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Joe Kertzman

8 Amazing Additions To Any Knife Book Library

One thing that humble knifemakers find difficult to do at times is to express pride in their work. It’s the same thing with we knife editors and publishers. But when you look at these eight knife books that F&W Media has put out over the past few years, they’re not only impressive as a whole, but each individual title is clearly an example of quality work.

If you were interested in knifemaking and started with the two books Bladesmithing With Murray Carter and Knifemaking With Bob Loveless, you’d be well ahead of the game and your peers. Add in BLADE’s Guide To Making Knives, 2nd Edition, and suddenly you’re learning the craft from such knifemakers as Don Fogg, John Lewis Jensen, Tim Zowada, Allen Elishewitz, Vince Evans, Rick Dunkerley and Kevin Hoffman. Are you kidding me?! And how many of you have NOT heard of Wayne Goddard? His book The Wonder Of Knifemaking, 2nd Edition is a must-have for any knife book library.u1059_500px_72dpi_1 v0802 W1852 W5865 X3269 Z4387 Z7240 Z7241

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If custom or handmade knives are your thing, the 33rd Edition of the Knives annual book, Knives 2013, will blow you away with full-color photography, feature articles written by the world’s best knife writers and a complete directory of custom knifemakers. Another sweet, full-color, gorgeous coffee-table book is Spirit Of The Sword by Steve Shackleford. It takes you on a trip from historic to modern swords and back again.

For knife collectors, you can’t go wrong with a book devoted entirely to Case Knives, the most collected brand in the world. Check out Collecting Case Knives by long-time collector, expert, accumulator and investor in everything Case, Steve Pfeiffer. And if after all that, you’re ready to design your own knives, or just need inspiration from over 100 classic knife designs, be sure to put in your pre-order for the brand-new, soon to hit bookshelves and stores everywhere 101 Knife Designs by none other than Murray Carter.

Admittedly, that’s one impressive knife book lineup, and would make any knife enthusiast’s library complete!

History Channel Features Ka-Bar Knives

Ka-Bar Knives is set to star in the premier episode of the new History Channel series What People Earn. What better theme than “Beer, Knives & Football” for the initial episode of the show, and at 115 years old and going strong, is there a better fit than Ka-Bar for the show, starring alongside Samuel Adams, the famous brewer? It’s time to kick back, relax, grab a brew, and watch What People Earn while mindlessly, though carefully, opening and closing your Ka-Bar pocketknife.

A companion piece on the new show and KA-BAR Knives will run in the March 10 issue of Parade Magazine6112CU_HalfSize

What People Earn will air at 10 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 10 on History Channel 2.  History Channel 2 can be found on DirecTV channel 271. Dish Network subscribers can find the premier of What People Earn on channel 121.  For cable subscribers, please check your local listings. For additional information, please visit History.com.  To learn more about KA-BAR Knives, please visit KA-BAR.com or call 800-282-0130.

2013 ABS Hammer-In Season Begins!

The American Bladesmith Society (ABS) Hammer-In season for 2013 is about to begin with the Great Smoky Mountain hammer-in event in Clyde, North Carolina, on March 15-17. That’s followed in April by the Spring Piney Woods hammer-in at the Moran School Of Bladesmithing in Washington, Arkansas. The ABS Hammer-In Directors have some exceptional demonstrations and special events planned for 2013.48

The setting for the Great Smoky Mountain Hammer-In is Haywood Community College, and demonstrators include Adam and Haley DesRosiers, Greg Neely, Butch Sheely, Jason Knight, Scott McGhee and Shane Maust. Click here to download the event flyer.

 

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What Are The Hottest Custom Knives Today?

Identifying the hottest custom knifemakers’ hottest knives for you is something BLADE® takes pride in doing. And one of the best ways we have found of doing it is to tap the knowledge of those who must do it well because it is their livelihood—custom knife purveyors. So, in the April 2013 issue of BLADE (on newsstands as of Jan. 29), we tapped into that knowledge. CoverWhite01

CoverWhite02Here’s part of the story from the April 2013 issue:

At Knifeart.com in Little Rock, Arkansas, Larry Connelley has his eye on Maciej Szczerbiak and Crusader Forge. A custom knifemaker since 1996, Szczerbiak is based in St. George, Utah. “His FIFP [Fear Is For Prey] is an overbuilt tactical folder,” Connelley said, “and is stoutly made with a thick titanium handle and Integral lock. The blade is CPM S30V stainless and prices start at around $900.”

The purveyor indicated Brian Tighe is another favorite among Knifeart.com customers, and the Nirk Tighe, designed in collaboration with Glenn Klecker, features Klecker’s Nirk locking mechanism that allows the lockback to function as an integrated component of the handle. “These knives start at $525 with BG-42 steel blades and titanium handles, each of them 3-D machined,” Connelley observed. “Brian has several designs that involve collaborations, and each one of them is innovative. He can deliver them with precision.”

According to Connelley, the knife market is steady and recovering with the slow turnaround of a sluggish overall economy. To read the rest of the story, pick up the April 2013 issue of BLADE off the newsstand, or click here.

NEW BLADE Show Site Easy To Use/Navigate

The brand-new BLADE Show website makes learning about the show, buying tickets, seeing exhibitor and sponsor lists and getting updates on the seminars schedule easier than ever!

blade show.jpegAs most knife enthusiasts have already discovered, if you like seeing new knives first-hand, and buying, collecting, selling or just talking everything knife related, then the BLADE Show is the place to be. Nearly every major knife manufacturer worldwide exhibits at the show, and more than 600 custom knifemakers display their handmade pieces. The BLADE Show truly is the world’s largest knife show, and the ultimate knife show experience.

living readyRead news and information about the new Living Ready Expo held in conjunction with the BLADE Show. Be prepared. Relevant and timely, the Living Ready Expo is designed to educate those interested in preparing themselves and their families for all kinds of real-life survival scenarios. Get practical advice and tips on preparedness, debunk urban survival myths, learn from survivalist experts and network with other urban preppers. It is the best knife show and survival show, all for one ticket!

Knives A Bright Spot in American Economy

The American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) shared data during its annual SHOT Show meeting regarding the U.S. knife industry and the significant economic impact it has, including jobs creation and the nation’s economy. 178480_10151866287449119_1468026836_o

Acting as a representative of knife manufacturers, distributors and retailers, as well as U.S. knife users, AKTI president Bill Raczkowski of Gerber Legendary Blades said, “Every knife and tool manufacturing and import or distribution company is a valued contributor to jobs, taxes and the economic viability in its city, county, state and region.”

Citing 2010 data collected as part of a survey by the AKTI, Raczkowski said the sporting knife and tool industry has a $4.844 billion economic impact on the U.S. economy. And over 60 manufacturing, import and distribution companies generate more than $807.4 million in gross revenue. Such revenue, of course, as well as taxes and wages paid to employees, contributes dollars to help keep America’s economy in recovery mode.

According to Raczkowski and the AKTI, knife manufacturers, importers and distributors employ 3,566 U.S. workers who hold good, stable jobs in an economy where every job is important, and millions of people are trying to find work. The industry, the AKTI says, generates 17,830 support jobs in supplier and ancillary industries. “That’s enough people to populate the entire city of Hannibal, Missouri, and serve thousands of visitors each year to keep Mark Twain’s spirit alive,” said AKTI executive director Jan Billeb.

To read more, visit the Resources section of the AKTI website under Knife User Data.

 

 

Indiana Senate Passes Pro Knife Rights Bill

It’s unanimous! By a vote of 47-0, the Indiana Senate passed Senate Bill SB181, a Knife Rights-requested bill that would repeal Indiana’s outdated and unreasonable ban on the possession and sale of automatic knives.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jud McMillin and cosponsored by Reps. Sean Eberhart and Jim Baird, now moves to the House. Kudos to Senate sponsor Sen. Jim Tomes and co-authors Senators Taylor, Arnold, Steele, Nugent, Randolph and Hume for their winning efforts in passing SB181 in the Senate.

If you work, live or travel in Indiana, contact your Representative and ask them to support SB181. Click here to locate your Representative, or one who represents where you work or travel.

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