Gear Saturday Night Blade Porn – Rustick Knives David Reeder December 20, 2014 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More 25 years ago today, Jack Stottlemire (SGM, USA Ret.) of Rustick Knives was getting it done in Panama. He was deployed there with A Co 2/9 Infantry during Operation Cause. For about the next 30 years he served in the Marines and the Army, including a long stretch in a SOF billet. Now he builds bad ass axes, ‘hawks and knives in Fayetteville, NC. I first met Stottlemire at the Blade Show in Atlanta (his first year there), where among assorted other lethal edged implements he was displaying the first 20 of a new axe design. He'd just finished up a 10 day Scandinavian blacksmithing course with Elmer Roush, which left him wanting to put a beard on his new design. He determined it would be sharpened at an angle at the bottom, so it would go all the way through a car door or something similar, and that it would have a distal taper on the spike so it can be used to pop locks and the like. The resultant axe (a short spiked axe that doesn't yet have a name as far as I know) works beautifully as a small manual breaching tool. Says Stottlemire, “I also wanted to give it more blade down there so I can choke way up on it to do fine work and not cut a knuckle. The steel I use is 80CRV2, a German tool steel, it's extremely tough. I tempered it down to a 5553 Rockwell C so I don't get any chipping but it's still hard and holds an edge. It's been a great little axe. Ryan Johnston helped me with the design a little bit, he likes it, which is a good sign.” Roush, who Stottlemire clearly has a great deal of respect for, has a number of pieces on the show Vikings. While studying with him Jack build a number of axe heads, spears and other implements the good old fashioned Viking way. Forged viking style axe heads and other examples of work by Elmer Roush – Stottlemire has tremendous respect for Roush and his abilities. He was adamant that I should write about Roush and his blacksmithing. Follow Rustick Knives here on Facebook or purchase one at Yo Dude Tactical. Please also consider helping out Mission 22, an organization Stottlemire passionately supports. If you have any interest at all in blacksmithing, make sure you check out Elmer Roush's forge. Explore RECOILweb:IWI Masada: The Simple Israeli 9mm Pistol Does the JobAccused Somali War Criminal Working Security at DullesA BSA Eagle Scout Project that "failed" - but not so muchCelebrate United States Army's 237th Birthday NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.