Idun Hunting Knife, Leather Sheath

Author: Wang Kaixuan

The Idun Hunting knife is the fifth in the Northern Lights series produced by Fallkniven Knives in Sweden. Each knife is named after a different god in Norse mythology. The five knives in order are the Thor, the Oden, the Njord, the Frej, and the Idun.

Idun was the goddess of eternal youth, fertility, and death. She was married to the god of poetry, Bragi. Idun was the sole guardian of the golden apples of eternal youth. Whenever one of the gods began to feel old age approaching, he only had to take a bite of one of the golden apples to immediately have his youth replenished.

The Idun Hunting Knife is a clear representation of the goddess Idun. As a hunting knife it brings both life and death; life as food to the hunter; death as an end to the hunted. The Idun Hunting Knife also has the great qualities that are desired in a hunting knife.

The overall length of the knife is 8 ½”. The blade is 4” long and is made of laminated VG-10 stainless steel. The advantages of VG-10 stainless steel are that it is a hard steel that can readily hold an edge and maintain durability without the disadvantage of becoming brittle as is common in some high-carbon steels. The VG-10 blade is laminated, or layered, with coats of 420J-2 stainless steel which gives it the corrosion resistance highly prized by hunters, while the “super steel” (as VG-10 is commonly known) is left exposed to allow the hunter a blade that can be sharpened to a fine razor-sharp edge that will not dull easily or quickly.

The handle of the knife is made of stacked leather which not only gives it an impressive look, but also gives it a more comfortable and complete grip. The straight grip of the handle also gives the hunter more effective control of the knife. The Idun Hunting Knife comes complete with a leather sheath for easy storage and protection. It is also available with a Damascus steel blade.  Click here for a great selection of knives.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/idun-hunting-knife-leather-sheath-1125458.html

About the Author

Wang Kaixuan is an author, lecturer, musician, and traveler. He has written articles for such websites as UntamedKnives.com and SpearmanFlowers.com. He is originally from the United States and has traveled to 8 countries including Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, the Canary Islands, and China. He has lived overseas a total of 6 years (3 in Germany and 3 in China). His travels has gained him much knowledge about various cultures, peoples, and products. (This article is the copyrighted property of Wang Kaixuan.)

Scuba Diving Equipment - the Completely Equipped Diver

Author: Ian Jenkinson

What constitutes the minimum equipment that recreational divers should have and use on every dive? To some degree, this will be a factor of the environment and the purpose of the dive. Divers in cold water require more thermal protection than divers in warm water. Divers engaged in activities, such as underwater photography or night, deep, wreck, ice or cavern diving, require additional specialized diving equipment that sight-seeing divers in shallow, open water may not need.

There is, however, certain equipment items that most experts believe recreational divers should have and use on every dive. The following is a brief overview of each of these items.

Mask, Snorkel and Fins

These are the most basic of all diving equipment. Masks allow divers to see underwater without distortion. Snorkels enable them to breathe at the surface without having to lift their heads from the water or use air from their tanks. Fins allow divers to move through the water with far great efficiency.

Exposure Protection

Divers require protection from both heat loss and abrasion. Heat loss is of particular importance, because water conducts heat away from the body 20 to 25 times faster than air of the same temperature. Divers may become dangerously chilled in water that would seem uncomfortably warm, if it were air.

Thermal and abrasion protection may range from lightweight wet suits for warm-water diving to thick, highly insulative dry suits for cold water diving. Most divers also use some form of hand and foot protection. Wet suit boots are the most common form of foot protection. Hand protection may range from thick wet-suit mitts or light weight gloves.

Weight Systems

Depending on a diver's natural buoyancy and the buoyancy of his equipment, he may need to use some form of weight system to offset excess buoyancy. The most common type of weighting is a weight belt, although general options are available.

Scuba Systems

Modern scuba systems integrate several components, including primary and alternate air sources, buoyancy-control devices (BCD's) and instrumentation.

Air Sources

A diver's primary air source consists of a cylinder of compressed air and a two-stage regulator that reduces this air to the same pressure as the surrounding water. The most common form of alternate air source is an additional regulator second stage, similar to the one the diver normally breathes from. This extra second stage is for sharing with other divers who may run low, or out, of air.

Buoyancy-control Devices

A diver's buoyancy-control device (or BCD) is used for two purposes. When inflated on the surface, it allows the diver to rest or swim comfortably without having to struggle to keep his head above water. Under water, the BCD may be partially inflated to offset any decrease in buoyancy caused by compression of the diver's exposure suit during descent.

Gauges

The minimal instrumentation with which every diver should be equipped with includes:

a means of monitoring air supply

an accurate means of determining depth

a means of measuring the time spent under water

I would also recommend that each diver have and use an underwater compass. This not only makes it easier for the diver to navigate, it also helps eliminate the need for long, tiring surface swims at the end of a dive.

Knife or Tool

Although the risk of becoming entangled under water is slight, it is recommended that all divers equip themselves with some form of cutting tool. Depending on its design, this tool may also be used for prying and measuring.

Log Book

Because certification cards only establish that, at one point in time, a diver met the minimum requirements for certification at that level, divers record their dives in log books. Log books provide a tangible record of the depth and breadth of a diver's experience. An increasing number of dive resorts and charter operations require that divers present both certification card and a log book before they will provide diving service.

Slate

The ability to communicate under water using hand signals is limited. So, to convey more-complex messages to one another, divers use specially designed underwater slates.

Using slates may eliminate the need to surface in order to talk and can add the convenience and enjoyment of the dive.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/extreme-sports-articles/scuba-diving-equipment-the-completely-equipped-diver-204643.html

About the Author

Ian runs Scuba Shack, an online scuba diving equipment store. For new and pre-owned scuba diving equipment visit http:/www.scubashack.co.uk