Get ThinBlueFlorida via Email
Search ThinBlueFlorida.com
Follow ThinBlueFlorida.com!
Popular Articles
- GAP Enterprises Glock Finger Rest Extension Review
- A Revolver Qualification Brings Out the Old Guys
- Liberty Ammunition Civil Defense Review
- The One-Ass-To-Risk Story
- Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Laser Batteries
- H&K MP5: The Best CQB Weapon I've Ever Kicked to the Curb
- Update to LAPD Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Review
- New Charter Arms Pitbull .40 S&W Revolver Review
- Aaron on SHOT Show Handguns
- Windermere Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty
Author Archives: Randall
Surviving to Twenty-Five Part Three
I have spent uncounted hours over the decades, consoling and counseling co-workers with marital troubles. Why did people come to me? Because I am very happily into Year Nine of my third marriage. Although it’s none of your goddamn business, I have unfortunately suffered through some of the worst divorce drama that any of my three different lawyers said they had yet encountered. Yay, I win a prize. The demands of our work place can induce all manner of strife in our wedded relations. Shift work, Type A attitudes (yes, us), temptations, and general disillusionment with society can drive a wedge between a cop and his or her spouse. Once, … Continue reading
Zero Motorcycles 2013 Electric Police Models
Zero Motorcycles of Santa Cruz, CA has introduced police-specific 2013 electric motorcycles for street and on/off road patrol uses. This follows two years of testing with local California law enforcement agencies and the London, England police. I don’t know why I think these electric motorcycles are cool, but I do. I got to train on some of our big Kawasaki KZ1000’s back in the day, but I’m not a rider and I was never able to go to police motorcycle operator’s school. Something about not having sidecars for the dog. Still… Electric cars for policemen are not currently on my wish list. When a neighboring jurisdiction got Prius’s for their homicide … Continue reading
Posted in Street, Technology
Tagged police technology
Comments Off on Zero Motorcycles 2013 Electric Police Models
An Officer Down
Twenty years ago today, I responded to locate a missing police officer in a neighboring town. He went to a possible prowler call, but was no longer answering his radio. I knew the young man. I had backed him up frequently since his agency had only one officer on duty during the Midnight watch. We shared some arrests, a bit of chewing tobacco, and some laughs in a few short years. My K9 partner found the missing officer within minutes of our arrival, but he had been shot by the suspect and had already bled to death. I was in shock. But I did my job. I tracked south and … Continue reading
Colonial Knives Tat Cutter–TSA Compliant?
At the Blade Show 2013, I had a chance to trade ideas with Steve Paolantonio, the owner of the Colonial Knife Company. There was a banner at the back of the booth proclaiming: “Colonial Knives Tat Cutter–TSA Compliant.” Or words to that effect. I was curious, since I had just flown in sans sharp objects. Mr. Paolantonio showed me the little rescue hook. He said the marketing of the cutter was purely by accident. Paolantonio said he loves the outdoors and is a rock climber. To save on weight, he disassembled a Colonial Rescue Hook Auto Tool and hung the steel cutting portion on some ball chain around his neck … Continue reading
Mission Knives CSP
Who better to show prototypes for the Mission Knives CSP (Chance Sanders Professional) than Chance Sanders himself. Chance is a former DOE SWAT/Marine Corps guy that now specializes in urban and wilderness survival training. He has joined with Mission knives to produce the CSP. In designing the knife, Chance said he wanted a strong all around blade for either the city dweller or outdoorsman who wants utility and fighting potential in their knife. The CSP is made from A2 tool steel that is hardened to 58 on the Rockwell C scale, then black oxide coated. Contoured G-10 scales are bolted on. The blade length is 5″. A MOLLE-compatible Kydex sheath … Continue reading
Ontario Knife Company Wyvern Crash Axe
A Wyvern is a two-legged winged mythical beast resembling a dragon. Wings and claws seem especially appropriate for this U.S.A.F.-inspired tool. New for 2013 is a military grade axe from the Ontario Knife Company called the Wyvern Crash Axe. Robb Cass, OKS’s Director of Special Projects, told me that U.S.A.F. Pararescue Jumpers wanted an aircraft breaching and rescue tool for their load-out. OKC came up with this variation on their SPAX axe that has a couple of tricks up its sleeve. Okay, we get the curved axe face for cutting. On the backside of that is a pick for punching holes. Once an aircraft skin is pierced, the other end … Continue reading
Posted in Knives, SWAT
Tagged Blade Show 2013, OKC Wyvern Crash Axe, Ontario Knife Company, Ontario SPAX
Leave a comment
Fox Knives FX-599 Ultimate Karambit
I love karambits. Their extreme CQB capabilities are powerful when wielded with a knowing hand and mind. In a clench, karambits’ fight stopping potential is off the charts. I have a problem, though. Most karambits don’t fit my hand. I have small to medium mitts. I loved the Emerson Combat Karambit I carried for a while, but in the end it was too large in the handle for me. I met the frenetic Lad Mandiola, Development Manager for TheUltimateKnife.com, hucking his wares at the Fox Knives booth Blade Show 2013 booth. He was on fire–snapping open his orange karambit trainer and talking at 1.6093 kilometers in a sixtieth of an … Continue reading
Posted in Knives
Tagged Blade Show 2013, Ernest Emerson, Fox FX-599, Fox Knives, karambit knife, Lad Mandiola, The Ultimate Knife
1 Comment
BladeArt.com Sells Black Site’s Carbon Fiber Chopsticks!
Who doesn’t need a chopstick that can withstand 500 degree Fahrenheit temps and about 1.8 million PSI of tensile stresses? We are talkin’ about eating Pho in the most dangerous places, safely! I saw these in BladeArt.com‘s showcase. Black Site‘s weapons-grade chopsticks come with a baked-on food safe proprietary coating. They are made from 100% solid carbon fiber that is Made and CNC Machined in the USA. The Hybrid are Black Site’s round cross-section chopsticks that measure 9″ long and taper from 0.3″ to 0.1″ for the last 4.5″ of the stick. These are $75.00. Fancy quadrangle (square at the large end) chopsticks are The MIB, which retail for $125.00. … Continue reading
Posted in Florida Companies, Humor, Misc.
Tagged Black Site, Blade Show 2013, BladeArt.com
Leave a comment
Kramer Custom Knives
I met Eric Kramer in his Kramer Custom Knives booth at Blade Show 2013 and immediately I liked him. He is, ahem, a younger guy and active duty U.S. Coast Guard. Sometimes, I don’t just want to see a knife, I want to see what is in the mind of the man who makes it. In Eric, I found a thoughtful tactician as a knife maker. Eric high-hollow grinds beefy 3/16th” S35VN blade stock into shape. The premium S35VN has a small amount (.5%) of niobium, which gives the stainless steel much-increased toughness and edge holding abilities over S30V, current darling of the knife making world. Textured G10 handle scales … Continue reading
Trip to the 2013 Blade Show
For the last day and a half, I got to leave my DNA and fingerprints on an evidence room’s inventory of tactical knives at the 2013 Blade Show. For a knife enthusiast, this is a much more enjoyable time than SHOT Show, where the edged tools’ manufacturers and makers get lost in the retail maelstrom. The fun here was more in focus. I saw wayyy more knives than I could write about, but I think I picked out some interesting ones and hammered the shutter button on them. Please be patient and I will get the articles scribed as soon as I can. Below is a prototype I was able … Continue reading
Blade Show & International Cutlery Fair 2013
I’m headed over one state to the 32nd Annual Blade Show & International Cutlery Fair at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta. As you may have read, I like sharp thingies. I’ll keep my eye out for anything new from the Law Enforcement/SWAT/Military point of view. There will certainly be some products to see. Be safe. Randall
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Laser Batteries
The Insight laser on my Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 fizzled out. I have had the gun for several years now. I function check the laser periodically, like most of my gear, since the Bodyguard is my often carried back-up gun on duty. I turned the laser on and it produced a weak light. Then it shut down entirely. No problem. Or so I thought. I fetched my original S&W box and owner’s manual. There is a tiny Allen wrench in the blue box. I mean it is super small hex key. It is nothing you would normally have on your workbench. The key is specific to adjusting, and also … Continue reading
New Gerber Propel Downrange Folding Knives
Missing from SOFIC this year were many of the knife manufacturers I normally visit. I think Gerber Legendary Blades was the only maker I saw at the show. After he showed me the Downrange Tomahawk, the Gerber Rep said they had new folders for 2013. The Gerber Propel knives have 3.5″ blades and G-10 scales. With overall lengths of 8.52″ and weights at 4.28 oz’s, the Propels are solid tools. There are versions in black or tan G-10. You can also choose between an assisted opening model or a full automatic model. Designed and Built in Portland, OR S30V Blade Steel or 420HC Tanto Style Partially Serrated Blade Black Oxide … Continue reading
Posted in Knives, SOFIC
Tagged Gerber Knives, knife review, Military and Police folding knife
Leave a comment
Combat Flip Flops Vs. K9 Malinois
In case you haven’t heard of Combat Flip Flops, here is something from their website: “The journey began with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Lee and Griff made their first trip to Afghanistan in the Winter of 2003. After several deployments and reality of a growing families, they separated from the military in 2006 and continued to support troops through other avenues. In 2010, Griff returned to Afghanistan to assist the growing Afghan National Army. On that trip, he toured an Afghan-owned boot manufacturing plant and saw where a factory worker punched a flip flop thong through a combat boot sole. The idea was born. “We started Combat Flip Flops with … Continue reading
Atlas Devices Lightweight Tactical Ladder
Cool looking ladder. The Atlas Devices vendor was busy showing it to a guy in khaki pants and a polo shirt. His name badge read only USSOCOM. No name. No branch. No unit. A real Operator. With a U.S. government line of credit. I wanted to see the ladder, but the free market kinda had the floor. I came back to Atlas’ SOFIC booth an hour later. My audience was granted at that point. This lightweight tactical ladder articulated out to 10′. It weighed a mere 12 lbs. It was obviously strong, as the vendor extended it fully, propped each end onto a Pelican case, then stood in its middle … Continue reading
Posted in SOFIC, SWAT, Technology
Tagged Atlas Devices, Lightweight Tactical Ladder, SOFIC, Special Operations
Leave a comment