Knife Rights Sharper Future™ Awards Presentations 2011.
BLADE Staff
FULL Video: Knife Rights Sharper Future Awards Breakfast at BLADE Show 2011
Sandy Froman, past president of the National Rifle Association and one of the nation’s foremost Second Amendment activists, was the keynote speaker at Knife Rights’ Second Annual Sharper Future™ Awards Breakfast held June 11th during BLADE Show in Atlanta, Georgia.
Knife Rights Award Breakfast 2011, Doug Ritter
Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter closed out Knife Rights’ Sharper Future™ Awards Breakfast with remarks on Knife Rights’ federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City and New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Sandy Froman, Knife Rights Award Breakfast 2011
Sandy Froman, past president of the National Rifle Association and one of the nation’s foremost Second Amendment activists, was the keynote speaker at Knife Rights’ Second Annual Sharper Future™ Awards Breakfast held June 11th during BLADE Show in Atlanta, Georgia.
Froman spoke on “How To Win a Knife Fight–Lessons Learned in the Crucible of the Second Amendment”
Sandy Froman was President of the National Rifle Association of America (“NRA”) from 2005-2007. She has been a member of the NRA Board of Directors since 1992 and was elected as vice president in 1998 under President Charlton Heston, serving as an officer of NRA for nine years. She has chaired six NRA committees, including the Legislative Policy, Grassroots Development and Ways and Means Committees. Upon finishing her second term as NRA President in 2007, Froman was unanimously elected for life to the NRA Executive Council by the NRA Board of Directors
2011 Knife of the Year Award Winners
The Blade Magazine 2011 Knife Of The Year® Awards recognized the industry’s finest factory knives and are as follows:
•Overall Knife Of The Year®: Zero Tolerance 0777;
•American Made Knife Of The Year®: Spyderco Native 5 Fluted Ti;
•Imported Knife Of The Year®: Spyderco Vallotton Subhilt:
•Most Innovative American Design: Microtech Select Fire;
•Most Innovative Imported Design: Fox Dobolock;
•Best Buy Of The Year®: Columbia River Knife & Tool Shenanigan;
•Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year®: William Henry Studio ST-4010;
•Manufacturing Quality Award: Chris Reeve Knives;
•Collaboration Of The Year®: Zero Tolerance and Rick Hinderer for the Model 0560;
•Kitchen Knife Of The Year®: Kershaw Shun Fuji;
•Accessory Of The Year®: Blade-Tech MOLLE Lok;
•Industry Achievement Award: Pete Cohan;
•Publisher’s Award: New Hampshire Rep. Jenn Coffey.
The BLADE Show custom knife awards are as follows:
•Best Knife Collaboration and Best Of Show: Dennis Friedly art knife engraved by Gil Rudolph;
•Best Miniature Knife: Yoshio Sakauchi;
•Best Fixed Blade: Rodrigo Sfreddo;
•Best Bowie: John White;
•Best Fighter: R.J. Martin;
•Most Innovative Design: Joe Caswell;
•Best Utility Hunter: Dan Farr;
•Best Sword: Vince Evans;
•Best Art Knife: Donald Vogt;
•Best Of The Rest: Mardi Meshejian;
•Best New Maker: Rod Watts;
•Best Handle Design: Vince Evans;
•Best Tactical Folder: Brian Fellhoelter;
•Best Damascus Knife: John White.
John White, NOT John Martin, Won BLADE Show Best Bowie
In my haste to get the winners of the 2011 BLADE Show custom knife competition on our Web site, I entered the wrong name for the winner of Best Bowie. The correct winner is ABS master smith John White, not John Martin. I inadvertently put John Martin instead of John White. The fact that RJ Martin won Best Fighter and was listed right after John White on the list in the story must’ve bumfuzzled me.
My apologies to John White, who has won many custom awards at the BLADE Show over the years and is one of the leading bladesmiths in our industry today. Sorry about that, John!
Oh–and the original story listing the winners has been amended to include John White.
Photo Highlights from the 2011 BLADE Show
Enjoy these pictures BLADE staff snapped at the 2011 BLADE Show.
Crowds line the entrance:
When the doors open, knife fans have fun on the show floor:
Many celebrities attended BLADE Show unannounced and unbilled. Not the Gunny, though. You’d recognize him anywhere:
Knife stars of the political world attended, too. Here’s New Hampshire Rep. Jenn Coffey, a champion of knife rights. Her knife preemption bill was signed into New Hampshire law just before BLADE Show:
Attendees also attended seminars and demonstrations:
Before you knew it, they were passing out Knife of the Year Awards:
Other great prizes were distributed, too. Patrick Burns won a free trip to the show, courtesy of KnifeBroker.com:
Sometimes, a professional photo of a knife is worth going to the show alone. Eric Eggley worked hard throughout the show:
The banquet was the centerpiece of the show. The movers and shakers of the knife industry spoke and were recognized for their achievements. For a complete list of winners, click here:
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