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BLADE Show 2022: International Exhibitors Return

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With the end of the travel ban, exhibitors from nearly every continent are slated to converge on BLADE Show 2022.

On the heels of the cancellation of BLADE Show 2020, last year’s 40th Annual BLADE Show was the smash success everyone in the knife business longed for, got and celebrated with the most pointed of passions. However, one thing was missing: due to pandemic travel bans, many international knifemakers were unable to attend.

That is no longer the case with this year’s show set for June 3-5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.

Top makers from every continent but Antarctica were scheduled to exhibit at press time, all bringing their latest and greatest knives. Due to the show’s cancellation in 2020 and last year’s travel bans, for many it will be their first BLADE Show since 2019.

Buy Your BLADE Show Tickets

Sponsored by Smoky Mountain Knife Works, the BLADE Show is year-in and year-out the world’s biggest and most important knife event, where more knives—new, old, custom, factory, etc.—are exhibited, bought and sold than any other knife show. Over 900 exhibitor booths and tables featuring factory and custom knife, sharpener and other knife accessory makers, knifemaking, steel and handle material supply companies, knife collections, knife purveyors and other cutlery entities too numerous to mention will showcase their wares as the world knife community descends on the Galleria Centre. All will renew friendships, make new ones, and visit with the living legends of the knife industry, today’s knifemaking stars and those of tomorrow.

The latest, hottest custom knives, factory knife debuts (page 24), the educational knife instruction class schedule of BLADE University (see sidebar) and action-packed free demos (see sidebar) await the hordes of show patrons that will descend on the Galleria Centre. The BLADE Magazine 2022 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards (see sidebar), the custom knife judging competition (see sidebar) and the knife collection display competition are others. The ABS Knife Auction (page 34), the formal inductions of the latest members of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® (see story beginning on page 50), and some of the best knives the ABS and the Knifemakers’ Guild and unaffiliated makers in general have to offer are still others.

And don’t forget The Pit, the after-hours meeting place in and around the sunken bar of the host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, where show patrons and exhibitors will congregate into the wee hours beginning the night before the show through the end of the weekend to compare knives, swap lies and otherwise celebrate the year’s most momentous cutlery weekend.

For the above and other show features, check the following pages and the BLADE Show Section on pages 50-65 for the sharpest three days anytime, anywhere.

Dropped Hunter: The Classic Goes Stag

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Robert Appleby nails a Loveless dropped hunter in crown stag.

Robert Appleby’s custom-order reproduction of a dropped hunter by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bob Loveless in amber crown Sambar stag is Loveless in all the right places.

The pouch belt sheath of 8- to 9-ounce leather from Wicket & Craig is also in the Loveless style. Robert is celebrating 25 years of knifemaking.
The pouch belt sheath of 8- to 9-ounce leather from Wicket & Craig is also in the Loveless style. Robert is celebrating 25 years of knifemaking.

A customer sent Robert an image of an original Loveless knife and Appleby went to town, reproducing the tapered full tang faithfully to the original.

“It’s still a full tang, not a frame,” he explained, “one solid piece from the point to the back.” He tapered the tang, left the stub at the end and mortised it into the stag crown handle butt. He glued the spacers like a block, which fit over the stub. The stag is from Culpepper & Co., which amber dyed it as well.

“I really enjoyed that knife,” Robert noted. He said the satisfaction he felt after he had finished it was similar to the same sort of happiness he has when experiencing “the old muscle cars.”

Loveless Repro Dropped Hunter Specs
Maker: Robert Appleby
Blade length: 35/8”
Blade material: AEB-L stainless steel
Blade finish: Mirror polish
Handle: Amber-dyed crown Sambar stag
Bolster: 416 stainless steel
Overall length: 9”
Maker’s list price for a similar knife and sheath: $625

Knifemakers’ Key Equipment

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Shop Dump: Top makers reveal the key equipment that helps them get the job done

“Shop Dump” is a new BLADE® feature showcasing the special knifemaking equipment of some of today’s leading knifemakers and bladesmiths. The new feature kicks off with ABS master smith Rick Dunkerley and knifemaker Jason Fry.

Rick Dunkerley

Rick Dunkerley

“I’ve been making knives for almost 40 years,” Rick Dunkerley observed, “and in that time I think I’ve developed a style that is recognizable as my own.” It’s specific equipment that plays a crucial role in him making knives in that style. There are many more tools that help along the way, but he uses seven in particular on every knife.

 

1. Propane Forge

Dunkerley’s propane forge

His propane forge is homemade and the burner is over 20 years old. “It’s a vertical Don Fogg design,”he commented, “lined with ceramic wool lining. Since 99 percent of my knives are damascus steel, they begin in this forge.” Dunkerley began using his hydraulic press built by Billy Bob Sowell to forge damascus in the early 1990s. It’s Rick’s third hydraulic press, incorporating a larger cylinder, motor and hydraulic pump than his earlier models. The press helps him finish the damascus he forges.

2. eBay Bargain Surface Grinder

Surface grinder

An eBay-bargain ($300) surface grinder has served Rick well for 20 years. “I don’t know the make or the model,” he said, “and I changed it to a single-phase motor and converted it to run 2×72 belts with an aluminum contact wheel. It works on the damascus as it’s being made, and then precision grinds the blade and back bar material for my folders.”

3. Craftsman Drill Press

Dunkerley’s small Craftsman drill press “has drilled the holes on almost every folder to come from my shop,” he declared. “It’s very accurate and small, which is convenient as I can place it on my bench right next to my disc sanders. I added a keyless chuck to speed up the bit changes.”

4. Tru-Grit Disc Sander

Tru-Grit Disc Sander

Rick’s 9-inch Tru-Grit disc sander is another machine he’s had for 20 years. “The disc is great for flattening material, dovetailing bolsters, shaping handles and grinding blades. It’s reversible and set up with a foot switch to allow me to place the material against the disc and then turn it on,” he explained. “I wouldn’t want to make knives without a disc sander. I actually have three in my shop and would like one more.”

5. TW-90 Belt Sander

TW-90 Belt Sander

Dunkerley follows up with a TW-90 belt sander. “The versatility of this machine makes it one of the most used in my shop,” he remarked. “From rough grinding all types of material to fine finish work, this thing saves me huge amounts of time. The small wheel attachment and the fact that it turns into a horizontal grinder help me eliminate other machines that I would only use for specific jobs. The first time I saw one of these machines work, I knew it would make me a better knifemaker.

 

 

6. GRS Engraving Equipment

GRS Engraving Equipment

Rick uses his engraving equipment to give his knives an unmistakable quality and aesthetic. “Nearly every folder I make has engraving and some gold inlay,” he noted. “That happens here. My equipment was made by GRS and has served me very well. I continually think of new ways to use this equipment to add details to my knives.”

 

 

Jason Fry

Jason’s shop-proven equipment serves as a milestone along the way

Jason Fry

Jason Fry follows a direct route to excellence and each of his shop-proven pieces of equipment serve as a milestone along the way.

 

 

1. Wilmont Grinder

“My number one machine is my 2×72 Wilmont grinder,” he explained. “After 13 years on a homemade machine, I recently upgraded to the Wilmont Quattro.

Most of the recent high-end grinders will have variable speed, horizontal tilt, adjustable tool rests and specialty fixtures. This is the only ‘brand new’ machine I have ever purchased.”

Jason’s Wilmont Grinder

Fry adds a comparison of his heat-treat oven choice, relating, “You can argue Ford vs. Chevy or Evenheat vs. Paragon, but all the modern production ovens have digital temperature control. This gives the maker the ability to precisely dial in the heat treat of their chosen steels, and to heat treat stainless steels that require longer soaks at high temperatures.” Jason acknowledges that he bought a used Evenheat oven but he’s friends with all the folks at Paragon. “I got a good deal on the oven,” he smiled. “I had an old dental oven that I sold for three-fourths the price of my Evenheat, and it was a good upgrade.

2. File Guide

A file guide, such as this one by ABS master smith Bruce Bump, has carbide inserts that allow the maker to grind up against the guide and create a square shoulder on the blade. 

“Another important tool is the file guide. I use a Bruce Bump file guide  with carbide inserts. Bruce was an inspiration to me with his epic WIP threads in the forum days before Instagram, so I wanted one of his file guides when it came available.

3. Power Hammer

Jason’s power hammer

“My power hammer is a homemade ‘junkyard’ hammer in the ‘Appalachian’ or ‘Rusty’ basic design. It has a 40-pound head and hits at around 200 beats per minute. It makes the forging process faster and also allows me to efficiently make my own damascus. I chose the design because it was simpler to build from scrap than the tire hammer design.

“I competed on Forged in Fire back in May 2018 and my episode aired in September,” Jason added. “As I was preparing for the show, practicing forge welding and such, it came to mind to build a hammer. I prepared for Forged in Fire by building a hammer because even if I lost in the first round, I’d still have a hammer I could use for the rest of my career. This hammer took me about two months of intense weekends to build, and other than the initial test run, the first time I ran it was when I filmed the final [FIF episode] at my house. I still use it every forging session almost three years later, and having the hammer has made forging much more enjoyable and greatly expanded my capacity.”

Capitalizing on the right shop tools and equipment has made an enormous contribution in knifemaking, and listening to those who have been down the road gives others the opportunity to test, refine and choose what works best in their own shops. Meanwhile, the knife buyer can have an enriched ownership experience knowing more about the process and the pride that goes into each finished knife.

2022 BLADE Show Texas Award Winners

Everything is bigger in Texas. That includes knife competitions. BLADE Show Texas’ first year in the Fort Worth Convention Center March 18-19, 2022, the BLADE Show Texas Awards turned out a host of excellent entrants in 11 factory and custom knife categories. The knives were judged by a panel of top knifemakers from across the industry, who evaluated each for superior utility, design, creativity, materials, aesthetics, and feel, among other traits.

BLADE Show Texas Custom Knife Winners

Best Art Knife and Best in Show: Jean-louis Regel

Best EDC: J.R. Cook

https://youtu.be/ecHMN-7ykfg


Best Slip Joint: Luke Swenson

Best Kitchen Knife: Steven Koster

Best Bowie: Jean-louis Regel

Best Fighter: Veronique Laurent

Best Hunter: Tommy Gann

Best Folder: Veronique Laurent

Best Damascus: Ben Pittman

Best of the West Metalsmith: Wilson Capron

Best of the West Leathersmith: Joe Schussler

BLADE Show Texas Factory Knife Winners

Best Fixed Blade and Best in Show: Microtech Bastinelli

https://youtu.be/15SXFgiX37A

Best EDC: Heretic Medusa Auto

Best Folder: Pro-Tech Terzuola

Blade Show Texas And Texas Gun Experience Team Up

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Blade Show Texas and Texas Gun Experience have teamed up to provide Blade Show Texas attendees a night of hands-on experience in a safe and managed environment. Blade Show Texas attendees with PROOF of attendance (show receipt or wristband) are invited to a private demo event on Saturday evening March 19, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 1901 S Main St, Grapevine, TX 76051.

Springfield Hellion
Springfield Hellion

The shooting experience will be limited to the first 200 attendees or until the ammunition runs out. For further details and to secure a guaranteed shooting experience, stop by the Texas Gun Experience booth by the SHOW ENTRANCE and subscribe to one of the following magazines: BLADE, Gun Digest, RECOIL, CONCEALMENT, OFFGRID.

EXPERIENCE THE FOLLOWING:

ATAC 300black
ATAC 300black
Streak AMMO
Streak AMMO

WIN AWESOME PRIZES:

Hellcat Pro
Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro

Throughout the evening, lucky attendees will win the following prizes:

RMT Nomad
RMT Nomad

What’s On Tap For BLADE Show Texas 2022

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Bigger and better than ever, BLADE Show Texas has something to offer everyone deep in the heart of the Lone Star State.

A switch to the plush Fort Worth Convention Center, an expanded roster of international and domestic custom and factory knifemakers and much more promise to make BLADE Show Texas one for the record books March 18-19 in Fort Worth.

Formerly known as the International Custom Cutlery Exposition (ICCE) and held last year at the Fort Worth Stockyards, the new name of BLADE Show Texas and the new venue are all part of the event’s continued revamping under the umbrella of the world’s largest and most important knife show operation, the BLADE Show, the latter which will be June 4-6 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.

But first thing first—and that thing is BLADE Show Texas.

Approximately 300 exhibitors will be on hand to display their hottest knives, knifemaking supplies and more. Among those exhibitors are members of both The Knifemakers’ Guild, the American Bladesmith Society and many other unaffiliated makers as well. Also exhibiting will be a number of cowboy artisans to show off their creative works in spurs, bits and similar gear in a special section of the Exhibit Hall E-F called Cowboy Alley. All will gather in the expansive Fort Worth Convention Center in the heart of downtown Fort Worth. Spanning 14 city blocks of the city’s central business district, the convention center is surrounded by four-star hotels, restaurants, shops, galleries and assorted performance venues, with free transportation provided throughout the downtown area via Molly the Trolley.

Helping make the show a reality are its sponsors, which include Smoky Mountain Knife Works, WE Knife Co., Civivi, Hogue Knives, New Jersey Steel Baron and The Blade Bar.

Get Your BLADE Show Texas Tickets Here!

Top Exhibitors

Last year’s show was one of the first major knife events to return after the pandemic had caused a number of other shows to cancel, and people who both attended and exhibited gave it rave reviews. Many makers sold out and many who didn’t sell out didn’t miss by much. Bubba Crouch, who, along with many other members of the South Texas Cartel of custom slip joint makers returns this year, said it was the best-attended show he’d been to since BLADE Show 2019. “There was a lot of money in the room and a lot of veteran-type collectors,” he observed. “I brought three or four customers who’d never been to a knife show and they were overwhelmed with all the talent.”

 Coyote jaws, 1912 bois d’arc and a 1941 trap tag highlight the handle of the Trapper Bowie by BLADE Show Texas exhibitor Jason Fry. Blade damascus that includes among its forged components a vintage Newhouse trap spring is clad over a random damascus core. Overall length: 13 inches.
Coyote jaws, 1912 bois d’arc and a 1941 trap tag highlight the handle of the Trapper Bowie by BLADE Show Texas exhibitor Jason Fry. Blade damascus that includes among its forged components a vintage Newhouse trap spring is clad over a random damascus core. Overall length: 13 inches.

This year’s array of talented artisans promises to be even better. An incomplete but representative sample of domestic and international exhibitors in assorted categories includes:

  • Bladesmiths: Bill Burke; Brion Tomberlin; Bruce Bump; Murray Carter; Jerry Fisk; Harvey Dean; Jason Fry; South Africa’s Henning Wilkinson; J.W. Randall; James Cook; James Rodebaugh; Jason Knight; Jean Louis Regel of France; Josh Fisher; John Horrigan; Kelly Vermeer Vella; Lin Rhea; Mike Tyre; Rick Dunkerley; Steve Schwarzer; Scott Gallagher; Shane Taylor; Shawn Ellis; Shayne Carter; Belgium’s Veronique Laurent; and Tommy Gann;
  • Slip joint makers: Bill Ruple, Chris Sharp, Bubba Crouch, Burt Flanagan, P.H. Jacob, Enrique Pena, Tom Ploppert, Stanley Buzek, Luke Swenson, Tim Robertson, Tobin Hill and Trae Gaenzel;
  • Assorted other top makers: Allen Elishewitz, Brian Fellhoelter, Peter Carey, Dennis Friedly, Johnny Stout, Tom Krein, Lee Williams, Jeremy Marsh, Princeton Wong, Brian Nadeau, T.R. Overeynder, Todd Begg, Scorpion 6 Knives and Michael Zieba;
  • Factory knife/accessory companies: Fox Knives, Heretic Knives, Hogue Knives, KeyBar, Liong Mah Designs, Microtech, Pro-Tech, Reate, RMJ Tactical, Squid Industries, TOPS Knives, White River Knife & Tool, WE Knife/Civivi and Wicked Edge Precision Sharpeners; and;
  • Knifemaking/knife equipment suppliers: Culpepper & Co., Damasteel, Evenheat Kiln, Fine Turnage Productions, Jantz Supply, Knife & Gun Finishing Supplies, Moen Tooling, Nichols Damascus, Paragon Industries, Pops Knife Supply, Rowe’s Leather, Vegas Forge Damascus and Wuertz Machine Works.

BLADE Show 2021 Best Slip Joint winner Luke Swenson (left), Bill Ruple (right) and assorted members of the South Texas Cartel will conduct the demo How to Make a Single Blade Trapper at 12 p.m. Saturday in Room 104. The slip joint below is Ruple’s ax-handle single-blade. (SharpByCoop images)
BLADE Show 2021 Best Slip Joint winner Luke Swenson (left), Bill Ruple (right) and assorted members of the South Texas Cartel will conduct the demo How to Make a Single Blade Trapper at 12 p.m. Saturday in Room 104. The slip joint below is Ruple’s ax-handle single-blade. (SharpByCoop images)

BLADE Show Texas Awards

The knife awards for the Texas BLADE Show have been especially tailored this year to address the specialties of the exhibiting makers. As a result, the awards in the custom category will be Best EDC, Best Slip Joint, Best Kitchen Knife, Best Fixed Blade, Best Folder, Best Damascus, Best Art Knife and Best in Show. Each winner will be judged in terms of how well it fits the category, quality design, construction and materials, fit and finish, line and flow, and the other intangibles that identify most top knives.

The knife awards in the factory category will be Best EDC, Best Fixed Blade, Best Folder and Best in Show, with each winner judged in the same terms as those used to rate the custom winners as outlined in the preceding paragraph.

Demos

The BLADE Show franchise is renowned for its cutting-edge demos, and those for BLADE Show Texas maintain that tradition. All are free of charge to show attendees. On Friday those demos will include:

Joe Maynard of Primitive Grind will provide free knife sharpening and hands-on demos in his Mobile Forge all day long each day of the show.
Joe Maynard of Primitive Grind will provide free knife sharpening and hands-on demos in his Mobile Forge all day long each day of the show.

12 p.m., Grinding Seminar, Room 104: Using only four abrasive belts on his Moen Tooling Platen and grinding fixture, Jerry Moen of Moen Tooling will show you how to apply a bevel grind in a 2,000-grit finish.
2 p.m., Fundamentals of Inlay, Room 104: Award-winning bit-and-spur maker Wilson Capron will demonstrate several different inlay styles and techniques and the tools to do them with, styles and techniques that can be applied to assorted media;
3 p.m., How to Make the X-Rhea Knife, Room 104: ABS master smith Lin Rhea will outline the details that go into the making of his X-Rhea knife, including variations on a theme, how the design came to be, how to forge it and more.
All Day, Free Knife Sharpening and Hands-On Demo, the Mobile Forge: Joe Maynard of Primitive Grind will provide hands-on demos and free knife sharpening.
Saturday’s demos will kick off at 10:30 a.m. in Room 104 with a repeat rendition of Jerry Moen’s Grinding Seminar. In addition, Joe Maynard will conduct his All-Day Free Knife Sharpening and Hands-On Demo in the Mobile Forge. The day’s other seminars will include:
12 p.m., How to Make a Single Blade Trapper, Room 104: Award-winning makers Luke Swenson and Bill Ruple and other members of the South Texas Cartel will show you how it’s done based on Swenson’s video tutorial “Slipjoints with Luke Swenson.”
1:30 p.m., Leather Sheath Making Demo, Room 104: Joey Dello Russo of Imperial Leather Works will give a complete rundown on how to make a sheath, including measuring the blade, leather thickness, welt dimensions, belt loop location, and sizing, laying out and drawing the pattern.

Texas Gun Experience

Blade Show Texas and Texas Gun Experience have teamed up to provide a night of hands-on experience in a safe and managed environment. Show attendees are invited to a private demo event on Saturday evening from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Only those that have a BLADE Show Texas wristband will be eligible to attend to the TGE event and are eligible to win the following giveaways:

  • Springfield Armory’s Hellcat Giveaway
  • Springfield Armory’s Hellion Bullpup Giveaway
  • Ammo from AMMO, Inc
  • Ammo from Global Ordnance
  • Possible Ear Protection from AXIL Earbud Hearing Protection
  • RifleScope from Accufire
  • And other products…

For more information on the show, pick up your special show program at the event itself or visit bladeshowtexas.com. For more information on the Fort Worth Convention Center, visit fortworth.com/convention-center.

Knife Profile: Shrike Out Hits A Home Run

Scott Topper’s off-the-charts out-the-front is a multi-part marvel, the Shrike Out, brings an artistic twist to the automatic.

It’s hard not to like the Shrike, a custom out-the-front dual-action automatic by Scott M. Topper.

The blade is cryogenically treated AEB-L stainless steel. According to Scott, since AEB-L’s micro-structure allowed for a finer edge, it originally was a go-to steel for disposable razors. He indicated the version of the material he uses competes well against crucible steels, and is made through a conventional metallurgy technique.

The six inside springs are hand wound stainless steel. The four locks are independent. The brown lock parts are Teflon-impregnated Delrin for permanent lubricity. The black Richlite scales are inlaid with white to add contrast to the engravings.

The knife comes nested in a velvet-lined walnut box. Plain and all-stainless versions of the Shrike are also available. According to Scott, the various styles of the knife are available through the PVK Showroom (888-878-5643 pvk.com) in Las Vegas.

Shrike Out Specs
Knife: Shrike Out The Front Dual Action Auto
Blade length: 4”
Blade steel: Cryogenically treated AEB-L stainless
Frame material: 416 stainless steel
Handle material: Paper phenolic composite
Closed length: 5”

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