See who took home the hardware from the 2023 Custom Knife Awards at BLADE Show.
As usual, the Custom Knife Of The Year® Awards at the June 2-4 BLADE Show at the Cobb County Gallery gather together some of the best examples of bladesmithing in the knife world. The difficulty was choosing which would rise to the top.
In a highly competitive field, a panel of expert judges sorted out the top knives in XX categories for the best of the best. Below are the winners, including the coveted Hugh Bartrug Best In Show.
Hugh Bartrug Best In Show & Fixed Blade: Vince Evans
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Fighter: Samuel Lurquin
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Kitchen Knife: Lucas Gumbiner
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Folder: Owen Wood
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Tactical Folder: Thomas Gony (Grind Tactical Knives)
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Handle: Fabio Barros
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Utility Hunter: Oliver Goldschmidt
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Slipjoint: Luke Swenson
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Damascus: CAS Knives (Sobral Brothers)
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best M.A.C.K.: Shirogorov Knives
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Collaboration: Raul Sartorial Filho (Engraver) & Fabio Barros (Bladesmith)
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Art Knife: Mauricio Daletzky
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Bowie: Dionatam Franco
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Sword: Vince Evans
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Miniature: Chuck Gedraitis
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Most Innovative: GTC Knives
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best of The Rest: Will Stelter
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best New Maker: Zane Dvorak
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
See Past 2023 Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:
See who took home the hardware from the 2023 Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards at BLADE Show.
The June 2-4 BLADE Show at the Cobb County Gallery hosted what might have been one of its fiercest Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards competition.
Seemingly every maker—at least a healthy cross-section—threw its hat in the ring to make a run for the coveted hardware. This was evident with the display cases outside the main hall that house the entrants at full capacity and nearly brimming over. Volume, however, wasn’t the lone variable. From knife accessories to the blades making a run at Knife Of The Year, the quality of work, innovation and craftsmanship proved top shelf.
Sufficed to say, the 10 judges—industry experts from knife writers to makers and Cutlery Hall Of Famers—who cast their ballots had their work cut out for them. Below are the knives that lived up to their exacting standards to take home 2023 honors in 10 categories and the overall Knife Of The Year award winner.
Knife Of The Year: GiantMouse GMX
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
American-Made Knife Of The Year: Benchmade Narrows
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Imported Knife Of The Year: Rosecraft Blades Clinch River Swayback
Summer school never looked so good with the 10th Annual BLADE University.
Cutlery classes taught by Michael Walker, the inventor of the linerlock, Bob Kramer, world-class maker of chef’s knives, and father-and-son damascus wizards Devin and Larrin Thomas are among the highlights of a full slate of knifemaking instruction for the 10th Annual BLADE University.
Sponsored by Work Sharp, BLADE University will be held in conjunction with the 42nd Annual BLADE Show June 2-4 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Classes begin Friday, June 2, and conclude Saturday, June 3.
While most classes are held in the Cobb Galleria, some also are conducted under the tent in The Courtyard, aka the parking lot of the show’s host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly.
BLADE University gathers some of the world’s best knifemakers, bladesmiths and other cutlery professionals to teach a wide range of subjects for the knife aficionado and novice alike. If you love knives, BLADE University has a related topic that will interest you.
8-9:30 a.m. Fundamentals of Grinding, The Courtyard. AmeriBrade and guest makers provide a general overview on grinds, technique and different equipment. The class is interactive and the AmeriBrade team answers questions and demonstrates suggestions for common grinding issues.
BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Michael Walker (inset), maker of this stunner in damascus and anodized titanium, will present his first-ever BLADE University class on several topics, including his revolutionary linerlock. (SharpByCoop knife image)
10-11 a.m. Exploring the Performance of Pattern-Welded Steel, Room 103. How does damascus perform? What are the best steel combinations for high-performance damascus? Is there really a “damascus cutting effect”? Learn about the experiments Devin and Larrin Thomas have performed on the strength, toughness and edge retention of damascus steel.
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Designing Kitchen Knives, Room 104. ABS master smith Bob Kramer reviews some of the considerations to ponder when designing kitchen knives. He explains the path he took to make household cutlery and why he made the choices he did.
1-2 p.m. CRKT Presents Q&A with Michael Walker, Room 104. BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Michael Walker answers questions regarding the linerlock he developed in 1981 that revolutionized folding knives. He also discusses the evolution of the many other locking systems he designed post-linerlock, how to secure a patent, and his process for fine-tuning details on his knives. Questions are determined in advance, though Michael entertains limited questions from those attending as well.
1:30-2:30 p.m. Dancing with the Devil: Algorithms, SEO and Ecommerce, Room 103. Ben Petersen, co-founder of Knafs, a “goofy brand of knife-related products and ideas,” explains how to sell knives online and build your brand while navigating Google, Amazon and Meta.
In “3D Printing for Canister Patterns,” ABS master smith Steve Schwarzer (right) and Ron Hardman (left) show you how to use a game-changing advancement to forge patterns on a budget that were previously unthinkable.
2-3 p.m. What’s Hot in Knife Steels, Room 103. The heart of the knife is the blade steel, and few know steels like those who produce and sell them for a living. Three among the leaders in the field are Mike Norris Damascus, Nichols Damascus and Vegas Forge Damascus. Join representatives from each company as they discuss today’s hottest steels and what makes the steels so much in demand. They explore each steel’s performance, ease of sharpening, looks, other desirable traits and more.
3-4 p.m. Forging Ancient Materials and Why It’s Important Today, Room 107. Hosted by award-winning knifemaker Ilya Alekseyev, the panel explores how and why practicing forging methods used by the craftsmen of old translates into modern materials, and why it is important to establish proper forging techniques with such materials.
3:30-4:30 p.m. Hands-On Knife Sharpening, Room 113. Bring your knife or a borrowed one and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance from the team at Work Sharp. You get hands-on practice and experience sharpening blades using a variety of sharpeners and abrasives, from whetstones to belts.
4:30-5:30 p.m. Unlearning Bad Habits: My Unique Path to JS, Room 107. Matt Stagmer focuses on knifemakers that have been in the craft for many years and how the path to becoming an ABS journeyman smith differs from someone learning those standards from day one. Included are tips and tricks to retrain your hands and mind.
BLADE University Saturday
8:30-9:30 a.m. Decorative Custom Knife Filework, Room 113. Knifemaker Kyle Daily of KHDaily Knives shows you his preferred files and the equipment he uses to make his five most popular filework patterns. The class outlines how to lay out your pattern and takes you step-by-step to being successful. Kyle does a hands-on demo and fields more-detailed questions at the end.
In “Reproducing Traditional Pocketknives,” Tim Robertson covers patterning traditional slipjoints from original factory knives in detail, including methods of disassembly, correct scribing techniques and proper hole layout. His three-blade stag slipjoint is a textbook example of his award-winning work. (SharpByCoop image)
8:45-9:45 a.m. How To Forge a Hunting Knife, The Courtyard. ABS master smith Timothy Potier demonstrates how to forge a full-tang drop-point hunter. Using his propane forge, Timothy goes through the entire process, including forging the blade to shape from tool steel. He also discusses heat treating, normalizing and more.
9:30-11 a.m. How To Run a Successful Knifemaking Business, Room 104. ABS master smith Bob Kramer shares his 35 years of experience running a successful knifemaking business and tips to employ along the way.
9:45-10:45 a.m. Reproducing Traditional Pocketknives, Room 107. Tim Robertson covers patterning traditional slipjoints from original factory knives in detail, including methods of disassembly, correct scribing techniques and proper hole layout (including changing the hole diameter). He also covers methods of using paper patterns commonly found on the Internet.
11 a.m.-12 p.m. 3D Printing for Canister Patterns, Room 113. Learn how to leverage 3D printer technology to make mind-blowing canister damascus patterns. ABS master smith Steve Schwarzer and Ron Hardman show you how to use this game-changing advancement to forge patterns on a budget that were previously unthinkable.
AmeriBrade and guest makers provide a general overview on grinds, technique and different equipment in “Fundamentals of Grinding.”
2-3 p.m. Let the Pros Critique Your Knife, Room 104. A panel of top cutlery craftsmen share decades of knowledge and experience in critiquing your custom knife. Award-winning makers Lucas Burnley and Luke Swenson, ABS master smiths David Lisch and Mike Quesenberry, and damascus-forging pioneer Devin Thomas examine your knife and tell you what’s good about it, what’s not and how you can make it better. Bring one knife only. Questions from attendees will be entertained throughout.
2:15-3:15 p.m. Hands-On Knife Sharpening, Room 113. Bring your knife or a borrowed one and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance from the team at Work Sharp. You get hands-on practice and experience sharpening blades using a variety of sharpeners and abrasives, from whetstones to belts.
2:30-3:30 p.m. Writing for a Knife Publication, Room 107. Author/knifemaker Jason Fry and a panel of industry insiders share the tips and tricks it takes to get into the knife writing industry. Topics include idea submission and topic selection, interviews and content generation, methods for obtaining quality pictures and more.
4-5 p.m. Folder Design, Room 104. David Carver of Carver Knife Company teaches techniques on making a folding knife that works well, looks good and feels great in the hand/pocket.
Machine Assisted Custom Knives (M.A.C.K.) are at the cutting-edge of custom knife manufacturing.
For many, a knife resides in one of two manufacturing categories—handmade or machine-made. In the world of custom knives, historically there hasn’t been a lot of middle ground between the two and occasional animosity. Understandable, especially for the folks ringing an anvil to wrought a dazzling creation from sweat and steel. However, times are changing.
To that end, Machine Assisted Custom Knives (M.A.C.K.) have grown in popularity from a number of intrepid pioneers who—for lack of a better description—utilize the best of both worlds. Quite simply, knives in this category aren’t completely handmade, nor are they 100-percent machine creations. Combining the two disciplines of the same craft has proven a boon for the knife industry, creating a diverse and wonderful center course—one BLADE® Magazine and BLADE Show celebrate.
Starting at the 2023 BLADE Show Texas, the event expanded its Custom Knife Awards to include M.A.C.K.’s. And again, the Custom Knife Of The Year Awards at the June 2-4 BLADE Show at the Cobb County Convention Center will include this burgeoning category—most likely in all its glory. So, what exactly does it take to qualify a knife in the M.A.C.K. class? Certainly more than taking a production knife and scratching a design on its scale by hand.
We explained the category thusly in custom knife competition rules:
“The knife must be of the folding/locking, non-slip-joint, EDC variety that is first and foremost a cutting tool. It must be functional, beautiful and have great ergonomics, yet still have practical applications and uses. It must consist of both at least one handmade feature—such as hand-ground blades, hand-contoured scales, manually machined parts, etc.—and of automated features such as waterjet-cut liners/scales, CNC’d handles, etc. … The blade should open and close easily and smoothly, and lock open properly and securely. All aspects of quality folder design—line and flow, blade centering and clearance, proper fit and finish, a comfortable handle, etc.—apply as well.”
Of course, given the skill of the craftsmen who enter the competition, it’s potentially difficult for the judges—almost all Master Bladesmiths themselves, mind you—to tell the machined parts from the handmade. Thus, there’s a bit of a twist found in this category, as compared to others.
“Each entry must be accompanied by an informative, to-the-point description of which part/parts is/are handmade and how. For example, “I did the filework by hand with such-and-such type of file.” The description must be 100 words or less so the winner will be judged on the knife and not on his/her writing skills. The judges will assume that the knife’s parts that are not handmade are made through a machine-aided process.”
Already, in one show competition, the entrees have been stunning. At the 2023 Texas show Keanison Knives took home the hardware in the category with a stellar flipper in what proved a competitive field. We expect the pow-wow in Atlanta will produce an equally as hot, if not hotter competition in this class.
If you’re an exhibitor at BLADE Show, and you have a knife that falls in this category, you should bring the best of kinetics, aesthetics and handcraft to the custom knife competition. If you’re a knife aficionado and look to keep your collection at the cutting edge of the industry, keep your eyes peeled for M.A.C.K.’s when you’re walking the floor. The style of the knife is certainly progressing what’s possible in the knife world.
With A Background In Being A Farrier, Jim Poor Makes Knives Just As Tough As His Horseshoes And His Slip Joint Folding Hunter Is No Exception
Jim Poor provides two modes of EDC in one with his slip-joint folding hunter—carry it the traditional way in your pocket or, for a change of pace, on your belt in a leather pancake sheath.
Jim made the knife and he and his son Tyler collaborated on the sheath. Tyler did the leather tooling, cut it out and laser engraved it, and Jim glued and sewed it together. The knife features milled liners of 416 stainless steel, with the liners and bolsters all one piece.
A blacksmith by trade, the 63-year-old Poor has been making knives about eight years, starting with fixed blades before going to pocketknives four years ago. He forges damascus, including the Riptide pattern on his folding hunter, and also sells his damascus, including to a number of his slip-joint making friends in the South Texas Slipjoint Cartel.
Flatland Forge
Along with making custom knives, both fixed blades along with slip joints and some feather damascus folders, Jim and his wife Kathleen forge horseshoes and farrier tools of all types. They’ve been working together for decades and today, the shop makes more than two dozen different types of hammers and other tools.
You can take a tour through Flatland Forge, led by Jim, in the video below.
Knife: Slip-joint folding hunter Maker: Jim Poor Blade length: 3-⅜ inches Blade material: Riptide damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels Handle: Jigged cow bone dyed red Bolsters and frame: 416 stainless steel Bolster engraving: By Tyler Poor Backspring: CPM 154 stainless Closed length: 4.5 inches Sheath: Leather pancake model tooled and laser engraved by Tyler Poor Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $850
BLADE Show 2023 is just around the corner. Here’s what to look out for at the “World’s Greatest Knife Show!”
If the third time really is the charm, then BLADE Show 2023 is smack dab in the middle of charm’s way.
Why? Because it’s the third BLADE Show after the one that was cancelled in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, and most all travel restrictions instituted even as late as last year’s BLADE Show have been lifted. That means a full return of international knife exhibitors and fans in addition to all those domestic are expected to make the 42nd annual rendition of the world’s most important knife event the biggest and best ever.
Sponsored by Smoky Mountain Knife Works, the BLADE Show is where more knives—new, old, custom, factory, etc.—are exhibited, bought and sold than at any other knife event. Almost 930 exhibitors* from every continent but Antarctica were scheduled to exhibit at press time, all bringing their latest and greatest knives and other edged tools, accessories, knifemaking supplies and more. Factory and custom knives, sharpeners, knife collections, knife purveyors and other cutlery entities too numerous to mention will showcase their wares as the world knife community makes the yearly pilgrimage to the Cobb Galleria Centre.
BLADE Show Overview
WHAT: BLADE Show WHERE: Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta WHEN: June 2-4 DAYS and TIMES:
Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (early bird ticket holders can enter at 10 a.m.)
The latest, hottest custom knives, factory knife debuts, the educational knife instruction class schedule of BLADE University and action-packed free demos are among the sharp goodies awaiting hordes of show patrons. The BLADE Magazine 2023 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards, the custom knife judging competition and the knife collection display judging competition are others. The ABS Knife Auction, formal inductions of the latest members of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame®, 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.
BLADE University
Avail yourself of the latest knifemaking techniques and other trending sharp subjects during the 10th Annual BLADE University show Friday and Saturday.
BLADE® field editor Ed Fowler will present the seminar “Seeking Safety In Knife Design” show Saturday at 1 p.m. in Room 107.
Sponsored by Work Sharp Sharpeners, BLADE University has the most extensive schedule of knife, knifemaking and other instruction held at any knife show. Among the highlight classes for 2023 are “CRKT Presents Q&A with Michael Walker” featuring the industry renowned creator of the linerlock; “Designing Kitchen Knives” and “How To Run A Successful Knifemaking Business” with chef’s knife maestro Bob Kramer; “Exploring the Performance of Pattern-Welded Steel,” with damascus forging legend Devin “Hoss” Thomas and his son, internet steel guru Larrin Thomas; and many more.
BLADE University Schedule
FRIDAY
8-9:30 a.m. Fundamentals of Grinding, The Courtyard. AmeriBrade and guest makers cover grinds, technique and different equipment.
10-11 a.m. Exploring the Performance of Pattern-Welded Steel, Room 103. Devin and Larrin Thomas review their experiments on the strength, toughness and edge retention of damascus steel.
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Designing Kitchen Knives, Room 104. ABS master smith Bob Kramer discusses considerations to ponder when designing kitchen knives.
1-2 p.m. CRKT Presents Q&A with Michael Walker, Room 104. BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Michael Walker answers questions on the linerlock he developed in 1981, the evolution of the many other locking systems he designed post-linerlock and more.
1:30-2:30 p.m. Dancing with the Devil: Algorithms, SEO and Ecommerce, Room 103. Ben Petersen explains how to sell knives online and build your brand while navigating Google, Amazon and Meta.
2-3 p.m. What’s Hot in Knife Steels, Room 103. Join representatives from Mike Norris Damascus, Nichols Damascus and Vegas Forge as they discuss today’s hottest steels and why those steels are so much in demand.
3-4 p.m. Forging Ancient Materials and Why It’s Important Today, Room 107. Award-winning knifemaker Ilya Alekseyev and friends explore how and why practicing forging methods used by the craftsmen of old translates into modern materials.
3:30-4:30 p.m. Hands-On Knife Sharpening, Room 113. Bring your knife or a borrowed one and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance from the team at Work Sharp Sharpeners.
4:30-5:30 p.m. Unlearning Bad Habits: My Unique Path to JS, Room 107. Matt Stagmer focuses on makers that have been in the craft for many years, and how becoming an ABS journeyman smith differs from someone learning those standards from day one.
SATURDAY
8:30-9:30 a.m. Decorative Custom Knife Filework, Room 113. Knifemaker Kyle Daily of KHDaily Knives shows you his preferred files and the equipment he uses to make his five most popular filework patterns.
8:45-9:45 a.m. How To Forge a Hunting Knife, The Courtyard. Using his propane forge, ABS master smith Timothy Potier demonstrates how to forge a full-tang drop-point hunter.
9:30-11 a.m. How To Run a Successful Knifemaking Business, Room 104. ABS master smith Bob Kramer shares his 35 years of experience running a successful knifemaking business.
9:45-10:45 a.m. Reproducing Traditional Pocketknives, Room 107. Tim Robertson covers patterning traditional slipjoints from original factory knives in detail, including methods of disassembly, correct scribing techniques and proper hole layout.
11 a.m.-12 p.m. 3D Printing for Canister Patterns, Room 113. ABS master smith Steve Schwarzer and Ron Hardman show you how to use this game-changing advancement to forge patterns on a budget that were previously unthinkable.
2-3 p.m. Let the Pros Critique Your Knife, Room 104. Award-winning knifemakers Lucas Burnley, Luke Swenson and Devin Thomas, and ABS master smiths David Lisch and Mike Quesenberry examine your knife, tell you what’s good about it, what’s not and how to make it better.
2:15-3:15 p.m. Hands-On Knife Sharpening, Room 113. Bring your knife or a borrowed one and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance from the team at Work Sharp Sharpeners.
2:30-3:30 p.m. Writing for a Knife Publication, Room 107. Author/ABS apprentice smith Jason Fry and a panel of industry insiders share the tips and tricks it takes to get into the knife writing game.
4-5 p.m. Folder Design, Room 104. David Carver of Carver Knife Co. teaches techniques on making a folding knife that works well, looks good and feels great in the hand/pocket.
The BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competitions will be conducted by BladeSports International (BSI) and held in The Courtyard, the parking lot of the host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
At press time, contestants in both men’s and women’s divisions were scheduled to compete. Last year, James Clifton won the men’s division and Terri Lynn the women’s.
Knives Of The Year
The BLADE Magazine 2023 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards will be announced and presented during the BLADE Magazine Awards ceremony Saturday night in The Pit.
The entries are limited to BLADE Show factory booth exhibitors, and will be on display show Friday and Saturday under glass in a special locked cabinet in the lobby. The winners will be announced on BLADE’s here after the awards presentation, and a list will be posted outside the show entrance Sunday morning.
The award categories are: Overall; American-Made; Imported; Most Innovative American Design; Most Innovative Imported Design; Best Buy Of the Year; Investor/Collector; Collaboration; Manufacturing Quality; Accessory; Kitchen; Publisher’s; and Industry Achievement.
Custom Knife Judging
Leading industry authorities will pick the best custom knives by BLADE Show exhibitors in the annual knife judging competition, with the winners announced during the BLADE Magazine Awards ceremony Saturday night in The Pit.
ABS master smith Lin Rhea will exhibit such forged wonders as his damascus hunter in mammoth ivory. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
The categories: Hugh Bartrug Best Of Show; Best Fixed Blade; Best Damascus; Best Kitchen Knife; Yvon Vachon Best Miniature; Best Art Knife; Best Fighter; Best Bowie; Best Handle Design; Best Tactical Folder; Best Utility Hunter; Best Folder; Most Innovative Design; Best Knife Collaboration; Best Sword; Best New Maker; Best Of The Rest; and a new BLADE Show category: Best M.A.C.K. (Machine Assisted Custom Knife).
The competition is open to the show’s custom knife exhibitors only. The winners will be announced on BLADE’s blademag.com website after the awards ceremony, and a list will be posted outside the show entrance Sunday morning.
Seminars & Demos
Seminars and demonstrations will be held in classrooms inside the Cobb Galleria or in The Courtyard, or under The Courtyard’s BLADE University tent. Admission is free to BLADE Show ticket holders.
Among the highlights will be “Knowledge Destroys Fear” presented by Ernest Emerson, CEO of Emerson Knives, Inc. Ernest will share the secrets of how Navy SEALs, Special Forces, Rangers and U.S. Marines conquer fear and thrive and prevail in the face of extreme life-threatening danger. Another highlight will be “Seeking Safety in Knife Design” with BLADE® field editor Ed Fowler. Ed will outline how to use knives efficiently and safely and what to look for in knives that cut effectively, do so without causing hot spots, and otherwise aren’t accidents waiting to happen in and of themselves.
Cutlery Hall Of Fame®
The BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® will formally induct three new members at 8 a.m. show Saturday in the Kennesaw Room of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel. (At press time, the new members had not been determined.) Tickets are required ahead of time for the ceremony, which includes a breakfast. Seating is limited. For ticket information, email [email protected].
Knife Colletions
Outstanding knife collections will be on display, with the best recognized via a judging competition. Last year’s winners: Larry Oden, Best of Show for “Buck Factory Production Knives of the 1960s.” Judges awards went to Gene Merritt for his “Yellowhorse” display of David Yellowhorse knives and Bruce Cannon for “Paul Bos: Alloys’ Greatest Ally.” Natalie Lindsey won the Youth Award for “Tinkerbell and Friends Put the Magic in BCCI and Buck Knives.”
Bali Championship
Top balisong flippers will vie for the title of “Grand Master” in the 7th Annual Battle for Bali-Champion sponsored and conducted by Blade HQ.
The 7th Annual Battle for Bali Champion conducted by Blade HQ will be Saturday in The Courtyard. Last year’s top finishers, from left: James Hill (3rd place), Leighton Gravely (first) and Moiz Khalil (second).
The top three finishers will receive prizes and all participants will get swag bags. The competition will be limited to 48 contestants.
BLADE Show ticket holders are invited to watch the competition in The Courtyard under the BLADE University Tent on show Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. Competitors will start flipping knives at 12:30 p.m.
BLADE Show Seminars And Events
SATURDAY
8 a.m.: BLADE Magazine Cutlery-Hall-Of-Fame inductions, Kennesaw Room, Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel: Buy Cutlery Hall Of Fame Tickets
Noon-to-2 p.m.: 7th Annual Battle for Bali-Champion—Blade HQ, The Courtyard (the actual competition starts at 12:30 p.m.)
1-to-2 p.m.: Seeking Safety in Knife Design—BLADE® field editor Ed Fowler, Room 107
12-to-3 p.m.: Buck Collectors Club, Room 103
4:30 p.m.: BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competitions, conducted by BladeSports International in The Courtyard
Editor’s note: Microtech Knives and Heretic Knives are the presenting sponsors for BLADE Show 2023. RoseCraft Blades is The Pit sponsor. Work Sharp Sharpeners sponsors BLADE University. The other sponsors are Hogue Knives; Reate Knives; Nottingham Tactical; QSP Knife; Zac Brown’s Southern Grind; WE Knife; Glow Rhino; Columbia River Knife & Tool; and Artisan Cutlery.
You Can Never Have Too Much Pizza, And You Can Never Go Wrong Buying A Pizza Cutter Made By Andrew Meers.
Andrew Meers loves pizza, so when his factory pizza cutter broke, he fixed it—and then made his first-ever custom version of one. The result has features only an award-winning ABS master smith such as Andrew would include.
Fresh out of the oven is the mesmerizing disc cutter in a W’s explosion pattern mosaic damascus. A pet peeve is loose pizza cutter discs that rattle, so he tightened his down with the help of a folding-knife pivot fitting.
The arm and guard are forged stainless with a blackened brut de forge look. He forged the crossguard in a plant-like shape, drawing the quillons out and giving them fullers for a bud-like appearance. The grip is ebony inlaid with bits of silver to resemble stars in the night sky.
If 20th-century actor, comedian and singer Dean “The King of Cool” Martin were here, he might croon, “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore.”
Pizza Cutter Specs Model: Pizza cutter Maker: Andrew Meers Dimensions: The cutting disc is 3.5 inches in diameter; the cutter’s overall length is 9 inches Disc Material: W’s explosion pattern mosaic damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels Handle frame and guard: Blackened forged stainless w/a brut de forge look Scale material: Ebony inlaid w/silver “stars” Engraving: In a traditional Japanese line style by Andrew Meers Andrew’s price for a similar piece: This one sold for $850 Andrew’s favorite pizzas: Meat Lovers, including the Whole Hog (red sauce, pepperoni, bacon, red onion, green pepper, jalapeno and mozzarella), and the Margherita, a typical Neapolitan pizza w/San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, salt and extra-virgin olive oil
