Man Jewelry

Before you even ask... the answer is no.

No. No. No.

We don't wear jewelry. For our purpose jewelry is defined as anything you wear purely for looks that serves no other function. So for example... cuff links are not banned by this rule because cuff links, like belts, are required by some attire to function. Tie tacks can similarly be allowed. Watches are obviously allowed, as they serve a function.

Another notable exception are historically accepted cultural items. For catholics... a St Something-or-other (The Patron Saint of Slow Recall... he's not very famous) medallion or a rosary. These items should be worn with care though... as its a very thin line. The religious necklaces I mentioned for example shouldn't be seen. If we see it to much... we assume you're not wearing for any religious or cultural significance... you're wearing it to make yourself feel pretty.

There are two other exceptions worth noting... gifts symbolic of some enormous life altering event... this is wear wedding rings come in... and jewelry won or awarded for some actual achievement, or to denote membership. So...Super Bowl Rings are completely acceptable. You won your Fantasy Football league? good enough. Your lodge grants you a certain level and you are to wear a ring to denote that level.... fine. You're a marine and you want a ring that says "marine" in gold.... I would rather see ya get a tattoo but I don't think the jury would convict.

Now this is an important post. I wrote it because the bastard jewelry makers have gotten tricky on us. See... Men don't give a damn about flashy gold jewelry. Historically... except for the dandies among us... its not been particularly bothersome to ignore jewelry.

I am seeing things slacken up though. I see guys with black titanium rings with carbon fiber inlays. Its black... therefore its masculine... and look! Carbon Fiber! Oh its true... Carbon Fiber draws in sport bike guys like bugs to a zapper. But look up here at the rules. Do you see any exception made for jewelry that is made with masculine materials? No. I don't care if its tungsten. I don't care if its got titanium cables on it... or black diamonds that were formed in a super nova. Yes.... that's all cool. And when you do something... achieve something... then someone can buy it for you... and then you can wear it.

Otherwise you're just wearing it to look pretty... so it may as well be carbon fiber panty hose. Or italian shoes.

Wierd Tool Bleg





umm... can someone tell me what the hell this is?

Its some kind of tool for God knows what. If this crew don't know... no one does.

Welldigger bought an old timer's tool box and this thing was in there amonst all manner of other arcane devices both ancient and mystifying. This is one of the few we simply could not divine.

Fail.

Well... I went to range today... And I must say... thanks to EN's rambling foolishness I found my mind wondering off to thought of pins shearing off as I looked through the sites of the new 1911. But before I get to far along... let me assure you... this is a true one hole shooter.

**BANG**

Oh...

That felt sweet. Easy big fella... we're testing for function here... it hit the target... don't bother looking to close... just move on. We'll worry about accuracy in a few minutes.

Ok.. so now I load two 230 grain hardballs into the mag...

**BANG**

Oh...

That felt sweet to... umm... why is the slide still back?

Hrm...

Failure to eject.

Clear.

Try again.

Failure to eject.

Dammit.

Excellent! Now we get to tune the extractor! sweet! see? Told you it was a one hole shooter. Oh well... let's check accuracy for shits and giggles. No bench available... kinda raining... 35 degrees outside... not the best conditions...

Still... 3 shots in an inch at 25 yards. I dare not speak ill.

Tease

Now... first things first... when you're making the decision to build your very own 1911... you must realize one immutible fact... drop in parts don't drop in. Not even when they all come from one place in one kit. Oh... there may be reviews raving about how nothing required fitting... in fact the kit I got had 10 such reviews. Ya know what?

Almost everything required fitting. In fact... if I were to start listing all the parts that required fitting... you'd realize we worked on the majority of the parts on the weapon. If we didn't work on a specific part... odds are we worked on something that touches it.

There is another undeniable fact... You will lose something. You will. Period. Just spend the money in advance and by like 3 spring kits... 3 pin kits... ect ect. You will lose something... and it will happen when you are almost done and have a ton of momentum... and you will not want to stop and wait for a part to come in.

Things you will need:

1 1911 frame

1 1911 slide

1 1911 completion kit

extra pins and springs

emory cloth

complete drill set (we didn't have one... but we wish we did)

1 dremel tool and all the do dads that go along with it

1 bench vice

emory boards (you know... girls fingernail files. We couldn't have finished it without them)

1 google video showing the entire process

1 lap top on your work bench

roughly... 10 hours... maybe 20.

Now... I had 2 slides... one mil spec... and a fancy government from Caspian. Ya know what I learned really quick? Caspian drills all their slides for #38 firing pins. The parts kit I had didn't have a # 38 firing pin. It was much larger. So... Order firing pin from Caspian. Ya know what else I learned? Caspian firing pins don't necessarily drop into Caspian slides. Even the right sized ones. This is where a numbered set of bits comes in handy.

Other parts were of considerable difficulty as well... for example... the link pin. The link pin was the devil. If link pin fit is a factor on accuracy, and when accurizing a 1911 those pins are tighted up considerably, then this should be a one hole pistol. Because we actually had to heat the barrel up to press fit the damned thing in. I can assure you... that at least will not wiggle free.

I think that's enough for now.

Project 1911 Completed

Thanks to the Brothers C. With their help, and a few minor miracles... a new 1911 was birthed today. We all learned a lot about the weapon... and I can honestly say... if you've never attempted to build your own 1911...

Don't.