Hello internet peoples, my name is Bill. I come to you from a humble and modest home full of love and more importantly toys. The term toys can be a very broad one as you might initially think I’m talking about my daughters Ms. Potato head over in the corner when really what I’m talking about is the Gerber MP600 in my pocket.
You see, people in general, no matter their age, have toys; and that’s what I want to talk to you folks about. Namely: my toys. In the coming posts you’ll get to (that’s right, lucky you) read about my opinions and practical applications of my various toys or gear and potentially skills I’ve used with said gear.
Now, about me. I told you that I come from a humble home and blah, blah, blah. A question you’ve probably already posed in your head is “What the hell makes him so bloody qualified to tell me what he thinks about anything? Who is this Spacecowboy Bill fella anyway?” Well…I am a father, husband, joker, outdoors-man and all around doer of things. I have camped and fished since I was old enough to remember. I have always been adventurous, to a fault some may say. I’m always willing to step outside of my comfort zone if it means learning a new skill or feeling accomplished that I did something new and different. I can be pretty overconfident sometimes but hey, it’s worked out pretty well so far.
I’ve carried various types of toys since I was a teenager, from pocket knives to caribiners, compasses, church keys and many more. I have always found ways to use what I carry with me for either their intended uses or maybe just a tad outside of that. This has given me an interesting perspective on overall utility of toys and how to play with them.
Alright, enough of the whole “toys” allegory, I’ll refer to it as gear from here on out. Suffice it to say, I use gear. I use it every day, in practical applications that ought to relate to how some of you would typically use it or even carry it. Maybe you’ve been interested in carrying this or that, or trying your hand at this skill, well, the plan is this: via this blog, I will be explaining to you my experiences with such things. I may even post a video or twelve, I don’t know, let’s see how it goes…
Hey followers (like calling you guys that cuz it makes me sound like a cult leader) I know it’s been a long time since I posted anything, I’d like to lie and say that I’ve been hard at work developing content but really, I’ve just been hard at work…at least….until Monday of last week.
Like many of us, I too have been furloughed from work for a really unclear, nonspecific period of time cloaked in confusion and uncertainty. What does this mean? Well, for the first week of furlough I spent a ton of time with family but also a good deal of it outside. Not exactly quarantined but still practicing the recommended social distancing to a point.
Metal Detecting:
The family and I picked up this hobby a couple of months ago and have had a lot of fun with not a ton of effort. It started with my wife’s memories of being young and going out with her father to parks and such looking for coins and things. She’s talked about this memory a lot as we had tried to find inexpensive hobbies to get us all out of the house and away from the tv/phones etc. We had put it off and put it off and just kept prioritizing other things in front of it because we thought it would be terribly expensive to start. You see the big expensive metal detectors at the sporting goods stores and they’re like $200+ and it was a little intimidating.
And then we got our taxes and we were ready to pull the trigger. Amy did some research on the different models, features etc. and she finds, surprisingly enough, that there are in fact some very affordable options with excellent reviews, and hell, there’s even a highly rated, affordable model on sale and available at our local Big 5 Sporting Goods store! We head on down there, pick it up, take it home and set it up before making a quick journey to a local park and before you know it; pay dirt! Coins, screws, nails and more! Best part? Shae gets really excited every time we start digging and tries to “help”. Tons of fun.
So the Metal Detector we bought was on sale at Big 5 for about $80, we have a small garden shovel we used originally but decided a knife was more appropriate so we could make smaller holes. In an attempt to ensure smaller holes we later purchased a hand held pin-pointer for about $25, so all in we’re into a fun little hobby for a little over $100. We bring a little bag for trash and such so we end up cleaning up a bit which is cool and we even found a decorative silver fixture, looks pretty old and has a ton of detail in it. As far as hobbies go, I highly suggest this one, very rewarding, even when you sometimes just end up with 60 y/o trash.
Fishing:
Well, big surprise, we went fishing a couple of times. This is a hobby that I have always loved. It’s fun, rewarding, challenging but peaceful. Since starting a family, this particular hobby can be a bit of a struggle at times. The tough part has always been; I’m the one fishing, what does the family do? My poor wife has always been left to just chase around the kiddo and keep her from falling into the water or tumbling down some hill. It seemed to be much harder before Shae could walk but it seems to have gotten…easier?…different? We have different things we bring, Amy is really good at planning this stuff out and we have both gotten pretty good at identifying the challenges that come with each outing. As of recent, the best purchase we have made for our adventures is a collapsible hand cart. Seriously, it’s easy enough to load up the car and drive out there, it’s a whole separate feat to get it all out of the car, down to the fishing area, set up, get comfy, spend the time there and have to load it all back into the car, and then back into the garage. This hand cart just makes it so much more manageable so that by the time we’re all done mommy and daddy aren’t tired, frustrated, hangry and annoyed because we spent 1.5 hr’s loading, unloading, setting up, loading and unloading again.
Video Games:
Honestly, surprised I haven’t played more by now. Let’s be honest though, it seems like we’ve still got plenty of time. So far, I have played through Halo Reach and Halo CE on my Xbox One S. Considered playing through the rest of the Master Chief collection but at this point I’m leaning more towards dusting off Destiny 2. I’m hesitant to get mixed up in Skyrim with all the time available, I’m worried about the passing of time, there seems to be a weird time flux paradox every time I start into that game.
TV:
Oh man, we just got Prime again too. Obviously we’ve burned through the office at a break neck speed however since we’ve gotten Prime again shows like House, random Docs, Top Shot and who knows what else will enter into the mix. Also, we got the CBS All Access trial so we can smash through Season 1 of Picard, which I am enjoying a lot.
The Kid:
Oof, this kid right now, let me just say this; she’s not a fan of being cooped up. The combination of poor weather and social distancing has been rough on her. Even today, we all needed a little fresh air, even though it was raining we had to go on a walk for all of our sake. Shae seemed to really enjoy it. She was super calm the whole time, tucked into her stroller and snugged up in her jacket and a blanket. Something about a change of scenery can do so much for us all. We just walked around down town Talent in a large circle that avoided all parks/playgrounds (if Shae had seen one we would likely have had a bit of a fit on our hands) Amy really enjoyed the walk, she’s about 18 weeks pregnant with our little boy now and being stuck inside with no real walking has been rough on her too.
All in all, we’re just trying to live and not get angry with each other. We all love each other so damn much but it’s hard being stuck in like this. We try to make the best of things, get outdoors and have fun while also staying safe. Everything going on in the world right now, the extreme uncertainty, nobody has answers, the only real answer is to love the ones closest to you and find ways to connect. I love what I’m seeing about people doing video conference birthday parties and things like that. Be creative but most importantly, be there, some how.
Alright, I’ve been promising him I would write a detailed review if he let me borrow this thing for a while, so here it is!
This thing is beautiful and well thought out. The leather is supple yet sturdy. It’s a slim wallet which is huge for me and just about everyone out there in the EDC community. The rich color in the leather is beautiful especially in brighter lighting and I’m sure it will patina into something truly gorgeous in the coming years of use.
Not exactly sure what the deal is with this orange divider here, feels like similar quality to the rest of it. You really only see a hint of it while it’s full and it gives kind a cool contrast. The design was clearly very well thought out; it seems to be 3 pieces of leather folded within one another and stitched together.
The stitch work is solid, doesn’t feel at all like it will fall apart under normal wear. Really like the hallmark/logo he’s made for himself. Again; simple yet unique.
To summarize; this is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Well thought out, easy to use and carry. It begs to be taken out of the pocket and shown off. It feels great in the hand and doesn’t hurt the eyes one bit.
A bit about Greyhame Leatherworks: He doesn’t have a website that I’m aware of, I came across his InstaGram page one day while drooling over super nice EDC pieces I couldn’t afford. What I’m getting at is he’s pretty small time, but that’s a good thing. He’s got a nack for quality and it shows. I’ve seen a good deal of other quality leather products on his page including pocket organizers and even watch straps. I’d be willing to bet if you sent him a message with something in mind he could probably put it together for you and it’d be something you’d be proud of. Plus we’re both from PA, so that’s cool.
5/5 all the way on this one.
Looks: 5
Functionality: 5
Durability: 5 (for what it is, I’m not saying run the gauntlet on it, I’m saying keep it in you’re pocket and it’ll do fine)
Price: 5 $45 seems terribly reasonable for this level of craftsmanship.
I wanted to take a moment and talk about some of the special things in my carry today. But first; a list!
Keybar, Taurus PT111/G2C, We The People Holsters IWB, Rustico Leather Lighter Sleeve, BIC Lighter, Legendary Knives flipper, Grehame LeeatherWorks Wallet, Chapstick original, Grimfrost horn comb, Moto Z4 w/leather styleback, brass top, a bandanna.
The majority of the leather products you see here are very unique in their own way. Sure, some of them are produced in large batches, but the majority of them are short run and hand made by small businesses and such.
Things like the knife pictured below are one of a kind and oh so special. The brass spinner pictured is special to me because it brings me just that little fleeting moment of peace I need so desperately, especially at work.
Forgot to feature my Timex Expedition in the header pic.
Loving this wallet, great craftsmanship, a lot of thought went into the design yet it’s very simplistic. Also love this watch, it’s rugged yet lightweight. Could be lower profile but honestly, really enjoy wearing it.
Fine quality in the leather sheath that came with this legendary knife. Can’t wait to see it patina!Tons of beautiful detail went into the making of this knife. Love the silver eagles on either end. The feeling and look of the antler is fantastic.Again, level of detail and craftsmanship if just fantastic!This was a gift from my brother in law, seemed like a small yet cool gesture but I honestly carry it every day and really like it. That copper emblem is gonna look amazing after years of use.Simple, elegant, hours of entertainment/peace.
Links below to most of the manufacture/vendor pages;
The first time I took this trail with my then girlfriend. We were on a vacation checking out the area. I was in the early stages of convincing her that we should move to Oregon and get out of California while the getting was still good. This picture was taken by my now wife of my daughter and I taking in the view.
The Green Springs Mountain Loop trailhead is a low impact, short loop with such beautiful scenery. It’s close by but you get to feel like it’s hours outside of town. Views of the Rogue Valley, Pilot Rock and Emigrant Lake are within reach of the most novice of hikers.
Thanks for reading/viewing. I know it was brief but I just wanted to share some tidbits for tonight.
Took a trip to Brookings OR. this weekend with the fambam and decided to do a quick pocket dump. Don’t usually carry the flashlight with me, it normally is posted by the bed but since this was a bit of a road trip, some night driving and an overnight stay in a part of the house that was added after initial construction, figured better safe and visible than sorry.
In no particular order: Gerber MP600 Pro Scout, Vont XOR Flashlight, Timex Expedition some variant, KeyBar Stonewashed Aluminum, Grimfrost Viking Comb Horn, We the People Kydex Holster, Taurus PT111/G2C 9mm Stainless, Ember Leather Lighter Sleeve by Rustico, Chapstick Original, Standard bandanna/handkerchief, Raw Organic Hemp Rolling Papers, Jinhoa Fountain Pen, Columbia Money Clip/Wallet I can’t find any information on, Eccolo World Traveler.
You’ll find links below to product pages. I tried to make them direct links because I prefer to support the companies directly as opposed to 3rd party sellers unless they’re a locally owned and operated company but in some cases that wasn’t possible.
The Swordfish(Left), The Rambler(Back) and Stacey(Right)
So there are 3 motorized vehicles in our family, sorry Honey Bear, the “Hogback Mini” didn’t make the cut on this posting. The two on the left you know however you’ve not seen Stacey on this page before.
A brief summary on the three:
The oldest in the family, though it’s only been around for a year or so is The Rambler, a 1987 Ford Bronco II. I bought it cheap, it runs halfway decent and has a mountain of qwerks left for me to figure out. It’s got leather red leather seats and a loud muffler. I love it and it’s terrible fuel economy.
The second oldest is Stacey, a 2010 Honda CRV. She’s an elegant lady with her heated leather seats, sun roof and unfaltering reliability. She gets dirty without hesitation and cleans up nice and the fuel economy is solid. Super pleased with this vehicle and our family fits in it perfectly. Stacey has been all over; up mountains, down on river roads and all through the streets of Southern Oregon and the East Bay Area.
The Swordfish. My favorite. It’s a 2013 Honda CBR500R. I have put about 6k miles on this thing since I bought it. I went down with it, got back up and haven’t stopped riding unless weather or injury kept me from it. Riding on the Swordfish has an incredible free feeling and it’s the closest I’ll get to operating an air/spacecraft.
The three together have worked perfectly to keep our family mobile and at a low operating cost. We haven’t gone on many a family ride in the Rambler, mostly because it is loud and the kiddo isn’t particularly comfortable in it. Also, it can smell of exhaust pretty quick. I need to take the wife out on the Swordfish just as soon as Shae is in a position to be babysat because man, oh man, is she ready to feel that freedom.
I’ve owned my Taurus PT1911 for 7 or 8 years now. It is my favorite pistol/handgun I’ve fired yet. It was the first firearm I bought and I’ve never regretted it. I’ll openly admit it, I was a little scared to go shoot it for the first time. Sure, I’d done my research, knew all the features on it, specifically from this manufacturer, but I had never fired a handgun chambered any bigger than 9mm and this .45 ACP was a little intimidating to say the least.
First Shots…
Nothing could stop me, I was on my way to the nearest store that sold ammunition. I walked right passed the nice lady at Bi-Mart who must have assumed I was a regular because she just buzzed me right in (I get that a lot). I bought 150 rounds and headed directly to the local gun range. I was on a mission. I had forgotten any kind of target…so I dove into a dumpster to find what had been shot up already and made due.
I placed my target about 20 yards away (moron) got myself into a way too upright stance, let loose the slid, acquired my target (some upright vacuum box, wanna say it was a hoover) hesitated. A lot. Over thought. Soooo much. Thumbed the safety and backed off. Stepped back, shook it off, leaned forward more, thumbed off the safety, eyeballed the F*@% out of that vacuum, squeezed off a shot that went so high it nearly split the top of the box.
Now, some things about this gun; I bought it used. Well used. It was scratched up here and there, but the stainless steel looked solid other than a few deep-ish scratches. When I say I bought it used, I mean I bought it from a pawn shop. The grips on it are thick rubber, lightly textured Hogue grips that I am actually really happy with. The finger cutouts fit my hand really well. I’ve found the size of the frame, the give of the rubber and placement of the trigger make this gun really comfortable to shoot with these grips. It did not come with the stock grips however everything else is stock as far as I can tell.
Back when I purchased the gun, I wanted to make it into what I thought a kick ass gun was. To my credit, I do still think this configuration looks pretty slick however after actually firing the gun several hundred times (think I’m just shy of 1,000) I can say that the Hogue grips it came with are sooooo much better than the pretty “mother of pearl” Ace of Spades grips I ordered from China.
The muzzle break up front is a little ridiculous too. Really though, even at .45 ACP the weight of this gun makes something like this totally unnecessary. Not to mention, it also made it impossible to fit in most holsters.
Now, back to the gun itself and away from me making silly aesthetic decisions with this gun.
Pros:
-.45 ACP excellent stopping power
-pro/con heavy stainless frame is pretty heavy which negates the majority of the recoil.
-Easy operation
-Hogue Wraparound Grips, rubber gives just enough when gripping, finger cutouts fit my hand perfectly. Other guns I have really appreciated an aggressive texture, this gun/grip doesn’t warrant it.
-Dual safety (have never used the 3rd safety which is this ridiculous key turn safety that completely disables the gun. Ok for traveling maybe)
-Manual safety/mag release are really comfortably placed for my hand size. I find I can operate this gun efficiently and quickly. Haven’t done many high intensity drills or anything but I really like it.
-Take-down/cleaning is super easy
-It looks bad ass and is an intimidating full sized pistol that’d cut you down without batting an eyelash
Cons:
-Holy shit it’s such a heavy gun to try and carry around. It’s one thing if I’m going hunting, hell yes I’ll take it and have no trouble toting it on my hip (wish I had a leg holster but that’s another conversation) I live in a state where open carry is legal and I will often open carry when I go fishing or hiking or anything really outdoorsy, but this big bastard just tugs my belt down like it’s trying to pants me and I’m fighting to keep my belt at my belt line the whole damn time.
I really don’t have any other complaints about this gun aside from the fact that I paid out the ass for a used gun at a pawn shop just like a million other suckers. I love this gun and will keep it as my home defense/hunting companion until I find a reason to ditch it.
I named it Lucille back in 2012, years before the name appeared to represent a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. Just saying
4.5/5 too damn heavy to carry often enough to have no complaints.
The link below is the current listing that most resembles my PT1911:
-High Vis/Night Sights. Since my primary use for this weapon is home defense, night sight just make tons of sense.
-Magwell. Again, my proficiency with this weapon is decent, I need more range time (should have completed closer to 5k rounds fired by this time) but quick reloads are just sloppy on this thing. More practice maybe, but still, a flared Magwell would be awesome.
-Mayyyybe a spring kit?
I’d honestly like to replace some of the hardware. Some of the screws are looking a little haggard. The sights are ugly and faded. Maybe I could get the whole thing a good polish? IDK, leave me some feedback. Comment below and let me know what you think would do well or any recommendations.
Alright folks, so I have used a small variety of different key solutions. I’ve done the wad of keys floating in your pocket, key rings attached to carabiners and even (my least favorite) lanyards. Of all the different solutions I’ve tried, the KeyBar is far and away my favorite and I’ve used it now for 3 going on 4 years and never had any real issues.
KeyBar is located in Savannah GA , they are privately owned and operated. They are an awesome American brand and for me that goes a long way. The full brand story can be found here: https://www.keybar.us/keybar-story/ it’s really worth a read and better than anything I can paraphrase or summarize.
They have a HUGE assortment of different styles, materials, colorways and accessories, find the link towards the bottom of the page.
My KeyBar model is the standard Stone Washed Aluminum model.
Pros:
-Keeps all my keys in a linear position while in my pocket, nothing sprawls out and attacks my legs, ass or other non specifics…
-Comes with hardware for a variety of setups, right now I am rolling without the pocket clip, I have the attachment for a key fob and 7 keys and a flash drive.
-It stays relatively slim with all that on there.
-It’s robust and sturdy and made in America
Cons:
-The pocket clip goes in at a weird angle and doesn’t do much in the way of retention. I’ve tried bending it a bit to give a more aggressive angle and it made it even harder to fit into the slot and still allow the screw to go through it. I don’t use the pocket clip anymore so the bar is inserted into my pocket with my key fob and motorcycle keys dangling outside of my pocket.
-Accessing the keys one handed is a little tough sometimes.
That’s it. It’s an awesome product. I would in all honesty suggest you spring a little extra cash for one of the many colorways or something a little more visually appealing than just the stonewashed aluminum. Although I really do like this product, it does nothing for me visually(kind of boring looking). I also plan to eventually purchase one of their MagNut sets because it would come in very handy for me as well as the Quick Key Tab 2.0 because like I said, one handed use an be tough.
If you’re into this sort of stuff, I highly suggest it. I give it a 4.8/5 I feel like with better, more effective pocket clip and maybe a more polished aluminum this might have been a 5/5 for me but it’s not quite there. If you believe in American brands, privately owned business and self made people, go support this brand, they’re good people.
Hello all and welcome back. This is, finally, a gear review.
I received the Gerber MP600 as a gift from a friend who recently received basically a duplicate as a gift and simply offered it to me because he knew I was relatively handy and like gear and whatnot. This was probably 3 or so years ago at this point. I will say, when I got it I knew it was cool however I didn’t have much practical use for it aside from the occasional need to crimp something or turn a screw. For the better part of 3 years it really just kind of sat in a drawer like Woody and Buzz in T.S. 3.
And then we moved to Oregon, where I could be more outdoorsy, afford to have hobbies that require occasional handiwork and of course, fishing.
I have used this thing sooooo much since moving back to Oregon. I use it while fishing to manipulate some of my tackle and to pull hooks out of fish when I’m lucky. I have used the mini flat head screwdriver/pry-tool loads of times, including my recent project of replacing the ignition column on my Bronco II (seen here: https://spacecowboybill.music.blog/2019/09/15/my-bronco-ii/ ) It is a handy tool to keep around and the features are pretty cool. You get a lot of tools in a moderately slim package. And let’s be honest, if you’ve used the MP600 before, the one-handed open action is pretty cool. Reminds me of the sound of Wolverines claws coming out. *Snkkt!*
All of that being said, do I love the Gerber MP600? Yes. Do I carry it EVERY day? Honestly, no, and here’s why; Although I am the type of person to over-prepare, I really can’t always justify this heavy, somewhat thick chunk of steel clambering around in my pockets. Even when I have my carry organized well, if I start moving at any significant pace, this thing is slapping my thigh or knocking against my phone. I do have a pair of pants that has two magazine pockets and sometimes I’ll put a spare mag in one pocket and the MP600 in the other and that works really well. Is this something a pocket organizer could fix? Sure. But I don’t go in for that sort of thing man.
Features: (Diagram and tool list borrowed from GerberGear.com Linked below)
-Screwdriver head is a little stubby and is basically useless for any recessed screw heads.
-That’s it.
Seriously, the Gerber MP600-Pro Scout is an awesome piece of gear to add to any loadout. I would wholeheartedly suggest you find a brick and mortar retailer who carries Gerber products and see if you can’t get your hands on this or one of it’s many variants. GerberGear.com has it listed for $83 right now, however I’m certain you can find it at retailers for cheaper (huge supporter of Brick and Mortar, specifically locally owned) and of course there’s always https://www.bladehq.com/?search=gerber+mp+600
Overall Rating: 4.8/5 and this is nit picky because the phillips head is too short.
So, last year the wife and I decided we needed two cars and my motorcycle for now to complete our means of transportation. The motorcycle is super cheap to own and operate and gets amazing fuel economy. My wife has a Honda CRV that we are constantly loading to the brim with the necessities for a good family outing. It’s our gettin’ shit done vehicle. We picked up the Bronco II because I needed a vehicle that I could use safely during inclement weather.
I love Broncos. There, I said it. Get over it. I love the look and style of the red interior and chrome plated details. I have so much fun rolling around in it, rolling over bumps, taking turns tighter than anybody’s business. The fuel economy is laughable but because it’s 20+ years old it doesn’t need to pass emissions tests in the state of Oregon.
There’s a lot of work to be done to get the Bronco to where I’d like it to be. When I bought it I was not given a key….The ignition column was forced open by the previous owner supposedly because his brother had lost the key or something…. The pictures that follow are of the small repair I made swapping out for a new ignition column. The only tools used were included on my trusty Gerber MP600 and a standard Phillips screwdriver (the screwdriver on my MP600 was just too short) My wife and daughter really enjoyed watching me work and I really appreciated them being there. It was nice to also have my wife available to look up a few things while I struggled.
The last project I did was fixing the back door which has an electronic door release that would constantly drain the battery and then eventually just broke. It was a pretty easy fix, like this one, but required a lot of time. Wish I had Amy available to photograph that one, it was a MESS.
Be on the lookout for more repairs, upgrades and customization!
SpaceCowboyBill 