It’s a sad fact: the BLADE Show comes but once a year. There is, however, a way to enjoy this incredible event long after all the knife makers and collectors have broken camp.
Official BLADE Show knives are your opportunity to own and enjoy a piece of the “World’s Foremost Knife Show,” for years to come. Of course, if you can resist making these gems your everyday carry choice.
That is a conundrum, because the BLADE Show seeks out not only eye-catching designs from some of top makers around. But it also hunts out practical knives that can handle nearly anything its owner can dish out. These knives are the marriage of form and function.
And each one has a unique aspect to them. Not only is the show’s insignia roll marked across the blades or handle, but each is a special edition with limited runs and individually numbered. This makes each one exclusive to its owner, not to mention gives the knife the potential to accrue value as the years pass by.
Here’s a look at this year’s Official BLADE Show knives.
CRKT Outrage (Run of 300 for the BLADE SHOW)
Ken Onion perhaps summed up his latest creation for CRKT the best, defining it as “Somewhere between gentlemanly and tactical.” In short, the knife is a looker and a doer.
On the aesthetic end of the Outrage is its finely textured handle, which includes lateral cuts in the aluminum that mimics corduroy. The handle of the limited run of 300 knives also features ergonomic finger cuts, to give the user a better purchase on the Outrage, thus making it more responsive.
The blade is a modified drop point — Onion describes it as a semi skinner — with a big belly and a fine point for detail work. The 3.19-inch blade is made from 8C12MoV stainless steel, which hardness helps it take a precision edge. The Outrage features a deep-pocket clip and a locking liner. And the flipper has a smooth-as-silk action, facilitated by its IKBS ball bearing pivot system.
Chris Reeve Knives Inkosi (Run of 25 for the BLADE SHOW)
The Inkosi can be summed up in one word — overbuilt. Chris Reeve Knives has outdone themselves with this petite folder, outfitting it with a number of features not often found on a knife its size.
To start off, the Inkosi has a large pivot — a first for the company on one of its small knives — which makes the knife as solid as a rock when open. It also features oversized washers, which eliminates nearly all the play in the blade and increases its lateral strength. And finally, the knife has a ceramic ball end lock that virtually ensures the Inkosi stays open once the blade is deployed. The 2.8-inch blade has a hollow grind, a design choice that helps add life to the knife, given it more readily maintains its edge after repeated sharpenings.
Chris Reeve has taken the Inkosi’s resiliency to the next level with the handle and clip material, opting for lightweight and robust titanium. Uniquely, the BLADE Show logo and run number appear on the handle. And Chris Reeve has made the knife easy to manipulate, giving it a pronounced thumb stud. The Inkosi not only has the makings of a fine and functional knife, but it has looks to boot. Truly, this limited run of 25 knives for the BLADE Show is attractively Spartan.
Spartan Blades Phrike (Made upon order)
Named for the Greek goddess of horror, the Phrike has everything to send chills down a knife aficionado’s spine — in a good way. It is tactical, yet attractive and as an Official BLADE Show knife, exclusive.
Only available at ShopBlade.com, each one is made upon order at Spartan Blade’s North Carolina manufacturing facility. But there are some special features that come from buying the BLADE Show Phrike. It comes outfitted with a carbon-fiber handle only found on this special edition.
And, of course, it comes with the BLADE Show logo and serial number roll marked on the blade. The 4.25-inch blade itself is a swedged drop point, giving it a robust aft for heavy-duty jobs that winnows down to a fine tip for precision work. The Phrike comes with a nylon sheath and is completely made in America. And while it has the ability to tackle any job put under its edge, it is truly made to be a collector’s knife.
