Walking Stick

I've browsed several blogs about making a walking stick and since I've been hiking a few trails with my wife, I decided to make one. It's not that I need a walking stick to aide me in walking but since I have a knowledge of Arnis, a Filipino art of stick fighting, I thought it would come handy for self-defense not only against bad people but also against slithering cratures you might encounter along the path. So here's my rather futile attempt to make one.




I removed the bark with a machete.


Then, I carve a wood spirit on the handle.


I made several wood spirit around the handle then I left the stick to dry in the sunlight.


After a while I get back to the walking stick and I found several cracks on it.

Then I remember on one of the blog I read, it says not to dry the stick directly under the sun but just leave it under a shade.

Oh well, lesson learned. I guess, I'll continue and finish this project despite the cracks. I'll polish it with a sandpaper and probably put a lanyard hole on the handle and also put a stick pic on the other end of the stick for my camera. And then coat the stick with linseed oil. I'll take pictures and post it to keep you updated.

That's all folks! Thanks for reading.

$1 knife

When will my being a penny pincher ends? I can't help it, I saw this knife at Walmart and I can't resist buying it for one dollar. Unbelievable - what can you do with a one dollar knife. You tell me, here are some photos of the knife.




3 1/4" partially serrated blade, lockback folder, with pocket clip, made in China.


4 1/2" plastic handle with checkering.


The blade is dull out of the box, won't cut paper. Even the serrated edge needs sharpening but I don't have the tool to sharpen it.


Maybe this knife is good as striker for firesteel because the spine is squared off and sharp. Or maybe I'll reprofile the blade and remove the serrated edge so it will be easier to sharpen. For my next project?

That's all folks! Thanks for reading.

Gulay - Vegetables

Filipinos are fond of vegetables especially Ilocanos. Who among my countrymen would not know the famous vegetable dish pinakbet. My mouth waters at the thought of inabraw and diningdeng of the North or the laswa of the South. And you can bet, if you see a house with plants like talong (eggplant), kamatis (tomato), okra (gumbo), sitaw (string beans) or ampalaya (bitter melon), it belongs to a Filipino.

We planted vegetables this summer, latter part of spring to be exact. Here are some photos of them.


Trellis for sitaw.




Tomatoes.


Eggplant.


String beans.


Bitter melon. We use the leaves for munggo dish.


Okra.

That's all folks! Thanks for reading. /

Gerber Profile Fixed Blade

Someone said that "if a $30 knife is expensive to you, you are not into knives." Well, I guess I'm not into knives because not one of my knives cost more than $25. Including this Gerber Profile Fixed Blade that cost $19.97 + tax at Walmart.




It comes with a sturdy nylon sheath.


4" drop point titanium coated blade. It comes very sharp out of the box.


Full tang with non-slip rubber handles. For me, a moderately priced knife that I won't hesitate to use.

That's all folks! Thanks for reading.