BLADE Staff

You can’t win if you don’t enter.

That’s what Larry Burton of Indiana learned. He won a Johnny Stout custom knife valued at $2,800 through the recent KnifeBroker.com/BLADE joint sweepstakes. The popular sweepstakes drew entrants from all over the world, but Larry’s entry proved to be the luckiest.

A big thank you to everyone who entered. Rest assured there will be another chance at a great prize from BLADE and its knife partners. In the meantime, be sure to check out KnifeBroker.com if you haven’t already. The innovative site allows you to bid on knives for sale, which is fun in its own right.

From Knife Rights:

A Washington state representative has introduced a bill amending Washington law to outlaw concealed carry of knives with blades longer than 3 1/2 inches. While Arizona, New Hampshire and other states are making progress in the personal choices law abiding citizens make regarding the type of knives they carry, Rep. Sherry Appleton (D – LD23) is looking to set her state’s knife laws back decades.

Rep. Appleton bill would mean that the average fisherman, fishing one of Washington’s many coastal areas or rivers whose jacket falls over their 6-inch filet knife would suddenly be committing a crime. Washington has many hunters and is a popular hunting destination for those who travel to hunt. The average hunting knife is considerably longer than the arbitrary 3 1/2- inch limit, exposing hunters to committing an unintentional crime as well. But, the most egregious aspect of this proposed law will be to render illegal many simple pocket knives that law-abiding citizens carry everyday for work and recreation.

“Why anyone would go back to this 1950’s legislative mentality is beyond me,” said Doug Ritter, Chairman of Knife Rights. “While many states are modernizing or eliminating restrictive laws coving the essential tools millions of Americans carry for everyday chores, we now have a legislator in Washington State who thinks it’s a good idea to go backwards.”

Read the proposed bill: http://bit.ly/fCACxE

From SOG Specialty Knives and Tools:

Do you have the grit, guts and gall to show their best impersonation of the one and only Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey, a.k.a. The Gunny, to the world?

SOG Specialty Knives and Tools has kicked off the “Are You The Gunny?” contest. Participants will be asked to videotape and upload their best Gunny impression to SOG’s Facebook page. The best impression will be selected with a winner and guest flown to Las Vegas for the 2011 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show and Conference. Besides gaining access to the show as a guest of SOG, the winner will be invited to a special cocktail party on the first night to meet The Gunny himself.

Full entry information and contest rules are posted on the SOG Facebook page under “Contest,” along with a special video message from The Gunny. The contest ends on December 21st. I have also included information below on some of the brand-new products SOG will be introducing at the 2011 SHOT Show.

After years as a drill instructor in the U.S. Marine Corps, R. Lee Ermey became widely known for his Academy Award-nominated performance in Full Metal Jacket, as well as roles in Apocalypse Now, the Toy Story trilogy and the History Channel series Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey. Ermey is a spokesperson for SOG, a brand for specialty knives and tools by the military, law enforcement, industrial tradesmen and outdoorsmen worldwide.

The SHOT Show is the world’s largest and most comprehensive trade show for professionals involved with the shooting sports and hunting industries, and is the premier showcase of combined firearms, ammunition, outdoor apparel, optics and more. It will be held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center from January 18-21. Full information can be found at www.shotshow.org.

George Tichbourne, a long-time knifemaker and valued friend of Knife Showcase, passed away Dec. 6 after a long illness. He was 64.

George made bowies, hunters and folders, and kitchen, art and military knives. Featured on page 75 of the December 2010 BLADE®, George related an instance of making a knife for a Marine to take into combat.

“He opted for a military pattern styled after a World War II bayonet,” George recalled. “I’ve donated similar knives to units that contacted me looking for gifts to boost morale. One group sent photos of a recipient getting his knife, with the U.S. flag that flew over their base in the background, a letter of thanks and a challenge coin. I was touched by their gratitude.”

Visitation will be tomorrow, Dec. 9, from 4-9 p.m. and Friday from 2-9 p.m. at Wards Funeral Home in Weston, Ontario, Canada.

The funeral will be Saturday, Dec. 11, at 11 a.m. at the North Bramalea United Church in Brampton.

For more information visit http://tichbourneknives.com/index1.htm.

From Knife Rights:

The Sunday edition of the New York Times featured a front page article on Knife Rights and efforts to remove or rationalize restrictive knife laws and enhance protection for lawful use of knives by honest citizens. While the reporter got a few facts incorrect, in general the article can be viewed as relatively even-handed and a positive, especially considering the source. (Note that this article was written prior to Knife Rights’ first case in New York being settled with a dismissal.)

Read the article at the New York Times online: http://nyti.ms/dERpW1

View a PDF (photos) of the article from the paper: http://bit.ly/fLR6U6