I received another incredible gift from my friend in California. This time it was a selection of S.O.E. type weapons he found in a tool box. They needed some cleaning he said but I found they simply needed wiped down with an oily rag. He had ingeniously slotted a piece of cardboard to affix them to for shipping. I got a good laugh out of that and asked him if this was the Poor James Bond S.O.E. kit? It is difficult to show in a photograph the details of the tiny triangular blades and the temper colors on some of them.

It is amazing how much work was invested in making these minuscule tools of mayhem. At one time I had no clandestine weapons and now thanks to my friends in the collecting world I have a wonderful assortment. Some were very expensive and others of equal value were simply given to me. I commented on this phenomenon of gifting to a good friend and how I felt a sense of indebtedness. He replied I should not look at it that way because obviously the donors had picked me to be the "curator" of these special goods, knowing I would take proper care of them. I suppose that is true but either way it is a debt I cannot fully repay. Perhaps by placing them in my book and crediting the donors I can in some small way credit them with the gifts. Here is the poorman's S.O.E. kit.

I cannot believe it has been over a month since I posted here. Early September the college where i teach began its fall semester. That is what has absorbed all my spare time. I have spent some time working on my F-S book and what i consider Volume One is about 95% finished. I am adding a few late arrived knives and writing an appendix of miscellaneous "stuff".

Some people have advised me to get the book printed in B & W, to make it more affordable. I think if you have visited here and seen the knives in color you would be reluctant to buy a book in black and white. I would be. So I am looking for a company that can handle it in color and do a nice job of printing and binding. I want good quality paper and sharp images. The only books i am finding that have what I want are being printed in China!

I have been trying to boycott Chinese goods for many years now. Besides who knows what sort of control over sales I would have if its printed in a country known for copying designs, hacking computers, stealing patents and infringing on copyrights? I don't have connections with any museums or publishing houses. I have written two text books for use at the college where I teach and have them printed locally. BUT a one hundred page soft bound color book from them would cost me around $60. Right now my single volume is a little over 225 pages! Writing the book has been the easy part. Getting it in print is the tough part.

I have been stalling a little too, trying to finalize some information on John Paisley. Writing the Paisley story is like sitting on a cactus. You know the answers are there, but like the tiny needles of a cacti, prick you as they might, finding them and extracting them is nearly impossible. I know fellow writer Ron Flook will get a chuckle when he reads this. But Ron, I have not given up. There is more of the story to be found.

I continue to find new knives in styles and shapes I have never seen before. The diversity astounds me! Visitors to the site also provide me with a never ending array of unusual knives. Many times the knives are worn and beat third pattern knives but sometimes something really unique will show up. So keep contacting me with your stories and photos. Especially the stories! I just bought a crude second pattern from a man in Australia and it came out of a  case of F-S and O.S.S. knives. They were evidently WW-II stores for men fighting in the CBI (China, Burma, India) theater. It will be the second knife I have bought from him. Thanks to Al Gore inventing the internet (Yeh right) I have been able to buy knives from literally every corner of the world. Just ask my wife. Partly those acquisitions have been assisted from sales of my personal knives on this site. If you see a knife you are interested in email me. I am flexible and willing to work with you on pricing. Keep in mind if you are located in England or Canada the postage will be expensive. Thanks to all of you for your support. Photo is a recently acquired J Clarke & Sons in less than pristine condition.