Buying knives on the Internet

EVEN though buying knives on the Internet is fast becoming an In-Thing, there are still the little hitches that crop up now and then.
So I figure perhaps now is a good time as any to talk about the pros and cons of buying knives over the Internet.

THE PROS

1. Almost endless number of choices with regard to the different types of knives available
2. Easy payment schemes abound but it varies from maker to maker and from knife company to knife company
3. Looking for bargains can be quite fun and easy
4. A good way to make friends, especially the friendly knifemakers from all over the world
5. Buying also leads to learning
6. Learning more about knives makes for a more valuable collection of sharpened objects
7. Knife collectors are considered topics of discussions even among relatives and office colleagues
8. Internet purchases can be so easy and sometimes even painless
9. Internet offers visual images of the types of knives you want, so you know what you are getting
10. Waiting for the postal van or courier service vehicles is a much heralded activity among knife collectors

THE CONS
1. There's a five per cent chance your knife can go astray
2. And also your postal order or banker's cheque will go to the wrong recipient
3. The knife you ordered turned out to be less than expected
4. The postal charges are daunting
5. The exchange rate is a killer - you are the loser
6. A knife with a flaw will suffer from warranty woes because of distance between buyer and seller
7. The waiting period is not to your liking especially after you have paid in full
8. The seller whether outlet or person shortchanges you in several aspects
9. You are disillusioned by the quality of the product now that you have it in your hands
10. Sometimes you can't tell forsure whether you are closing a "real deal".

The way to do business on the Internet with regard to knives or any objects of your desire is to scout for the most honest dealer who has most of the stuff you want and then stick to that person or firm. That way, you know for sure you get 100 per cent out of every transaction.

Books that changed my life

There were times in my life when I accidentally came across books, read them with great gusto and inadvertently, they changed my life.

One of these books was The Importance of Living by Prof Lin Yutang. Initially, I thought the title seemed to agreed with my frame of mind at that moment. Back then, I was in my teens. Lin Yutang is a very simple man who has some extraordinary ideas of what a simple life is all about.

I was quickly astounded by the profundity of his thoughts. Amazing, I mentally exclaimed as I raced through the chapters, more excited as I went along. The gems of thoughts that abound between the covers were marvellous.

Lin Yutang opened vistas in my mind that had long laid dormant until then. I saw the light that shone and still shines through the simple act of living. I began to see beauty in the whispering of the wind, the silence of the woods and the beauty of the old and wizened ones.

In short, I had begun to shed the "skin" of my once selfish persona. The importance of living as I had found out was not in trying to be great or to act "big" in the eyes of others but to enjoy every minute that comes from the simplest acts of life.

The Chinese professor who was a product of both East and West led me through a field of dreams that has eluded many before me. I counted my blessings and thanked the Almighty for the day I found his thoughts in written form.

The other book or books which altered my life for the better was the Conversations with God series by Neale Donald Walsch. Volume one was so amazing, I had goose pimples as I read the chapters.

It was as if my life was meant to reach another milestone and it had. Those words inspired by an entity beyond this world cleared up a lifetime of cobwebs and questions. Suddenly, it was as if the sunlight had parted the curtains of my clouded mind and shine forevermore into my heart and soul.
Oh, what a wonderful moment it was then. There were times while I was reading the books, through volumes one to three, when tears of joy came to my eyes. I felt as if the burden of an earthly existence has vanished.

Now, I look at friends and all the others as ONE with me. I sense the love that permeates since time began. I finally realise that Love is the masterkey that opens all the rooms in God's mansion.

What's so special about a custom knife?

I GUESS it is the desire of every knife collector to own at least a few (like about 20 initially) custom knives in his lifetime. When you are one of the millions around the world who are utterly fascinated with sharpened objects, you tend to see beauty in the most crudely made knives.

But once the dust has settled, you realise that the hobby of collecting knives can be moved up a few notches. That is, if you have the money to start a little collection of knives that suit your taste and objectives.

There is no perfect knife - only the ones you think that best reflect your situation and need at a particular given moment. So one day, you wake up and decide you want a 11 inch bowie (blade only) with red linen micarta handles. The steel material should at least be S90V or the new steel discovery called ZDP-189.

You want the blade hollow-ground and it must be drop-point. It must pass all the Master Bladesmith tests. The sheath must be in two versions - leather and kydex with tec-lock in multi-positions.

You, like me, would probably also want one in damascus steel as well. When you have decided all that, you will immediately think of getting two more variations like one with a 5in blade and another with a 3inch blade.

The thickness should preferably be quarter inch. Now, you are ready to go.

Knife collecting is a darn hobby. It can make you struggle with your budget planning but you sure will have a lot of fun. Good luck.