There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
I don't know what people are specifically looking for in knife, either a pocket of fixed blade. Sometimes we just offer our viewpoints and hope it helps. SO I will share WHY I like Cold Steel Tantos. Back when Cold Steel was really pushing to grab their part of the market share, I saw a demonstration at a gun/knife expo. The reps took a fixed blade and a folder, both Tantos, and put them through a car hood and a car door shell. They even managed to pull the blade forward a ways cutting ( or tearing?) through the metal. PLEASE note this was using a newer hood and door shell at the time. NOT a hood or shell from the 60's or even earlier 70's when they used a heavier gauge steel or metals on vehicles. To be fair, they used the type of door shell and hoods that if you lean against it to hard you can feel it bow inward slightly around your backside. Regardless, to me, it was and still is impressive. Many knives, especially folders, can't take that abuse. There is also a reason our military still uses Kabar, and Cold Steel fixed blades. Both are of the select few brands that have consistently been able to penetrate body armor, ballistic and otherwise. For what it is worth, I saw a ceramic armor insert (old style plates) cracked by a Marine Kabar. Please keep in mind that due to the physics of how a blade versus a bullet works... often a blade WILL penetrate body armor when a bullet is stopped. Cold Steel has been known to penetrate as well. ( Yes I know here are other brands, but both of these brands are known to do it consistently with various models.) Though not all models known to have this ability are Tantos, that is why I have preferred the Tanto blade even over a spear head for the last few decades. I have also used both a fixed blade Kabar Tanto and my cold steels as pry bars on more than one occasion and have NEVER broke the tip. Even when putting my weight behind them to pry or torque. AGAIN, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHAT YOU WANT OR EXPECT FROM A SPECIFIC KNIFE. Respects- John