someone reach for their dream and achieve, well good for you.  I am sentimental sap.  What can I say?

We also discuss the quirky and slightly disappointing Spyderco Southard.

I talk about a $7 pen, yep, a pen.  The Tombow Airpress is a quirky, rights anywhere alternative to the Fisher Space Pen.  It is a Japanese pen that pressurizes the refill when the knock extends the writing nib.  And it is $7.  Super cool.

Finally we discuss the new LL Bean high end soft shell hoodie, marketed as a hunting jacket, but clearly aimed at the TAD Gear Stealth Hoodie.

Aaron talks about the new Dave Coye Whiskey 2 Ti Framelock Flipper.  Its a big blade, 4.25″ and the second run is open but filling up fast.

Main Topic: Knife Terms

Aaron and I go on a wandering journey through various knife terms.  It was intended on being a glossary of sorts, but it really became a ranking and discussion of preferences with a few definitions thrown in for good measure.

Review Winner: Strider SnG.  Hit me up at everydaycommentary@gmail.com

Special Gear Geeks Live What’s My Wife Cooking in the Background Bonus:

This week my wife was cooking Haluska in the background.  It is a traditional Hungarian comfort food. It is also excellent this time of year because of the wide availability of cabbage, a central ingredient.

Podcast: Download

This episode we focus on the custom knife world and it is current design rut.  The framelock flipper arms race has all but supplanted any other design.  We talk about why that is the case and what it means for knife knuts.

VPD:

Andrew: Spyderco Techno

Me: Strider PT CC and Aeon Mk. II

New and News:

We both run through a ton of lights and gear we have in for review.  I gush a little about how cool the EagleTac TX25C2 is.

Main Topic:

Ramble fest on custom knives and good design

Mailbag:

Official rules for the music intro submission contest are reviewed.

Podcast: Download

Andrew makes his triumphant return with tales from Blade Show 2013.  He brings with him tales of lotteries that he vows to never enter and then did.

Virtual Pocket Dump:

Me: MBI HF-R and Al Mar Hawk Ultralight

Andrew: Nilte Quiete (we talk about this blade for a long time, you really need to see it).

New and News:  We run down the Blade Show winners, a list of which can be found here.

Main Topic: Andrew talks about the actual experience of going to Blade show and Dan’s attempted murder via alcohol poisoning.

Mailbag: We skip mail bag to announce two contests–drop a review in iTunes and you will be entered to win a KaBar Mini Dozier and give us a 30 intro with music for the chance to win the HF-R and a prize to be donated by Andrew.

Special bonus background/kitchen noise (because it is not a GGL episode without kitchen sounds): My wife making my favorite pasta salad for Father’s Day.

Podcast: Download

With Andrew (and Aaron and Dan) at Blade, I reached out to one of the gurus of cutlery science Cliff Stamp.  He does admirably filling in for Andrew and gives us the straight skinny on blades, steels, and locks.  All of your CATRA questions are answered, including “What the fuck is the CATRA machine?”  And no it does not analyze your aura.

Podcast: Download

In the Virtual Pocket Dump we talk about what we carried today: me: Aeon Mk. II and SAK Cadet; Andrew: Spyderco Techno and JetBeam Raptor.  In the New and News section we talk about the Todd Begg reality show, Blade Brothers on Discovery, TSA rescinding the pocket knife rule (and I have an answer to why it was 2.36 inches), and finally we talk about the new Smart Lock from Viper.  In the main segment Andrew lays out a pretty compelling argument for carrying big blades and we talk about some options and run down the performance of various hard use locks.  In mailbag we answer the question of what to get if you missed out on the Aeon Mk. II but still want a nicer than average light.  The options I came up with ranged from the esoteric (the Exolion Ti) to the fantastically hard to find (Surefire Titan T1, not the T1A), to the easy to find and nice to use 47s Mini CR2.

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Its official, Andrew, from Edge Observer is the new cohost.  We brought the booze–in my case Woodford Reserve bourbon and his Jameson Irish Whiskey.  After that we talk about our EDC that day.  Andrew carried the glorious TiSpine and I had with me the Black Nishijin CF ZDP-189 Dragonfly and the Aeon Mk. II.  Then we start talking a bit about the business side of gear, a conversation prompted by Thomas W’s comments on Everyday Commentary, found here.  After that we take a peek at the world of aftermarket product mods, starting with an amazing company Texas Tool Crafters.  Andrew references another modder, Custom Scales Division, and we both give high marks to TuffThumbz, especially his full custom knives.  Then we switch to the main topic, new flashlight tech.  We focus on two things Total Internal Reflectors and Quantum Tunneling Composites.  In the process I confess that I am a Surefire fanboy.  We finish up with a mailbag question on sharpening and both concur that stropping is key.  Andrew recommends a 1 micron diamond stop spray, you can find a strop spray here.

Podcast: Download