Bravado Living

The San Mai Gurkha Kukri: No, it’s not a gypsy curse, it’s a great big old pitbull of a knife.  The Kukri blade, easily distinguishable by it’s unique blade shape, is an iconic symbol of the Gurkha Warriors from Nepal, fearless mercenaries who employed this knife in the service of the British empire for over 150 years and were known to jump into trenches armed only with their blades and still send the enemy troops packing. That is quite the reputation and the Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri does that reputation justice. Inspired by Cold Steel president Lynn Thompson’s close association with a Dr. Maung Gyi, who was chief instructor for the American Bando Association. Bando is a Burmese martial art and it’s from this standpoint that Thompson was able to really harness the potential of this singular blade. The Kukri is pretty much a cross between an axe and a knife, with all the chopping and stabbing power that implies. It’s still used on a daily basis in South Asia for a whole plethora of tasks, from building furrows, cutting meat and vegetables, cutting down trees, to plain old self defense from wild animals and hostile humans.

Currently employed by the U.S. Navy Seals, this particular kukri retains all that versatility, from chop and stab to slash and smash. It’s multipurpose magic stems from some minor tweaks Cold Steel have added. The point is longer and narrower and has a distal tapering to the spine, giving it more piercing power. Cold Steel boasts that the San Mai is the heaviest kukri on the market. The San Mai apparently makes an efficient bludgeon using the back of the blade .The blade is almost an inch wider near the tip than at the handle. This pushes the balance of the blade forward, the same concept behind a leather sap, so you can land a substantial blow with minimal effort. A blow from this baby can break bones or even become fatal if you land one on your assailants skull. This is a great all-purpose knife for any outdoor activity and if you’re an avid hunter this should definitely become part of your arsenal. I love knives and would add this to my collection in a heart beat.

Watch the Gurkha Kukri in action as it cuts through meat, bone, metal, concrete, and even a coin like butter. Even more impressive is the lack of damage to the blade. I haven’t seen cutting power like this in swords twice the size of this powerful knife.

BUY IT San Mai Gurkha Kukri $649.99

Poker is a game of skill and strategy, not so much luck. With this is mind, there are a variety of things one can do to get a distinct advantage over your opponents, be they your buddies from work or the loathsome significant others of your girlfriend’s buddies. As I’ve already said before, having professional gambling gear lying around will give you a clear psychological advantage over your poker pals. This card shuffler is an official WPT machine, which means your friends just might start thinking that you are getting some pointers from the pros in exchange for shamelessly displaying the WPT logo wherever and whenever you can.

When playing with strangers and possible hustlers, this little machine will come through by definitely putting a kink in the plans of any fast-fingered card-swindler trying to lay a fast one on you, letting you rest easy and lay off the constant surveillance necessary to catch a hanger. On the frugal side of things, the WPT card shuffler,with its fair and efficient shuffling, will let you stretch out the lifetime of a pack of cards by reducing the wear and tear caused by hand shuffling.  The WPT card shuffler works with both bridge and poker size cards and runs on two “C” batteries. I think it’s time you turn you’re living room into a miniature casino, especially considering that house almost always wins in the end.

BUY IT World Poker Tour Card Shuffler $5.95

The Swiss Army Knife is an iconic image, the mere mention of which conjures up images of the of all the little doodads that can be pulled out. The spirit and essence of that multitasking pocket knife has been captured in the Spirit Multitool, created by Victorinox, the same company that began producing the original Swiss Army knife over a century ago. The Spirit is the successor to the original Swisstool, keeping all the versatility, functionality, and manageability while being a little more ergonomic and a few grams lighter. This little puppy has about 27 different tools, which means that the owner of a fine tool such as this is a little more prepared than your regular Joe Schmoe with a regular multitool. Some of the different tools included are needle-nose pliers, 2mm screwdriver, 3mm screwdriver, a wire cutter, crate opener, metal file, metal saw, scissors, wood saw, can opener, Philips screwdriver, and a chisel. In theory, there isn’t much I couldn’t do with this thing. This is something that every guy should keep nearby, in the glove compartment or in a desk drawer at the office.

This is the MacGyver of knives.

BUY IT Swiss Army Spirit Multitool from Victorinox $62.95

Smoking cigars has been a masculine past time since the dawn of tabacco. There’s something to be said about puffing on a high quality stogey, maybe while you sip some good whiskey on ice, and just letting the stress flow out of your body like smoke. Cigars are synonymous with class and refinement, a symbol of a man’s right to luxury. Dalvey produces great products for men and this solo cigar ashtray is a great example of the quality they put into their goods.

This great twist on the classic cigar ashtray is great. It’s size makes it perfect for taking on the go, making it easier to enjoy a cigar no matter where you might happen to be.  The high shine polish makes it a simple and beautiful piece.  The shape of the ash tray lets you put down the cigar and not have to worry about getting a run, instead you get a nice long, even burn. This is a great little knick-knack made even better by its functionality.

BUY IT Solo Cigar Ashtray by Dalvey $60.93

Most guys, when looking to purchase a grill for barbecuing, tend to focus solely on the excessively bulky stainless-steel gas grills. In this ocean of metal alloys and butane tanks, there stands an innovative product: The Big Green Egg. The BGE is a ceramic charcoal grill that is basically a modern take on an ancient clay cooker called a “kamado” and was introduced back in 1974.  It’s apparently come a long way since its inception in the 70′s, replacing the clay used in earlier models with a space age ceramic, purportedly making in nearly “indestructible under ordinary cooking conditions”. Aside from durability, the BGE is also pretty versatile, able to function as a smoker, grill, and oven.

The EGGs can also cook a surprising amount of food for it’s size. The XL EGG, pictured above, is able to cook either two 20-pound turkeys which translates into other foodstuffs as 24 hamburgers, or 11 whole chickens, or 12 steaks, or 14 racks of ribs(vertically), which makes this grill perfectly adequate for large barbecues. The temperature range is also impressive, able to reach highs of 750 degrees Fahrenheit for steakhouse style searing and lows  of 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit for low-and slow cooking. The ceramic surface itself doesn’t get as hot as metal, making it a little more safe to be around. The BGE reaches cooking temperature and is ready to use in approximately 10 minutes. The ingenious design of the EGG draws air into the lower draft door, then through the charcoal, and out of the damper top. The makers suggest using natural lump coal, which lights quickly and results in less ash, meaning less clean up. The ceramic is water-proof and doesn’t rust like a metal grill.  They come in several different sizes including XL, L, M, S, and Mini. The Mini is perfect to take tail-gating or for grilling on the beach.

So clear your weekends, reycle your steel grills, and get ready to roast animal flesh.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any licensed internet dealers for the EGG but you can find a distributor on their site.

Or you can take a chance and buy it below.

BUY IT Big Green Egg $749