There’s a certain mystique to knives. They’re ancient, crafted with secret techniques and can instantly convey a message about the person in possession of them. It’s no wonder there are a few superstitions about knives out there. Here are four.
1) A Gifted Knife Can End a Friendship
The saying goes that a gifted knife will sever the ties between the giver and the receiver. To avoid the end of a friendship, the recipient needs to hand over a penny to the benefactor. Like that, the gift turns into a purchase and no harm will be done.
2) Ease Labor Pains During Childbirth
Placing a knife under the bed of a woman giving birth is believed to ease her pain during labor. Also, sticking a knife into the mattress of a laboring woman is supposed to help her birth a boy.
3) Don’t Lay One Knife Across Another
Crossed knives on a table will cause a quarrel. Crossing a knife with another piece of cutlery is a sign of witchcraft. And if you cross your knife with your spoon, you are implying the food didn’t taste good and that you wish bad luck on the chef.
4) Don’t Sharpen Knives After Dark
It was believed that sharpening knives after sunset was bad luck – which makes sense, considering that this superstition goes back to a time before electricity.
No matter if you follow the original advice or apply the antidote of keeping “a pinch of salt in the churn to keep the witches out,” we strongly advise against sharpening in the dark. Always.
Don’t Risk It! Knife Aid Will Sharpen Your Knives For You
No matter what time of day it is, Knife Aid can take care of your knife sharpening and repair needs. Knife Aid makes it easy to mail in your knives for maintenance.
For starters, honing a knife is different from sharpening a knife in one major way: how much steel is removed from the blade. Sharpening involves removing steel along the edge using an abrasive. It’s more aggressive than honing, which is a process by which the grains of steel on the edge are made uniform.
While honing isn’t a replacement for sharpening, it can extend the time between sharpenings. Honing is also a quick way to refresh a blade before use. Professional chefs will often use honing rods on their knives before getting to work.
You don’t need to be a five-star chef to hone your knives like a pro, though. No matter the task at hand, you can bring your knife back to life quickly with these simple steps.
Step 1: Buy A Honing Rod
In general, honing rods come in three styles: steel, ceramic and diamond. Each comes with different characteristics.
Steel is the least expensive. Because it’s softer than the other two styles, it won’t remove much metal from the blade. It’s great for beginners.
Ceramic carries more bite than steel. The honing will last longer because of this, but ceramic is also less forgiving of the novice.
Diamond honing rods are usually the most expensive of the three. The diamonds embedded in the rod remove a good amount of steel, so this style should only be used by the skilled knife enthusiast.
No matter which style you choose, aim for these features:
A secure, ergonomic grip
A sturdy guard that protects your hand
A ring on the handle for slipping a pinky through in case you drop it
Step 2: Find Your Angle
Place the rod perpendicular onto a non-slip surface. Hold the handle of the rod and plant the tip onto a soft yet durable surface, like a cutting board. Place the heel of the knife against the top of the rod at an approximate 15-20 degree angle. It’s important to match the angle of the edge already set on the blade.
If you’re not sure of the degree, angle the edge against the rod almost like you’re going to cut a long, thin slice of the rod off, and then apply light downward pressure until the edge catches.
Step 3: Time to Hone
Using light pressure, draw the knife down the rod. Use the full length of the rod (you paid to use the whole thing) and pull across the full length of the blade (you paid for that, too). Do your best to maintain a constant angle. Do the same for the other side of the blade.
Repeat eight to 12 passes on each side of the blade. Take your time. There’s no need to show off by honing quickly. That comes later.
With practice, honing will be like second nature to you. Honing will put your knives into a whole new light. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can give your blade a new pair of shoes.
Looking For a Shortcut? Try Knife Aid
The next best thing to sharpening and honing on your own is to use a mail-in knife sharpening service, like Knife Aid.
Knife Aid makes it simple. After placing your order, Knife Aid sends you everything you need to send them your knives for sharpening. It’s as easy as dropping your order in the mail, waiting a little bit and receiving the knives back in the mail as good as new. You can read BLADE‘s review of Knife Aid here.
KA-BAR’s website says that the Single Mark KA-BAR is the knife for those who have “never been in the military.” That’s less of a dig at those who haven’t served than it is being true to the brand. Every KA-BAR knife traces its lineage back to the USMC Fighting/Utility Knife. As such, the Single Mark is made to the exact specifications of that legendary knife.
Unlike the military, however, you can personalize the Single Mark right out of the box. One side of the blade is stamped with, “KA-BAR, OLEAN NY,” while the other side is blank. That’s a perfect spot for an engraving.
Plus, this made-in-the-USA slice of history is built for the masses with an MSRP of $113.45.
As of this writing, the MSRP for the Single Mark is $113.45. (KA-BAR photo)
Manufactured: USA
Overall Length: 11.875”
Blade Length: 7”
Blade Width: 1.188”
Bulk Weight: 0.7 lb.
Handle: Leather
Blade Stamp: KA-BAR
Steel: 1095 Cro-Van
Thickness: 0.165”
Grind: Flat
Angle: 20°
HRC: 56-58
Sheath: 1217I – Leather
Spartan Harsey Difensa
The Spartan Harsey Difensa is named after a battle fought between the U.S./Canadian First Special Service Force and German troops in Italy. Known as the Battle for Monte la Difensa, the courageous performance of U.S. and Canadian forces there was essential to the eventual Allied victory in Italy. (Caption and photo via Spartan)
Named after the 1943 battle for Monte la Difensa in Italy during World War II, the Spartan Harsey Difensa is a prime example of military history meeting modern knifemaking.
The knife got its start when the Canadian special forces commissioned Spartan Blades and William Harsey to produce a blade for it. This U.S./Canada collaboration harkens back to the Allied heroism of that 1943 battle, so the result needed to be perfect.
From the looks of it, the spear-point Difensa hit its mark and then some. Its design wouldn’t be out of place in either country, or abroad for that matter.
The full tang and handle of the Spartan Harsey Difensa allow for a neutral balance in the user’s hand. Combined with the textured, ergonomic canvas Micarta handle (modified from Spartan’s Model II with no rear jimping) this custom combat knife offers the wielder a comfortable, confident grip whether wet or dry. (Caption and photo via Spartan)
Designer: William Harsey
Overall Length: 11 5/8″
Blade Length: 6 1/4″
Blade Thickness: 3/16″
Blade Steel: CPM S35VN
Blade Hardness: 59-60 HRC
Blade Style: Spear Point
Grind: Flat ground main bevel with tapered top edge.
Coating: SpartaCoat – PVD – Tungsten DLC (Black) or ZrN (Flat Dark Earth)
Handle Material: 3D Contoured CE Canvas Micarta® Black or Green
Weight: 0.710 LBS
Spyderco Native 5 Abel Reels Exclusive Signature Series
The brown trout pattern. (Spyderco photo)The bonefish design. (Spyderco photo)
Spyderco’s collaboration with fine fishing tackle manufacturer Abel Reels has turned out a creel of keepers with the painstakingly detailed Native 5 Abel Reels Exclusive Signature Series.
One look will show you what makes this series of three knives stand out. The same proprietary process Abel Reels uses to make its tackle so realistic is also applied to the design of the knives. That’s not to say the knives can be used as fishing lures, but it’s pretty close.
Each work of art wraps itself around Spyderco’s popular Native 5 folding knife platform. These photorealistic knives might swim away if you don’t watch out.
QSP doubles down on the growing interest in urban EDCs with the Hawk QS131 line of four knives (A, B, C and D). The handle and blade material separate each of the four, but the rest of the specs are roughly the same.
The squared off handle design in each Hawk softens the overall design, staying true to urban EDC’s non-aggression ethic. The same could be said for the damascus on two of the Hawk knives; urban EDCs need to have something to talk about.
Ceramic ball bearings mean no matter which of the four Hawk knives finds its way into your pocket, it’s sure to pop open like a true flipper every time.
QS131-C-Hawk (QSP photo)QS131-D HAWK (QSP photo)
Mechanism: Flipper (Ceramic Ball Bearing)
Blade: Chinese Damascus Steel or CPM35VN (Satin Finish)
Handle: Carbon Fiber (A), Verawood (B) or Carbon Fiber (C)
Lock: Locking liner
Overall: 7.35”
Closed: 4.125”
Cutting edge: 3.225”
Net weight: +/-3.6oz
SOG Trident AT
(SOG image)
With flippers all the rage, is there still room for an assisted opener? Absolutely.
SOG’s Trident AT is an overbuilt example of the enduring assisted opening category, marketed as being “designed for professional users.” Anyone can order up the AT, though, and why wouldn’t they? The assisted mechanism opens rapidly, and the blade stays securely in place with SOG’s renowned AT-XR locking system, including an ambidextrous safety in the handle.
Why so much security? SOG anticipates you’re going to beat the heck out this knife. SOG prides itself on taking its folders to the limits, and this is no different.
Plus, the line cutter and glass breaker mean that no matter what you encounter in the field, you’ll be ready.
This year’s two new inductees to the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® have a decidedly military connection: ABS master smith Joe Keeslar and knifemaker Jim Sornberger.
Both military veterans—Keeslar in the U.S. Marine Corps and Sornberger in the U.S. Army—were selected in a vote of the sitting members of the Cutlery Hall Of Fame after an extensive nomination and final ballot process.
The two new members are scheduled to be inducted at BLADE Show 2020, Aug. 7-9, at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.
In order to qualify for the Cutlery Hall Of Fame, the inductee must have…
demonstrated extraordinary service to the knife industry;
displayed honesty, character and integrity;
advanced the industry by the creativity and originality of their works or contributions;
as ambassadors or outstanding contributors furthered the positive impact of the knife industry on the world at large; and
in summary, demonstrated a worthiness to be a member of such a prestigious group.
The number of votes each new inductee elicited from the sitting Hall-Of-Fame voters would seem to indicate they qualify on all fronts.
Joe Keeslar
Joe Keeslar
A resident of Almo, Kentucky, Joe has had an extensive, storied career in the American Bladesmith Society, earning his ABS master smith stamp in 1989. Known for his forged fixed blades, many in the brut de forge style, he also is noted for his beautiful handles with silver wire inlay and matching leather sheaths, the latter often adorned with conchos and other rich embellishments.
Joe joined the ABS board of directors in 1991, served as ABS president from 2003-07, and completed his second term as president in 2015. He has had a dramatic influence on bladesmithing in Europe, where he was chiefly responsible for the first modern hammer-in held in France. He is also a frequent demonstrator at the Thiers Knife Show, one of Europe’s largest knife shows, in Thiers, the knifemaking capital of France. He is the only American knifemaker to receive an honorary membership in the Confrerie du Couteau de Thiers, a French knifemaking organization.
Joe Keeslar (inset) is known for his gorgeous brut de forge fixed blades in silver wire inlay and sheaths to match. (SharpByCoop knife image)
As one nominator wrote, Joe is “the most effective maker in the USA to extend forged-blade activity in Europe,” and is the most active in spreading the ABS’s “high level of information.” He has taught knifemaking at the William F. Moran School Of Bladesmithing and at Haywood College, at hammer-ins in Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina and Ohio, and at the first four renditions of BLADE University at the BLADE Show. He is author of the books Handles and Guards and Forging and Finishing the Brut de Forge Knife. He also is primarily responsible for the rapidly expanding ABS youth program, which holds an annual hammer-in at Smoky Mountain Knife Works.
According to another nominator, Joe “embodies the calm and consistent leadership, knifemaking skills, education and friendship that is so valuable to the entire world of knives.” According to another, “Joe has done more for the ABS than any person besides the late, great W.F. ‘Bill’ Moran.” Lastly, Keeslar was awarded the first annual Aldo and Edda Lorenzi Award at the 2015 BLADE Show for his many contributions as a mentor to bladesmiths worldwide.
Jim Sornberger
Jim Sornberger
Calling Volcano, California, home, Jim is a veteran stock removal knifemaker known for his award-winning fixed blades and folders, among the former especially his ornate California-style dress bowies in exotic handle materials such as lapis lazuli and gold quartz.
According to a nominator, when Jim started building knives in 1970, there were only a handful of makers in northern California. As more people became interested in knives and Jim’s “knife family” grew, they experienced difficulty buying knifemaking supplies because no one on the West Coast sold them.
As a result, along with Bill Holt, Jim started H&S Supply in 1981. Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bob Loveless and Jim made sure H&S had the right-size steel for knifemaking, and when 154CM stainless steel became “unclean,” they helped bring in ATS-34 stainless so many West Coast makers would have it available. Jim and Bill helped support many of the makers who could barely make ends meet by selling them the steel on credit. In fact, Jim still has a bar of 154CM that Loveless gave him many years ago.
Jim Sornberger specializes in 19th-century-style dress bowies such as this San Francisco knife that won Best In Show at the 2019 ICCE. (SharpByCoop knife image)
Circa 1980, along with a few others, Jim sponsored and organized the Bay Area Knife Collectors Association (BAKCA) Show, which went on to become the most successful club show on the West Coast. Jim would generously give up his table space to help makers get started, including his good friend and outstanding knifemaker in his own right, Stan Fujisaka.
In later years, Jim helped bring interest to the California-style dress bowie in gold work and engraving. He shared most everything he learned with other makers, helping many to learn the craft. He writes articles for KNIFE Magazine and has written for BLADE®, and also helped write BAKCA’s by-laws. For a number of years he served on The Knifemakers’ Guild board of directors, including as vice president.
Mail-In Knife Sharpening Services: Is There Anything New Under the Sun?
In absence of innovation, execution is everything.
Knife Aid, as seen on ABC’s Shark Tank TV show, caught the attention of the wider viewing audience as a new way to sharpen knives. The pitch centered on consumers mailing knives to Knife Aid for sharpening. The knives returned later in the mail.
This excited the “sharks” of Shark Tank (including the surprisingly blade-savvy Mr. Wonderful), and a deal hatched to bring Knife Aid to the masses.
Billionaire investors aside, those in the world of knives likely yawned at this novelty. Mailing in knives for sharpening is Pony Express territory.
In Search Of The Better Mousetrap
Still, I wanted to try Knife Aid for myself for two reasons.
First, Knife Aid‘s execution seemed interesting. This operation looked as polished as a fresh blade, incorporating email updates about order status, slick packaging and the ability to scale. That last part is tough.
I’m a sucker for better mousetraps. I’m interested in how people stay on the cutting edge of what they do, especially in knives. (I’m also obligated by BLADE to use one knife pun per day. Hope you’re reading this, Steve.)
Second, I’m crunched for time like never before. I used to treat knife sharpening as a sort of meditation to unwind. Those days are gone, and my knives in regular rotation show it.
How Knife Aid Works
I contacted Knife Aid directly to try its service, but the process works the same for anyone.
After placing your order, Knife Aid mails you an envelope with everything you need to send knives or scissors in for sharpening.
And I do mean everything: a sturdy envelope, pre-paid postage, adhesive blade guards, you name it. All you need to do is pack your knives according to the instructions. That’s it. You could be all set in three minutes.
From left are a Kershaw Leek, a Camillus canoe, a Camillus Bushcrafter and a J.A. Henckels chef’s knife too embarrassed to be photographed. Not pictured are the Oxo scissors, but they also went out for sharpening.
Knife Aid takes almost any blade you can throw (figuratively) at them, but there are some restrictions to keep in mind. Daggers, autos, single bevels, straight razors and anything longer than 16 inches are out of bounds.
I selected a couple pocketknives, some go-to scissors that border on shears and a bushcraft fixed. However, the real test would be a chef’s knife. That poor thing endured a lot of kitchen abuse. It would be my benchmark.
I liked that Knife Aid left room for custom instructions for the sharpener. This is great if you have a specific angle or grind in mind. You could also draw attention to a repair.
A spot for special instructions was a nice touch.A closer look at how those adhesive blade guards work.
I dropped the stuffed envelope off at the Post Office. Again, the pre-paid postage kept everything simple. I didn’t need to worry about weights or sizes. All I had to do is wait.
The Wait
Waiting didn’t feel like waiting, because Knife Aid kept me updated throughout the whole process with emails. At no point did it seem as though my knives fell into an abyss.
Testing The Sharpened Knives
It doesn’t get more straightforward than this.
I received the sharpened knives back about a week after I mailed them in. The 24-hour turnaround Knife Aid talks about on its website refers to the time from the start of the sharpening.
The scissors cut better than new. No joke. I use those scissors a dozen times a day around the house, especially the kitchen. Any resistance to the cut collapsed. I can’t quantify how much sharper they became, but I can say the fun factor went to 11. Yes, sharp scissors can be fun.
The pocketknives, more for tooling around outdoors, cut paper strips like champs, slicing with the weight of the blade and a feather grip. Had COVID-19 not welded the doors shut, a proper in-field exercise would be in order, but the paper told the story well enough.
However, that’s not what pushed me over the line on Knife Aid.
The Chef’s Knife: From Dull to Lightsaber Sharp
The chef’s knife. Oh, the chef’s knife.
Let me put this into context.
This degraded J. A. Henckels went into service in 2009 as the kitchen beater blade. It’s fought food and fixtures alike, pausing only to take a bath in the dishwasher.
Yes, I know what a sin that is, but you’ve got to understand something. Those clothes you wear while painting? Those shoes you mow the grass in? That truck you never buy tabs for? This is the knife equivalent of those. It doesn’t cut like butter. It cuts like butter. Hence the beating of the blade through the latest victim of food prep.
Things turned around big time after the sharpening. This chef’s knife zoomed past scary sharp to full-blown lightsaber. We’re talking near-zero resistance along the cut, greased only with gravity. Food prep for meals went from count-my-fingers-when-I’m-done bad to I-wonder-would-happen-if-I-tried-to-cut-XYZ great.
Excellent.
Knives to Avoid Sending to Knife Aid
Any time you stick knives through the mail, you risk losing them. Just ask any knifemaker at BLADE Show. Everyone has a story. You can’t count on postal insurance, either. Make that two stories.
For that reason, I’d only send knives to Knife Aid that you can afford to lose. As far as values, I’d peg a well-worn Sebenza as the top class of blade to trust.
The same goes for chef’s knives, which I imagine make up the bulk of Knife Aid’s business. Losing a $200 knife stings, but a $2,000 knife stings 10 times more.
Suggestions
In a perfect world, I’d like to know more about who did the sharpening. Maybe I’d even request the same person again and throw in a tip. Good work should be rewarded.
I also wish they offered to disassemble and clean pocketknives. Why stop at sharpening? Give that gummy knife a spa day.
Worth The Money: A Sharp Knife is Like Getting a New Knife
Here’s the deal. Most of the time, a sharp knife is as good as a new knife. As of this writing, Knife Aid charges as low as $10.64 a knife for its service (check the prices here). Would I re-buy each of my knives for about 10 bucks? You bet.
Raising that chef’s knife from the dead sealed the deal. Knife Aid is a winner. I’d recommend it to anyone.
Knife Aid is going to bring knife sharpening to a lot of people who don’t think about knives as much as the staff at BLADE does. That’s a big positive, because with it comes the appreciation of the craft inside each knife, and that’s pretty sharp.
(That’s two puns, Steve.)
Try Knife Aid For Yourself
If you’d like to try Knife Aid, click here and get started. It’s easy.
Full disclosure: BLADE receives a commission on orders it refers to Knife Aid, because we have to keep the lights on. That shouldn’t stain the service Knife Aid provides. Give it a shot. You’ll like it.
BLADE has learned the unfortunate news that Les de Asis, founder of Benchmade and a member of the BLADE Cutlery Hall of Fame, passed away on Friday, Feb. 21. The announcement came from official Benchmade social media channels.
It is with great sadness we share that Les de Asis passed away earlier today. No words can properly express the sadness of our loss. Benchmade has lost our founder, friend and visionary who built one of the greatest knife brands in the world. pic.twitter.com/dSU3VVYGBS
Les de Asis (right) with his son, Jon (left), at a Benchmade shop. (Benchmade photo)
In late 2018, Les turned the reins of Benchmade over to his son, Jon, as reported here. The company was a family affair from the very beginning. Les created Bali-Song®, Inc., in 1980, selling the now-iconic Model 68 butterfly knife. That evolved into Pacific Cutlery Corp. through 1987. Les started Benchmade a year later.
Under his guidance, Benchmade knives became some of the most ubiquitous in the world, supported by the popularity of the innovative AXIS® lock, Griptilian and much more.
Because of these achievements, Les was inducted into the BLADE Cutlery Hall of Fame in 2017. What follows is a portion of BLADE‘s write up from the event. Jon accepted the award on Les’s behalf.
Jon explained that his father visited his first custom gun and knife show in Glendale, California, in 1979 and met the craftsmen and marveled at the works they had made and offered for sale.
“I liked that they were independent and developed their skills by improving their products over time,” Jon related his father’s sentiments. “I also appreciated that they were independent and plied their skills in their home workshops.”
At the beginning of his career Les indicated he met pioneer knifemakers like Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bob Loveless, Barry Wood, Glen Hornby, Chuck Stapel and many more, talking knives and guns for hours at a time. Les visited their shops and learned how they worked, what their definition of quality was in regard to design, materials, fit and finish, walk and talk, and metallurgy.
“I have been constantly intrigued by all the personalities, processes, materials, artistry and innovation that are present in the custom knife world, and challenged in how to translate them into a unique, high-quality manufacturing environment able to serve an ever-growing customer base,” Jon shared his father’s words. “I confess, it wasn’t easy creating a world-class company, but the journey, one knife at a time, was worth the effort!”
BLADE extends its warmest wishes to Les’s family during this difficult time.
Editor’s note: “Micarta” has become the Kleenex of knife handles. It’s used so generically that it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the word refers to something specific.
That’s why BLADE is bringing you this quick rundown of Micarta® from Kevin Brainard, a business development manager and 45-year veteran of Norplex, the company that owns Micarta® (the real deal). You may have caught the company at BLADE Show, where it runs the UltreX booth.
The goal of this piece is for knifemakers and knife collectors to become more aware of what is and isn’t actually Micarta®.
Hint: If it didn’t come from Norplex, it’s not genuine Micarta®!
by Kevin Brainard
1 – Micarta® is a Registered Trademark of Norplex/Micarta
We own several registrations for our Micarta® mark around the world, including U.S. Trademark Registration Nos. 0096374 (issued in 1914), 0320374 (issued in 1934), and 0324365 (issued in 1935), covering our high-quality industrial laminates.
These laminates have been offered by Norplex-Micarta and our predecessors since at least as early as 1912. As a result of the significant sales, promotion, and widespread use of Micarta® brand laminates, our mark is widely recognized around the world as a designation of the source of our products, which are used in a variety of applications ranging from electrical insulation to gun and knife handles.
In addition to our common law rights in the Micarta® mark, our incontestable federal trademark registrations constitute conclusive evidence of the validity of the mark, the registration thereof, and of our ownership and exclusive right to use Micarta® in connection with these products.
2 – Micarta® is Made in the USA
Available in several different colors, combinations, and surface treatments, UltreX™
paper and cotton phenolic materials use the original production methods of Westinghouse,
updated with today’s process and environmental controls.
And unlike some of the other “micarta” available in the market, UltreX™ Micarta® is produced in the USA in Postville, Iowa.
3 – G-10 is Not Micarta®
The Spyderco Persistence sports G-10 handles.
Micarta® is made with a cloth or paper substrate and coated with phenolic or melamine resin. G-10 is woven fiberglass and coated with epoxy resin.
The processes to make both materials are very similar in the fact that both are consolidated under heat and pressure to make the final laminate. There is a chemical reaction that is called polymerization that bonds the layers together into a high-pressure thermoset laminate.
According to the trademarks, G-10 is not Micarta®.
4 – “Micarta” Refers to a Specific Product
Like so many other trade names, Micarta® name is used like Kleenex is for facial tissue. Instead of calling it a “thermoset laminate” it is easier to call it Micarta®. This is true in the knife scales, handles and gun grip markets. We have similar issues with the Micarta® name in our other markets.
5 – Micarta® Goes Back to 1912
It was originally designed to be used as electrical insulation back in 1912 by George Westinghouse using a phenolic resin developed by Leo Baekeland called Bakelite.
