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Help us support our troops! [Knives for Soldiers] Update: 1,000 shipped to date and counting!
The FReeper Hobbit Hole Blog ^

Posted on 07/29/2005 7:42:45 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog

As some of you know, The group of friends here at Free Republic known as the Hobbit Hole thread, have been contributing to a small project to buy pocketknives and other needed tools for our deployed soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. It started out as care and comfort packages, and grew into pocketknives because we learned that while sweets and snacks were good, there were very practical tools, such as a good pocket knife, that our troops didn’t have unless they purchased them themselves. Handy items that would actually help them do their job.

Since we started we have shipped 700 knives as well as other tools, flashlights, EMT shears, seat belt cutters, and other gadgets to our troops overseas. Please visit our newly updated project blog to read about the rest of the project! The Hobbit Hole project blog



One of our pocketknives, in Iraq

Our project leader, 300winmag, has spent thousands of his own money to meet demand just hoping enough donations would be made to keep him out of the poorhouse. My husband ecurbh and I have sent at least $100 per month, and others in the group have sent more or less, depending on what they can afford. But still demand has outpaced the funds coming in. Requests for these knives continue to pour in at the rate of dozens per week:

July 27, 2005
I recently found out about your organization. It makes me feel really good to know there are people out there who care about us and the equipment we carry. I can’t express the amount of gratitude I felt when I found out about your organization. Many of us are junior enlisted, and just can’t afford a quality knife (which tends to be essential in our environment). I am an infantryman fulfilling a combat medic/shooter role because of civilian paramedic training. I was hoping I could get a few knives for the guys in my team if it isn’t too much of a burden. Check out my blog to see what we have been doing here, we are doing a good job of training the Iraqi soldiers if I may toot my own horn! - Chad in Baghdad

Much of the feedback we get are letters from deployed troops who have seen our knives, and went to our site to see about how to also receive one. (More emails from troops)

We have all donated as much as we can and will continue to regularly, but we have reached a limit on how much we alone can do. We’ve decided to both scale back on the more expensive knives we had tested sending, but also decided to ramp up the project and ask for money from outside the group... To ask fellow FReepers, and all our friends and family if you would consider sending a donation to our cause.

We aren’t official enough to fundraise in any kind of big way, we aren’t an official charity with financial statements and tax benefits, and we don’t want to be. We just want to help out just a little, the men and women that are sacrificing overseas for all of us. If you are reading this post, and agree with our mission, we hope you will help us :) . There is a donation link at the Hobbit Hole site linked above. We guarantee that every dollar you send will be spent on knives.

- HairOfTheDog, ecurbh, and 300winmag, for The Hobbit Hole.



TOPICS: Military/Veterans; Politics
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; akti; bladeforums; blades; hh; hobbithole; iraq; knife; knifeproject; knives; soldier; soldiers; supportourtroops
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To: 300winmag

Thanks for sharing that letter, winmag.

It's so wonderful when they come back!


141 posted on 08/02/2005 4:38:17 PM PDT by RMDupree (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: 300winmag
You're welcome. Thanks for your hard work. Hope it was enough for two?
Family's back got to see what's up ...

:-)

142 posted on 08/02/2005 6:29:12 PM PDT by Tunehead54 (Nothing funny here ;-)
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To: HairOfTheDog; Corin Stormhands; 2Jedismom; g'nad; JenB; Rose in RoseBear; Bear_in_RoseBear; ...
Got another half-dozen requests in today.
I'm trying to find out how I can go about getting me one of them knives. I'm a soldier and I'm currently stationed in Iraq. I was told about this website from a friend of mine who recently received a knife from your organization. I was very impressed with the craftmanship and also the fact that it is free for us soldiers. I must say that you guys are very special to do this for us soldiers. We get a lot of stuff from family and friends back home, most of which we can't use, but nothing is quite as motivating as this. There's just so much more things you can do with a knife compared to a bag of chips. I really like the Gerber LMF II. It's a really sharp looking knife that would really get a lot of use from me out here. If you can, email me info on what you have available SO that I can order one from you. I want to thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for what you're doing for us and I hope that God blesses you and your families for many years. Thanks again.
I just got back from R&R, and the guys in my unit told me about your project. I would greatly appreciate recieving a knife - mine are always getting broken. My unit is located south of Kirkuk.

We really appreciate people back in the states who are under taking projects such as yours that support the troops-it really means a lot.

FrodoPlease support our Hobbit Hole Pocket knives for the troops project.

143 posted on 08/02/2005 7:59:26 PM PDT by ecurbh (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: 300winmag

A very special welcome home to those guys. A special ops group completing their tour with *zero* losses is cause of a little extra celebration.

Wonderful news. :-)


144 posted on 08/02/2005 8:10:58 PM PDT by Ramius (Buy blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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To: ecurbh

You just gotta love these guys.

At first I was afraid of the word-of-mouth turning into more than we could handle. And it still may. Of course... anybody that finds out they can get a good knife is gonna ask for one.

But when you see in their words how much this small gift means to them, maybe we better just figure out how to pay for it and get it done. :-)


145 posted on 08/02/2005 8:20:16 PM PDT by Ramius (Buy blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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To: 300winmag
Also, I have updated the Who We Are and What We Do page to clarify even further:

1. We don't sell knives
2. We can't necessarily promise any specific knife
3. No more custom engravings
4. How to request one - email link and instructions to include rank and military address

146 posted on 08/02/2005 8:21:27 PM PDT by ecurbh (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: Ramius

bttt


147 posted on 08/02/2005 8:23:13 PM PDT by Sam Cree (Democrats are herd animals)
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To: ecurbh

The clarifications should work. - it's interesting the number of emails we've gotten lately wondering where the order form is and how much they cost.


148 posted on 08/02/2005 9:16:14 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: HairOfTheDog

Wednesday morning bump.


149 posted on 08/03/2005 5:49:13 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: ecurbh; HairOfTheDog; 300winmag
Got a letter from the Renegade Chaplain! He's in Germany and serving with the MPs there.

Kim,

  I just got done looking through the new website and it's great.  I read through the 'Renegade Chaplain' project and as always my heart was warmed with gratefulness.  You and the wonderful Hobbit Hole dwellers will never understand what your support meant to the Renegades.  It's incredible to see how many knives (in addition to the numerous other items) that the Hobbit Hole has provided for soldiers.  It's awesome!

Tell everyone hello from the Rengade Chaplain!  Though I'm not serving with the Renegades any longer, as someone told me before I left, "Chaplain, you'll always be a Renegade!"

  Blessings,

Chaplain, 95th MP Battalion


150 posted on 08/03/2005 8:10:48 AM PDT by 2Jedismom (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: 2Jedismom

Great note! Thanks for sharing it. I've wondered if you were still in contact with him.

How about Andy? Any news on how he's doing?


151 posted on 08/03/2005 8:13:43 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: HairOfTheDog; 300winmag; g'nad
How about Andy? Any news on how he's doing?

It's been a long time since I've heard anything, but the last time I heard from his family, it looked like our young Marine was doing pretty good!


152 posted on 08/03/2005 8:49:19 AM PDT by 2Jedismom (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: 2Jedismom

Very cool.... Thanks 2J!


153 posted on 08/03/2005 8:51:42 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: HairOfTheDog; silent_jonny; conservativebabe; MNJohnnie; Tunehead54; radu; mplsconservative; ...
First, two checks, and two more PayPals arrived today. Thank you all for the support you're showing for our troops.

Second, an email from CPL Jason W, somewhere in Iraq, demonstrating why the Hobbit Hole troop support project is so appreciated:

----------------

I am sorry I was in a rush, I had to go find out some info for my OIC it was the BK2 that I meant. Forgive me for my redundancies.

Thank you very much for what you are doing. Our unit never received bayonets and my Gerber tool had already broken. So having a knife will help out a lot.

I hate to seem selfish, but this is the best care package I will ever receive. I had sent out a letter to my family and friends asking them not to send the everyday goods that we always get and politely told them what I needed, but I got a few hateful emails and lost some friends along the way all because I have about 120 cans of tuna fish and 2 boxes of socks and underwear underneath my bunk.

Thank you so much for what you are doing for all of us.

154 posted on 08/03/2005 4:40:17 PM PDT by 300winmag (FR's Hobbit Hole supports America's troops)
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To: 300winmag

BUMP for Thursday.


155 posted on 08/04/2005 8:54:21 AM PDT by RMDupree (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: HairOfTheDog; Corin Stormhands; 2Jedismom; g'nad; JenB; Rose in RoseBear; Bear_in_RoseBear; ...
Another half-dozen requests have come in. Thanks for all the additional support, everyone!
MY NAME IS [redacted] FROM TASK FORCE BANDIT, 256 BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM. WE ARE CURRENTLY STATIONED IN BAGHDAD, IRAQ. MY CAPTAIN INFORMED ME OF YOUR GENEROUS PROGRAM. IF IT ISN’T TOO MUCH TO ASK, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU CAN SEND ME A KNIFE. Camillus/Becker BK2 “Campanion" IS THE KNIFE I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A LIMITED SUPPLY AND AM GRATEFUL FOR ANYONE YOU SEND. THIS WOULD BE A GREAT COLLECTION ON MY I LOVE ME WALL SO THAT I CAN SHOW MY SONS 10 MTHS, AND 3 YRS OLD WHEN THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT I WAS DEFENDING FREEDOM.
I was hoping to request the Gerber LMF II knife system. I understand the knife is probably not available, but I would be willing to donate money in my cause to receive one. Please let me know if I could purchase this knife, or some other knife that is similar to the Gerber LMF II. Thank You very much for your support of us over here in Iraq.

FrodoPlease support our Hobbit Hole Pocket knives for the troops project.

156 posted on 08/04/2005 5:36:17 PM PDT by ecurbh (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: ecurbh

Very cool, ecurbh!


157 posted on 08/04/2005 5:37:43 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: HairOfTheDog

Baddabump!


158 posted on 08/04/2005 5:48:53 PM PDT by Lil'freeper
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To: Lil'freeper
Of course, you know the Hobbit Hole does more than mail knives to the troops. Part of my (self-imposed) duty is to evaluate new stuff out there. We may not be sending any to the troops, but it can become a reference material for somebody else who is looking for something to send, other than socks and tuna.

I decided to try a hydration pack this summer, rather than drinking a half-liter (I'll do this in metric) bottle of water before and after the exercise. Today the heat index was 87, not as bad as the 98 of a few days earlier.

I've tried hydration packs before, but most of them leave the water with a vinyl taste. The new one, from Source, promised no bad taste, and improved insulation.

It's a 3-liter pack, and I filled it with icewater from the refrigerator. And I have to admit, the water never tasted like plastic, it tasted like good, cold water.

When I finished mowing the lawn, I emptied the pack. I learned that I drunk about two liters of water, a whole lot more than the 1 liter I normally would. And the $55 price is in line with other hydration systems that I now consider inferior.

Just something to consider if you have a GI who might not appreciate more tuna or socks.

159 posted on 08/05/2005 1:39:47 AM PDT by 300winmag (FR's Hobbit Hole supports America's troops)
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To: 300winmag

Those type packs are used a lot in the T&E community at test sites where it gets vey hot. They're an excellent product!


160 posted on 08/05/2005 4:08:37 AM PDT by Lil'freeper
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