BLADE Staff

Each week, we’ll pick one member of Knife Showcase to be the Knifemaker/Knife Company of the Week. These members will be featured around the site. We encourage everyone to connect with these members.
To start things off, Emerson Knives is the Knife Showcase Knifemaker of the Week for Oct. 18. Although Emerson Knives is most known for its line of tactical blades, knife enthusiasts may be surprised by all the other products and services the company offers.

Click here to connect with Emerson Knives on its Knife Showcase page.

The latest BLADE®—the January 2011 issue—is on most newsstands as of today, and the knives and swords therein are among the best the industry has to offer.

In chronological order, the custom and factory makers with knives covered editorially in the issue include:

Joe Olson’s “It’s Only Rock And Roll” folder on the cover; Darrel Ralph; CAS Hanwei; Albion; Spyderco; Ontario; Dakota; and knifemaking equipment and supplies from Tormach, Wood Lab, Halpern Titanium, Knives Plus, Kayne and Son, Hawkins Knifemaking Supplies, Midwest Knifemakers Supply, Giraffe Bone, Burr King, Jantz, Bohler Uddeholm, Knife & Gun Finishing Supplies and Sheffield Knifemakers Supply.

Also: Dee Hedges; Benchmade; Meyerco; Gerber; Pro-Tech; Jeff Harkins; Terry Vandeventer; John White; Jim Batson; Harry Mathews; Jerry Fisk; Warren Thomas; Johnny Stout; Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Rudy Ruana; A.G. Russell Knives; a John LeBlanc belt grinder; EdgeCraft sharpener; Tom Ploppert; Les Voorhies; Leatherman Tool; Busse Combat Knife Co.; Mick Penfold; Wild Boar Blades; John Cohea sheathmaking DVD; and Surface Strike Management.

Also: Bill Ruple; David Sloan; Sean O’Hare; Jason Brous; David Brodziak; Tai Goo; Brian Tighe; Tom Overeynder; Todd Begg; Mike Williams; Yoshio Sakauchi; Kunihiko Tamatsu; RJ Martin; Steven Rapp; Columbia River Knife & Tool; Kershaw; Boker Plus; Jody Samson; Joe Szilaski; and Jack Levin.

There are also special reports, including a farewell tribute to Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bob Loveless, the rebirth of Old World swordplay, sweet deals on knifemaking supplies, cool factory autos, custom S-guard bowies, factory frame-lock folders, the legacy of Jody Samson, the first 25 years of BLADE now available on DVD, yet another knife used in the movie “The Expendables” and much more.

Anyone that likes knives, and can attend, needs to check out the Handmade Knife Show in Big Spring, TX at the Hog Heaven BBQ Party Barn on Oct.23!!!!
The show is being hosted by the Big Spring Knife Collectors Club….a $3 admission fee will be charged. Some of the knife makers having tables are: Weldon Whitley, Jim Barnes, Martin Knives, Dwayne Dushane, Tim&Harvey Hull, Bill Middlebrook, Loyd McConnell, J.B Moore, and many more well known knife makers. This is the first show hosted by the club, but they hope to make it an annual event. If you are within driving distance be sure and give them your support.

Congratulations to new Journeyman Smith Dee Hedges, Australia whose journey to obtaining an American Bladesmith Society JS stamp was detailed in an article titled “The Slipper Fits Just Fine” that was written by Master Smith Wally Hayes, Canada in the January 2011 issue of Blade magazine.

I also want to draw your attention to some other articles in the January 2011 issue of Blade Magazine about our ABS members. ABS Journeyman Smith Joe Olson, Montana has one of his knives featured on the cover of the magazine and is profiled in the article titled “Guitar Knives of Geyser”. In the article Joe notes assistance in his bladesmithing career from Master Smiths Rick Dunkerley, Shane Taylor, and Wade Colter.

In another feature article titled “S is for Style” about elegant knife design there are knife photos and/or quotes by or references to Master Smiths Jerry Fisk, Jim Batson, Terry Vandeventer, and John White.

In the “Knifemaker Showcase” there are knife photos and profiles for Apprentice Smith Bill Rupple, Texas and Journeyman Smith David Sloan, Nebraska. In the profile Bill Rupple gives credit for assistance in his knife making career development to ABS members Apprentice Smith Johnny Stout and Master Smith Harvey Dean.

October 5, 2010, OREGON CITY, Ore.-Benchmade Knife Company is pleased to announce their acquisition of Wilsonville, Ore.-based Lone Wolf Knives, Inc. The addition of Lone Wolf Knives to the Benchmade portfolio will allow the company to compete at the heart of the sports cutlery market with a purpose driven product line influenced by the outdoors.

“The acquisition of Lone Wolf Knives will be a great addition to the Benchmade family of brands,” says Les de Asis, Founder and CEO of Benchmade Knife Company. “Those familiar with Lone Wolf Knives appreciate the extremely strong connection the brand and product has with the outdoors.”

New Lone Wolf Knives product will be developed in the coming months and will be launched at the NSSF SHOT Show, January 18th-21st at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Over the past several years, Benchmade has been building a stable of quality brands. In addition to the flagship Benchmade Knife Company product, the company also has exclusive licensing agreements to design, manufacture and market Harley-Davidson® Knives and HK® Knives. Despite the recent turbulent economy, Benchmade has been able to post several years of consecutive double-digit growth and recently added 20,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space to their manufacturing headquarters in Oregon City, Ore.

“We’ve been blessed to have talented employees and loyal customers and dealers that have helped us grow despite the economy” said de Asis. “We are very excited about the opportunities that will emerge as a result of our acquisition of Lone Wolf Knives.”

Custom knife purveyor Bob Neal passed away last night, losing his fight to recover from a motorcycle accident he was involved in last month.

“I love him like a brother,” stated Les Robertson, Neal’s good friend and fellow knife purveyor. “For me, custom knives will never be the same.”

Based out of Atlanta, Neal had been a leading purveyor since 1983. He attended knife shows all over the USA, including the BLADE Show, where he and Robertson conducted seminars on what to look for in a custom knife and other topics. Neal also served as a custom knife judge on several occasions at the BLADE Show.

Neal was a leading authority on multi-blade knives and was used as a source by BLADE Magazine on a number of occasions for his expertise in that area.

In a conversation this reporter had with Robertson at last month’s Guild Show, Robertson talked about how much Neal loved knife shows, especially going from table to table in search of that “special” knife. Nobody seemed to enjoy knife shows quite like Bob, Les noted.

Funeral arrangements are pending.