THE USA! USA! USA!

Transcription

THE USA! USA! USA!

THE MYSTERY OF THE KUKRI NOTCH
RIDDLES T
OF STEEL
SEPTEMBER
EPTEMBER 2014
www.blademag.com
THE
KEYTO
SHARP
RON NEWTON’S KEYHOLE INTEGRAL
IN STABILIZED SYCAMORE
USA!
USA! MADE IN
USA! AMERICA
KEEN
GRINDS:
WHAT TO
LOOK FOR
AMMO DADDY ALPHA
VS. KSR FIELD/CAMP
19TH CENTURY
21ST CENTURY
BOWIE,
SHEATH
FANTASY SWORDS
BLADES:
WORN TO BE WILD
The Hobbit™: An Unexpected Journey
US $5.95
GLOBAL LEGAL
09
0
01
02
03
04
FnL1
Qy1BDDA3NDQ3MDUwMjUxNwA=
JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo
SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL
cnVlZ2VyAFKoW0IEMTAuNAI4MAExBVVQ
04 0120
SLIP
JOINTS?
74470 50251
7
Display until July 14, 2014
RESPONDER
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Quick Action Knife
RESPONDER
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SPONDE
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X9
Quick Action Knife
WORLD
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Slip-Joint Knife
Mikkel Willumsen has gained worldwide notoriety for his innovative
and gritty Urban Tactical designs. Specializing in high quality folders,
fixed blades and balisongs, Mikkel’s designs are influenced by classical
knives combined with his modern spin on tactical. By bringing his
talents and experience to Lansky, you can expect the functionally
modern aesthetics that define his custom work, combined with
Lansky Sharpeners’ unwavering dedication to quality.
i>ÀÊÀiÊ>ÌÊ>ÃÞ°VÊUÊnäänÓxÓÈÇxÊvÀÊ,ÊV>Ì>}
SEPTEMBER 2014
S
12
12
30
USA! USA! USA!
On July 4 eve, salute some top
homegrown factory models. By
Dexter Ewing
22
EVEN THE GURKHAS
DON’T KNOW
What the kukri blade cutout is
remains a puzzler. By Steve
Shackleford
28
DRESSED IN DAMASCUS
Check out the winsome patterns
of hot custom damascus steel. By
BLADE® staff
30
WORN TO BE WILD
New blade finishes appear battleworn and edge worthy. By Daniel
Jackson
38
JOINTS?
GLOBAL LEGAL SLIP
Latest factory versions offer diversity and freedom of travel. By Pat
Covert
42
… LOL!
ADA AND KSR ARE A-OK
Chopping, cutting, puncturing and
more—two knives excel. By MSG
Kim Breed
4 BL ADE SEPTEMBER 2 014
46
PART II
THE QUEST FOR CUT
Each knifemaker must self-motivate
and set goals, among others. By Ed
Fowler
50
PLAZA CUTLERY: 40
AND STILL SHARP
Dan Delavan’s EDCs, most influential knife people and such. By
BLADE® staff
76
FORWARD TO THE PAST
80
KEYS TO THE KEENDOM
An antique bowie gets a modern
corset-creation sheath. By Bill
Simmermacher
Cool keyhole integrals open the
door to a different look. By Stephen
Garger
84
BLADE GRINDS: WHAT
TO LOOK FOR
As with most things on sharp
knives, one type never fits all. By
Mike Haskew
90
CHUTE ME!
Eric Ochs makes a flipper folder
based on a Bob Loveless fixed
blade. By BLADE® staff
80
6 | READERS RESPOND
7 | COVER STORY
10 | UNSHEATHED
|
20 THE KNIFE I CARRY
56 | NEXT IN BLADE
62 | BLADE SHOPPE
64 | BLADE LIST
64 | AD INDEX
66 | WHAT’S NEW
68 | KNIFEMAKER SHOWCASE
72 | WHERE TO NET ’EM
|
74 BLADE COMMUNITY PAGE
79 | SHOW CALENDAR
89 | WHERE TO GET ’EM
®
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Phone orders welcome and we accept all major credit cards!
84
BLADE® (ISSN 1064-5853) is published monthly (Vol. XLI
No. 10), with an additional issue in November, by F+W
Media, Inc., 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001. Periodicals
postage paid at Iola, Wis., and at additional mailing offices.
Canadian Agreement Number: 40665675. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to BLADE, P.O. Box 420235, Palm
Coast, FL 32142-0235.
SEPTEMBER 2 014 blad emag.co m 5
R E ADE RS RESPOND |
Don’t Call Him D.E.
enjoyed the story on D.E. Henry in
the July BLADE®. I never met him
but I’ve heard so many stories about
his mercurial nature and how you could
never tell what he might say or do.
I seem to recall a short story in BLADE
in the early 1990s in which one of your
reporters called Henry for his comments
on a certain subject—I can’t remember
what—but the result was a hoot. What
was that story about?
ers, only this one (see below, mid page)
has a ricasso. It was much used, carried
and sharpened. The blade and handle are
very worn.
On the ferrule appears the word Tupel.
It is scratched very small with the point of
a knife. I think it originally read Tupelo,
as there is a scratch where the “o” would
have been. You can use the picture but I
don’t wish to sell the knife now.
Emilio Parsons, a letter via e-mail
Editor’s note: Tupelo is a city in Mississippi.
Chances are that is the Tupelo in question,
though there could be other explanations
for the word also.
I
Editor’s note: The story was on page 4 of
the August 1991 issue. It appears below in
its entirety:
I called D.E. Henry asking if he’d consent to a profile for BLADE.
“No, I don’t want a profile done on me.
I’m retired. I’ve been retired 1½ years.
People will just start sending me orders,”
he said.
“But D.E. …”
“And don’t call me D.E. Call me Ed or
Mr. Henry, but don’t call me D.E. A.G.
Russell started that, so I call him
‘Andy’ just to make him mad.”
“OK, I won’t call you D.E. I’ll
call you Ed or Mr. Henry. What if
I call you Mr. Ed?” I joked.
“You’d better watch it. I’ll get a
plane ticket and come see you.”
“Are you sure you don’t want us to
do a profile on you?”
“Well, if you’ll come out here and do it,
maybe. Wait a minute.” I could hear him
talking with someone. He returned to the
phone and said, “No, my wife doesn’t want
you out here.”
I asked him what he would like knife
enthusiasts to know about him now that
he’s retired. “I won’t take orders but I will
refinish my old blades—for a minimum
of $500 each,” he said. “And I will answer
correspondence, if it’s accompanied by a
return stamp.”
“Well, I know you’re busy …”
“That’s just it; I’m not busy, I’m retired.
Now, I’m going to go read my book on
Guadalcanal.” With that, he hung up.
Dog Bone With a Ricasso
just read the series on dog-bone bowies (April through August issues) and
thought you might like to see a similar knife, maybe by one of the same mak-
I
Mike Randolph, a letter via e-mail
Many Thanks
just wanted to say many thanks for
including one of my new Flesheater
5 utility bolos in the “Handmade
Gallery” of the December BLADE®. The
mention pulled in a number of orders in
a short period of time.
I
Jim Hammond,
g , LLC
Hammond Knives & Designs,
Catching the Best Wave
noticed your reference to John Wayne
in the answer to the reader (May
BLADE®, page 6) questioning why
Buster Warenski was not No. 1 in part
one of your series (January BLADE) on
the top knifemakers of BLADE’s first 40
years.
When we used to watch the surf contests, there were usually eight guys among
the finalists. The winner was always in
doubt, as they all were capable. It was all
about who was going to catch the best
wave.
I am humbled to be in audience with so
many legends of the industry and want to
thank BLADE for including me.
I
Tom Mayo, Waialua, Hawaii
Editor’s note: The reference Tom cites was
Wayne’s following line from Rio Bravo con-
cerning which of two excellent gunfighters
was best: “I don’t know. I’d hate to have to
live on the difference.” Mayo, by the way, was
voted No. 2 on the list of the best 16 makers
from 2001-2012 in the March BLADE.
Mr. Randolph’s dog-bone bowie would
appear to have a 19th-century heritage.
(Mike Randolph photo)
Preserving Old Sheath Leather
f I had a 100-percent-confirmed method for
preserving leather items, I’d share it. This is
a subject that is full of personal opinions.
Even among people who are employed to care
for museum articles you’ll find differences of
opinion. I’ll say this: Preserving leather is not
the same as treating a pair of shoes or boots
that are intended to be used and eventually
wear out.
I do believe that a light application of
100 percent neatsfoot oil is far better than
I
letting the leather dry up. Be aware that if
the item has natural fiber thread holding
it together, neatsfoot oil is known to cause
the thread to break down.
sac troop
Sac troop’s post is under the heading “How
to maintain WWII Mk2 leather” in “Mil
Knives Forum” of KnifeForums. To read it and
similar posts visit knifeforums.com at www.
blademag.com.
C OVVE
E R S TTOORY
RY |
THE MYSTERY OF THE KUKRI NOTCH
RIDDLES T
OF STEEL
SEPTEMBER
EPTEMBER 2014
www.blademag.com
B
A
D
THE
KEYTO
SHARP
RON NEWTON’S KEYHOLE INTEGRAL
IN STABILIZED SYCAMORE
USA!
USA! MADE IN
USA! AMERICA
KEEN
GRINDS:
WHAT TO
LOOK FOR
AMMO DADDY ALPHA
VS. KSR FIELD/CAMP
19TH CENTURY
21ST CENTURY
BOWIE,
SHEATH
HO
OT BLADES:
WORN TO BE WILD
Dwarven Swords Of The Hobbit™: An Unexpected Journey
US $5.95
GLOBAL LEGAL
09
0
01
02
03
04
FnL1
Qy1BDDA3NDQ3MDUwMjUxNwA=
SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL
cnVlZ2VyAFKoW0IEMTAuNAI4MAExBVVQ
JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo
04 0120
SLIP
JOINTS?
74470 50251
7
Display until July 14, 2014
A
BS master smith Ron Newton’s
keyhole integral fixed blade features a feather-damascus blade of
1095 and 15N20 carbon steels. The knife
also features a pin and inlays, both of 24k
gold.
The keyhole integral name comes from
the elliptical shaped area where the handle material—dyed, stabilized sycamore
in this instance—“loops” into the damascus steel portion of the grip. When ABS
master smith Rodrigo Sfreddo first popularized the keyhole style, the area that
would correspond to the elliptical shape
on Newton’s cover knife was in the form
of a keyhole, thus the name. Since then,
several makers have modified the shape.
For more information on the cover
knife, contact Ron Newton, Dept. BL9,
223 Ridge Ln., London, AR 72847 479293-3001
rnewton@centurylink.net,
www.ronnewtonknives.com, or see the
story on page 80.
Kris Kandler photographed the
cover knife. The inset image of Dean
O’Gorman as Fili the Dwarf (see page
30) is courtesy of ©Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. The
Hobbit™: An Unexpected Journey and the
names of the characters, items, events
and places therein are trademarks of The
Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middleearth Enterprises under license to New
Line Productions, Inc. (s12).
Benchmade 2750 BKSN
The Auto Adamas Knife
• Benchmade
• Microtech
• ProTech
• Boker
• Piranha
• Brous Blades
• Smith & Wesson
• Spyderco
and many more
®
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BLADE® (ISSN1064-5853) is published monthly, with an additional issue in November, by Krause Publications, a division
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Periodicals postage paid at Iola, Wis., and at additional mailing
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Send address changes to BLADE, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast,
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BLADE assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials sent
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expected to know and comply with these regulations.
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U N S H E AT H E D |
BY STEVE SHACKLEFORD
THE OL’ DEADLINELEAD-TIME SHUFFLE
T
he BLADE® you’re reading had, and the next issue will
have, deadlines before this year’s BLADE Show. Consequently, we must beg your indulgence in waiting until the
November issue, which will hit newsstands around Aug. 12, for
the 2014 BLADE Show recap. Ah, the disadvantages of magazine
lead times! Meanwhile, we will entertain and inform you with
the latest and greatest in knives, and also share some of the more
newsworthy items of late:
• According to Lisa Davis Sebenick, president of the National
Knife Collectors Association and secretary of the NATIONAL
KNIFE MUSEUM, the museum is being dissolved. Its knife
inventory will be donated to three different museums: the National Rifle Association Museum in Springfield, Missouri, the
Berman Museum of World History in Anniston, Alabama, and
the Janney Furnace Museum in Ohatchee, Alabama. Originally
built in 1981 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the museum moved
to Smoky Mountain Knife Works in Sevierville, Tennessee, in
2006. As for the 50 or so Bill Moran knives that were exhibited
at the NKM, at press time the official statement from the Moran Foundation was that no decision had been made for those
knives. At some future date perhaps some of them would be put
on loan elsewhere, the statement added.
• The efforts by Knife Rights, scrimshanders Sandra Brady
and Linda Karst Stone, assorted knifemakers and many others
both in and out of the knife industry fighting to save ELEPHANT
IVORY from basically being banned from the U.S. marketplace
seems to have had some effect. Why? Because the federal government had delayed announcing at press time (May 19) the new
regulations U.S. Fish & Wildlife officials had indicated would be
released sometime this past April. On the other hand, by the time
you read this the feds may have released the aforementioned regulations, as well as new regulations that had been slated to be
released in June. The former regulations reportedly would allow
both interstate and intrastate sales of ivory items only if the ivory
was taken from Asian elephants prior to 1975 and from African
elephants prior to 1990, and the latter regulations would ban all
interstate ivory sales unless the ivory is 100 years old or older.
(See page 10 of the July BLADE for more background and also
page 77 this issue.)
• On the KNIFE LAW front, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam
signed a bill repealing the state ban on switchblades and possession of knives of over 4 inches in length “with intent to go
armed.” According to Knife Rights, as of July 1 there no longer
will be “any per se illegal knives in Tennessee.” In related news,
Knife Rights’ DOUG RITTER won the NRA’s Civil Rights Defense Fund’s Carter-Knight Freedom Fund Award for his “dedication and tireless effort to establish and protect the Second
Amendment rights of knife owners.” As NRA President Sandy
According to Lisa Davis Sebenick, president of the National Knife
Collectors Association and secretary of the National Knife Museum,
the museum is being dissolved. (Mike Carter image)
Froman noted, “Knife Rights has achieved 17 legislative victories, including 13 pro-knife bills in 11 states. It is an incredible
record for such a young organization.”
• The world of knives lost two of the good guys recently, bladesmith MARVIN SOLOMON and VINCE FORD. Of Paron,
Arkansas, and a voting member of the Knifemakers’ Guild,
Solomon made a variety of utility fixed blades and folders, many
in damascus, and a few art knives. He attended the Bill Moran
School of Bladesmithing and was a regular at the Batson Bladesmithing Symposium. He was also a past president of the
Arkansas Knifemakers Association and a U.S. Marine veteran
of the Korean War. He retired from the USMC Reserves as a sergeant major. He was 82.
Ford worked on the factory side, including stints with Spyderco and Blade-Tech, among others. He was 58. Mike Vellekamp
of Fox Knives USA wrote of Ford on Facebook, “I have known
Vince since 1993 when I was 18, and learned how to make knives
from him and his father, Ronald Ford. We had been working
together up and until a week before he died. He was the hardest
worker I have ever known and now he is finally getting the rest he
needs. I will miss you, Vince, but I will never forget you and the
things that I have learned from you. Rest well, my friend.”
For the latest in knives, knife news, trends and more, visit www.
blademag.com.
U.S. BLADES |
BY DEXTER EWING BLADE® FIELD EDITOR
IMAGES COURTESY OF THE RESPECTIVE MANUFACTURERS
USA! USA!
USA!
ON THE EVE OF AMERICA’S
BIRTHDAY, SALUTE SOME
OF THE NATION’S TOP
HOMEGROWN FACTORY
MODELS
T
oday’s sporting cutlery market is flooded with
some very good foreign-made knives, and it
may seem USA-made models are threatened in
terms of quality—but nothing could be further from
the truth.
The American knife industry is still the leader of the
pack.
USA all the WAY
Emerson Knives, Inc., and president/founder/custom
knifemaker Ernest Emerson are unabashedly proAmerican made. Emerson founded the company in
1997 on the principle of designing and building the
best USA-made production tactical knives anywhere.
Along with his wife Mary, Ernest has consistently
grown the company by listening to what consumers
want. Emerson knives are 100 percent made in the
USA, right down to the screws. Emerson is an ardent
supporter of the military, law enforcement and other
first responders—another good reason why it’s so important that the company’s knives be made entirely in
the USA.
No knife says American made quite like the Stars and Stripes 50th anniversary edition of the Buck 110 (top). MSRP: $250. Above, a Buck 110 has the
final edge applied at the Buck Knives plant in Post Falls, Idaho.
“BY HAVING OUR
KNIVES MADE
IN THE USA, WE
HAVE TOTAL
CONTROL ON
QUALITY.”
—DARREL RALPH
Nonetheless, there are downsides.
“There are very few advantages in
building a manufacturing operation in
America,” Emerson says, citing state and
federal taxes and ever-increasing regulations. “It’s actually tough for a business
to remain competitive here. However, I
believe it’s worth the effort, restrictions
and extra burden because I will do anything for America. I know my business is
putting Americans to work with American wages who can earn a living in this
country.” He adds that the taxes he and
his employees pay go directly to supporting the country and the U.S. military and
its infrastructure. “We have to manage
our business smarter, more efficiently and
more strategically to ensure a profitable
and viable existence,” he stresses.
It’s the same attitude that makes the
Commander and CQC7 models the company’s best sellers. The CQC7 is durable
and comes in three sizes and two distinct
blade shapes. A sexy piece with its ergonomic handle paired with a recurved
clip-point blade, the Commander is a
formidable cutting tool that comes in five
iterations, each varying in size. Maintaining the popularity of these knives down
the road is important to Emerson.
“In order to stay viable,” he notes, “I
believe the future lies in the industry’s
ability to design and build knives that the
consumer really wants.”
Equally important, he adds, are maintaining law-abiding Americans’ right to
bear arms and a strong economy.
“We must stay ever vigilant in our efforts to protect not only our freedom but
our rights as guaranteed by the founding
fathers and the Constitution,” he says. “If
the economy continues to struggle, then
it will be harder for American knife manufacturers to stay in the game, as discre-
Sporting handle wood
of an old oak tree from
Mount Vernon inlaid
with a die-struck coin
of Washington’s likeness, the Patriot from
Emerson Knives, Inc., is
an example of the many
great knives made in
America. Closed length:
5.25 inches. MSRP:
$499.95. Ernest Emerson (left) cuts a piece of
the historic wood at the
company shop.
THE PATRIOT
W
hile Ernest Emerson has created some stunningly beautiful versions of his tactical designs through the years, few can top his new Patriot folder. In 2012, he
had an opportunity to acquire some wood from an old oak tree that grew on the original farm owned by George Washington, located on the banks of the Potomac River
at Mount Vernon. The mighty oak fell victim to near hurricane force winds during a
thunderstorm. It was a tree that witnessed the birth of a nation.
Emerson decided to design a knife using the wood for the handle and a large,
clip-point, bowie-like blade with a slight recurve that harkened back to Colonial
times when a knife was used as both a tool and a weapon. Emerson rough sawed
and quartered the pieces into slabs, according to the appearance of the pieces. He
indicated the grain structure of the wood is unlike any other oak he has seen, which
adds even more to the knife’s aesthetics. The wood was stabilized, cut to size, hand
contoured and buffed. A die-struck coin with Washington’s likeness is inlaid into the
handle.
Emerson Knives, Inc., also offers a tactical-grade version of the Patriot, in
satin-stonewash or black-coated blades of 154CM stainless steel and textured G-10
handles. The tactical-grade version is a standard model, while the oak special-edition
Patriot is available in limited quantities. —by Dexter Ewing
U.S. BLADES |
“THE UNITED STATES
CONTINUES TO LEAD
IN INNOVATION.”
—CJ BUCK
tionary income is reined in by the American consumers tightening their belts.”
TWO NEW
ZT TANKS
0620CF
EMERSON
DESIGN
0562
HINDERER
DESIGN
• Steel: M390,
stonewashed
& satin finish
• Steel: ELMAX ,®
stonewashed
& satin finish
• Handle: Carbon
fiber front,
bead-blasted
titanium back
• Handle: Textured
G-10 front,
stonewashed
titanium back
• Unique Emerson
“wave shaped
opening feature”
• KVT ball-bearing
opening system
ZTKNIVES.COM
OWNING INTEGRITY
CJ Buck, president of Buck Knives, says a
major advantage to having knives made
in the USA is owning the integrity of the
manufacturing processes. “Consistent
processes create consistently performing products,” he begins. “It also ensures
product quality improvements are held
as processes evolve.” Another advantage
is heightened flexibility and responsiveness. “We can fix a design or quality issue
quickly or adjust to spikes in our forecast
since the partnerships between our factory and our USA vendors can be aligned
immediately,” he explains.
On the other hand, domestic production carries its own set of challenges.
“When importing, if you need to add
capacity you simply contract with another factory or, on the other side, cut
a factory off,” he explains. Stateside you
have to invest in more equipment, people
and buildings. Consequently, as Buck laments, “If you are forced to reduce your
output, the pain and loss of investment is
in laying workers off.”
As for the future of American knife
manufacturing, Buck is optimistic. “The
United States continues to lead in innovation,” he states. “Our culture and national
character give us a substantial, sustainable advantage in that area.”
Two of Buck Knives’ most popular sellers are the 110 Folding Hunter and the
Bantam series of lightweight lockbacks.
“The 110 is one of the most universally
useful knives ever created,” Buck says.
“The Bantams take that same utility and
deliver it with less expensive plastic handles. It’s all about value and performance.”
This year marks the 110’s 50th anniversary (June BLADE®, page 74) and Buck
is pulling out all the stops to celebrate.
A few limited editions of the 100 will be
released throughout 2014, such as the
Tighe
Rade
Blue Anodizing
$600
The Socom Delta is the flagship knife for Microtech’s USA-made folders and remains one of,
if not the, signature model for the company. The 3.75-inch blade is Bohler ELMAX stainless
steel. MSRP: $330-$350.
905.892-2734
www.briantighe.com
tigheknives@xplornet.com
U.S. BLADES |
NEW
GRAHAM
KNIVES
www.newgraham.com
LARGE SEBENZA 21 RIDDLED
CRKLS21RID
$485.00
LARGE SEBENZA 25 MICARTA
CRKLS25M
$520.00
SNAKEWOOD MNANDI DAMASCUS
CRKMNANDISWDAM1
$565.00
Stars and Stripes version (page 12). The
eye-catching handle motif of Old Glory
is very fitting for this American cutlery
icon, with the flag’s colors represented
in the red jasper spacers, nickel silver
bolsters, and indigo blue Dymondwood®
inlay. FLAWS MINIMIZED
Microtech Knives built a solid reputation in the 1990s on designing and
making some of the market’s most
progressive production tactical
folders, and continues to push the
envelope. Why manufacture in the
USA? “So we are able to keep flaws to
a minimum and catch mistakes early
on,” reasons Hank Greenberg, the
company’s custom shop manager,
adding that if a company offers a
solid made-in-the-USA knife with
quality materials, then consumers
will have no problem paying a fair
price for it.
Americans build Microtech’s
knives, such as the Ultratech outthe-front (OTF) auto and Socom
Delta tactical folder. “The Ultratech will always be a tier-1-entrylevel OTF knife,” Greenberg says.
“We will always do our best to
keep the knife as affordable as
possible without sacrificing material base.” The Socom Delta is the
flagship model for Microtech’s
folding knife series. “The knife
was born to be a framelock with
G-10 scales,” Greenberg notes.
Expect to find ELMAX
powder stainless steel
and aluminum for the
handles. Greenberg
Made in the USA and
assembled in Texas, the
custom shop Mad Maxx 5.5
from HTM Knives features
a blade of Chad Nichols
stainless steel damascus
in a dual ladder pattern.
The assisted-opening folder
includes a handrubbed satin
finish of the handle frame
front and back.
Emerson Knives,
Inc.’s CQC-7BW
has a 3.3-inch chiselground tanto blade of
154CM stainless steel
with the “wave-shaped
feature,” and a black
G-10 handle. MSRP:
$201.95 to $212.95.
SM SEB 21 REV SILVER CONTRAST
CRKSS21RSCG
$546.00
NEW GRAHAM KNIVES
560 Virginia Ave., Bluefield, VA 24605
The people to call when
you need a knife
866.333.4445
276.326.1384
Since 1935
Along with the 110 Folding Hunter, the
Bantam is one of Buck Knives’ best sellers. The Bantam USA Blaze features a 1
7/8-inch blade of 420HC stainless and a
colorful glass-reinforced-nylon handle.
“I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR AMERICA.”
—ERNEST EMERSON
Microtech Custom Shop Manager Hank Greenberg said manufacturing in the USA helps the
company catch mistakes early on and keep knife flaws to a minimum. The Halo was the first
automatic out-the-front knife the company produced. MSRP: $585-$610 each.
U.S. BLADES |
says Microtech can substitute ELMAX
with another high-quality steel in the
event ELMAX is unavailable in the sizes
needed. MUTUAL CARE
HTM Knives is based in Forney, Texas.
An acronym for Hand Tech Made, HTM
was founded by knifemaker Darrel Ralph
as a result of an ever-growing demand for
his custom models. HTM allowed him to
offer his designs to more people at a lower
price and accelerated delivery times. According to Ralph, HTM makes its knives
in the USA “to take care of Americans
and to take care of the people who take
care of us. By having our knives made in
The HTM Gun Hammer includes an OD green handle of Cerakote™-coated aluminum and
a “flat natural earth” blade of CPM S30V stainless. The folder comes in either an assistedopening version or with the Maxx Glide pivot bearing system. MSRP: $299.
the USA, we have total control on quality.”
Ralph says the Gun Hammer and Mad
Maxx are HTM’s best-selling knives.
Both began as full customs, so it made
sense to produce them under the HTM
banner. For the Gun Hammer alone,
HTM offers several iterations in varying
blade shapes, finishes, steels and coats.
“The military likes both knives and guns
made in the USA,” Ralph notes. He says
his Gun Hammer and 18 X-Ray auto-
Design Unit
Damasteel® is alone in the world in manufacturing
stainless Damascus steel of the highest quality.
Our skilled blacksmiths have a unique flair
for design. Thanks to them, the pattern possibilities
alongside our regular collection are nearly unlimited
– regardless of the size of your order.
Come and create, together with us.
matic are among HTM’s best sellers with
military customers. The company also
offers designs by such makers as Kirby
Lambert and Greg Lightfoot.
Ralph indicates there is a 23 percent
scrap rate for knives made overseas. “You
have to figure in for that rate,” he says
of foreign-made knives. By having their
knives made in the USA, he reasoned,
the HTM brain trust has total control
over the processes, and can rectify any
production issues that might arise before they become a problem. When it
comes to the advantages of knives made
in America, Ralph says U.S. companies
have access to the best steel and high-end
materials.
It should come as no surprise then that
Ralph says there is a huge upswing in
companies manufacturing knives stateside. He specifically cited Buck Knives,
who has been returning some models to
“made-in-USA” status after previously
being offshore produced. He also noted
a growing trend of custom makers offering mid-tech/semi-production knives.
“They are growing the American market
instead of stealing from it,” he observes.
“That’s what we need in the knife industry.”
Editor’s note: The companies outlined in
the story are but a sample of those who
manufacture or have their knives manufactured in the USA. BLADE® salutes
them all.
For the contact info for the knives in the
story, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 89.
us: damasteel, inc., 275 joliet st., suite 350, dyer, in 46311
office us: 219-864-8915 | salesusa@damasteel.com www.damasteel.com
sweden: stallgatan 9, se-815 76 söderfors
office sweden: +46 293 306 00 | sales@damasteel.se | www.damasteel.se
For the latest in knives, knife news, trends
and more, visit blademag.com.
T HE K NI F E I C A R
RRY
RY |
“My favorite knife I carry is a Victorinox
Swiss Army Camping model for all-around
tasks. I’m always using it for cutting fruit
or cardboard, tightening the screws on my
glasses, camping uses and it’s a plus for survival—and
it’s easy to resharpen.”
Christian Fleurent, Drummondville, Quebec, Canada
“My
two
‘go-to’
EDC knives are my
Emerson Mini CQC-15
Stonewashed Serrated
and Al Mar Eagle Heavy-Duty
with Talon-style blade. The overtly
robust G-10 frame of the Emerson
is much more at home clipped in a
tip-down, front-side carry position
inside a well-worn pair of jeans,
rather than inside a pair of dress
pants at the office. The thing I love
about the HD Eagle/Talon is that
though it retains the classic blade
shape and form of the original
Micarta® version, the slim-line G-10
handle makes it useful in dozens of
more robust applications. Whether
opening the mail or sawing through
a seatbelt in an emergency, you’re in
good hands with an Emerson or Al
Mar knife.”
George M. Kappes IV, Richmond,
Virginia
For the contact information for the
knives in the story, see “Where To
Get ’Em” on page 89.
Tell us what knife you carry. Add a little history or an anecdote. Try
to include a photograph (if digital, at least 600 KB but no larger
than 2 MB) of you with your knife. We will publish your comments
in an upcoming “The Knife I Carry.” Your name will then be entered
in a drawing to win a free, high-quality, name-brand pocketknife.
The drawing will be Nov. 15. Mail to: BLADE®, P.O. Box 789,
Ooltewah, TN 37363-0789, or e-mail steve.shackleford@fwmedia.
com. If you send your entry by e-mail, please include your physical
mailing address in case you win the pocketknife.
2 0 BL ADE SEPTEMBER 2 014
www.tormach.com/kmt
Cutting Edge Artists Choose Tormach Mills
Knifemakers around the world are using Tormach PCNC milling machines to
add new dimensions to their craft. Today’s top blade artists are embracing
CNC technology to shape and sculpt blades and handles, cut precision blade
locks and other mechanisms, and customize designs with engraving and
detail.
Precise computer control, sensorless vector spindle technology, and a
rock solid cast iron frame combine to make a mill that is up to the task
for cutting the most
demanding alloys - D2,
CPMS30V, 440C, ATS34, Titanium, and more.
Grimsmo Knives milling a fixed
blade, called The Tor, on a
Tormach PCNC 1100.
The ultimate tool for the modern craftsman.
Tormach PCNC 1100 Series 3
starting at
$8480
(plus shipping)
Follow knifemaker John
Grimsmo as he makes
his own knives with
a PCNC 1100 on
his web series,
Knifemaking
Tuesdays, at
www.tormach.
com/kmt.
Shown here with
optional stand,
LCD monitor,
machine arms,
and accessories.
LEFORD
R I D D L E S O F S T E E L | BY STEVE SHACKLEFORD
EVEN
THE
GURKHAS
DON’T
KNOW
The Gurkhas’ battle prowess with the
kukri has intimidated and instilled fear
in opponents for centuries.
EXACTLY WHAT THE CUTOUT ON THE KUKRI BLADE
REPRESENTS BAFFLES OBSERVERS TO THIS DAY
J
ust before the edge of a traditional
kukri blade, there is a cutout or
notch that has puzzled observers
ever since the weapon of choice of the
Nepalese Gurkha warrior first appeared.
You would think if it could be determined when or how the cutout originated, that might help explain its purpose.
However, as with many things knife, exactly when the notch initially came about
is unknown. “I have no clue” to when it
first appeared on the traditional kukri*,
said BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-OfFame© member Bill Adams. “It seems to
have always been there.”
Along with the late Hank Reinhardt,
Adams bought knives and also swords
and sold them through Atlanta Cutlery
and, later, Museum Replicas. Hank and
Bill met Mr. Sudhir Windlass of India,
maker of edged weapons of all kinds, including kukris (aka khukri, kukkri, khukuris and others**) for India’s army. They
asked Windlass if his family would make
The significance
of the kukri notch or
cutout long has been
a subject of speculation.
The lines along the spine
also appear to have a special
significance.
In The Book Of Swords, Hank
Reinhardt describes the kukri notch
as “two cut-out semicircles side by
side, leaving a small projection.”
ku
kukris
for Atlanta Cutlery, and
W
Windlass agreed. “We only wanted about 5,000 of them, but the
W
Windlass family started making
th
them for us and never stopped,”
A
Adams recalled.
The family had its kukris
m
made the old way, from the
steel of railroad rails. The rails were
rolled out in mills in the Punjab region of India and forged into
blades. Most if not all of the resulting knives sported the curious
little notch Reinhardt describes in The Book Of Swords+ as “two
cut-out semicircles side by side, leaving a small projection.”
WHAT it is NOT
There are any number of explanations for what the cutout may
be, all of which, of course, are completely speculative. Some can
be dismissed out of hand, such as one that suggests it is designed
to “catch” the edge of an opponent’s blade in a knife fight. In The
Book Of Swords, Reinhardt writes that is “a sure way to lose a
hand should it be attempted.” Concurs Ethan Becker, designer of
the Becker Knife & Tool lines for KA-BAR, including the kukriinspired Machax, “Anybody who thinks they can catch an opponent’s blade with a little nick like that is probably going to get
severely hurt.” Adams agrees.
“That’s a fantasy. I don’t see the cutout stopping anything,” he
opined. “Such an idea is predicated on sword fighting, pushing
a blade against another blade and looking for an opening to kill
your enemy.
“Knife fights aren’t like that. You whack someone and he’s
dead. Hollywood is interested in showing blades flashing around.
Knife fights are over quickly and somebody is whomping somebody real bad. The other guy might not even have his knife out.
There’s nothing romantic about it. It’s not sword fighting.”
Another suggestion is the cutout was a type of choil to serve as
a sharpening notch, delineating where to stop when sharpening
the blade. Becker discounts that, saying the cutout simply is the
wrong shape for a choil. Yet another explanation is the cutout
was designed to induce fluids to drip off the blade instead of run
onto the handle. “What a marvelous idea,” Adams scoffed. “That
sounds like collector BS to me.”
Over the years, one of the more popular explanations for the
cutout is also erotic. It contends, as Reinhardt writes, that the
notch represents the female sex organ, the presence of which in
the form of the notch ostensibly would somehow enhance the
blade’s power. As Adams noted, “This is all near India, and remember, they wrote the Kama Sutra,” an ancient text widely considered to be the standard work on human sexual behavior.
The GURKHA FACTOR
The Kama Sutra aside, any accurate explanation for the purpose
behind the kukri’s notch must consider who used/uses the knife
most effectively and how. And the best answers seem to be the
The old kukris were handmade and several styles were popular.
The Sirupate kukri, complete with notch/cutout, has a blade
somewhat long in relation to its width.
Gurkhas and for extreme warfare. Though the Indians used the
kukri first and it also serves quite well as a jungle knife, the Gurkhas’ prowess with it in battle is legendary. Tales abound from
World War II of how the Nazis especially were mortified of the
strong yet little mountain men and their big blades with the hump
in the back and the weight forward for awesome chopping power.
“One of the things I heard repeatedly is if a Gurkha got behind
an enemy who was not wearing a helmet, the Gurkha did not
bother with any kind of diagonal kukri chop. Instead, he went
SEPTEMBER 2 014 blad emag.co m 2 3
RIDDLES OF STEEL |
straight down the middle. If you cleave
the opponent’s skull in half, that probably
ends the fight,” Becker purposely understated.
Meanwhile, just because the aforementioned involved an attack from behind,
don’t get the idea Gurkhas are afraid to
engage opponents from the front. For instance, in 2010 a retired Gurkha soldier,
using only his kukri, reportedly killed
three and wounded eight of 40 bandits
who had attacked a train on which he was
riding, causing the balance of the bandits
to flee.
NC Tool Co. Inc.
6133 Hunt Road
Pleasant Garden, NC 27313
336/674-5654 • Web site: www.nctoolco.com
TRIDENT of SHIVA
As with many things that originated in
ancient times, it might all boil down to a
matter of religious faith.
“Gurkhas come from Nepal, and Nepal
is the only country in the world where
Hinduism is the state religion,” Adams
noted. Moreover, he added, the Nepalese
are much more guarded of their religion
than the Hindus in neighboring India.
“Non-Hindus can go into a Hindu tem-
Bill Adams (above) characterized the idea
that the cutout was designed to make fluids
drop off the blade instead of run onto the
handle as “collector BS.”
The Bhujipore style of
kukri has a
wider blade
than most
and, of
course, the
ever-present
cutout.
ple in India and walk around and look”
with no objections from Indian Hindus,
Adams said. However, if non-Hindus do
the same in Nepal, he noted, the reaction
of Nepalese Hindus would be something
the non-Hindus in question would want
to avoid at all costs.
All of which is a roundabout way of
saying that religion plays a crucial role in
that part of the world. And it is such religious fervor that makes Adams think the
cutout may represent the Trident of Shiva
the Destroyer.
According to Hindu tradition, Lord
Shiva is a god whose duty it is to destroy
many things to ensure the order of the
universe. His trident “represents his trinity and role as the destroyer/transformer.”
This is a very basic description but you
get the idea.
Adams speculated the notch represents
the three prongs of Shiva’s trident, and the
Gurkhas seem to believe the kukris with
such cutouts are more effective weapons.
He added that the lines along the spines
of traditional kukri blades represent the
Hindu Spirit of Kali, and the Gurkhas
PROVEN,
LIKE THE
TEAMS THAT
USE THEM.
FORGED
OUT OF TRADITION.
HARDENED
IN THE FIELD.
HONED
FROM EXPERIENCE.
SOG knives and tools are born of the military, preferred
by U.S. Special Forces teams for decades. So whether
you’re answering the call of duty or arming yourself with
innovation, lead the way with SOG. sogknives.com
TAKE POINT.
TM
RIDDLES OF STEEL |
apparently believe the lines also enhance
the blade’s effectiveness. In fact, Adams
noted, the Gurkhas once were issued
kukris without the cutout and the lines
and consequently refused to use them.
Said Ethan Becker, here with one of his
discontinued Becker Knife & Tool Patrol
Machetes, “Anybody who thinks they can catch
an opponent’s blade with [the kukri notch] is
probably going to get severely hurt.”
Consider how those facing the possibility of death in battle—or facing death
in any instance, for that matter—often
are more apt to call on their religion, or
even “find” it quickly. Then add the history of religion and war in general—not
to mention today’s many religious-based
conflicts worldwide—and Adams’ explanation makes as much sense as any.
*The notch/cutout is pretty much exclusive
to traditional kukris made in the East.
**Khukuri reportedly is the original
Nepalese form of the word. However, Hank
Reinhardt spelled it kukri. If that sufficed
for Hank, it’s good enough for BLADE.
+Reprinted by permission of Baen
Books. For order information, visit
http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.
asp?author=hreinhardt
PROFESSIONAL KNIFEMAKERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
22nd Annual
Denver Custom Knife Show
August 15th-17th, 2014
Friday 15th, 12 pm - 6 pm
Saturday 16th, 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday 17th, 9 am - 3 pm
Admission for all 3 days: $7.00
$2.00 off with this ad.
Children under 12 FREE.
Contact Jim Magee for
PKA membership and tables.
Phone: 785-820-6928
email: jimmagee@cox.net
Crown Plaza-DIA
1550 40th Ave., Denver, CO 80239 (1-70 and Chambers Rd Exit)
Hotel show rate $104. per night.
Please mention PKA to receive this rate.
For reservations call 303-371-9494
Make by July 19th, 2014
Al Warren
Pete Truncali
Wayne Hensley, Pepper Seaman, Calvin Powell, Pop’s Knife Supply, Craig Stekettee,
Pete Truncali, Tracy Schreiner, Dan Zvonek, Eddie Baca, Eddie Stalcup, Al Warren,
John Bartlow, Harvey King, Mike Mooney, Mike Irie, Jim Magee, Craig Camerer, Jim Thrash,
Donald Bell, Mike “Whiskers” Allen, Lonestar Knifemakers Supply, Bob Glassman,
Colorado Gun Writes, Al Trujillo, Ken Linton, Kurt Swearingen, Bob Nash, Tom Buckner,
R.W. Wilson, Levi Graham, Guy Hielscher, Alford Hanna, Calvin Powell
For additional show information:
Call or email
Jim Magee at 785-820-6928 or jimmagee@cox.net
HA N DM ADE G ALLERY |
BY BLADE® ST
STA
STAFF
AFF
AFF
F
DRESSED IN
DAMASCUS
T
he dips, arches, waves, circles, squiggles
and other winsome shapes inherent within
pattern-welded steel continue to capture
the imaginations of knife enthusiasts, makers and
collectors alike. Damascus makes for a darn pretty
blade.
For the contact information for the knives in the story,
see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 89.
For the latest knives, knife news, knife blogs and
much more, visit www.blademag.com.
1
2
3
A locking-liner folder, Stan Moizis’ folding
straight razor features a random-pattern
52100-damascus blade, titanium bolsters and white
G-10 handle scales.
1
4
James Glisson’s “Up Sweep” model showcases
a 5.5-inch “RSP Infinity”-damascus blade,
engraved 14k-gold fittings and an antique-walrusivory handle scrimshawed with “Wine, Dine &
Pipeline” on one side, and heavy machinery laying
pipe on the other. (Chuck Ward image)
2
A drop-point hunter by Mark Knapp parades a
4.5-inch herringbone-damascus blade forged
from 1095 and 15N20 steels, a bronze guard and
spacers, and an amber and blue sheep horn handle.
(SharpByCoop image)
3
“Odin’s Eye” damascus is the winning steel
of choice for the 5.9-inch blade of Michael
Henningsson’s hollow-ground “Elegance” lockingliner folder in an RWL-34 handle frame and motherof-pearl inlay.
4
5
In a 6.75-inch “Turkish twist”-pattern 1084-and15N20 damascus blade, James Rodebaugh’s
take-down bowie also boasts a damascus frame
and bolsters, a mammoth ivory handle, and fine
silver wire liners and spacers. (PointSeven image)
5
Mike Mooney gives a 10-inch serrated
bread knife, stretching 15 inches overall, the
raindrop-pattern-damascus treatment, adding a
dyed maple burl handle and mosaic pins.
6
6
Even the blade is shaped like a pointy feather
on Kevin Casey’s fixed-blade fighter sporting
an 8.25-inch feather-damascus blade and a
fossilized-walrus-tusk handle. The piece comes
with a Larry Parsons leather sheath (not shown).
(SharpByCoop image)
7
7
TO THE FINISH |
BY DANIEL JACKSON
WORN
TO BE
WILD
A NUMBER OF NEW
BLADES SPORT FINISHES
THAT APPEAR BATTLEWORN AND EDGE WORTHY
The Dwarven Sword Of Kili the Dwarf is United Cutlery’s reproduction of the piece carried
by the character of Kili (actor Aidan Turner) in The Hobbit™: An Unexpected Journey. The
blade features UC’s version of the well-worn finish. Overall length: 28 7/16 inches. MSRP:
$274. (Photo of Kili © WBEI ™ Middle-earth Ent. Lic. To New Line. [s12])
|
“THE BLADE ISN’T JUST BROKEN IN.
IT ALSO LOOKS REALLY COOL.”
—JIM MACNAIR
T
he first time Kit Rae, knife designer for United
Cutlery, saw a demand for old-looking blades was
when New Line Cinema released the first film in
the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy, The Fellowship of The
Ring in 2001 (see February 2002 BLADE®). United created
Sting, the short sword used by the character of Frodo, with
a polished blade for its official movie reproduction piece.
However, Rae said some United customers noticed pitting
and wear on the pommel and guard of the sword in the
film. He indicated collectors of the movie pieces started to
demand highly accurate reproductions of the blades, even
talking in forums online about how they could make the
the blades look worn.
Before the second LOTR film, The Two Towers, United
added pitting to Sting, adding small details like the dirt
in between the handle and the pommel of the blade, to
make each mass-produced model the most accurate to the
movie. Sting returned in the LOTR prequel, The Hobbit™:
An Unexpected Journey, along with several
more blades “worn and nicked through time.”
Rae had to take a prop and turn it into
an accurate blade that could be
easily mass produced. In order to do that, he opted for
casting the steel and leaving the finish virtually
untouched.
Weta Workshop, a
prop company in New
Zealand that created the
swords first for LOTR and
then The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, designed
and created the blades of the
dwarves Fili and Kili. According
to Magnus Hjert, website marketing manager for Weta,
the blades were worn. The actual props for the movie are
not steel but high-density urethane, or aluminum, depending on the weapon. Weta used its master painters to
create a metal-like finish on the blade.
A BlackWash finish covers the clip side, blade and bolster
(above) of the Kershaw Scrambler Blackwash, an RJ Martin
design. Blade steel is 8Cr13MoV stainless and the non-clipside grip is G-10 (top). The flipper folder features SpeedSafe™
assisted opening. MSRP: $64.99. The tumbling vat containing
media—stones, in this case—is the one at the Buck Knives
plant. (Kershaw knife images; tumbler image courtesy of Buck)
TO THE FINISH |
Puma Knife Co. USA offers
its new stonewashed finish
on a number of models, including the Bigcat 10 tanto
and clip. The fullered blades
are 440A stainless steel and
4.7 inches long. The handles
are G-10. (Puma images)
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Rae has made
commercial models
of many of the LOTR swords.
When the blade surface appears
worn in the movie, he experimented with different ways of
producing wear on a knife.
For the Uruk-Hai swords that
look like they have been buried in
the ground for a long time, he experimented with acid etching and literally
burying the blades in dirt. For the Witch
King’s blade, which also showed extreme
wear in the film, Rae used a template and
acid etched the pattern on the blade.
When it came time to create Fili’s
and Kili’s swords, Rae used a different
technique. Both of the blades are very
thick—one 3/8 inch, the other a quarter
inch. Grinding would remove too much
metal, so Rae cast the blades using stainless steel. The casting process had already
left a rough, sand-like appearance deep in
the blade finish.
When the blades break free from the
mold they are 80 percent complete, Rae
said. They are then painted with a dull
black enamel wash to darken them, and
the finish is done.
According to Rae, the finish is well
nigh indestructible because it’s integrated
deep into the steel. To wear it off, it would
have to be ground away, he said.
the NEXT STEP?
Is Kershaw’s BlackWash finish the next
step in stonewashing? Kershaw Senior
Designer Jim MacNair seems to think so.
Stonewashing has been around as a
manufacturing technique longer than it
has as a metal finish, MacNair noted. After a piece of metal has gone through the
milling process, it’s thrown into a vat full
of stones or other media, often of various sizes, and “tumbled” in the stonewash treatment to remove the burrs along
the edges. The process also gives the blade
surface a flat, non-glare finish.
Likewise, the BlackWash process consists of putting the blades in tumblers full
of similar media, wearing the finish off
and creating a “battle-worn” look. While
the stonewash process is not patented, the
recipe on how each company gets the finish, how long it keeps the knives in the
tumblers, the kind of tumbling media
used and so on is all proprietary information.
Blades don’t have a wide range of colors, MacNair noted. Many knife buyers
prefer traditional colors of black, silver
and other metallic hues. The BlackWash
is advantageous because it’s a new thing
in that traditional sphere, he said.
In fact, Kershaw officials apparently
think the new stonewash finish is so advantageous that they are offering it on
such existing models as the Cryo, Cryo
Tanto, Cryo II, Thermite, Scrambler, Leek
and Blur. As Kershaw’s Isidora Forrest
noted, “These are the knives with the finish that makes them look like a favorite
pair of well-worn jeans.”
Like Kershaw, Puma released its new
stonewash blade finish at the SHOT
The character of Fili, played by Dean
O’Gorman, is ready for action during
a battle scene from The Hobbit™: An
Unexpected Journey. United Cutlery’s
reproduction of Fili’s sword (right) includes
the well-worn blade finish. Overall length:
25.5 inches. MSRP: $274. (Photo of Fili
© WBEI ™ Middle-earth Ent. Lic. To New
Line. [s12])
TO THE FINISH |
Spring Swages
by Off Center Products
Made in the USA
Anvils
Hammers
Gas Forges
Tongs
Kershaw applies the
BlackWash finish to
both the 8Cr13MoV
stainless steel blade
and 410 stainless handle of the Cryo Tanto
BlackWash framelock/
flipper folder with
SpeedSafe™ assisted
opening. Closed length
of the Rick Hinderer
design: 3.75 inches.
MSRP: $57.99. (Kershaw image)
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International Shipping available • Inquiries welcome
Puma opts for the
stonewashed finish
throughout on the
SW TAC locking-liner
folder in a 3.4-inch
stonewashed blade,
also of 440A stainless. The handle
includes a seat-belt
cutter in the butt.
MSRP: $150. (Puma
image)
Show in Las Vegas this past January (see
the June BLADE). To create its stonewash look, Puma uses a process similar
to when ammunition reloaders tumble
brass, noted Chris Lalik, Puma Knife Co.
USA director of marketing. The knives
are placed in a tumbler that looks like a
55-gallon drum.
“When you’re doing brass, you’re using
pretty soft media,” to create the finish, Lalik said. However, when applying a finish
to tempered steel, Puma opts for smooth
stones of various sizes that are tumbled
with the blades for “hours on end.”
The stones create random scratches
and a finish that doesn’t reflect light and
The clip side
of the Kershaw
Thermite BlackWash features the
all-BlackWash
finish on 410
stainless, while
the flip side
is G-10. The
3.5-inch blade
is BlackWashed
8Cr13MoV
stainless. The
assisted-opening
flipper folder
designed by Rick
Hinderer is 4.9
inches closed.
MSRP: $64.99.
(Kershaw images)
blends into its surroundings—ideal for
hunters who want no-glare blades that
won’t alert game animals, Lalik said.
All the etching, tumbling and wearing
is in search of a look. As with many things
in today’s society, perception is reality.
“The blade isn’t just broken in,” MacNair
concluded. “It also looks really cool.”
Industry’s Largest
USA Steel Selection
More Steel Available at knifemaking.com
440C 18”
THICK WIDTH MILL FINISH
1/8”
1 1/2” CF518 $19.95
1/8”
2”
CF558 $24.95
5/32”
1 1/2” CF618 $22.95
5/32”
2”
CF658 $30.95
3/16”
1 1/2” CF718 $26.95
3/16”
2”
CF758 $34.95
1/4”
2”
CF958 $44.95
BLANCHARD
CU518 $25.95
CU558 $32.95
CU618 $28.95
CU658 $38.95
CU718 $32.95
CU758 $42.95
PRECISION
ON
1.95
5
CG718 $31.95
0.95
5
CG758 $40.95
4.95
5
CG818 $34.95
6.95
5
CG858 $46.95
8.95
5
CG918 $38.95
8.95
5
CG958 $48.95
BLANCHARD
CU536 $48.95
CU558 $32.95
CU636 $55.95
CU658 $38.95
CU736 $62.95
CU758 $42.95
PRECISION
ON
CG736 $60.95
.95
CG756 $79.95
.95
CG836 $67.95
.95
CG856 $91.95
.95
CG936 $74.95
.95
CG956 $97.95
.95
BLANCHARD
AU218 $32.95
AU228 $42.95
AU318 $34.95
AU328 $47.95
AU418 $41.95
AU428 $53.95
PRECISION
ON
AG618 $38.95
8.95
AG628 $50.95
0.95
AG718 $40.95
0.95
AG728 $55.95
5.95
AG818 $47.95
7.95
AG828 $61.95
1.95
D
D2 18”
FINISHES
OFFERED IN
440C 36”
1/8”
1 1/2” CF536 $36.95
1/8”
2”
CF556 $47.95
5/32”
1 1/2” CF636 $43.95
5/32”
2”
CF656 $59.95
3/16”
1 1/2” CF736 $50.95
3/16”
2”
CF756 $65.95
1/4”
2”
CF956 $84.95
HOT ROLLED
MILL FINISH
BLANCHARD
PRECISION
ON
AU236 $63.95 AG636 $75.95
.95
AU246 $81.95 AG646 $97.95
.95
AU336 $67.95 AG736 $79.95
.95
AU346 $91.95 AG746 $107
7.95
AU436 $78.95 AG836 $90.95
.95
AU446 $102.95 AG846 $118.95
.95
BLANCHARD
GROUND
PRECISION
GROUND
T
THICK
TH
WIDTH MILL FINISH
1/8”
1/
1
1 1/2” PF236 $58.95
1/8”
1/
1
2”
PF246 $76.95
5/32”
5/
5
1 1/2” PF336 $72.95
5/
5
5/32”
2”
PF346 $99.95
3/
3
3/16”
1 1/2” PF436 $89.95
3/
3
3/16”
2”
PF446 $116.95
BLANCHARD
XD336 $43.95
XD346 $55.95
XD536 $49.95
XD546 $66.95
XD736 $58.95
XD746 $75.95
XD836 $89.95
PRECISION
XY0815 $59.95
XY0820 $81.95
XY1015 $65.95
XY1020 $88.95
XY1215 $74.95
XY1220 $97.95
XY1620 $112.95
BLANCHARD
DU218 $36.95
DU228 $47.95
DU318 $45.95
DU328 $60.95
DU418 $52.95
DU428 $68.95
PRECISION
PG718 $42.95
PG728 $55.95
PG818 $51.95
PG828 $68.95
PG918 $58.95
PG928 $76.95
BLANCHARD
DU236 $70.95
DU246 $92.95
DU336 $84.95
DU346 $115.95
DU436 $101.95
DU446 $132.95
PRECISION
PG736 $82.95
PG746 $108.95
PG836 $96.95
PG846 $131.95
PG936 $113.95
PG946 $148.95
WATER JET
CUT EDGES
T
THICK
TH
WIDTH MILL FINISH
1/
1
1/8”
1 1/2” HF218 $33.95
1/8”
1/
1
2”
HF228 $39.95
5/32”
5/
5
1 1/2” HF318 $43.95
5/
5
5/32”
2”
HF418 $58.95
3/16”
3/
3
1 1/2” HF508 $51.95
3/
3
3/16”
2”
HF518 $69.95
CPMS
IS A REGISTERED
TRADEMARK OF
CRUCIBLE INDUSTRIES
LLC
T
THICK
TH
WIDTH MILL FINISH
1/8”
1/
1
1 1/2” HF236 $64.95
1/8”
1/
1
2”
HF246 $83.95
5/32”
5/
5
1 1/2” HF336 $80.95
5/32”
5/
5
2”
HF436 $110.95
3/16”
3/
3
1 1/2” HF506 $98.95
3/16”
3/
3
2”
HF536 $128.95
C
CPM154 36”
C
CPMS 35VN 18”
BLANCHARD
LU218 $38.95
LU228 $50.95
LU318 $46.95
LU328 $64.95
LU418 $57.95
LU428 $73.95
PRECISION
ON
LG718 $44.95
.95
LG728 $58.95
.95
LG818 $52.95
.95
.95
LG828 $72.95
LG918 $63.95
.95
LG928 $81.95
.95
BLANCHARD
LU236 $74.95
LU246 $97.95
LU336 $90.95
LU346 $123.95
LU436 $108.95
LU446 $141.95
PRECISION
ON
LG736 $86.95
.95
LG746 $113.95
.95
LG836 $102.95
.95
LG846 $139.95
9.95
LG936 $120.95
0.95
LG946 $157.95
7.95
CPMS 30V 36”
1/8”
1 1/2” LF236 $62.95
1/8”
2”
LF246 $81.95
5/32”
1 1/2” LF336 $78.95
5/32”
2”
LF346 $107.95
3/16”
1 1/2” LF436 $96.95
3/16”
2”
LF446 $
$125.95
PRECISION
XD0815 $30.95
XD0820 $39.95
XD1015 $29.95
XD1020 $41.95
XD1215 $38.95
XD1220 $50.95
XD1620 $57.95
C
CPM154 18”
CPMS 30V 18”
1/8”
1 1/2” LF218 $32.95
1/8”
2”
LF228 $42.95
5/32”
1 1/2” LF318 $40.95
5/32”
2”
LF328 $56.95
3/16”
1 1/2” LF418 $51.95
3/16”
2”
LF428 $65.95
T
THICK
WIDTH MILL FINISH
1/8”
1/
1 1/2” YF336 $35.95
1/8”
1/
2”
YF346 $45.95
5/
5/32”
1 1/2” YF536 $41.95
5/32”
5/
2”
YF546 $56.95
3/16”
3/
1 1/2” YF736 $50.95
3/16”
3/
2”
YF746 $65.95
1/4”
1/
2”
YF836 $72.95
T
THICK
WIDTH MILL FINISH
1/8”
1/
1 1/2” PF218 $30.95
1/8”
1/
2”
PF228 $39.95
5/32”
5/
1 1/2” PF318 $39.95
5/32”
5/
2”
PF328 $52.95
3/16”
3/
1 1/2” PF418 $46.95
3/16”
3/
2”
PF428 $60.95
154CM 36”
1/8”
1 1/2” AF236 $51.95
1/8”
2”
AF246 $65.95
5/32”
1 1/2” AF336 $55.95
5/32”
2”
AF346 $75.95
3/16”
1 1/2” AF436 $66.95
3/16”
2”
AF446 $86.95
BLANCHARD
XD318 $22.95
XD328 $29.95
XD518 $25.95
XD528 $34.95
XD718 $30.95
XD728 $39.95
XD818 $46.95
D
D2 36”
154CM 18”
1/8”
1 1/2” AF218 $26.95
1/8”
2”
AF228 $34.95
5/32”
1 1/2” AF318 $28.95
5/32”
2”
AF328 $39.95
3/16”
1 1/2” AF418 $35.95
3/16”
2”
AF428 $45.95
T
THICK
WIDTH MILL FINISH
1/8”
1
1 1/2” YF318 $18.95
1
1/8”
2”
YF328 $24.95
5
5/32”
1 1/2” YF518 $21.95
5/32”
5
2”
YF528 $29.95
3
3/16”
1 1/2” YF718 $26.95
3/16”
3
2”
YF728 $34.95
1
1/4”
2”
YF818 $41.95
BLANCHARD
HU218 $39.95
HU228 $47.95
HU318 $49.95
HU418 $66.95
HU508 $57.95
HU518 $77.95
PRECISION
HG218 $45.95
HG228 $56.95
HG318 $55.95
HG418 $74.95
HG508 $63.95
HG518 $85.95
C
CPMS 35VN 36”
BLANCHARD
PRECISION
HU236 $76.95 HG236 $88.95
HU246 $99.95 HG246 $115.95
HU336 $92.95 HG336 $104.95
HU436 $126.95 HG436 $142.95
HU506 $110.95 HG506 $122.95
HU536 $144.95 HG536 $160.95
See Our Complete Line Of Knifemaking Supplies
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BLADE STEEL
440C
D2
154CM®
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Finishes Offered
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knifemaking.com
1-800-351-8900
NEW SLIPPIES |
BY PAT COVERT
GLOBAL
LEGAL SLIP
JOINTS?
LATEST FACTORY VERSIONS OFFER BOTH DIVERSITY AND/OR FREEDOM OF TRAVEL
I
t wasn’t so long ago that some considered slip joints a thing of the past, having given up the ghost to a more modern age of technology where the forces
of titanium and exotic steel ruled the
roost. While it’s true slip joints and many
other knives took a back seat to the tactical revolution that stormed the world of
knives in the early 1990s and beyond, the
traditional slip joint never lacked for adherents. Companies such as Case, Queen
and more continued to serve a hungry
pocketknife fan base built on generations
of knife enthusiasts, while new concerns
like Canal Street Cutlery and others
joined the fray.
However, not all slip joints are like the
ones our fathers and grandfathers passed
down to us. International laws and those
of some American states have forced
knife manufacturers to either make “legal
knives” to suit all or abandon some markets altogether.
IF MAN MAKES IT …
Spyderco offers a diverse range of slip
joints. The company line continues to
evolve and one of the latest additions, the
Spy-DK, addresses the restrictive issues
virtually anywhere you go.
“The knife may be man’s oldest tool
but today is governed by different carry
restrictions in nearly every country in the
world,” Spyderco’s Joyce Laituri begins.
“It seems ‘if man makes it, he must legislate it.’ This is particularly true regarding
pocketknives in Denmark, where legal
guidelines govern the size and function
of all knives carried publicly. Denmark’s
legal parameters allow carrying a folding
Four of the latest factory slip joints are, from left: the Lansky World Legal, Spyderco
Spy-DK, Queen Cutlery Railsplitter and Case Harley-Davidson® Wharncliffe Mini Trapper. (Pat Covert image)
knife with a blade that cannot be locked
open and cannot be opened using only
one hand. Spyderco has addressed this by
developing a non-locking folder expressly for Denmark called the Spy-DK.”
Checking in at 3.67 inches closed, the
Spy-DK features the company’s textured
molded handles of fiberglass-reinforced nylon available in basic black or “three-alarm
orange,” and a minimalist wire pocket clip.
The spear-point blade is 2.69 inches of flatground N690Co stainless steel.
HERE’S the BEEF
Designed by Danish custom knifemaker
Mikkel Willumsen, the Lansky World Legal is by far the largest of the four slippies
herein. It sports a curvaceous, modified
wharncliffe blade in 2.75 inches of 440C
stainless with a recurved cutting edge.
The handle is a nylon-reinforced synthetic with a 2.25-inch pocket clip that can
be positioned at all four corners for carry
options. Closed length: 4.5 inches.
“We brought Mikkel on board because
we wanted the knife-buying public to
Knife: Wharncliffe Mini Trapper
Company: Case
Blade Steel: The company’s equivalent of
420HC stainless
Handle Material: Persimmon orange bone
Special Features: Barbed-wire laser
embellishment, Harley-Davidson® logo on
the handle
Closed Length: 3.5 inches
MSRP: $75
Knife: World Legal
Company: Lansky
Designer: Mikkel Willumsen
Blade Steel: 440C stainless
Blade Length: 2.75”
Handle Material: Nylon-reinforced synthetic
Clip: Four position
Closed Length: 4.5”
MSRP: $21
know we’re serious about knives,” states Lansky CEO
Chris Fire. “Denmark’s knife laws are fairly restrictive,
which was the impetus for Mikkel to design a knife
that could be carried not only in Denmark but in other
countries where knife laws are quite stringent. Denmark
doesn’t allow blade locks, assists or one-handed opening. Starting out with an aggressive, substantial-looking
silhouette and using traditional slip-joint technology to
ensure the blade could only be opened by using both
hands, Willumsen crafted a cutting tool that can be carried with pride.”
THEN & NOW
The Queen Cutlery Railsplitter is a hat tip to the hearty
cattle knives of old. Its three blades—clip-point main,
small pen and coping—perform a myriad of functions.
“This was a very popular pattern for many companies in
the early 20th century made with the intent of a rough
day of use,” Queen Vice President Ryan Daniels notes.
“Railsplitter was also the nickname of Abraham Lincoln,
given to him for his toughness.”
A major selling point of the Railsplitter is its center-
Knife: Railsplitter
Company: Queen Cutlery
Blade Material: D2 tool steel
Handle Material: Aged honey amber bone stag
Escutcheon: Based on an original 30-year old Queen version
Special Features: Brass liners and pins, nickel silver bolsters
MSRP: $140
THE SURVIVAL STAFF
NEW SLIPPIES |
By Pat and Wes Crawford
Handmade for 25 years
Knife: Spy-DK
Company: Spyderco
Designer: Sal Glesser
Blade Steel: N690Co stainless
Handle Material: Fiberglassreinforced nylon (FRN) synthetic
in a choice of “three-alarm
orange” or black
Special Features: Pocket clip,
Spydie hole
MSRP: $79.95
Hiking
Staff
Walking
Stick
Baton
Blow Gun
Lance
All in one package
Made from Hard Aircraft Aluminium
$294.95 - Ready for delivery
CRAWFORD KNIVES, LLC.
205 N. Center Drive
West Memphis, AR 72301
(870) 732-2452
www.crawfordknives.com
email: patcrawford1@earthlink.net
Masecraft Supply Co. offers the world’s largest line-up of
natural and synthetic materials for knife handles, gun grips,
pens, musical instrument inlays, pool cue inlays and endless
other creative applications. Several of these materials are
exclusive to us.
Our customers include some of the largest and well known
major manufacturers and artisans in the world.
Our line-up of natural materials includes white Mother of Pearl,
Black Lip Pearl, Gold Lip Pearl, Paua, Green Abalone and many
types of Laminated Shell Veneers (LVS) plus custom shell
inlays, India Stag, Bone, Horn and Exotic Woods.
Our decorative synthetic materials include Alternative Ivory
and many other decorative Polyester and Acrylic materials in
sheet, rod and bar form. We also offer a full line of Reconstituted Stone slabs and blocks. We are adding new products
every year. We also offer a wide variety of Rigid Composite
Laminates in Canvas, Linen and Paper Micarta, G-10’s and
Carbon Fiber.
Masecraft supply co. specializes in large manufacture orders
and the individual needs of artisans and hobbyist alike.
Visit our new
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full product selection with pictures
Call us today for a free catalog
Meriden, CT USA
1-800-682-5489
humped, equal-end, pen-style handle.
“It has been very popular in the antique
cutlery market for years, but not many
collectors are familiar with the pattern
because there have been so few available,”
Daniels says. “We felt that if it was popular back then, it would be popular now.”
The example at the bottom of page
39 features aged honey amber bone stag
scales with a shield escutcheon dating
back 30 years in Queen history. To reinforce the hard-working theme, the blades
are tough D2 tool steel.
STROPPIN’ the HOG
The teaming of Case and Harley-Davidson® is a natural melding of two traditional brands. The new line features
smooth persimmon orange bone handles with the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle logo placed diagonally across the
bottom. The 3.5-inch Mini Trapper at
the top left of page 39 features a mirrorpolished wharncliffe blade and double
nickel-steel bolsters with a barbed-wire
pattern etched across each of the latter.
“The wharncliffe blade has been continually gaining in popularity over the
last several years. Custom makers like it
because of its interesting shape and utility,” Case Marketing Coordinator Fred
The Farmhand is one
of several
slip joints in
Bear & Son’s
new Blue Jean
Series. It sports
a 3.5-inch stainless steel blade and
a blue G-10 handle
with a back-pocket
shield. Weight: 1.9
ounces. MSRP: $50.
(Bear & Son image)
Feightner explains.
“Everyday users find the
wharncliffe much handier
to use because it eliminates
the need to pull up on the
knife handle in order to use
the tip of the blade of most
other patterns.” As for the
catchy etch, Feightner says it “was something we came up with to try to give the
knife more appeal to those in the motorcycle-riding community.”
TICKET to CUT
Such a diverse group as the highlighted
folders should alleviate any fears the slip
joint has gone the way of the dinosaur.
If anything, they are on the rise. If you
travel overseas or in states like New York
or California where laws are stricter than
the rest of the 48, a slip joint may be your
ticket to cut.
S P E C S H EET
EET |
BY MSG KIM BREED 5TH SPECIAL FORCES (RETIRED)
TIRED)
ALL PHOTOS BY MSG KIM BREED UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
THE ADA AND
KSR ARE AOK
… LOL
WHETHER CHOPPING WOOD,
G
CUTTING ROPE OR PUNCTURING
ES
A FIRE DOOR, TWO FIXED BLADES
WERE UP TO THE TASKS
T
his was an extremely fun evaluation between two great
knives—Brian Wagner’s “Ammo Daddy Alpha” (ADA) and
Steve Randall’s “KSR Field/Camp Knife.” I love the field and
user-type knives, as they can usually tackle anything you throw at
them. In my experience, they’re just great all-around knives that
perform at the top of their game. I know both makers, so it was a
no-brainer to pair up their knives for some backyard testing.
The ADA sports an A2 tool steel blade with a KG “flat desert
tan” Gun Kote™ and a Scandinavian (a.k.a. sabre or “V”) grind. The
KSR knife has a 5160 blade with a black-oxide finish and a full flat
grind. There was no time to spare on cutting and chopping stuff
with the knives, so it was off to the workbench.
I went with some leftover construction paper for the first
slicing test. The ADA sliced great and the knife as a whole
felt good in my hand. The cuts were controllable with a
small amount of a drag from the blade coating. The KSR
blade sliced quickly and evenly, as smooth as silk, and
the knife felt good in my hand.
Cardboard was the next medium, and the results
were identical to the construction paper. Both
knives sliced aggressively, and it was all I could
do to keep my fingers away from the fast cutting blades and not leave any skin along with
the cardboard. The shallow grind on the ADA
blade curled some of the cardboard compared to the straighter cuts of the KSR.
In my experience, whittling pine is a fun
and relaxing pastime. The ADA produced
some great curly-cues on shallow cuts in the
pine, but tended to bind a little on the deeper
cuts. The handle was comfortable to use without giving me any hotspots on my hand. The
KSR blade bit so quickly that it took time to get
nice curly-cues. Deep bites were not a problem at
all, though, and the handle was comfortable.
Brian Wagner’s
Wa
“Ammo
Daddy A
Alpha” (ADA)
showcases
showcase a TeroTuf™
(resin-reinforced
(resin
polyester) handle with
polyester
worm-groove-type grip
worm-gro
texturing
texturin and a “flat
desert tan”-coated
ta
A2
tool steel
s
blade.
(Kris Kandler
Ka
photo)
MAKER: Brian Wagner
MODEL: Ammo Daddy Alpha (ADA)
KNIFE STYLE: Tactical fixed blade
BLADE LENGTH: 5.75”
BLADE MATERIAL: A2 tool steel
GRIND: Scandinavian, a.k.a. “V” or sabre
BLADE FINISH: “Flat desert tan” Gun Kote™ coating
ROCKWELL HARDNESS: 59 HRC
HEAT TREATED: By Paul Bos
HANDLE: TeroTuf™ (resin-reinforced polyester)
OVERALL LENGTH: 11 1/8”
SHEATH: Kydex
MAKER’S LIST PRICE: $350
®
The modified clip-point
blade with a non-glare blackoxide finish and a swedge,
as well as the green-canvasMicarta® handle of Steve
Randall’s “KSR” model, give
it a no-nonsense look and
feel. The author says it cuts
like the devil, too.
(Kris Kandler photo)
IT’S LIKE ROPE-AMINE
It’s a given that I just have to cut rope
with the knives I’m testing. The A2 blade
of the ADA devoured half-inch sisal rope.
It topped out at 122 clean crunching cuts
and wore my arm out. Thumb notches on
the blade spine aided in aggressive rope
cutting without leaving a sore spot where
I pressed against them. Still, it was time to
rest my arm before starting in on the rope
with the KSR.
Man, the KSR blade had an appetite for
the rope, all the while letting out those
telltale crunch, crunch, crunching sounds.
It achieved 109 crunching cuts before the
edge started to slide a little. Both knives
were comfortable during the pressure
cuts, without hurting my hand during or
after use. What I discovered is that I had
two great knives running neck-and-neck
throughout the cutting chores. I needed
another break before continuing, deciding at that point I’d simply use larger
rope to push the blades to their limits.
The KSR ate through 21 cuts in 7/8-inch
hemp rope. The ADA crunched through
25 cuts of the larger rope. The knives are
comparable rope cutters, with the ADA’s
thinner blade achieving just a few more
cuts.
It was time for some chopping chores.
I started off with a 2x2 piece of cherry
that was 5 feet tall. The KSR blade bit
more than halfway through the width of
the 2x2 on the first swing. All chops were
solid, and the handle was extremely comfortable. With five swings, I was through
the wood. The ADA chopped almost halfway through, and its chopping was solid.
As my hand slowly moved back on the
handle, my little finger rubbed on the exposed steel of the extended tang, or “skull
crusher pommel,” but other than that, the
grip proved once again to be comfortable.
Moving up to heavier wood, I used the
baton method—hitting the spine of each
blade with another piece of wood—to
drive the edges through seasoned hardwood. Up first was the ADA, with the
handle providing great control while the
last inch of the blade, nearest the point,
withstood the shock of multiple hits with
no problems. The blade coating amazingly held up at 100 percent, with no scratches or worn-off spots. The KSR knife felt
MAKER: Steve Randall, KSR Blades
MODEL: KSR Field/Camp Knife
BLADE LENGTH: 5 7/8”
BLADE STEEL: 5160 high carbon
GRIND: Full fat
BLADE STYLE: Modified clip point
BLADE FINISH: Non-glare black
oxide
HANDLE: Green canvas Micarta®
FITTINGS: Stainless
OVERALL LENGTH: 11.25”
SHEATH: Kydex®
MAKER’S LIST PRICE: $285
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Using an ice-pick grip,
the author jabbed
the Steve Randall
“KSR Field/Camp
Knife” (top) and the
Brian Wagner “Ammo
Daddy Alpha” (bottom)
through a fire door,
resulting in 2 inches
of each blade sticking
out the other side.
With one chop, the Wagner ADA (left) went almost halfway through the width of a 2x2 piece of
cherry that was 5 feet tall. The Randall KSR knife (right) bit more than halfway through on the
first swing.
The KSR blade (left) ate through 21 cuts in the 7/8-inch hemp rope. The ADA (right)
crunched through 25 cuts of the same rope. The knives are comparable rope cutters, with the
ADA’s thinner blade achieving just a few more cuts.
The Wagner ADA (left) and Randall KSR knife (right) sliced cardboard aggressively, and it was
all the author could do to keep his fingers away from the edges. The shallow grind of the ADA
blade curled some of the cardboard compared to the straighter cuts of the KSR.
The KSR blade (left) bit so quickly into the pine board that it took time to get nice curly-cues.
The ADA (right) produced some great curly-cues on shallow cuts in the pine, but tended to
bind a little on the deeper cuts.
good in my hand, and it also passed under the baton perfectly, cutting through
the hardwood. In fact, the thicker steel
was easier to baton, and like the ADA,
there was no remedial damage to the finish or the edge.
Enough sissy stuff—I hadn’t used
my fire door in a while, so bring it on!
I grabbed the KSR knife first. Using an
ice-pick grip, I stabbed the blade deep
through the door with over 2 inches of
the point sticking out the other side. I was
leveraging down on the knife to remove
the blade when the door started to fall
over. I quickly used the blade spine as a
handle and righted the door—whew, that
was close! I put a little ding in the edge of
the blade on that one (sorry, Steve). The
ADA penetrated the door, with the point
sticking precisely 2 inches out of the
other side. I removed the blade and again
there was no damage to the coating. That
is some of the best blade coating I have
experienced in all my years of testing.
OVERALL
Both knives performed above expectations and would hold up to multiple
combat situations. I would lean toward
the KSR model for the overall feel of the
knife, but that’s my personal taste.
CHANGES
On the ADA, I would like softer or
rounded (not as rough or pointed) thumb
notches to relieve a little pain when pressing on them, and with the KSR knife I’d
prefer a swooping grind near the start of
the false edge.
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Quick Response.
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For more information contact Brian Wagner, c/o Okuden Custom Kydex, Dept.
BL9, PMB 231, 17404 Meridian E, Ste-F,
Puyallup, WA 98375 253-906-5306 info@
okuden.net, okuden.net; and Steve Randall, KSR Blades, Dept. BL9, 3438 Oak
Ridge Cir., Lincolnton, NC 28092 704-7322498 or 704-472-4957 steve@ksrblades.
com, ksrblades.com. Each maker warrants
against knife defects in workmanship and
materials as long as the knives have not
been abused.
For the latest knives, knife news, forums,
blogs and much more, see blademag.com.
Niagara Specialty Metals
716-542-5552 • nsm@nsm-ny.com
K N I FE TALK |
BY ED FOWLER BLADE® FIELD EDITOR
THE QUEST
FOR CUT PART II
EACH MAKER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SELF-MOTIVATION,
SETTING GOALS, DEFINING SUCCESS AND MORE
Some feel rewarded by selling more knives. Others find their rewards elsewhere. The author (left)
entertains customers at a show. Bladesmith Butch and Shannon Deveraux appear in the background.
O
ne could hope there is a single message for the new knifemaker. I have
searched and firmly believe there is
no one answer, so the following will be an
accumulation of thoughts that come to mind
when I think about knifemaking or any art. I
suggest you read each paragraph as a thought
I wish to share on its own merits, and not necessarily dependent on what comes before or
after.
Individuals go into knifemaking for as
many personal reasons as there are makers.
Some want to realize a harvest from the knife
community. Their interest is to make money—some to make big money. Others want
to work for themselves, while some want
to make something they feel is special; they
choose to make knives for themselves. All are
valid reasons and all are welcome.
MOTIVATION
Scientists who study behavior have described motivation as intrinsic and extrinsic. While the relationship is complex and
the two seldom appear in pure form, I describe them as follows.
Extrinsic rewards are the realm of the
authority figure. They dictate and you fall
into the mold. This is what most of us were
brought up with, for example, “Be a good boy
BLADE Magazine
Cutlery Hall-OfFame© member
Bill Scagel made
a lot of knives that
fetch substantial
sums today—including this browtine fighter—but
died without
earning his
fortune.
“THERE ARE NO
SPEED LIMITS
IN THE KNIFE
COMMUNITY.”
—THE AUTHOR
and Santa will reward you,” “Get to school
on time, study hard and you will be rewarded with good grades,” etc. The list
goes on, but some will find they do not
subscribe to the mold. Do I need the approval of Santa or an organization to succeed? Is my success in life based only on
the monthly bank statement? Do I need
to be rewarded by selling more knives
than my neighbor at a show?
These are extrinsic rewards. While
some may be comfortable with them, I
ask, “Is that all there is?”
Other than running a ranch and making knives, I have had only one job in my
life, and that was in high school. I worked
for a husband-and-wife team that owned
a business. They fought constantly and I
was always in the middle. I quit that job
and did not even pick up my final check.
The rest of my working life I have been
very lucky. I have done only what I wanted to do and never held what some call
a job. I have received paychecks but only
for doing what I really wanted, and was
paid for doing what I would gladly have
done for nothing.
As an example, my ex-wife and I were
loading hay on the truck to feed cows one
winter afternoon. She was rolling bales of
hay out of the stack to me in the pickup.
Hers was a relatively easy task. She quit
rolling bales and sat down while we still
had another ton of hay to go. I asked
her why the delay and she said, “I’m not
used to manual labor!” I told her, “This
is not manual labor—we’re feeding cows.”
I know there is a difference but she did
not get it. Some of you reading this will,
I hope.
My reward was not in selling cattle, but
in sharing time with them and watching
them grow. I enjoyed their individual behavior patterns, studying the genetics of
my herd and developing the traits I admired. I was not working; instead, my
horse, dog and I were just having fun.
The realm in which I lived fed my vi-
Some simply make knives for something to
do. Others make knives because they have a
message to share.
sion and enabled me to develop the kind
of knife I choose to make today.
PERSONAL REWARD
Author/poet Henry David Thoreau
found his rewards by living simply and
relishing the beauty around him. He enjoyed the boy with the homemade coonskin cap, the day he shared with a wild
fox as he tracked him in the fresh snow,
and much more. He wanted to share his
thoughts and recorded them in his journals.
There is a great deal of personal reward within us just waiting for us to find
it. Thoreau did not achieve the recognition he deserved at the time and had
those who tried to silence him, but he
stuck with it and today is a hero to many.
Ben Franklin, inventor of the Franklin stove, bifocals and much more, found
his reward through his desire to explore
anything that interested him. His contributions to his community were outstanding, and today we still benefit from
his devotion. He was forever true not
only to himself but to others as well.
We are all free to set our goals and be
all we can be. There are no speed limits
in the knife community. There need be
no end to what we seek, and we can set
K N I FE TALK |
our own goals.
l F
For me th
the goall iis my
dream of Excalibur. It is a goal I will
never reach but with each success comes
reward, with each failure, knowledge.
The higher we set our goals, the further
we will reach.
It is not the physical design and construction that is the be-all and end-all.
For me it is my personal relationship
with each knife as an individual, knowing she will never be perfect for all tasks,
but devoted to her function as I make
her. You can do the same if you choose.
DEFINING SUCCESS
If you are a businessman and seek a fortune making knives, you may be able to
accomplish your goals. There is nothing
wrong with making knives to achieve financial success. Some have done it and I
encourage you to give it a try if it is your
The author indicated he values his personal relationship with each knife as an
individual, knowing it is not perfect for all
tasks but is devoted to its function. ABS
journeyman smith Ralph “Bud” Richards
forged this clip-point damascus beauty.
(Chuck Ward image)
desire. If you make it you will definitely be in the minority, which obviously
is true with all endeavors of man. The
beauty of the knife community is that we
can set our own goals, thus enjoying the
bounty of the land of the free.
I know of very few individual makers who have been able to earn their
fortune making knives. As I look back
through BLADE Magazine Cutlery HallOf-Fame© member Ken Warner’s old
KNIVES annuals, I find a lot of makers
who are no longer building knives. Some
“WE DO NOT NEED
THE WIZARD OR
ANYONE ELSE TO
HELP US SUCCEED.”
—THE AUTHOR
entered the knifemaking arena with a
big bang and lots of smoke. The majority
seem to fade into the shadows in a few
years. Others enter quietly and stick with
it for the long run.
The truth is very few have made a fortune through knives alone. Many makers have support from other sources,
such as a wife that has a good job, or are
retired and go into knifemaking simply
in the hope of being able to supplement
their income. Some make knives just for
something to do. Others make knives
because they have a message to share.
Your reasons for going into knifemaking
are of significance to you and have nothing to do with the quality of your work
others see. You will be the judge. I find
The Wizard of Oz to be a delightful story
with a message. We do not need the wizard or anyone else to help us succeed. We
have what we need already on the inside.
Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bill Scagel
made knives (page 46) that are among
the most sought after in today’s market.
He made a lot of knives but died without
having earned his fortune. Other artists
artist
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As the author noted, the old KNIVES annuals are littered with the names of makers
who faded away in a few years.
know the same fate. Vincent Van Gogh
was obsessed with painting and died
penniless by his own hand. He sold only
one painting during his lifetime, but
stuck with it because he loved to paint.
His vision captured what few know. He
gave us a beautiful record of his message.
Both worked in their venues because
they wanted to, and knew the freedom
that comes with doing what they must
to satisfy some inner drive. Those who
do are rich far beyond any measure of
financial wealth, but still suffer lives of
quiet desperation. (Author’s note: You
can see some of Van Gogh’s work and
thoughts at http://trddevelopment.com/
trinadev/index.php?option=com_conte
nt&view=article&id=69&Itemid=102)
DO it YOUR WAY
Intrinsic motivation is simply finding joy
in doing the task; this is more rewarding
for some. As an example of intrinsic motivation, consider Wikipedia, “the free
encyclopedia” of the Internet. No one is
paid, all are volunteers, individuals writing about topics that are of interest to
them, sharing knowledge for the simple
joy of doing it. They have buried the once
competing online encyclopedias that
paid professionals to write.
We do our best work when we can do
it our way. The quality of our work will
come from our enthusiasm.
Next time: Knife art is in the eye of the
beholder, how to profit from critics, knifemaking learning aids and equipment, and
more.
Yours truly,
Ed Fowler
Knifetalkonline
Edfowler.com
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“We must all hang together,
or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
-- Ben Franklin, on signing the Declaration of Independence
Gun rights and knife rights stand together. And fall together. In countries
where gun rights are stolen, the freedom to own and carry knives crumbles.
After several gruesome attacks in schools, our tools are being blamed when
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that give criminals the upper hand. We’re not going to stand for that. Are you?
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S HA R P MI LEST ONE |
BY BLADE® STAFF
PLAZA CUTLERY:
40 AND
STILL
SHARP
PART II
BLADE QUIZZES DAN DELAVAN ON HIS CARRY
KNIVES, MOST INFLUENTIAL KNIFE PEOPLE AND
MORE ON HIS STORE’S 40TH BIRTHDAY
®
Dan Delavan with the two most important women in
his life—his mom Lois and his wife Pam—behind
the counter inside Plaza Cutlery in 2007. (image
courtesy of Dan Delavan)
Dan Delavan’s carry knives include, from left: a William Henry B05 in white mother-of-pearl, an aluminum Classic Swiss Army knife given Dan
by a customer, a Swiss Army memory stick without a knife blade, and a Chris Reeve Small Sebenza with blue dog paws. (image courtesy of Dan
Delavan)
BLADE®: After all these years, what
knives do you use every day?
DAN DELAVAN: Every day I carry a
Chris Reeve Small Sebenza with blue dog
paws, William Henry B05 in white pearl
on my key chain, Swiss Army memory
stick without the knife blade, and an aluminum Classic Swiss Army knife given to
me by a customer. I carry a second set of
keys when I drive my truck, and it has a
Swiss Army Classic with the Washington
Capitals hockey logo on it. In the kitchen
we have Global knives as well as a few
handmade knives from Shosui Takeda
from Japan. We also plan to add a blue
steel blade from Jikko, a Japanese traditional knife company we import. I also
just started a couple of bug-out bags for
Pam and me. We live in an area of Huntington Beach that is susceptible to tsunamis and, of course, earthquakes being in
Southern California. So far I have a Winkler 2 axe, a Chris Reeve hollow-handle
knife, and I will add a few more things as
I get it all together.
What is your all-time favorite carry
knife besides your “Dog Paw” knife?
I’ve always carried a Swiss Army Classic of some type, but years ago I carried
a Kershaw DWO small pocket lockback.
I wore that knife out. Not so long ago I
carried a Benchmade Mini-Stryker with
“prototype” etched on the blade. Les de
Asis, owner of Benchmade, wanted me to
use it, so I did. The tanto blade was great
for scraping things off the stone floor in
the shop. Two very different time periods,
as well as knives!
When in the field, what knife or knives
do you use?
Years ago, Bob Terzuola made some
fixed blades when he lived in South
America. I sold a number of them in the
shop but I kept one called the Back Up. I
carried it when we had a motor home and
did a lot of camping. I still wear it when
out and about. I hope to have Bob make
some for our 40th anniversary!
You were in the Army from 1971 to 1974.
What did you carry then?
I had two knives. Dad sent me a Wenger
Swiss Army knife and I had asked for a
Case throwing knife. There were a lot of
racial problems while I was in the service,
so they did not want us running around
Delavan said Bob Loveless—painter’s cap
and all—has influenced the knife industry
more than anyone else in the past 40 years.
with knives. I was a mobile scout and lost
the Wenger in the hull of our tracked vehicle just before I came home, but I still
have the Case knife.
If you were serving as an Army scout today, what would you carry?
With all the choices, it would be more
than one knife for sure! If the job was the
same, I would want to carry a Leatherman Mutt, a Strider BT-SS-GG Gunner
Grip—in green, as I was in Europe—a
Chris Reeve large Sebenza with a Micarta® handle, and a Victorinox Field Master.
The last knife that would go on my harness would be a Spartan Phrike, again in
green.
Of all the knives you’ve handled in the
store over the years, which is your favorite?
I never really had just one favorite. But
if I had to pick one, it is one I own: a Randall Model 14 with a Border Patrol black
Micarta handle and a forward-curved
nickel-silver hilt. I order this one often in
our Randall shipments. I love the clean
lines and the simple design.
What is the worst product that you have
seen in all the years?
Years ago when Buck Knives was in San
Diego, I received a call from Brian Swanson, who was the sales representative. He
said one of their people would be up to
give me a presentation on their new set of
kitchen knives and wanted to know what
I thought. Brian said, “Dan I am begging
you to hear her out.” I knew her, and even
though she did a good job in the presen-
®
THE
WORL
D'S
IFE
#1 KN
PUBL
-2013
2003
N
ICATIO
Overall
ar
Knife Of TheYe
®
SHARP MIL E S T O N E |
FREE KNIFE CATALOG
A week after
Plaza Cutlery
opened, Herman and Ruth
Schneider—here
at an early knife
show—visited
Plaza Cutlery and
showed Del and
Lois Delavan
some of Herman’s
custom knives.
The seed was
planted for Dan
Delavan to sell
custom knives in
the store. (image
courtesy of the
late Paul Basch)
A complete catalog of knives, including
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tation, unfortunately it was a bad design
and something they should not have pursued. Kitchen knives were very popular at
the time, and I know Buck wanted to cash
in. I heard later they dumped the inventory for just about nothing. If they had
consulted with us or any other dealer they
could have saved a lot of money.
Who is the best sales representative
you’ve ever met?
Not counting my father or Arthur
Marks, that would be Teresa Hockett,
sales representative for Seiko clocks. She
knew her model numbers, pricing and
what would sell in our store. She was
always prepared. As for knife salesmen,
that would be Mark Coslett, who worked
for Victorinox. Mark knew his line, what
would sell where and was good on his
pricing, but he was rough around the
edges and knew more than the people
running the company. A real shame he is
not working for someone, as he wants to.
Which sales representative motivates
you the most?
Nobody motivates like Joel Kauffman
of Zwilling J.A. Henckels. He can get me
fired up and motivated. He also has many
great ideas!
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Who has influenced the knife industry
the most in the last 40 years?
Bob Loveless, hands down. You could
say Bo Randall, as he influenced Bob.
But Bob making handmade knives led
to more knifemakers in the world. These
knifemakers now design and influence
the manufacturers, and now there are
so many knifemakers nobody can know
them all. Bruce Voyles and I filmed Bob
answering questions for the Knifemakers’
Guild, and it was one of the most fascinating experiences I have had. Although Bob
may have been rough around the edges,
the man was a genius, and I am pleased to
have known him.
Delavan said if he had to pick one favorite
knife, it would be his Randall Model 14 with
a Border Patrol black Micarta® handle and
a forward-curved nickel-silver hilt. “I love
the clean lines and the simple design,” he
noted. (image courtesy of Dan Delavan)
Jimmy Lile was among the first knifemakers
Dan Delavan met. Here’s Jimmy at one of
the Delavans’ early California Custom Knife
Shows. (image courtesy of Dan Delavan)
Plaza Cutlery was one of the early knife
stores to sell custom knives. How did this
come about?
A week after we opened, Herman and
Ruth Schneider came in the shop one
evening, and Herman showed Mom and
Dad his custom knives. Dad told Herman,
“Too bad Dan is not here as he would like
these.” As there was no markup, Dad was
not interested in selling Herman’s knives,
but he appreciated his craftsmanship. I
met Herman at the Great Western Gun
Show that I attended with Don Richards,
who did our sharpening at the time, and
also made a few knives. I met a lot of
makers, including Lloyd Pendleton, Victor Anselmo, Alex Collins, Jimmy Lile,
Larry Hendricks, Jim Merritt, Bob Loveless and many others. I started buying for
myself and selling a few things from the
shop at the show, and it led to buying custom knives for the store. In 1976 Don and
I attended the Dallas Knife Expo that had
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S H A R P M IL E S T O N E |
The Delavans’ bug-out bags include a Winkler 2 axe and a Chris Reeve hollow-handle
knife. “I will add a few more things as I get
it all together,” Dan Delavan noted. (image
courtesy of Dan Delavan)
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Alex Collins was another of the first makers
Dan met. Alex learned to make knives under
John Nelson Cooper. Collins is shown here
at an early ’90s Knifemakers’ Guild Show.
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Books
Adhesives
Etching Buffers
Machines
Buffs
Screws
Stabilized
Horn
Taps
Knife
Ivory
Bone
Flitz
Drills Sheaths Pommels
Hermes Steel &
416
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Abrasives Blades Stainless
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CM
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www.knifeandgun.com
csinfo@knifeandgun.com
the Knifemakers’ Guild, National Knife
Collectors’ Association and the Antique
Bowie Knife collectors held together for
the first and last time. I had a lot of fun
with the Guild members and started attending their show each year in Kansas
City. From there we changed the back of
the shop, added a large display case and
sold our custom knives from there.
Next time: Delavan’s most memorable
store moments, the knife company that impresses him most, his favorite custom makers and more.
KF
INTELLIGENT
DISCUSSION FOR THE
KNIFE ENTHUSIAST
Knifeforums.com
MID-A
AMERICAN SYMPOSIUM
Miami County Fairgrounds
Troy, Ohio
August 22-24, 2014
Offered by the
American Bladesmith Society
Hosted by
Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil
DEMONSTRATORS
SPECIAL EVENTS
Karl Andersen....... Take Down Knife
Dr. Jim Batson ................ Metallurgy
Kevin Cashen....... Handles & Guards
Jim Crowell ............... Blade Forging
Brian Thie ........... Mosaic Damascus
Hughes & Cashen ........ ABS Judging
Butch Sheely .... Silver Wrap Handles
Bill Wiggins ......... Stainless Laminate
i Knife Show open to public Saturday
1:00 PM.
i Auction Saturday 3:00 PM open to
the public.
i Participate in the round table
10:00-12:00 Sunday morning.
i “Surprise” event Friday 7 PM and
Cutting Demo Saturday 7 PM
Pay the $65 registration fee online at www.americanbladesmith.com
For more information or register by phone, contact Cindy Sheely at 419-832-0400
THE IDAHO KNIFE ASSOCIATION IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST ANNUAL
2014 TRADITIONAL & TACTICAL
KNIFE SHOW
Show Information
Meridian Courtyard Marriott Convention Center
(Overland and Eagle Road)
1789 S. Eagle Rd., Meridian, ID 83642
Sat., Sept. 13th from 10 am to 6 pm
Sun., Sept. 14th from 10 am to 3 pm
idahoknifeassociation@yahoo.com
General Admission
$5.00 per person per day • $12.00 per famil per day!
IKA members - free admission
Beer & Wine Available During the Show
Hundreds of traditional hunting, utility and collectable
knives from local and world famous makers.
Tactical, military and law enforcement grade knives, gear and supplies!
Fun and Exciting for the Whole Family!
Knife-making demonstrations, Forging demonstrations,
Self-defense techniques, Cutting challenge, Tomahawk and knife throwing,
Engaging children’s crafts and something for the ladies as well!
After Hours Cocktail Party in the Hotel Saturday Evening!
®
THE WORLD’S #1 KNIFE PUBLICATION
NE X T
ISSUE
On Most Newsstands By July 15
• THE COMPLETE
TANTO STORY
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PROFILE:
TRU-GRIT
Our Story
“What would you
do to save a life?”
My brother and I asked each
other that question numerous
times during the 29 years we had
together. We wondered… if that
moment would come where we had to act, would
we have the courage and the strength to respond
without thought of our own skin. Would we risk
everything to try to help?
Shortly after September 11, 2001 we had this
conversation.
“Do you think you would have the
courage to risk your life to save a
friend?” Matt asked me.
The fog was rolling in around us at
our house in San Diego. The water in
the air was thick enough to make the
ƬUHVQDS+RWGXVW\FRDOVGZLQGOLQJ
but alive with a subtle glow as the
damp chill of the night settled in around us.
Matt was about to begin his third phase of BUDs
training and was on a short weekend leave prior to
heading to the island. We were sitting opposite each
RWKHUDWRXUƬUHSLWZLWKFROGEHHUVLQKDQGDVZH
began a conversation I will never forget. Matt sat
across from me staring at the iron red coals with an
uncertain look on his face. Our jovial night was about
to take a more serious tone.
p+H\qKHEHJDQSDXVLQJ
to get his thoughts right, “I
never thought it would be a
foregone conclusion that I
ZRXOGEHVHHLQJDƬJKWZKHQ
I entered the Teams. I thought that perhaps I would
get the chance to answer that call, but I never knew
for sure until today. I hope that I never get in a rough
situation, but if I do, I hope I will have the courage to
see it through.”
matthewaxelsonfoundation.org
Matt was killed in action on the 28th of June 2005
ƬJKWLQJWRNHHSKLV7HDPPDWHVDOLYH*LYLQJHYHU\
RXQFHRIKLVKHDUWDQGVRXOWRZLQWKHƬJKWKHZDVLQ
I am proud of him for that. For never giving up, for
KDYLQJWKHFRXUDJHWREULQJWKHƬJKWWRWKHHQHP\
but more importantly for proving what I knew he
would do if ever in a situation like we discussed
JURZLQJXSp:RXOG\RXKDYHWKHFRXUDJHWRƬJKWWR
the last breath for the ones you love?”
We decided to launch a business
WKDWKRQRUHGWKHVDFULƬFHVRI
Matt and all those like him. Many
in our family history have served.
*UDQGSDDQGKLVEURWKHUZHUH
career Navy and were on the
8663HQQV\OYDQLDLQ3HDUO+DUERU
RQ'HF*UDQGPDZDVD0DULQHIRUWKHGXUDWLRQRI
WWII, Dad and Uncle Dean were in the infantry and
IRXJKWLQWKH{9LHWQDP:DUVRWKLVVHQWLPHQWUXQV
deep with us.
My introduction to Jerry was a powerful yet subtle
one. Shortly after Operation Red Wings tragic close
I received a package in the mail. Inside I found a
beautiful blade. No fanfare just two simple words and
5 stars engraved on its earth colored steel. “Never
Forget *****”. The only note that was with it was
from one of Matts teammates, who is now one of
my closest friends and brothers. It simply stated that
there were 50 of these one of a kind knives made and
JLYHQWR6'97WKHPDNHUZDQWHG\RXWRKDYHRQH
and he requested to remain anonymous.
I posted that knife above my desk for years. Next to it
sat 5 heavy challenge coins. James Suh, Shane Patton,
'DQ+HDO\0LFKDHO0XUSK\DQG0DWW7RWKHULJKW
of those lay a challenge coin for Danny Dietz, a team
coin for the Night Stalkers, and a SEAL Team 10 coin.
Not a day goes by that those pieces do not give me
strength.
A little more than two years ago I placed a call
WU\LQJWRƬQGRXWZKRDFWXDOO\PDGHWKDWNQLIH
for us. I had been so overwhelmed with my own
life that I had forgotten to thank whomever it
was that had given us such a powerful symbol of
remembrance.
• lonesurvivorfoundation.org • navysealfoundation.org
Visit Our Store
Family owned business
Benchmade, Chris Reeve,
Zero Tolerance
Carry all brands of knives
JT’S KNIFE SHOP
264 East Main Street, Port Jervis, NY 12771
877-364-9114 • www.jtknives.com
SCAGEL
KNIVES
AND AXES
700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
1-888-457-2873
WANTED
To Advertise Please Contact The
Following Ad Represenatives
P.O. Box 181
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229-732-6982, anytime
Gordon White
Lori Hallman
American Metal Xchange Inc.
extension 13642
lori.hallman@fwmedia.com
Cover Date
Ad Deadline
October 2014 ................................. May
November 2014 ............................ June
December 2014 ............................. July
January 2015 ............................ August
30
27
25
22
562.416.9511 George
george@amxinc.co • www.amxinc.co
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Orlando, Florida 32839
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NEW 75TH ANNIVERSARY CATALOG – PRICE $2.00
INTL. MAILING – CATALOG US $6.00
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Edmund Davidson
The IntegralThe Ultimate
Hand Tool
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Straight
Hunter
Now Offering
CPM 154 - CM
3345 Virginia Ave.
Goshen, VA 24439
Phone: 540-997-5651
www.edmunddavidson.com
CAPT. CHRIS
STANABACK
LOVELESS KNIVES
- Buy - Sell - Trade PHONE NUMBER 706-781-8479 24 Hrs.
Associate Member
Call or Write:
Knifemakers Guild
John Denton
703 Hiawassee Estates Dr.
E-mail: jwdenton@windstream.net
Hiawassee, GA 30546
www.BobLovelessKnives.com
Visit Us At
The Blade Show
Booth 88
FOUNDER
11100 S.W. 93 Court Rd., Suite 10-357
Ocala, FL 34481
352-598-1880 • RKCCLUB@aol.com
www. RKCC-RKCA.com
As Wood As It Gets
SHEFFIELD
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from $8.50 ea.
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ENGRAVING
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Seeking, Buying or Selling
The Classifieds are your
link to success.
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
A
H
Admiral Steel ........................... 43
American Bladesmith Society .. 56
American Metal Xchange, Inc.. 62
Arizona Desert Ironwood ......... 63
Hawkins Knifemaking
Supplies ................................. 87
Hege, John .............................. 26
HTM ......................................... 17
B
I
Baen Books, Inc. ..................... 24
Blade HG, LLC .......................... 5
Blade Magazine .......... 55, 62, 64,
72 & 75
Bladegallery.Com .................... 35
Bladeops, LLC ........................... 8
Blue Ridge Knives ............. 45, 63
Boker USA ............................... 88
Buckeye Engraving .................. 48
Busse Combat Knife Co. ....57-61
Idaho Knife Association ........... 56
C
Chad Nichols Damascus ......... 52
Chris Reeves Knives ............... 51
Crawford, Pat ........................... 40
Cuffs Trading ........................... 62
D
Damasteel Ab .......................... 18
Davidson, Edmund .................. 63
Denton, John ........................... 63
Denver Custom Knife Show ..... 27
Diamond Machining
Technology............................. 86
Dozier Knives .......................... 54
Du-Star Knife ........................... 63
E
Emerson Knives ...................... 92
Evenheat Kiln Inc..................... 53
J
Jantz Supply ...................... 36, 37
JPFO Inc.................................. 49
JT’S Knife Shop ....................... 62
Niagara Specialty Metals ......... 45
Nordic Knives .......................... 34
Northern Knives....................... 53
O
Olamic Cutlery ......................... 44
Ontario Knife............................ 53
P
Paragon Sports ....................... 53
Plaza Cutlery ............................. 5
Pro-Tech Knives Usa............... 15
K
R
K-9 Cop Magazine ................... 78
Kayne Custom Hardware Inc. .. 34
Kershaw Knives ....................... 14
Knife & Gun Finishing
Supplies ................................. 54
Knife Center ............................. 87
Knifekits.Com........................... 17
Knifemakers Guild Show ......... 19
Knives Plus .............................. 87
KP Show Promotions............... 71
Randall Knife Collectors Club .. 63
Randall Made Knives............... 62
L
Lambert, Kirby ......................... 25
Lansky Sharpeners ................... 2
Lone Star Wholesale ............... 49
M
Magnum USA .......................... 52
Masecraftsupply ...................... 40
Maxpedition ............................. 11
Micro Tech Small Arms
Research .................................. 3
Mission Knives......................... 14
F
N
F+W Media, Inc./Comp Subs .. 65
Fallkniven .......................... 26, 91
NC Tool Company ................... 24
New Graham Knives ................ 16
S
Sheffield Knifemakers Supply .. 63
Smoky Mountain Knife
Works ..................................... 35
Sog Specialty Knives & Tools.. 25
Spartan Blades USA ............... 48
Spyderco ................................... 8
T
Taylor Brands, LLC .................. 47
Tighe, Brian ............................. 15
Titanium Metal Supply ............. 87
Tops Knives ................... 9, 32, 89
Tormach LLC ........................... 21
True North Knives ............... 7, 41
Tru-Grit .................................... 52
U
Ultimate Knife, The .................. 33
W
White, Gordon ......................... 62
The advertisers’ index is provided as a reader service. Occasional last-minute changes may result in ads appearing on pages
other than those listed here. The publisher assumes no liability for omissions or errors.
Don’t miss the next
Magazine
ORDER YOUR ADVERTISING TODAY!
700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
1-800-272-5233 • FAX (715) 445-4087
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Advertising Sales x13642
Issue Date
OCTOBER
Ad Deadline
May 30, 2014
NOVEMBER
June 27, 2014
DECEMBER
July 25, 2014
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manufacturers. Discounts cannot be applied to previous purchases. Valid for one use per customer only. Other exclusions may apply.
W H AT ’ S
N EW
Knife Designed
For Field Dressing
After Sun Sets
R
eportedly designed after years of biggame outfitting, and at times field
dressing after dark, the Wicked Edge “Illuminator” sports four LED lights pointed
toward the 4-inch AUS-8 steel blade. Water
resistant, the knife has a textured handle
and uses two AA batteries.
Contact: Wicked Edge, Dept. BL9, 3
Caliente Rd., Ste. 8, Santa Fe, NM 87508
877-616-9911 info@wickededgeusa.com,
wickededgeusa.com.
Corkscrew,
Bottle Opener
And Blade Populate Tool
S
wiss Tech’s “Vintage” 8-in-1 multi-tool
comes in a choice of a gold (shown) or
silver brushed-steel handle, housing a corkscrew, foil cutter/blade, bottle opener, one
Phillips-head and two flat-head screwdrivers, a key ring fob and an LED flashlight.
Contact: Swiss Tech, Dept. BL9,
30725 Solon Industrial Pkwy., Cleveland,
OH 44139 440-573-1000 sales@swisstechtools.
com, swisstechtools.com.
Sculpted
Folding Knife
Parades Stingray Motif
S
uchat Jangtanong’s high-art folder dons heattreated Chad Nichols stainless damascus bolsters, blade and handle inlay—the latter two carved and
pierced in the shapes of stingrays—a 6AL-4V titanium frame,
and diamond and black-lip mother-of-pearl insets.
Contact: Suchat Jangtanong, c/o Mr. Damascus Knives, attn: K. Newman,
Dept. BL9, 10901 W. Cave Blvd., Dripping Springs, TX 78620 512-264-1501
shakeallpoints@yahoo.com, mrdamascusknives.com.
Damascus
Slip-Joint
Folder Is
Engraved &
Gold Inlaid
A
3.25-inch damascus
blade gets things
started on a Steve Dunn slipjoint folder that also features
mammoth-ivory handle scales, an
acorn shield, fileworked liners, and
gold-inlaid and engraved bolsters.
Contact: Steve Dunn, Dept. BL9, 376
Biggerstaff Rd., Smiths Grove, KY 42171
270-563-9830 steve@stevedunnknives.
com, stevedunnknives.com.
Stippled Stainless Steel
Bolsters Center Hunter
G
arth Hindmarch outfits a fi nger-grooved
drop-point hunter with a 4-inch 440C stainless steel blade, stippled stainless bolsters and a
mesquite-burl handle.
Contact: Garth Hindmarch, Dept. BL9, POB
135, Carlyle, SK, Canada S0C 0R0 306-453-2568.
Striker Pommel
Includes Pry Bar
& Lanyard Hole
T
he DPx HEST 6 survival
knife boasts a 6-inch
CPM S35VN blade, a full,
extended tang ending in
a striker pommel, pry bar
and lanyard hole, G-10 handle
scales—one with a cavity for
a fi re starter, fishhooks and survival gear—and “wire-stripper”
jimping in three of the most common wire gauge sizes.
Contact: DPx Gear, attn: R.
Young Pelton, Dept. BL9, 2321
Kettner Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
619-780-2600 info@dpxgear.com,
dpxgear.com.
W H AT ’ S
N EW
Red Liners Highlight
Camel Bone Handle
Damascus Blades/
Tangs Offered In
Many Styles
A
drop-point hunter by R.W. Wilson
showcases a 3.5-inch Damasteel damascus blade and bolsters, and red liners that outline and
highlight camel bone handle scales.
Contact: R.W. Wilson, Dept. BL9, POB 2012, Weirton,
WV 26062 304-723-2771 rwknives@hotmail.com.
A
rduous Enterprises offers
1095-and-15N20 damascus
blades with full or stick tangs in random,
raindrop, ladder, twisted, “fi re storm” and “ladder bios forge” patterns, and in several blade lengths
and configurations.
Contact: Arduous Enterprises, Dept. BL9, 917-780-6940
info@arduousgroup.us, arduousgroup.us.
Knife Dons
Lightning Strike
Carbon Fiber Scales
D
an Rafn’s sleek RWL-34 drop-point
fi xed blade dons 416 stainless steel
double bolsters and “lightning strike” carbon fiber handle
scales.
Contact: Dan Rafn, Dept. BL9, Smedebakken 24,
Hadsten, Denmark 8370 contact@dcrknives.com,
dcrknives.com.
Several Types Of Wood
Complete Grip Of Hunter
S
tabilized Makassar ebony, satinwood, bloodwood
and olivewood burl combine for the handle of Eli
Jensen’s 1095 drop-point hunter, which also sports a fileworked spine and silver pins.
Contact: Eli Jensen, Dept. BL9, 350 Park Ave.,
Prescott, AZ 86303 928-606-0373 ej89@nau.edu.
Rescue Folder
Has Safety Tip
And Seat Belt Cutter
A
ntonini Knives releases the
SOS ARA XL in a 3.35-inch,
semi-serrated 440A stainless steel blade
with safety tip, anodized-aluminum handle
scales, dual locking liners, a 420 stainless steel
pocket clip, .25-inch magnetic bit holder and a seat
belt cutter. (Version shown with Vatican Fire Brigade
logo is not available for sale.)
Contact: Antonini Knives, attn: P. Winteregg, Dept.
BL9, POB 856, Tatum, NM 88267 575-398-6141 sales@
antoniniknivesusa.com, antoniniknivesusa.com.
Camp Axe Delivered With
3Cr13 Stainless Steel Head
O
utdoor Edge debuts the “Wood
Devil” camp axe in a black-oxidecoated 3Cr13 stainless steel head, full
tang, extended hammer pommel and
an ergonomic, non-slip rubber grip.
Contact: Outdoor Edge, attn: D.
Bloch, Dept. BL9, 9500 W. 49th Ave.
#A-100, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 303530-7667 moreinfo@outdooredge.com,
outdooredge.com.
KNI FE MA K E R S HOW C A S E
|
“Knifemaker Showcase” spotlights the photographs of knives sent by any and all custom knifemakers to BLADE® for filing in the Knifemakers’ Archive.
The Knifemakers’ Archive is the most complete collection of photographs of knifemakers’ knives and information in the world. If you are a custom
knifemaker and have not sent us a photo (the better quality the photo, the better chance it has of getting in the magazine), write to: BLADE, c/o Krause/
F+W Media, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990, or e-mail Joe.Kertzman@fwmedia.com. Please include a mug shot of yourself with your knife picture.
Rodney
ney Watts
Under the tutelage of Rusty
Preston, parttime
maker
Rodney Watts
fashioned his first
knife in 2008, and went on to win the “Best
New Maker” award at the 2011 BLADE
Show. “I feel my unique designs and detailed filework help set me apart from other
makers,” Watts proposes.
• Best selling knife patterns: Yendor,
Fancy Fighter, Big Ole Fighter and
Dakota Classic
• Favorite blade steels: ATS-34 and CPM
154
• Preferred edge grinds: most blades
hollow ground on a 14-inch wheel, also
flat grinds, and fighters are ground using
both 8- and 5-inch wheels
• How he tests his knives: relies on hunters in the field for feedback, does all his
own blade heat treating and Rockwell
tests all blades for hardness
• Favorite handle materials: mammoth
tooth and coral for their stability. “You
can take them from the desert to the
coast and they are not going to ‘move’
on you like stag, ivory and other natural
handle materials,” Watts says.
• Price range: $450-$1,000
• Knife shows he attends: BLADE Show,
California Custom Knife Show and New
York Custom Knife Show
• Online purveyors selling his knives:
knifelegends.com and arizonacustomknives.com
• Member of: Professional Knifemakers
Association
• His website and features/services it
provides: wattscustomknives.com,
including a knife gallery, blog, order
options, links and contact. Watts also has
a storefront nestled in the Black Hills of
Hot Springs, South Dakota.
“I specialize in unique shapes and what
Paul Shindler [of Knife Legends] refers to
as ‘big boy filework,’” Watts relates. The
“Yendor” model sports a 4.5-inch clip-point
ATS-34 blade with filework along the full
tang, carbon fiber handle scales and 416
stainless steel bolsters engraved by Bruce
Christensen. Watts’ list price: $825. Contact Rodney Watts, Dept. BL9, 101 Finch
Dr., Hot Springs, SD 57747 605-890-0645
rwatts@gwtc.net, wattscustomknives.com.
(SharpByCoop knife image)
Mike Mann
Mike
Mann,
who works under
the business name
Idaho Knife Works,
grew up fishing and
hunting on the family farm in Illinois, making his first knife
in a 1965 high school shop class. He met
his wife, Debbie, out West, and they wed
on the remote mountainside they call home
in Northern Idaho. The “Mountain Manns”
have created knives and sheaths there for
25 years.
• Best-selling patterns: The Cliff Canoe
Knife (collaboration with Cliff Jacobson, a canoe guide and author), the Buck
•
•
•
•
•
•
Skinner, a cowboy-era reproduction of a
San Francisco bowie, and a reproduction
of the knife from the movie Last of the
Dogmen
Preferred blade steels: high-carbon
5160, 1080 and 15N20
Blade grind: flat, for strength
How he tests his knives: paper-cut
method, and in the field hunting and
fishing
Favorite handle materials: natural substances, including wood, horn and antler
Prices: $130-$2,170, also sells handle
material in the $20-$300-plus range
Knife shows he attends or has attended: Oregon Knife Show, Rocky
Mountain Knife Show, Northwest Knife
Collector’s Knife Show, Professional
Knifemakers Association (PKA) Show
and Montana Knifemaker Association
(MKA) Custom Knife Show
• Online purveyor selling his knives:
BladeGallery.com
• Member of: the PKA, MKA and Idaho
Knife Association
“If a knife doesn’t perform well and fit
your hand, it’s only good for looking at,”
Mann reasons. He says the “Buck Skinner”
shows Nessmuk and drop-point-hunter influences, and features a differentially hardened 1080 high-carbon-steel blade, a brass
guard and a finger-grooved 130-year-old
Osage orange handle built out of a
fence post from the Mann family farm. His list price: $245 with
a custom leather sheath. Contact
Mike Mann, Dept. BL9, POB 144,
Spirit Lake, ID 83869 509-994-9394 idahoknifeworks@hotmail.com, idahoknifeworks.com. (lonlauber.com knife image)
n
Alan Hutchinson
Though he began
forging knives in
1970, Alan Hutchinson says he wasn’t
satisfied with the
results, eventually
turning to the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing in Old Washington, Arkansas.
“From that point on, I was taught by professional instructors, and I am ever grateful to
them,” he credits.
• Best-selling knife patterns: drop-point
hunter, which won the 2013 BLADE
Show “Best Utility Hunter” custom
knife award, as well as camp knives and
bowies
• Preferred blade steels: 1084 and 5160
for edge-holding ability and ease of
workability and heat treating, and his
“go-to” steel when forging damascus—
15N20
• Edge grind: flat grinds, convinced the
edge remains strong and has better cutting ability than with other grinds
• How he tests his knives: field use, cutting 2x4s and rope, and then shaving arm
hair to confirm edge retention, and values feedback from hunters and soldiers
• Favorite handle materials: stag is the
favorite and then other natural materials
•
•
•
•
such as wood; also Micarta® for combat knives
Prices: $275 and up
Knife shows he attends:
BLADE Show and Arkansas
Custom Knife Show
Member of: American Bladesmith Society and Arkansas
Knifemakers Association
Forums he participates in: attends
a more traditional (offline) forum—a
monthly gathering of knifemakers at
Uncle Al’s Riverside Machine (riversidemachine.net), where they exchange
ideas and help new makers with any
issues they may be having
“Function is my primary concern,”
Hutchinson stresses. “I served two tours
as an Army Airborne Ranger in Vietnam. I
learned that a good knife is the most important survival tool a man can have.” The
bowie showcases an 11.5-inch 5160 blade,
a nickel silver guard and fittings, and an
Afzelia burl handle. Hutchinson’s list price:
$650. Contact Alan Hutchinson, Dept.
BL9, 315 Scenic Hill Rd., Conway, AR
72034 501-470-9653 hutchinsonblades@
yahoo.com. (Chuck Ward knife image)
Andrew McLane
“I started knifemaking when I
was 12 years old. I
found a dead twopoint buck while
bird hunting, and
my dad mentioned that the antlers would
make good knife handles,” 17-year-old Andrew McLane relates. “We took them to a
family friend, Rich Pope, who knew how to
make knives. After watching him for threeor four-hour sessions, I knew knifemaking
was something I wanted to do, and I have
been primarily self-taught since then.”
• How he tests his knives: personally in
the field while backpacking, hunting,
fishing, mountain biking and other activities, “using blades as they are intended
to be used,” cleaning fish, preparing
kindling for fires and a variety of chores.
Also conducts abrasion-resistance tests
to check quality of heat treatment
• Preferred handle materials: desert
ironwood, stabilized black ash, maple
burl and other exotic hardwoods for their
natural beauty and variety
• Price range: $125-$500
• Forums he participates in: knifenet-
work.com
“I love the freedom to create something
that is truly useful,” McLane surmises, “and
knives allow me to do that. Knifemaking is
an art form that involves function as much
as aesthetics.” The knife exhibits a 4.5-inch
1084 blade with a fileworked spine, nickel
silver bolsters and pins, a desert-ironwood
handle and black liners. McLane’s list price
with a black leather sheath: $350. Contact
Andrew McLane, Dept. BL9, 7850 Eland
Ave., Billings, MT 59106 406-850-1870
mclaneknives@gmail.com, facebook.com/
a.a.mclaneknives.
• Best-selling knife patterns:
small backpack knives, EDC
(everyday carry) knives and
embellished hunters
• Favorite blade steels: 1080 for the
reliability of heat treatment and finish,
and 440C upon request for environments
that demand rust resistance
• Blade grind: flat grind for the smooth
cut it provides and ease of sharpening
SEPTEMBER 2 014 blad
blademag.com
emag.co m 6 9
KNI FE MA K
KEE R S H
HOW
OW C A S E
|
Edmund
und Davidson
A director of
The Knifemakers’
Guild, Edmund Davidson specializes
in full-integral
fixed blades.
“I have been fortunate to have
taken the integral concept all the
way from plain and simple hunting
knives, to hard-use military/camp knives,
all the way through to elaborate art knives,”
he explains.
• Best selling knife patterns: Max’s
Crooked Skinner, Bob Loveless-style
Straight Hunter, 20th Anniversary Model
and Dr. Cat
• Favorite blade steels: CPM 154 for its
edge retention, toughness and corrosion
resistance, or CPM 3V for toughness and
edge retention
• Edge geometry: 20-degree-angle edge
for skinning knives and hunters, or a
25-to-30-degree angle for camp and
combat knives
• How he tests his knives: “After 28 years
as a full-time knifemaker, my clients
have done my testing in the field,” Davidson notes. “Once a high-grade blade
steel is properly heat treated, half of the
battle has been won.”
• Favorite handle materials: desert ironwood for its natural earth tone, beauty
and durability, mastodon ivory and
stabilized woods
• Price range: Integrals starting at $2,500,
and on up, depending on model and
embellishment
• Knife shows he attends: East Coast
Custom Knife Show, Shenandoah Valley
Knife Collectors Show, BLADE Show
and The Knifemakers’ Guild Show
• Member of: Shenandoah Valley Knife
Collectors, The Knifemakers’ Guild,
Custom Knife Makers Association and
Knife Rights
• His website and features/services it
provides: edmunddavidson.com, including a gallery of knives, profile, contact,
links and how to order the full-color
book Edmund Davidson, The Art of the
Integral Knife, by Dr. David Darom
Designed by Jim Scott, the “Saving
Grace” integral fighter boasts a 6-inch,
hand-rubbed CPM 154 blade, 7/8-inch
thick, and desert ironwood handle scales.
Davidson’s list price: $4,800. Contact Edmund Davidson, Dept. BL9, 3345 Virginia
Ave., Goshen, VA 24439 540-997-5651
davidson.edmund@gmail.com, edmunddavidson.com.
(PointSeven knife image)
Jason Clark
A Florida law
enforcement officer
and part-time knifemaker, Jason Clark
bought a few custom knives from a
friend who is a maker, and that friend eventually talked him into fashioning a knife.
“I learned mostly by trial and error, but I
have had some direction from a few accomplished makers,” Clark remarks.
• Best-selling knife patterns/styles: flipper folders with the IKBS (Ikoma Korth
Bearing System) and drop-point, tanto,
hybrid-wharncliffe and razor-style blades
• Primary blade steel: CPM 154 because
it finishes nicely, is clean, and takes and
keeps a keen edge, and other stainless
and stainless-damascus steels
• Blade grind: hollow grind for its physical appearance, and, if ground properly,
it takes and holds a sharp edge
• How he tests his knives: Performs various cutting tests and has others field test
his knives and report back to him, but
only after heat treating and cryogenically
tempering blades, and subjecting each
to a Rockwell Hardness test
• Preferred handle material: carbon
fiber combined with zirconium bolsters
• Price range: $450 and up
• Knife shows he attends: the BLADE
Show and Florida Knifemakers’ Association Annual Knife Show
• Online purveyors selling his knives:
bladehq.com, knifeart.com, arizonacustomknives.com, knifeology.
com, recon1.com and robertsoncustomcutlery.com
• Member of: Florida Knifemakers’ Association
• Forums he participates
in: usualsuspect.net and
knifedogs.com
• His website and
features/services it
provides: clarkcustomknives.
com, including
a showcase of
knives and contact
information
“I construct 100 percent of my knives in house,
including designing, cutting,
shaping, grinding, heat treating,
fitting and finishing each piece,”
Clark informs. The flipper folder
sports a 3 1/5-inch Rob Thomas damascus blade, an IKBS pivot, zirconium
bolsters and “lightning strike” carbon fiber
handle scales. Clark’s list price: $750. Contact Jason Clark, Dept. BL9, 24896 77th
Rd., O’Brien, FL 32071 386-935-2922
jclark@clarkcustomknives.com, clarkcustomknives.com. (Chuck Ward knife image)
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Peter Martin Knives
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RAT WORX, Inc
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The aftermarket for Knives
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KNIFE FORUM
Knifeforums.com
Engage in the Discussion Forum
Post: Fallkniven as an EDC (Topic#938214)
mackie
Member
04-07-14 12:03.07 - Post#2597149
Blade Magazine
Wally Hayes’s photo. April 22
Wally says, “Done. This flipper flies open!
It’s a Fast Crusader.”
Hello, I’m a new member to the Fallkniven forum, and also the
proud owner of an F1, Idun, Kolt and TK6, and the WM1 will be next.
I adore my TK6 but I don’t see it mentioned often here. I often use it
or the Kolt as a pocket or EDC knife.
Does anybody else carry their Fallkniven in their pocket?
tetzmol
Master Member KnifeNut!
04-08-14 04:32.48 - Post#2597225
In response to mackie
I carry a Model P virtually every day. The 3G steel keeps its edge
for a very long time. I love it!
Fallkoholic
Master Member KnifeNut!
04-09-14 04:22.12 - Post#2597364
In response to tetzmol
I don’t carry a fixed blade for EDC, but always have either a P3G,
PXLIM or PXLWH in my pocket. All are great EDC pocketknives. The
PXL’s are large, use them primarily at work.
Kevin
(Wally Hayes photo)
38 people like this.
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C R OS S I NG C ENT URI E S |
BY BILL SIMMERMACHER
FORWARD
TO THE PAST
AN ANTIQUE BOWIE GETS SHEATH FITTED WITH A MODERN “CORSET CREATION”
I
magine the feelings of
an avid student and
collector of 19thcentury bowies after uncovering a superb classic
example having textbook
proportions, the properly
weighted blade, a professionally
carved ivory grip but lacking its
original sheath.
I experienced such a situation
during my collecting adventures of
the 1990s. At the time, my focus was
on obtaining classic 19th-century ivorygripped bowies only. What was uncovered
was a classic knife with great form, an interesting guard, and a heavy, semi-clipped-point
blade mated to a carved ivory grip.
When looking at the knife, the focus immediately
goes to the grip.
“THE SHEATH Its ivory carving
WAS LOST TO reveals a delicately
detailed hunting bag
TIME. AS A
suspended from a peg.
RESULT, THE Above the hunting bag
and below the oval brass
KNIFE HAD
guard are concentric cirAN OBVIOUS cular designs cut into the
The grip shows a
‘UNDRESSED’ ivory.
soft mellow patina against
APPEARANCE.” hairline age cracks in the
—THE AUTHOR ivory. Aside from the hunting bag and the circular designs, the grip is a simple,
semi-round, elongated shape.
The knife is 13 inches long overall. The 8-inch blade is a
quarter-inch thick at the ricasso and 1 inch wide at its widest. A skilled craftsman made the knife, though it is void of
any identifying marks or stamps.
The sheath was lost to time. As a result, the knife had
an obvious “undressed” appearance. The chances of finding
an original sheath with consistent quality, aging and size
would prove fruitless.
Over two
decades in
the planning
and making
and based on
a woman’s
corset—a modern version of
which appears
at left—the author’s contemporary “corset
creation” sheath
for his 19thcentury classic
bowie became
a reality. (knife
image by VZPhoto.com)
WHAT ABOUT THE
IVORY HANDLE?
A
ccording to Laura S. Noguchi of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, assuming the ivory for the handle of the
author’s 19th-century bowie was taken
from an African elephant and is indeed
100 years old or older, the knife can
be sold in interstate commerce under
the Endangered Species Act special
rule that was in place at press time.
She added, “An expert appraisal could
be used to verify the authenticity of the
knife and its age.” Since the author is
a senior member of the Antique Bowie
Knife Association, it would appear
he would more than qualify to deliver
such an “expert appraisal.”
However, Noguchi’s statement was
made on May 1 and does not reflect
any new regulations the federal government was expected to make soon after
that time. For more on the state of
ivory laws at press time, see page 10.
—by BLADE® staff
Initially, I believed the grip was a
unique design. However, years later I read
of a 19th-century gambler’s knife with a
similarly carved ivory grip. It was on a
San Francisco knife built by renowned
maker Michael Price and shown on page
187 of R.L. Wilson’s The Peacemaker:
Arms and Adventure in the American
West. Having a similar grip, it has a silver
ferrule at its base rather than carved concentric circles. The guard is much smaller
and silver rather than brass; the sheath is
silver as well. The same person obviously
made the grips of both the gambler’s knife
and my classic bowie or, at the minimum,
each grip was made in the same shop.
REWIND to the ’80s
A change in subject and time is appropriate at this point. To accomplish this I am
rewinding to the early 1980s when I lived
in Kentucky prior to finding the classic
19th-century bowie.
A friend and avid collector of Indian artifacts invited me to his home to
view his collection. While I was there he
showed me many most interesting antiques. He was aware of my keen interest
The author’s 19th-century ivory-handle bowie features an unmarked 8-inch blade with a heavy
semi-clipped point, an oval brass guard and a carved ivory handle. (VZPhoto.com image)
The ivory carving is of a delicately detailed hunting bag suspended from a peg. Above the
hunting bag and below the oval brass guard are concentric circular designs cut into the ivory.
The grip shows a soft patina against hairline age cracks. Aside from the hunting bag and the
circular designs, the grip is a simple, semi-round, elongated shape. (VZPhoto.com image)
C R OS S I NG C ENT URI E S |
in classic bowies and therefore saved until last a custom knife designed and made
for him by a friend. As I recall, his knife
was similar to an 1850s, I*XL-style belt
knife. I also recall—and this remained
very clear to me—the form of the very
special sheath containing the knife. The
sheath left an indelible image in my mind.
Its form and design, created and made
by my friend, had its “frog” characteristics designed in a manner like those of
an 1890s-period corset. The “corset cre-
ation”* was mimicked and then designed
into the belt knife’s sheath characteristics.
Fast forward to 2000, a time following
my discovery of the classic bowie. Remember, the knife had no sheath and my
friend’s custom sheath design was constantly in the back of my mind. It seemed
now that his sheath design, custom fit for
my bowie, would produce a superb marriage.
It had been 20 years since I had last
seen his sheath creation. It seemed the
The author first
saw the corset
sheath design on
a custom knife in
the early 1980s.
After over 10
years of asking a
friend to make a
similar one, the
author finally got
his friend to comply. (VZPhoto.
com image)
appropriate time
to approach, and
hopefully
persuade, him to
make a second
custom sheath—
except tailored for
my classic bowie. I
called him and we
had a pleasant conversation. I inquired as to
his interest in making me
a sheath like his, tailored
for my bowie. His short answer was an abrupt “No.” Three
years
later that short, abrupt answer changed
to “perhaps sometime.” The latter answer
provided optimism that perhaps my next
request would result in a favorable reply.
So it was that six months later his
answer to my perennial question was,
“What knife would you like it tailored
for? And by the way, don’t be in a hurry
for it!”
I mailed the bowie to Kentucky— and
the rest is history.
The author is a senior member of the Antique Bowie Knife Association (www.antiquebowieknife.com).
*Editor’s note: A sheath with similar
though not identical “corset” characteristics appears with a double-edge bowie
made by BLADE Magazine Cutlery HallOf-Fame© member Bill Moran on page 66
of Master of the Forge by Cutlery Hall-OfFamers B.R. Hughes and Houston Price.
It is a design that has been used by other
makers before and since.
S HOW C A LENDA
LENDAR
R |
BY BLADE® STAFFF
Note: Events with an asterisk (*) have knives andd knife
k if accessories
i as the
h main/sole
i / l focus.
f
Events with two asterisks (**) are knifemaking
seminars or symposiums, cutting competitions, auctions or other knife-related events. BLADE®’s “Show Calendar” also can be seen on BLADE’s
website at blademag.com.
J U N E
JUNE 12-14 SEVIERVILLE, TN Parkers’ Greatest
Knife Show On Earth, Sevierville Events Center at
Bridgemont. Contact 423-892-0448 bulldogknives.
org.*
JUNE 13-15 TILLEY, ALBERTA, CANADA The
4th Southern Alberta Hammer-In. Contact Jim
Clow 403-362-1015 jim.clow@jayceewelding.com or
visit americanbladesmith.com.**
JUNE 20-22 SEVIERVILLE, TN ABS Youth
Hammer-In, Smoky Mountain Knife Works.
Contact Houston Price 865-397-0053 choustonprice@att.net.**
JUNE 21-22 PARIS, FRANCE FiCX-PARIS/
International Forum of Contemporary Custom
Knives, Palais Brongniart (formerly the Paris stock
exchange). Contact Yves Thomas 33 (0)6 61 98 39
36 fax 001 715 445 4087 contact@ficx-paris.com,
ficx-paris.com.*
JUNE 28 BREA, CA California Knifemakers Annual
Show, Brea Community Center. Contact Steve
Koster 714-907-7250 kosterknives@verizon.net.*
JUNE 29 WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE, SOUTH
GLOUCESTERSHIRE, ENGLAND Knives UK 2014
Show, Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel. Contact
Mike Keogh sales@mikesknives.co.uk.*
J U LY
JULY 11-13 MT. VERNON, IL Belleville Knife
Expo 2014, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds. Contact Carl
Edwards 618-658-8221 or Nelson Adams 618-8892563 bvilleknife@yahoo.com.*
JULY 11-13 AUBURN, ME New England HammerIn, New England School of Metalwork. Contact Mace
Vitale 203-457-5591 macevitale@yahoo.com.**
AU G U S T
AUG 1-3 LOUISVILLE, KY The Knifemakers’ Guild
Show, Seelbach Hilton Hotel. Contact Gene Baskett
270-862-5019 baskettknives@hotmail.com, knifemakersguild.com.*
AUG. 8-9 TOLEDO, OH The 2nd Annual Glass
City Knife Show, Stranahan Great Hall. Call Mark
Molner 419-376-7299 glassictyknifeshow.com.*
AUG. 8-9 PLEASANTVILLE, PA The 9th Annual
Queen Cutlery Collectors Show & Family Reunion,
Pleasantville Fire Hall. Contact Ashley 814-827-3673
or Mike 412-554-6705 mikes@ironmasterllc.com,
queencutlerycollectors.com.*
AUG. 8-10 MISSOULA, MT Montana Knifemakers’
Association 19th Annual Custom Knife Show, Griz-
zly Harley-Davidson®. Contact Nancy 406-728-2861
or Bob 406-827-4754 crowder@blackfoot.net.*
tors Show, K of C Hall. Call Pat Donovan 586-7865549 or Frank Meek 586-219-2487.*
AUG. 15-17 DENVER, CO The 22nd Annual Denver
Custom Knife Show, Crown Plaza-DIA. Contact Jim
Magee 785-820-6928 jimmagee@cox.net.*
SEPT. 27-28 EASTON, PA The 7th Annual Lehigh
Valley Knife Show, Charles Chrin Community
Center. Call 610-253-2745 .*
AUG. 16 NORRIS, TN The W.R. Case & Sons 125th
Anniversary Celebration, Museum of Appalachia,
consumer.relations@wrcase.com, wrcase.com.*
O C T O B E R
AUG 16-17 TORONTO, CANADA The Canadian
Knifemakers Guild Show, Sheraton Centre Toronto
Hotel, canadianknifemakersguild.com/show-info/.*
AUG. 22-23 LEXINGTON, KY The CKKC Knife
Show, Clarion Hotel. Contact Jim Thompson
859-623-1419, 859-338-1804, thomp@adelphia.net.*
AUG. 22-24 TROY, OH Mid America Hammer-In,
Miami County Fairgrounds. Contact Butch Sheely
419-832-5801 sheelyblades@gmail.com.**
AUG. 28-30 LAS VEGAS, NV The USN Gathering
VI, Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino. Call 305-2559176 ext. 215, usngathering.com.
S E P T E M B E R
OCT. 3-4 JANESVILLE, WI Northern Lakes Knife
Co. Fall Show, Holiday Inn Express Janesville
Conference Center. Contact Bob Schrap, Dept. BL9,
7024 W. Wells St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213 rchrap@
aol.com fax 414-479-9765.*
OCT 4-5 TOPEKA, KS The ABS Heartland
Hammer-In, Washburn Institute of Technology.
Contact Steve Culver 785-484-0146 sculver@americanbladesmith.com.**
OCT. 4-5 KELSO, WA The 16th Annual Northwest
Knife Collectors Knife Show, Red Lion Hotel and
Conference Center. Contact Don Hanham 425-8271644 dwhanham@gmail.com, nwkc.org.*
OCT 11-12 GARDEN GROVE, CA California
Custom Knife Show, Embassy Suites “Anaheim
South.” Contact Dan Delavan 714-549-3932
plazacutlery.com.*
SEPT. 13-14 MERIDIAN, ID The Idaho Knife Association’s 2014 Traditional & Tactical Knife Show,
Meridian Courtyard Marriot Convention Center.
Call Colten Tippetts 208-447-9427, idahoknifeassociation@yahoo.com.*
OCT. 18-19 CLYDE, NC The ABS Smoky Mountain
Fall Hammer-In, Haywood Community College.
Contact Bill Wiggins 828-226-2551 wncbill@bellsouth.net. **
SEPT. 13-14 WINSTON-SALEM, NC Southeastern
Custom Knife Show, Benton Convention Center.
Call John B. Hege 336-593-8324, southeasterncustomknifeshow.com.*
OCT 23-25 WILMINGTON, OH C. Risner Cutlery
& Queen Cutlery Co.’ Knife Days, Roberts Centre.
Contact K. Ryan Daniels 740-418-0142 rdaniels@
queencutlery.com, knifedays.com.*
SEPT. 13-14 OLD WASHINGTON, AR Fall Piney
Woods Hammer-In, Texarkana College/Bill Moran
School of Bladesmithing. Contact B.R. Hughes
903-838-0134 billrhughes@cableone.net.**
OCT 24-26 TULARE, CA The ABS California
Hammer-In, College of the Sequoias. Contact Mike
Vagnino 559-636-0501 mvknives@lightspeed.net,
americanbladesmith.com.**
SEPT. 21 OAK LAWN, IL The 35th Annual AECA
Knife Show, Oak Lawn Community Pavilion.
Contact Marty 630-357-8557 or Roger 708-8651589 americanedgecollectors.org.*
SEPT. 27-28 BRANSON, MO Branson Hammer-In
& Knife Show, The Shepherd of the Hills Homestead. Contact Gary Mulkey 417-335-0123.* **
SEPT. 27-28 NEW BRAUNFELS, TX Guadalupe
Forge Fall Hammer-In & Knifemakers Rendezvous.
Contact Johnny Stout 830-606-4067 johnny@stoutknives.com, or Harvey Dean 512-446-3111 harveydeanknives@gmail.com.**
To ensure timely publication of your knife show in
the “Show Calendar,” BLADE® requests that you
send all pertinent information concerning your
show in written form—dates, locations, etc.—at
least three months before the show takes place to
Krause Publications, a division of F+W Media,
attn: Joe Kertzman, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI
54945 715.445.2214 fax 715.445.4087. BLADE
depends on the shows themselves for prompt and
accurate information.
To read about the latest knives, knife news, forums,
blogs and much more, see blademag.com.
SEPT. 27 CLAWSON, MI Wolverine Knife Collec-
K N I FE DES I GN |
BY STEPHEN GARGER
R ER
RG
KEYS
TO THE
KEENDOM
KEYHOLE INTEGRALS OPEN THE DOOR
FOR A DIFFERENT LOOK IN FIXED BLADES
G
enerally, I think about things by forming
mental “pictures,” but receiving an assignment relating to keyhole integrals caused
me to draw a total blank. Could they be little folders shaped like a house key with a blade housed in
them such as the applicable line of knives by SOG
Specialty Knives & Tools, some sort of Leatherman
gizmo, or something outside the box from the fertile mind of custom maker Ed Schempp? Thankfully, real pictures flowed in with the assignment that
provided an immediate “wow factor,” mental relief
and a fuller appreciation for just how spectacular
keyhole-integral knives can be.
The “keyhole” is named after the design in the
handle that resembles the opening in a door shaped
like the receptacle for an old-style skeleton key. “I’m
pretty sure [ABS master smith] Rodrigo Sfreddo
was one of the first to start doing the keyhole handle on knives,” ABS master smith Ron Newton
said. “Who knows if this is an ancient technique
or not, but I know Rodrigo taught a class to
Jimmy Chin and Adam and Haley DesRosiers.” Adam confirmed Newton’s statement.
“My wife [Haley DesRosiers] and I spent
a few weeks in Brazil, along with Jimmy
Chin,” he said. “We learned the technique
from Rodrigo down there.” (See page 92
of the September 2011 BLADE®.) Jimmy
and Adam are ABS master smiths and
Haley is an ABS journeyman smith.
Jason Knight is another ABS master smith taken with the design and
the technique involved. “Some of
us are students of others and it
Made by ABS master smith Ron Newton
(above), this issue’s cover knife (left) illustrates a new direction for the keyhole
integral concept, taking the keyhole and
modifying it to an elliptical shape. (See
page 7.) (Kris Kandler knife image)
“IT WAS HARD WORK FOR
RODRIGO TO COME UP WITH,
AND I APPRECIATE HE WAS
WILLING TO SHARE IT.”
—JASON KNIGHT
Maker of this stunning keyhole
integral, Brazilian ABS master
smith Rodrigo Sfreddo taught the
technique to ABS master smiths
Jimmy Chin and Adam DesRosiers
and ABS journeyman smith Haley
DesRosiers at his shop in Brazil.
(SharpByCoop.com knife images)
K N I FE DES I GN |
ABS master smith Adam
DesRosiers’ “Keyhole Hunter” won the award for best
hunter at the 2013 ABS AllForged Expo. The 4-inch
blade is a damascus of
1095 and 15N20 and
the handle material
is African blackwood. (PointSeven image)
Jimmy Chin told Ron Newton about the keyhole integral process and Newton used a panantograph to do it his own way. Chin’s Keyhole Integral features a 6-inch blade of damascus
cus
and an ironwood handle. (Chuck Ward image)
was hard work for Rodrigo to come up
with, and I appreciate he was willing to
share it,” Knight noted. “I started doing
keyhole integrals by watching Adam and
Haley DesRosiers. I looked at the pictures
of their knives and thought I’d like to
make one too, and it took me about six
handles before I figured it out.”
“The way I was taught to make the
handles was to use a little bit of force and
a little bit of finesse,” Adam explained.
“Press fit while the metal is actually hot,
which relaxes the metal so it spreads and
compresses the handle materials enough
so, when it cools, it’s under pressure forever.” I mentioned Knight’s six failed handle attempts before he went on to successfully make about 10 of the difficult pieces.
“Your fit has to be flawless in that hole before you start shaping the handle, and my
way is the simplest but requires the most
skill. It’s not something you can do with a
machine,” Adam advised. “Once it’s there,
it’s there—you put the ‘key’ in the ‘hole’
and once you start grinding and contouring the handle, it’s over.”
“The challenge is getting the material
into the handle without having gaps, since
there’s no play area,” Knight said. “It’s like
inlaying a handle where you have one
shot—once it’s in, it’s done. It’s alll
square, a chunk of solid material
that you start shaping for a friction fit.” The friction fit in a keyhole i n tegral design is solid. “Once you get it in
there, the only way to get it out is to break
it out,” Knight noted. “In fact, I realized I
didn’t need the pin after I did it.”
A recent development in the evolution
of the keyhole integral is a modification
of the keyhole to a different shape, such
as the elliptical one on this issue’s cover
knife by Ron Newton (page 7) and other shapes by Sfreddo and Ken Hall. The
shape varieties provide any number of directions for the concept to take and flourish even more.
MATERIAL OPTIONS
Will the process work with certain handles and fittings and not others? “Well,
I ruined three or four pieces of moose
antler trying to do it,” DesRosiers said.
“The process lends itself to hard, ‘plasticky’ wood, where the African blackwoods would be the ideal. Stabilized burl
and ironwood work OK too because you
need something dense enough to actually spread the metal to put it in.” Agreed
Knight, “The hard stuff works better. I’ve
used African blackwood and am working on one now with ancient ivory but I
have seen stag used by Ron [Newton].
It was Ji
h told
t ld Newton
N t
Jimmy Chi
Chin who
about the process he had learned from
Sfreddo in Brazil, and Newton took it
in a different direction. “Rodrigo’s technique of getting the wood to a close fit
then cramming it into the keyhole with a
hydraulic press limits one to wood only,”
Newton offered. “I wanted to be able to
use ivory and stag, which will not tolerate
any cramming force, so I utilize a pantograph copy mill with male-and-female
patterns to precision machine my keyhole
parts.” The procedure enables Newton to
use a variety of materials. “I can also incorporate integral hidden tangs with my
process, thus allowing for a much stronger keyhole,” he added.
Newton reasons that using the pantograph opens up the process to more
possibilities. “If you look close enough
you will see my keyhole piece is raised
above the damascus to allow for any future shrinkage,” he pointed out. “This
raised feature can’t be achieved with the
cramming process.” Newton also noted
he will continue making the design via
the pantograph and hidden integral tang
Ken Hall joins
the trend of those
modifying the keyhole
shape—here in a clover
approach in bronze on
his Keyhole Hunter.
The 5.5-inch blade is
W2 stool steel and the
handle is ironwood.
((Chuck Ward image)
g )
It took him about six
tries before
fore he figured
it out, but ABS master
smith Jason
ason Knight
learned how to make
such keyhole
eyhole integrals as his kukri by
looking at pictures of
keyhole integrals made
by Adam
m and Haley
DesRosiers.
iers. (SharpByCoop.com
om images)
method. Meanwhile, one of his keyhole
knives won the Damascus Award at the
Arkansas Custom Knife Show this past
February.
AESTHETIC or UTILITARIAN?
Does the design serve a pragmatic purpose in the construction of the knife or is
it primarily decorative? “It’s for looks, and
you have to be more of an artistic kind
of bladesmith,” Knight emphasized. “The
hardest thing is to get it together, then
you have to do a lot of sculpting on it, and
the cool thing is the details are up to the
maker.”
What about its use on folding knives?
“On a folder, you’d call it an inlay because
it doesn’t go all the way through,” DesRosiers opined. Knight was largely in agreement. “It could be because people are
One of Sfreddo’s most
recent examples of
keyhole integral boasts
the recent trend in changing the keyhole to a different
shape. At 14.5 inches overall,
his damascus camp knife features a desert ironwood handle
of hidden-tang construction.
(SharpByCoop.com image)
doing integral folders, butt
I don’t know if you’d wantt
to,” he laughed.
In talking to the makers,
it is apparent they take the most joy in the
design from the challenges it presents to
create. There’s also an undeniably unique
aesthetic quality to a nicely crafted keyhole integral. As Knight succinctly concluded, “It’s just cool and a difficult piece
to make!”
Newton’s traditional keyhole integral design
in damascus includes gold and black-lip
mother-of-pearl inlay. (Chuck Ward image)
G R O UND C ONT ROL |
BY MIKE HASKEW BLADE® FIELD EDITOR
BLADE
GRINDS:
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
AS WITH MOST THINGS KNIFE, ONE TYPE NEVER FITS ALL
ABS journeyman smith David Lisch—shown grinding the blade of a custom collaboration knife to raise money for the African Wildlife Foundation in its fight to protect elephants from poachers—applied a Persian grind to his 16-inch integral fighter in Thunderbird damascus and walrus
ivory. (SharpByCoop.com knife image; image of Lisch courtesy of Mark Knapp)
F
inding the best blade grind for the
job at hand is almost always the
subject of some debate, but most
knife users agree that certain grinds are
better suited for certain functions. Combinations of steel, knife design and use
influence the choice of grind.
“I’m a proponent of the right grind for
the right job,” related author/knifemaker
Abe Elias. “In small bushcraft knives, a
thin, flat grind and a saber grind are hard
to beat. It makes sense that clear cuts
are best flat edged. Carving chisels have
rounded convex edges to go into wood
and take small cuts and come out.”
An inappropriate grind may produce
drag, a ragged or erratic cut, and generally poor results. “For overall working of
wood and good, straight, controlled cuts,
you want a knife grind to ride flat against
the surface so it cuts past certain levels
and growth lines, riding flat on the wood
between growth lines,” Elias added. “It’s
just physics. That’s all, and nobody can
really argue it.”
One of the most popular grinds for
bushcraft knives is the scandi, and Elias
describes it as a perfectly flat grind with
no secondary bevel, starting at the shoulder with an angle that is perfectly flat and
straight to zero.
“Scandi grinds will go on any steel you
want, but there are limitations to them
“T
THE HARDEST GRIND
IS THE ONE YOU DO
NOT REGULARLY DO,
AND THE EASIEST
WOULD BE THE ONE
YOU DO ALL THE
TIME.”
”
—J
JIM CROWELL
because of the shoulder,” he noted. “It
doesn’t tend to go through soft surfaces
well, such as processing meat. When the
knife enters a malleable surface, it creates too much drag on the blade. Like
anything else, the thinner it is the easier
it enters into other masses. We run into
problems when custom makers make
them and factories produce them without
following the golden rule of proportion.
The angle should be proportional to the
thickness of the steel and the design of
the knife itself.”
CONVEX MODIFIED
Influenced heavily by BLADE Magazine
Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bill Moran, Bill Bagwell and Don Hastings, ABS
master smith Jim Crowell recognized
early in his knifemaking career that the
intent was to make a full convex grind
from the spine of the blade to the cutting
edge. He has adapted those original lessons through the years.
“I’ve found that it’s the edge that needs
to be convex, not necessarily the whole
cross section of the blade,” Jim noted.
“Consequently, I have now, for many
years, ground my blades flat from spine
to cutting edge, stopping short of going to
zero and then rolling the cutting edge on
convexly. The trick is to get the geometry
correct for the thickness the edge was
ground to prior to sharpening in conjunction with the type and heat treat of
the steel used.”
Crowell says he believes the convex
grind is best for knives in the field, including bowies, fighters and fillet knives.
He uses the convex grind almost exclusively and indicates it allows for an uninterrupted transition from the cutting
edge to the full thickness of the spine of
ABS master smith Jim Crowell (inset) has
ground his blades in a modification of the
convex style for many years, grinding them
flat from the spine to the edge, stopping just
short of a 0-degree angle, and then rolling
the edge in a convex shape. His 15.5-inch
bowie features W2 tool steel and walrus ivory.
(Chuck Ward knife image)
SWORD GRINDS THE WALLY HOSTETTER WAY
S
wordsmith Wally Hostetter focuses on Japanese blades and tailors the grind of each
to its anticipated function. He forges the blades and sets up the edge geometry with
hand filing.
“A lot of guys do hollow or flat grinds with a machine, but what I do has to be done by
hand,” Wally explained. “I hand polish to the cutting edge, and there is no micro-bevel.
Some have an appleseed [convex] edge—niku is the Japanese term—and some have
the edge slightly rolled in for better cutting. For cutting heavy stuff, the niku comes to a
finite edge but runs farther up the blade. There are many subtleties to it.”
According to Hostetter, other Japanese grinds, such as that found on the tanto, are
fine and done to a thin edge because they are not intended for hard striking against surfaces. He uses 1095 carbon steel primarily and decides on the appropriate grind based
on both the use of the blade and the historical time period that is being replicated.
GRO UND CON T R O L |
According to Jim Crowell, the dagger blade pattern generally is acknowledged to be
more difficult to grind than most. Michael Jankowsky ground the blade to a double edge
on his “Thor” model in Elmax steel and Siberian jade inlay. The engraving is by Kati
Mau. (Francesco Pachi image)
Jim MacNair said compound
grinds are emerging in the custom market, including blades that
feature grind combinations. This
Jim Burke/Tashi Bharucha collaboration is an example. (Steel
Addiction Custom Knives image)
The hollow grind is great for slicing and feels very sharp because
it scoops away more material and
makes the blade thinner overall.
Vasyl Goshovsky employs a hollow
grind on his working knife’s 4.5inch blade of N690Co stainless
steel. (SharpByCoop.com image)
TITANIUM FOR KNIFE MAKING
the knife. No matter how thick or thin the
spine, with convex geometry it will have
the least amount of resistance when cutting through an object.
As for sharpness, Jim gives the nod to
the scandi grind. However, he believes
that when the cutting edge is, in fact, the
grind line as well, the edge itself is more
fragile in comparison to other grinds.
“Scandi grinds are great,” he said, “and
useful for a lot of small chores. Then there
are special-purpose applications like
some sushi knives that have specialized
grinds. Still, for day in and day out I like
and recommend the flat, convex grind.”
COMFORT MATTERS
Knifemakers tend to use the grinds they
are comfortable with and which they believe fill the bill for the types of knives
they make. The degree of difficulty associated with a particular grind lies more in
the experience of the maker than in the
grind itself.
“The hardest grind is the one you do
not regularly do, and the easiest would be
the one you do all the time,” Crowell reasoned. “When I started, I used to hollow
grind stock removal blades. You could lay
everything out and follow the lines—it is
still hard, though. When I started forging it was really hard because there were
no layout lines to follow, and all the scale
and hammer marks made it hard to tell
what I was doing. Daggers are generally
acknowledged to be more difficult. Some
of the Russian and Persian stuff with a ‘T’
spine or center ridge would be tough.”
FACTORY APPROACH
Knife manufacturers gear their grinds for
prospective use as well. Hollow grinds
are usually the most efficient for manufacturing because both sides of the blade
are ground at the same time. Flat grinds
are ground one side at a time, and precise machining and good tooling create
the even grinds for which manufacturers
are known. Convex grinds are usually finished by hand, and such work is the province of a skilled custom maker.
“Hollow grinds are great for slicing,”
commented Jim MacNair, new product
coordinator and senior designer at KAIUSA Kershaw, “and they create a nice,
thin edge geometry, and the panel of the
grind stays thinner as you sharpen away
the blade over time. These blades will feel
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GRO UND CON T R O L |
s¬$ESIGNED¬BY¬3AL¬-ANARO
s¬#¬STAINLESS¬STEEL¬BLADE
s¬'¬HANDLE¬SCALES
s¬)NCLUDES¬+YDEX¬SHEATH
s¬"LADE¬LENGTH¬¬½"
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s¬7EIGHT¬¬¬OZ
s¬-ODEL¬.O¬"/
The most obvious benefit of the flat grind is strength and toughness, according to Jim
MacNair. Kevin Cross flat ground the 52100 blade of his kitchen knife. The handle is
spalted hickory. (SharpByCoop.com images)
One of the most popular grinds for bushcraft
knives is the scandi. Abe Elias describes it as
a perfectly flat grind with no secondary bevel,
starting at the shoulder with an angle that is
perfectly flat and straight to zero. He used it
on the blade of his Woodcrafter model.
(Abe Elias image)
very sharp
h
b
because the
h grind
i d scoops away
more material and makes the blade thinner overall.
“The most obvious benefit of the flat
grind is strength and toughness. The
wheel is grinding a flat surface rather
than a concave one like a hollow grind,
and it removes less material from the
blade. That added material makes the
blade thicker and stronger.”
MacNair sees compound grinds
emerging in the custom market, including blades that feature a combination of
flat- and hollow-ground bevels. These are
often done to create a “cool” look, and the
maker is also providing the best of both
cutting options: a thin, hollow-ground
d for
f slicing
li i and
d a thick,
hi k flat-ground
d
edge
tip for toughness.
Innovation continues to find its way
into new and user-friendly blade grinds,
while the emphasis on the job to be done
is at the center of the decision. Putting the
proper edge on the blade for cutting, slicing, skinning, chopping or any other task
will always be primary.
W H E R E T O GET ‘EM
M
Queen Cutlery Co., attn: R. Daniels, Dept. BL9,
507 Chestnut Street, P.O. Box 408, Titusville,
PA 16354, (814) 827-3673 www.queencutlery.
com; Spyderco, attn: J. Laituri, Dept. BL9, 20011
Golden Gate Canyon Rd., Golden, CO 80403
(800) 525-7770 www.spyderco.com
PLAZA CUTLERY: 40 & STILL SHARP
page 50
WORN TO BE WILD page 30
Kershaw, attn: I. Forrest, Dept. BL9, 18600 SW
Teton Ave., Tualatin, OR 97062 800.325.2891
kershawknives.com; Puma USA, attn: C. Lalik,
Dept. BL9, 13934 West 108th St., Lenexa, KS
66215 913.888.5524 pumaknifecompanyusa.
com; United Cutlery, attn: M. Hampton, Dept.
BL9, 201 Plantation Oak Dr., Thomasville, GA
31792 229.551.0180 unitedcutlery.com
GLOBAL LEGAL SLIP JOINTS? page 38
Bear & Son Cutlery, attn: S. Griffey, Dept.
BL9, 1111 Bear Blvd., Jacksonville, AL 36265
256.435.2227 www.bearcutlery.com; W.R. Case
& Sons Cutlery, attn: F. Feightner, Dept. BL9, PO
Box 4000, Owens Way, Bradford, PA 16701 (800)
523-6350 www.wrcase.com; Lansky Sharpeners,
attn: C. Fine, Dept. BL9, PO Box 800, Buffalo,
NY 14231 800-825-2675 www.lansky.com;
BLADE GRINDS: WHAT TO LOOK FOR
page 84
Jim Burke, Dept. BL4, 117 Berry St., Clinton,
MS 39056 601-201-3500 www.burkeknives.
com; Kevin Cross, Dept. BL9, PO Box
38, Higganum, CT 06441 860-345-3949
kevincross@comcast.net, kdcknives.com; Jim
Crowell, PO Box 822, 676 Newnata Cutoff, Mtn.
View, AR 72560 870-746-4215 crowellknives@
yahoo.com, crowellknives.com; Abe Elias,
dskw.ca; Vasyl Goshovsky, BL.4, C. San Jaime
65, Torreblanca 12596, Castellon de la Plana,
SPAIN +34-664-838-882 baz_knife@mail.ru,
goshovskyy-knives.com; Michael Jankowsky,
Dept. BL9, NeumuhlerstraBe 1a, D-16348
Wandlitz OT Schonwalde, Germany +49 176
31 33 86 87 m.jankowsky@micknives.com,
micknives.com; David Lisch, 9239 8th Ave. SW,
Seattle, WA 98106 206-919-5431 davidlisch.
com; Steel Addiction Custom Knives, attn: Dave
Stark, 909-731-3903 SteelAddictionKnives.com
Adam DesRosiers, Dept. BL9, PO Box 1954,
Petersburg, AK 99833 907-518-4570 adam@
alaskablades.com, www.alaskablades.com;
Ken Hall, Dept. BL9, 606 Stevenson Cove Rd.,
Waynesville, NC 28785 828-627-2135 khall@
hallenergyconsulting.com, hallenergyconsulting.
com; Jason Knight, Dept. BL9, 110 Paradise
Pond Ln., Harleyville, SC 29448 843-452-1163
jasonknightknives.com; Ron Newton, Dept. BL9,
2232 Ridge Land, London, AR 72847 rnewton@
centurylink.net, ronnewtonknives.com; Rodrigo
Sfreddo, Sete de Setembro, 66 - Centro, Nova
Petropolis - RS - Brazil CEP 95.150-000 011-5554-303-303-90 rodrigosfreddo.com
KEYHOLE INTEGRALS page 80
Kevin Casey, Dept. BL9, 10583 N. 42nd St.,
Hickory Corners, MI 49060 269-719-7412
kevincasey@tds.net, kevincaseycustomknives.
com; James Glisson, Dept. BL9, 485 Marigold
Rd., Pocahontas, AR 72455 870-609-0033;
Michael Henningsson, Dept. BL9, Tralasvagen 1,
426 68 Vastra Frolunda (Gothenburg) Sweden
+46 702 55 57 45 michael.henningsson@
gmail.com, henningssonknives.wordpress.
com; Mark Knapp, Dept. BL9, 1971 Fox
Ave., Fairbanks, AK 99701 907-452-7477
info@markknappcustomknives.com,
markknappcustomknives.com; Stan Moizis, Dept.
BL9, 8213 109B St., Delta, British Columbia,
Canada V4C 4G9 604-597-8929 moizis@telus.
net; Mike Mooney, Dept. BL9, 19432 E. Cloud Rd.,
Queen Creek, AZ 85142 480-244-7768 mike@
moonblades.com, moonblades.com; James
Rodebaugh, Dept. BL9, POB 404, Carpenter, WY
82054 307-649-2394
$
$
HANDMADE GALLERY page 28
THE KNIFE I CARRY page 20
%%%
*+ "
!
!""
!
!#!"
Al Mar Knives, attn: G. Fadden, Dept. BL9, 16708
SW Jordan Way, Tigard, OR 97224 503.670.9080
www.almarknives.com; Emerson Knives, Inc.,
attn: E. Emerson, Dept. BL9, 1234 West 254th,
Harbor City, CA 90710-2913 310-539-5633 www.
emersonknives.com; Victorinox Swiss Army,
c/o I. Goldenberg , Dept. BL9, 96 Spring St., 6th
Floor, New York, NY 10012 212-965-0285 ext.
7119 http://twitter.com/swissarmy
Chris Reeve Knives, attn: A. Reeve, Dept.
BL9, 2949 S. Victory View Way, Boise, ID
83709 208.375.0367 chrisreeve.com; Randall
Made Knives, attn: G. Randall, Dept. BL9,
POB 1988, Orlando, FL 32802 407-855-8075
randallknives.com; Victorinox (see THE KNIFE I
CARRY); Winkler Knives II, attn: Daniel Winkler,
Dept. BL9, POB 2166, Blowing Rock, NC 28605
828-295-9156 danielwinkler@bellsouth.net,
winklerknives.com; William Henry, attn: R.
Thronburg, Dept. BL9, 3200 NE Rivergate,
McMinnville, OR 97128 888.563.4500,
503.434.9700 williamhenryknives.com
Buck, attn: S. Young, Dept. BL9, 660 S.
Lochsa St., Post Falls, ID 83854 619.449.1100
800.326.2825 buckknives.com; Emerson
Knives, Inc. (see THE KNIFE I CARRY); HTM
Knives, c/o Darrel Ralph Designs, Dept. BL9,
12034 S. Profi t Row, Forney, TX 75126 469728-7242 darrelralph.com; Microtech, attn:
A. Marfione, Dept. BL9, 300 Chestnut St.,
Bradford, PA 16701 phone/fax 814.363.9260
microtechknives.com;
USA! USA! USA! page 12
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!"#$ !"#%
C OOL C US T OM |
BY BLADE® STAFF
AFF
CHUTE ME!
ERIC OCHS MAKES A FLIPPER FOLDER BASED
ON A CLASSIC LOVELESS FIXED-BLADE DESIGN
Eric Ochs (inset) took the Chute Knife fixed-blade
design made famous by Bob Loveless and turned it
into a flipper folder. In addition to the Chute grind,
Ochs said he also has done a similar folder in Loveless’
Wilderness-style grind. (images courtesy of Eric Ochs)
E
ric Ochs picked the brains of two
of today’s top makers and emulated
a fixed-blade design made famous
by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-OfFame© member Bob Loveless to arrive at
his Chute Knife Flipper.
Ochs’ version emulates the original
knife’s distinctive grind. “It’s probably my
best grind in terms of being true to the
Loveless form,” Ochs noted. “The mechanics and limits of folding obviously
force some changes, especially in the
guard area. I have been inspired for many
years to put the Loveless fixed-blade style
into flippers and folders.” Ochs’ use of
Moiré Timascus bolster and clip material from Alpha Knife Supply and carbon
fiber scales gives the modified classic design an updated look.
He credited knifemaker Thad Buchan-
an for his guidance on the Loveless grinds
and veteran Jess Horn for allowing him
to use his design of the Loveless SemiSkinner as a great way to start. “I find the
Loveless style very powerful and inspiring,” Ochs observed. “It has been exciting
to work through some of his designs and
learn more about his amazing perception
and understanding of the knife.”
For more information, contact Eric
Ochs, Dept. BL9, POB 1311, Sherwood,
OR 97140 503-925-9790 ochssherworx.
com.
MODEL: Chute Knife Flipper
MAKER: Eric Ochs
BLADE LENGTH: 4.25”
BLADE STEEL: CPM 154 stainless
BLADE SPINE: Rounded w/mirror
polish
HANDLE: Carbon fiber
BOLSTERS & CLIP: Moiré Timascus
by Alpha Knife Supply
LINERS: Titanium anodized bronze
w/stacked spacer of contrasting
titanium
PIVOT: GTC thrust bearings
MAKER’S LIST PRICE: $1,350

THE USA! USA! USA!

Transcription

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