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This is how you shoot those old cowboy 45 Colts..

10 yards, offhand, 45 Colt

I haven’t been shooting since I got sick. Well, I’m back.

it’s a good day for Magnums. 357 and 44 variety

everything was shot standing at 10 yards

tip to bad guys, wear bright orange. I might not hit you at all.

One thing I noticed.

I am WAY out of practice.

This stuff is not a hoax, not left/right, not Trump/Biden. It’s not political, and it damn sure isn’t the flu.
For a couple of weeks, I had a head cold. Teledoc (whom I will never use again) gave me Prednizone… 10 days later, prednisone and doxycycline. Totally dropped the ball on that one.

By the 20th, I thought I had bronchitis, deadheading from Toledo to home was rough.

Went home, tried to sleep, got nowhere…..off to the ER. COVID positive and viral pneumonia. I stayed Saturday and got antibiotics, antiviral, COVID infusion, steroids.

Monday, my O2 level was good, so I can quarantine at home. Zithromax and albuterol inhaler every six hours. For three days I improved.

the nurse from the insurance company called, checking diagnosis, etc. and she asked if we had an O2 monitor for your fingertip…no but we should get one. Good old Amazon Prime, next day shipping.

By Friday I wasn’t doing any better, Saturday morning it was obvious that I was getting worse.
When the box showed up….took it out, batteries, turn it on, put it on my finger…..64%

“I’m calling the hospital”

Now I love my wife to no end, she is the strongest and independent woman I have ever known. But we were driving (fast) and this thing on my finger beeps…52% and I’m not moving. She thought she was taking my body to the ER. I scared the hell out of her, and I owe her diamonds. I don’t remember much after that.

x-ray…oh crap……..ct scan..oh shit. I’m breathing in a teacup. Transfer to Regional.

ICU doctors are called “Intensivists” now, in record time I’ve got two IVs, tube, mask, rebreather. Stripped, strapped and six monitors doing something.

“We have you on 90 liters of 90% O2 and hour blowing into your nose, it still isn’t working well enough. We are going to put you on your stomach, I want you to concentrate on breathing. If this doesn’t get your O2 up we will have to intubate you. You focus and ride this storm out till we get some space to work with”

Great, my doc is an REO Speedwagon fan.

Saturday through Monday is nothing I ever want to do again. A week in ICU and to get off the blower. From the 27th to the 6th of March I didn’t move. I’ve lost 26 pounds (I don’t recommend the diet plan) and my muscles have atrophied badly, my mouth is full of blisters from the heavy O2. They tell me I was hours from a complete respiratory collapse and cardiac arrest.

Today, I’m up with a cane and an O2 tube following me around. By the end of the week, they may be able to release me.

This is not a joke, it’s not a meme. Not a conspiracy by “them” to control you. The survival rate may be 98% but you can go through a lot of hell and survive.

TAKE THE DAMN VACCINE.

love all you guys, thanks for the texts and concern. I really do appreciate it.

I’ll keep working and get back soon

Ric

I’ve heard about Elmax Steel, but never handled it. I found a small knife in Elmax from Bradford USA and thought I would try it. This is basically handle assembly and sharpening to see how it works.

I went back to the left over pen turning block, aluminum tube, sanded and shaped, finished with Boiled Linseed Oil.

I like this steel, it holds an edge extremely well and it’s fairly light. I just ordered a 12×2 inch flat stock to make my own.

we will see how easy it is to work with.

I’ve had friends tell me that they wish they could do the knives like I do.
I tell them it isn’t anything special, just patience. I grind flat stock into shape and file,grind, drill. And send them out for heat treatment. However, I’m not above buying a blade blank that I like and assemble the scales and finishing it. The rest is just putting it together.

None of the things be shown here require power tools. But it will take more time by hand.

I got a great deal on two Camillus Titanium blade blanks. A small one called a Hex and a larger called a Mask.

I like them both. The Titanium is very light, and they sharpen really well.

no stitches with these.

I just finished this one. I was going to acid etch the spine back to the Damascus pattern but when I ground the spine and saw the brass liner and steel, I had to leave it.

This one needs a kydex sheath, after sharpening its getting shipped out.

The Buffalo Horn Hunter is finished. All polished up and the sheath wet molded.

Nice Damascus Hunter with some brass bolster and Buffalo Horn handles. File work and black epoxy. Matches the brother who is a little shorter with brown epoxy and a steel bolster