Recent content by mikechek1212

  1. M

    What items do you carry multiples of while in the backcountry?

    Lots of great answers here. One that can really ruin a hunt that often gets overlooked is a spare waist belt buckle for your pack
  2. M

    Retirement gift ideas

    I think a custom knife would be a great idea. I know custom hunting knives are popular but a chef knife is something that he would use daily. I am really into knives and could point you in the right direction with finding a maker. I have a $160 henckels chef knife and a (good) custom chef knife...
  3. M

    Ever had a knife that you just can’t seem to get sharp?

    Interesting that putting a microbevel on it didn’t improve things... I thought maybe you weren’t wording the edge until I read that part. If you aren’t stropping, I would definitely invest in one. For me it gets my knives sharper and after mild use it brings the edge right back. Also, I have a...
  4. M

    Meateater - Benchmade Boning Knife Meatcrafter

    There are some makers out there who haven’t yet gotten the attention they deserve. One is Erickson Knife Works. I don’t know him personally but follow him on Instagram and I’m always blown away by the prices he asks for the quality of the materials and outstanding craftsmanship. Here’s one in...
  5. M

    Anyone gotten PPP via BOA to go through?

    I spoke with a banker at a large bank and he said applicants applying for smaller loans should go through a smaller bank for a PPP this second round. Ten billion dollars of the total PPP funding this second round were set aside for smaller institutions. The larger institutions have automated...
  6. M

    Knife sharpeners

    +1 on the strop! I was really impressed with how much of a difference it made the first time I got one. It’s great for my kitchen knives, too. I strop them every week or two and it brings them right back to shaving sharp. As long as the edge isn’t getting damaged, I can go a lot longer between...
  7. M

    Knife sharpeners

    What kind of steels are you trying to sharpen? If you’re looking to sharpen some of the harder-to-sharpen supersteels, I’d recommend diamond abrasives. I like my lansky deluxe diamond system that I first got as a budget system. It’s worked really well on my elmax and S30V knives, and other...
  8. M

    Kestrel Knife micro cord wrap

    Good work. Always nice to have extra cord. Do you plan to use that knife for processing game? If so, that cord is going to get nasty real fast. For a spare knife or one to use around camp that should work well!
  9. M

    Corn-hole Stencil

    I taped off my boards with masking tape, traced a stencil onto the taped boards from a design I printed off the computer, used an exacto knife to cutout the traced design from the tape, then used a gel stain so the stain didn’t run under the tape. Make sure your tape is pressed down really well...
  10. M

    Rainier Fastpak Ultralight Knife

    Did you get a chance to break down any game? I'm curious how it performed. Did you go with the sabre grind or flat?
  11. M

    I made myself a new skinner for the backcountry.

    Awesome work! Fit and finish look outstanding! What hrc is that heat treated to? What do you think of elmax for a standard drop point hunting knife?
  12. M

    Sleep apnea and Backpacking

    Dentist here... You should definitely look into a sleep appliance like poltax mentioned. Ask your sleep doc if there is a dentist he can refer you to. Definitely go with a dentist that is trained for treating sleep apnea. I know of patients who got an appliance for convenience for travel and...
  13. M

    Favorite bino retailer?

    Nice! Never thought of that. What total savings were you able to get?
  14. M

    Diaphragm Call Disabled

    Have you watched any YouTube videos on it? I watched one a couple years ago that I’ll try to find. That video gave me a basic framework for trial and error practice that I did on my daily commute. Before you can develop any consistency, you have to get a complete seal of your palate with the...
  15. M

    RMNP if you could pick one hike?

    Fellow Michigander here. I lived in CO for a short stint and spent quite a bit of time in the mountains. By far, one of the best bang for your effort hikes that I did was Emerald Lake. It is a very easy hike and the lake is stunning. If you're looking for something more involved then this...
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