Distinguished Ruffian

Lion Stock Knives

IMG_2217Recently I was in need of a new every day carry knife but this time I didn’t want to just walk into a store and grab something off the shelf I wanted something that was unique and fit specific needs. I was looking for a good fixed blade with a full tang that I could carry easy and could take a beating. So I started doing some digging and after a few days of hunting online I was lucky enough to find Ethan who owns Lion Stock Knives. The work looked great and he was able to customize his knives, so I shot him an e-mail and in less than 30 minutes I had a response. We spoke through e-mail for the next hour going over what I wanted out of my knife and what size I wanted. After he felt he had a good grasp on what I was looking for he went to work putting together photos of things that were consistent with the ideas I had given him plus other options that I hadn’t considered yet. It only took us a day to narrow everything down to exactly what I wanted, I felt great about it so I paid him for the job and he got to work.

Over the next few weeks Ethan stayed in contact with me giving me updates of the progress and sending photos along the way. I was lucky enough to get some time to talk to him about his the process, and what goes into making one of his knives.

“My process begins with flat bar stock (52100 high carbon steel). I layout my design patterns and cut them out on my band saw. Then I profile them more precisely using my 2″X72″ belt grinder. Once they are profiled, I drill holes and countersink them. This is for balance, handle pins, and it also helps the epoxy to bond the handle scales to the steel. Once the holes are done, I grind my primary bevels, and add jimping. After that I’m ready to heat treat and temper my blades. Once the tempering process is complete, I clean up the blades and put on the handle scales. Whatever material the customer wants, (G10, Micarta, exotic woods, all in a variety of patterns and colors.). Then I shape the handles to what the customer wants; contoured or textured in various patterns. When the handles are complete I mold kydex sheathes for each specific blade. Then I sharpen them with a leather strop and ship them out. There is a lot more that goes into each blade and these are the things that make them truly custom and art-like. Every blade is different and unique in it’s own way, A one of a kind.”

IMG_2576IMG_2577IMG_2578IMG_2579After what was a short production time, but felt like an eternity due to my excitement, the blade came in. It was exactly what I wanted, to say the least. The handle scales were exactly what I wanted, the blade was the size and shape I requested, the jimping was simple but effective, and most importantly it felt rugged and durable. Since I’ve gotten mine a few other of us Distinguished Ruffians have picked up a blade from him and so far none of us have been disappointed.

I’ve had this knife for several months now and I abuse the hell out of this thing and it takes it. If you ever need a good EDC knife that is custom tailored to you and that you can use and don’t have to worry about ruining it’s great looks just get ahold of Ethan at Lion Stock Knives and place your order.

Brand: Lion Stock Knives

Contact Info: (610)-781-8683

Rating: 5 pints out of 5

 

 

Turks Take on The Perdomo 12 Year

IMG_2655-2Greetings Distinguished Ruffians! Turk here to give you my two cents on Perdomo Cigars double aged vintage 12 year. The folks over at Perdomo describe the line of cigars as “ A blend of Perdomos finest and most cherished 12 year old fillers, binders, and wrappers, carefully bale aged for ten years and then barrel aged for an additional two years”. That’s right, they barrel aged them in bourbon barrels. This both surprised and intrigued me because I personally had never heard of doing such a process, maybe with beer, but with cigars? Two words came to mind, GAME CHANGER. Enough small talk, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of this review, shall we?

The cigar comes in three different wrappers, Sun Grown, Connecticut, and Maduro and also four different sizes, 5×56 Robusto, 6×56 epicure, 7×56 Churchill, and the 6.5×60 Gordo extra. I myself went with the Connecticut 5×56 Robusto. The IMG_2656construction of the cigar was very smooth, with little to no veins and a tight wrap. Before I lit up I gave it a good sniff.  I got scents of bourbon ( of course ) and a very faint almost creamy caramel smell from it, but it still smelled like a “ normal “ cigar as well, meaning that the sweet and bourbon like smell didn’t overpower the tobacco. We all know that some cigars smoke differently.  Some cigars can start out great then get an uneven and difficult pull.  Some cigars can fight you the whole way through. Then there are some that just pull perfectly. This definitely fell into category 3.  It didn’t take much to get the cigar lit, or to keep it going.  Sometimes I would have five-minute intervals between puffs and it would cherry up with no problem. The amount of smoke that I got from just a regular puff was amazing and caught me off guard initially.  Say what you want about me, but I absolutely love a huge cloud of smoke bellowing around me while I’m partaking in a cigar. The flavor of the cigar was equal parts smooth and stout with just enough sweetness for one to notice, I actually was expecting it to be much sweeter than it was and was oh so delighted that it wasn’t. I’d have to say the flavor stayed the same all the way thru the cigar ( I actually nubbed it! ).  It was a pleasant surprise that is tough to find in a lot of cigars.

Overall, I could easily and without a doubt say that the Perdomo 12 year is a “go to“ cigar for when you are in a hurry to get out the door and need to grab a stick, it is guaranteed to please both the novice and seasoned smoker alike. It’s sure to pair well with your favorite beer, wine, or spirit, and for me was a pleasant post meal smoke. It truly stunned me at how versatile this stick is. So if you’re lucky enough to come across one of these bad boys at your local smoke shop go ahead and pick one up. The price is around $11.00 for one stick (price varies slightly depending on size and wrapper) and about $264.00 for a box of 24. I am certain you won’t be disappointed.

Turk signing off, and as always ladies and gents, stay Distinguished but… be a Ruffian. Cheers.

 

Brand: Perdomo Cigars

 

Website: www.perdomocigars.com

 

Rating: 4.5 pints out of 5

Lifetrak Move C300

C300Being an athlete and enjoying the benefits of being fit, I often look for health products claiming to be the ‘best on the market.’ When I stumble upon most products and supplements claiming to be this, I am usually met with disappointment. However, when I happened to find the Lifetrak Move C300 fitness watch, I got everything I needed in a fitness aid and more.C300.1

I put the Move C300 on, input my information, and took it out for a test. I went out and ran about 2 miles around my neighborhood and waited to see how the watch worked. It was great. The watch responded very well to my run and at the end of it, I got a little geeky and watched the numbers flow. The watch tracks not only your steps taken, but the calories burned, and distance traveled. Sometimes having a visual aid helps me get through a workout and this definitely gave me a boost.

When paired with the Argus Fitness App, this tool becomes even more powerful. The pairing provides you with a tracking mechanism for your day to day activities. I often do my workouts, then sync my phone to the app, and watch the magic. The data from my watch seamlessly transfers to my iPhone and displays in a very user-friendly way. Each of the items tracked on my Move C300 is put into categories and are made available for filtering. This allows me to see how I am progressing toward my fitness goals on a regular basis.

C300.2C300.3The watch has been a great tool for me and my quest towards improving my athletics and maintaining my fitness. I think it is an awesome tool for any Ruffian trying to get back on track with their fitness goals.

 

 

 

Name: LifeTrak Move C300

Cost: $79.99

Website: www.LifeTrakUSA.com

Rating: 5 pints (Out of 5)