Bill Menees's Blog

Microsoft just released Windows PowerShell v1.0, which is a new object-oriented, .NET-aware, dynamically scriptable command-line shell for Windows. It's pretty cool, but I wanted the ability to launch a PowerShell window for a selected folder in Explorer the same way I can launch cmd.exe with the old "DOS Here" PowerToy from Microsoft.

Way back in the "Monad" beta days I wrote such a PowerToy and posted it to the private Microsoft newsgroups for the early adopters. Then once Microsoft changed from the Monad codename to the official PowerShell name, Scott Hanselman posted his own independently written "PowerShell Prompt Here" PowerToy. But his version was hardcoded to look for PowerShell under "C:\Program Files", and now for the 1.0 release, Microsoft moved PowerShell under the Windows\System32\PowerShell\v1.0 folder. So I've updated my old PowerToy to look at the correct location, and you can download it below.

PowerShellHere.inf.

Once you download the file, just right-click it and select "Install". Then when you right-click a folder in Explorer, you should have a "PowerShell Prompt Here" item on the folder's context menu.

Labels: Software

I finished knife #6 this weekend. The pics were shot on my workbench, and the lighting isn't very good. It's really tough to take good knife pictures.

This was an experimental knife made with some 1/8" stainless steel I got from Home Depot. It's not knife-quality steel, but it's good enough to practice on. It cost $12 for 4 feet of 2" wide by 1/8" thick steel, so I've got a lot to play around with for very little cost. That much knife-quality steel would cost at least $50. Of course, you get what you pay for. Now I have a decent looking knife that will never hold an edge. :-(

The handles are made from the cocobolo wood that I got from Amy's grandfather. I wanted to try it out, but now I wish I hadn't wasted it on a practice knife. I have lots more left, but great wood shouldn't be wasted on practice knives. It's a beautiful wood, and it's incredibly dense! Its dust is also toxic, which makes it especially fun to work with. :-)

I made the sheath from two 1/4" pieces of oak that I carved out and then glued together. After it set up, I did the final shaping on my belt sander. Then I tried to apply a really dark "Antique Walnut" stain that would have been a close match to the cocobolo wood's color. Unfortunately, the stain wouldn't penetrate the oak. I tried it on some pine, and it darkened up nicely. But the oak was stubborn, and it didn't darken even with two coats of stain on it. Maybe my stain is old and worn out (I got it in 1999), or maybe I just don't know what I'm doing. I'm going to go by the Unfinished Furniture store and ask them how they stain oak. I didn't think it would be that difficult, but I've only done natural or light stains on oak before.

This knife was a good learning experience, but I wish I'd used better steel and heat treated it, so I'd actually have a useful knife. I mostly just feel bad about wasting the cocobolo. Other than that, I'm kind of pleased with how this knife turned out. There's still plenty of room for improvement though.

Material: Random stainless steel with cocobolo handles with 1/8" brass pins. Oak sheath.
Blade Length: 4 3/4"
Overall Length: 9 3/4"
Started: October 1, 2006
Finished: November 12, 2006

Labels: Knifemaking

The Road To Shodan is finally listed on Amazon.com! Unfortunately, for now they're one of the most expensive places to buy it. They're charging the full retail price of $15.95, which is odd since they usually discount everything. Two retail book sellers in Amazon Marketplace are actually charging more than retail price for it.

The cheapest place to get it is still from the publisher via RoadToShodan.com. Of course, if you order it through Amazon as part of a "free super-saver shipping" order, then the savings on shipping might make that option cheaper.

Labels: Martial Arts