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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 didnt 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 cant express the amount of gratitude I felt when I found out about your organization. Many of us are junior enlisted, and just cant 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 isnt 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. Weve 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 arent official enough to fundraise in any kind of big way, we arent an official charity with financial statements and tax benefits, and we dont 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: RMDupree
301
posted on
10/12/2005 5:13:20 PM PDT
by
HairOfTheDog
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
To: HairOfTheDog
I'll send more when I can!
302
posted on
10/12/2005 5:48:20 PM PDT
by
RMDupree
(HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
To: RMDupree; 2Jedismom; silent_jonny; conservativebabe; MNJohnnie; Tunehead54; radu; SuziQ
Most notes from the troops come via email. But here's an image of a thank-you card I received last week.
To: 300winmag; HairOfTheDog
Perhaps I missed it .. how much does the current knives cost per each?
What a excellent project. Are these knives available locally in most places or only in knife stores?
A super idea for our soldiers. Thank you, for all the work you do on this project. How many lives might be saved by having a knife with them?
We all would benefit from having one under our front seat. Correct?
To: Countyline; 300winmag
Thanks for the question! 300winmag is the man with the facts.
The 904S folding knife we are getting a very special deal on from Camillus... I think when he orders them in bulk, they are now doing our engraving also and they cost about $25 shipped with overseas shipping to Iraq. I think winmag just swung a good deal on the Gerber sheath knives as well... They're more.
As for the availability of the knives.... winmag is your guy, and I'm sure he'll answer you with more detail when he logs back in here... He loves talkin knives, and deals on knives, and where to get them and why :~D
Our Hobbit Hole Knife Project blog talks a lot about the knives and how he finds them.
305
posted on
10/27/2005 11:45:27 AM PDT
by
HairOfTheDog
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
To: Countyline
Are these knives available locally in most places or only in knife stores? These knives are readily available from most quality knife dealers, but would not be found at your local hardware store. We're getting these knives at (or slightly below) dealer prices, right from the factory.
Approximate prices for us are $60 for the Camillus BK2 or Gerber LMF II, $80 for the Camillus BK3. The Camillus 904S is about $15, while the Rescue is $36. If you check even the best online prices, you'll find that these are really great deals on quality items.
With Gerber, we also get discount prices on multi-tools and flashlights. Camillus has given us super great deals on discontinued models, and first crack at brand-new items that hadn't even been announced yet. We were giving away the new Rescue before dealers even had pictures.
To: Jim Robinson; Admin Moderator; Jeff Head; SAMWolf; Darksheare; radu; 300winmag; 2Jedismom; ...
NEWS FLASH! Hobbit Hole knife project has surpassed 1,000 knives shipped to date!Ping for a very successful FReeper troop support project. Though we are on hold from accepting new requests for knives till we catch up with the backlog, we are still ordering knives, and still accepting all the help we can get.
AM - can we have a jazzy new Headline? "Help us support our troops! [Knives for Soldiers] 1,000 shipped to date and counting!" or something like that?
Current knife tally
415 CRKT 5700 folding knife
100 Ka-Bar 4065 folding knife
156 Camillus 904S folding knife
15 Camillus 5851 seatbelt cutter
6 ASP restraint cutter*
30 Camillus CQB1SG
30 Camillus CQB3
119 Camillus BK2SG
30 Camillus BK3SG
36 Gerber LMF II aircrew knife*
12 Gerber LMF II infantry model*
2 Camillus CUDA3 rescue knife
49 Camillus Rescue Heat folding knife
TOTAL: 1000 knives sent
* Limited supply
The Hobbit Hole knife project blog
307
posted on
11/01/2005 1:10:00 PM PST
by
HairOfTheDog
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ 1,000 knives and counting!)
To: Admin Moderator
Thank you for the new headline Bump!
308
posted on
11/01/2005 1:16:40 PM PST
by
HairOfTheDog
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ 1,000 knives and counting!)
To: HairOfTheDog
I can't tell you how proud I am of being a small part of this project.
Even so, I'm ever prouder of our troops! :-D
309
posted on
11/01/2005 1:21:53 PM PST
by
RMDupree
(HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
To: HairOfTheDog; 300winmag
310
posted on
11/01/2005 1:23:15 PM PST
by
Corin Stormhands
(John Kerry Endorses Tim Kaine: "Tim Kaine was against the Death Penalty before he was for it!")
To: Corin Stormhands; RMDupree
311
posted on
11/01/2005 1:31:16 PM PST
by
HairOfTheDog
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ 1,000 knives and counting!)
To: HairOfTheDog
Whoa... that's just incredible.
312
posted on
11/01/2005 1:35:40 PM PST
by
JenB
(NaNoWriMo Word Count: 2,000)
To: HairOfTheDog; 300winmag
I know my nephew loves his Gerber aircrew knife!
313
posted on
11/01/2005 2:24:57 PM PST
by
SuziQ
To: HairOfTheDog
You just gotta love those pics! :-D
314
posted on
11/01/2005 4:43:25 PM PST
by
RMDupree
(HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
To: HairOfTheDog
Woohoo! Awesome work!
We've achieved a measurable percentage of all the troops there! :-)
315
posted on
11/01/2005 5:36:20 PM PST
by
Ramius
(Buy blades for war fighters: freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net --> 1000 knives and counting!)
To: HairOfTheDog; 300winmag
316
posted on
11/01/2005 6:14:03 PM PST
by
Samwise
(The media is "stuck on stupid.")
To: HairOfTheDog; Corin Stormhands; 2Jedismom; g'nad; JenB; Rose in RoseBear; Bear_in_RoseBear; ...
Even though the project is on somewhat of a hiatus right now, it isn't closed down. Winmag is working on the mountain of requests that got piled up, and a few are still trickling in. Continued contributions are still needed!
I received my Gerber LMF II aircrew knife today, just in time for my deployment to Afghanistan. It is ten times the knife compared to the standard issue Army blade I now carry on my flight vest. I hope I never have to test its capabilities though I have no doubt it would pass with flying colors. THANK YOU very much for letting me carry it and the reassurance that goes with it. You should be very proud of the great work your group is doing. Thank you for your support.
This one is pretty good too...
My brother had requested one of your knives awhile back,I really thought it was going to be like a knife I had ordered last year,except I paid for this one,way too much too!I received the cheapest piece of junk,it just about fell apart when I opened it the first time,My brother received his the other day and I was shocked to see a beautiful Gerber knife,it looks like a top of the line knife,I'm glad he got his,he's an Apache driver heading for Afghanistan in Jan.It will come in handy,He's my baby brother and I want him to have any edge he can get to bring him back safe. I just wanted to thank you for your contribution,you really do make a difference.
And this one...
I have got to say that the quality of your products and the reputation you have earned for supporting our soldiers and our country has spread fast. I wanted to make a request for a knife not only for myself but the other four members of my section as well. I realize the overwhelming demand and understand that there is a shortage of certain products. But any and all knives, tools, gadgets, etc you have that may be helpful for a medic in an aviation unit would be incredibly appreciated by us. Thanks again so much for supporting us, you have no idea how appreciated you are, and what a great service you are doing this country and above all, its soldiers.
Hooah!
Please support our Hobbit Hole Pocket knives for the troops project.
317
posted on
11/07/2005 8:20:54 PM PST
by
ecurbh
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
To: ecurbh; 300winmag
Hooah indeed!
Our monthly contribution coming winmag!
318
posted on
11/07/2005 8:24:31 PM PST
by
HairOfTheDog
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ 1,000 knives and counting!)
To: Countyline; HairOfTheDog; Ramius; ecurbh; JenB; 2Jedismom
Just a quick note to let people know that their donations not only go to buy knives, but also to
mail them. It costs about $8-10 to mail a sheath knife via priority mail, insured.
I have a postage meter using stamps.com, and print my own postage for domestic mailing. That way, I can drop off the packages in the PO drop box at night, on my way to work. Packages going to APOs/FPOs require me to stand in line at the post office to get the customs forms processed. In that case, I pay the postage at the same time.
This statement shows what we've been spending on postage for knives sent within the US (much less hassle that way) for the last month:
--------------
Thank you for using Stamps.com! The following is your Stamps.com print activity subtotaled by reference code for the period from October 9, 2005 to November 8, 2005.
************************************************************************ Postage Summary for October 9, 2005 to November 8, 2005 ************************************************************************ 1 (No reference) 467.90 -------- 2 Total Postage Printed $467.90 ************************************************************************
To: 300winmag
RATS! The preview looked much better than what actually was displayed. You get the idea, anyway.
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