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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: ecurbh; 300winmag; 2Jedismom; g'nad; Ramius; osagebowman; Overtaxed; RMDupree; Sam Cree; TalonDJ; ..

So many requests! Come on folks, lets send all we can. You know winmag won't turn down a soldier till he's in the poorhouse.

PLEASE help him out!


261 posted on 09/14/2005 7:08:58 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: ecurbh

Excellent comments. That last guy shoulda' just taken Narsil with him over there. Maybe not too practical, but it does make a certain statement. :-)

Maybe we should send him an axe. :-)


262 posted on 09/14/2005 7:12:27 PM PDT by Ramius (Blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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To: Ramius

This soldier should receive a sword. Not very practical in a combat environment, but would be a gift that would last the rest of his life.


263 posted on 09/14/2005 7:20:12 PM PDT by Hunble (is)
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To: Hunble

Well... he's already *got* a sword. :-) Two even.

That's why I'm thinkin' "axe". Something in a nice double-bladed Norse shorthandled fighting axe. Maybe it's time the "insurgents" got a visit from the "berserkers". :-)


264 posted on 09/14/2005 7:34:02 PM PDT by Ramius (Blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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To: Ramius

Or maybe an elfy bow?


265 posted on 09/14/2005 7:34:33 PM PDT by ecurbh (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: ecurbh

Hah! Wanna see some eyes the size of dinner plates? Have some bad guys in Iraq fall over to the "tthhhwip" of an arrow. I'd pay good money to see that.

"What the..."


266 posted on 09/14/2005 7:37:42 PM PDT by Ramius (Blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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To: Ramius

Actually, these are often less expensive than the survival knives that have sent. Useless in combat, but may be an outstanding way of saying thanks.

267 posted on 09/14/2005 8:07:17 PM PDT by Hunble (is)
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To: Hunble

Can you imagine the fear that such a thing would strike, though?

Zowie . :-)


268 posted on 09/14/2005 8:17:40 PM PDT by Ramius (Blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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To: Ramius
Can you imagine the fear that such a thing would strike, though?

How about one of these? I have it for "evalutation" purposes.


269 posted on 09/14/2005 11:27:16 PM PDT by 300winmag (FR's Hobbit Hole supports America's troops)
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To: 300winmag

Yeow.

Multipurpose. Opens what is closed. Separates what is connected. Scares the bejeezus outta whoever is left.

You have my axe.

I like it. :-)


270 posted on 09/14/2005 11:45:35 PM PDT by Ramius (Blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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BUMP!


271 posted on 09/15/2005 6:48:00 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; ...
Wow, 300winmag's been busy lately... the knife tally is now up to 835! And I just forwarded yet another batch of emails to him. Let's keep the contributions coming in, folks.
If possible, I would love to take the Gerber with me on my upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. I am a AH-64 pilot with the 1-183rd avn bn in Boise Idaho. We are getting mobilized very soon. Several of the pilots in our BN have received knives from you and are very excited about it. My commander received the Gerber and I was very impressed with the knife. I realize you have a million requests. If you can't get to mine, I fully understand. I would be able to donate $20.00 to the cause if I can get a mailing address. I do not have pay pal. You guys are doing a great thing.

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

272 posted on 09/19/2005 4:32:46 PM PDT by ecurbh (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: 300winmag
Hi All-

What a sweet ATC LaGana Tactical Tomahawk you've got pictured! That tool probably has even more utility than the CQC-T model. It would be fantastic if all our young men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq could be outfitted with those excellent specialized tomahawks for breaching, breaking, prying, rescue, and general combat duties.

~ Blue Jays ~

273 posted on 09/19/2005 8:24:00 PM PDT by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: Blue Jays
It would be fantastic if all our young men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq could be outfitted with those excellent specialized tomahawks for breaching, breaking, prying, rescue, and general combat duties.

The tomahawk is in the federal supply system, and has its own NSN, 4210-01-518-7244. Good luck on scoring one.

This one also has a NSN, but the Hobbit Hole gives it away, just to make sure the troops get one.

The Becker BK3 from Camillus is especially popular with Infantry and Engineers. It's not much as a weapon, but does a great job as a breaching tool. We even sent one to a Soldier who said his buddy was tired of loaning out his BK3.

274 posted on 09/19/2005 9:10:07 PM PDT by 300winmag (FR's Hobbit Hole supports America's troops)
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To: 300winmag
Hi 300winmag-

The Becker pictured would do a perfect job of opening shipping crates, prying fences, and dozens of utilitarian tasks likely encountered in the desert. The instances where knives are used as a weapon are probably very few, so the ability to do general work is the better bet. Those letters from the troops are wonderful to read...I hope as many as possible can receive knives.

~ Blue Jays ~

275 posted on 09/19/2005 9:47:35 PM PDT by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: All

A Hurricane Rita BUMP from SoFla.


276 posted on 09/20/2005 6:27:57 AM PDT by RMDupree (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: Blue Jays
Here's a crude scan of a brand new Camillus knife I can talk about. I have professional photos of another new Camillus I can't talk about, but that's a different matter.

Thanks to the untiring efforts of Michelle F., the federal government marketing manager at Camillus, the Hobbit Hole gets first news, and first dibs, on their product line. She's also clued us in to discontinued models, and we've gotten real steals for deals on them.

This is the new Camillus "Rescue", made in Taiwan, and based on their "Robo" assisted-opening knife. It's a great value for the price, so I'm sure the quality of this knife is up to their standards.

It has a tungsten carbide glass scorer/breaker on the butt, while the tip is flattened to form a screwdriver tip. The pocket clip can be switched to the off side, too.

It looks like a good rescue knife, and an Army aviation batallion heading for Afghanistan has already expressed interest in 40 of them.

277 posted on 09/20/2005 12:20:50 PM PDT by 300winmag (FR's Hobbit Hole supports America's troops)
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To: HairOfTheDog; Corin Stormhands; 2Jedismom; g'nad; JenB; Rose in RoseBear; Bear_in_RoseBear; ...
Got this email in the latest batch... kinda made me fahklempt.
What you folks are doing for the troops is outstanding. I know that each soldier who received a knife will use it and appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending it. My unit is to receive their deployment orders on 22 Oct 05 to deploy to Ft Hood, TX till sometime in Mar 06. From there we will go to Afghanistan for around a year.

I am an Apache helicopter pilot. I would like to request a knife for my deployment. I don’t need one of the big knifes, since I will have limited space, but would really appreciate one of the small folding knifes. I realize that you have many, many requests, so please put me in line. We in the military are familiar with lines. We wait patiently for our turn.

If I never get a knife that is OK too, that just means that you folks have done all that you can for the troops. I appreciate that too. That is what I plan on doing in Afghanistan too, all that I can. There is always the chance that that may be the last thing that I do for my country. That is OK too; there isn’t a better country that I would rather do it for than the USA! Freedom didn’t come free for our forefathers, and it isn’t free for us either!
And this one is good too...
My Name is [redacted] and I am a Platoon segeant and our unit is deploying to Afghanistan. Our unit is a AH-64A Apache attack helicopter unit and plays a vital role in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I must say that I am impressed with your support and dedication to our troops and especially my own. I have seen some of the knives that they have received and the quality is remarkable. As a vetern of Panama, Desert Storm, Cuba, and Bosnia I have never seen someone go to the degree of support you are giving. I just recently went to your website and noticed the BK3 Tactool of which I like a lot. Again, I cannot tell you how much I am impressed with your products. I understand that you are giving these products in support of our tropps and if you find time to send one, I would be another proud and grateful soldier because of the support of people like yourself.

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

278 posted on 09/23/2005 10:15:11 AM PDT by ecurbh (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: ecurbh

Gosh....


279 posted on 09/23/2005 10:16:26 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: ecurbh

Oh, man... makes ya humble.


280 posted on 09/23/2005 10:26:09 AM PDT by Ramius (Blades for war fighters: http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net)
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