Forging Class Yesterday (Part II): Security and post- SHTF Blacksmithing in Argentina

Here’s how the knife is looking by the way.

 

The class was also a good opportunity to learn some interesting stories, a chance to learn from other people’s experience.

After the 2001 crisis few people could afford the premium  knives Mr. Gugliotta made but as he told me, he always managed to get by and put food on the table. He explained that a good knife is valued by most, and he would trade a knife for 30 USD worth of meat at the neighborhood’s butcher store.

He also mentioned a good friend of his going on a trip across South America, on foot with his dog. Before the journey, he gave his friend several unfinished blades (missing a proper handle) for him to complete building as he went. Turns out that all across south America the knife was a much appreciated gift, specially in places like the Amazonas. A knife would sometimes get him a dinner and a place to stay for the night. Its not that different here either in the countryside and small towns. People are less reluctant in starting a conversation with a stranger, and people used to hard work appreciate a well made knife.

Blacksmithing as a post SHTF trade? This man is among the top 3, most renowned knife and sword makers in the country, yet as he explained, the crisis affected him a lot. How is he getting by now? Much better, but its not only because of his skill with a hammer and anvil, but because of his intelligence and ability to adapt. I’ve said it many times and I keep saying it because as time goes by I find more and more examples, both here and in other countries and places around the world that verify it: We wont go back in time to the middle ages. We wont live like in the “Little house on the Prairie”   TV series. Doesn’t matter where in the world, we wont be going back in time, and Mr. Gugliotta, with all his blacksmithing skill and second generation of Katana building experience is the perfect example. After a knife seminar in Brazil next week, he’s organizing a class here for local knife makers. The topic? Its not about being Barter Town’s blacksmith… its about marketing for knife smiths. He sells most of his knives through the web.

Finally, the topic every Argentine talks about if the conversation lasts more than 30 minutes: crime. Apparently a famous local gun and knife writer (who’s name shall not be revealed) was involved in a kidnapping.

He was surprised along with his wife when leaving a farm (remember me calling BS on country=safe city=hellhole? Examples such as this are why) Two armed men got into the vehicle, forcing him and his wife in the back seat. Sometimes bad guys are clever sometimes they are this stupid. So the gun writer had of course taken a gun with him, but since he’s more of the target shooting and hunting type he had his gun unloaded and carried it in a case. He quietly opened the case, loaded a magazine and loaded the gun, the bad guys didn’t notice him until he had the gun pointed at them.

Now here’s where the story gets interesting and there’s a lesson to be learned. I know this man, have read his material and have great respect for him. When I met him face to face, I could see that he’s well educated, kind and polite. I don’t know him that well but based on the few times I’ve seen him he might be just too kind, the type of person that writes about guns and knives, knows well how they operate and could write excellent books about them, but did he seem like the type of guy that would shoot someone (even in self defense) without a second of doubt? I can’t say he seemed to be that type of person, and that’s exactly what happened here. Later when the district attorney asked why didn’t he just shoot the bad guy in the back of the head, he would say he didn’t think it was what a gentleman would have done. I totally picture him saying just that.

So he’s had the gun, clearly couldn’t do what he knew perfectly well he should be doing, (shoot to kill) and did what every instructed gun owner knows you should never do (shoot to wound). He alerted the bad guy, and then shot him in the stomach. The car goes off the road, the bad guys pull him out of the car and while on the floor they shoot him in the face. The bad guy that wasn’t shot escapes, leaving his wounded buddy in the car. The wife pulls the wounded kidnapper out of the car, manages to get his husband inside and takes him to the hospital. The older woman breaks her wrist in the process, but still manages to take him to the ER room. The writer is lucky, the projectile went through his face and exited through the back of the head but miraculously he recovered without permanent damage. This is why you should have already come to a decision before finding yourself in a situation where you have a firearm, but you lack the determination to use it as you’re supposed to.

FerFAL