Joe Kertzman

ABS master smith Kirk Rexroat made the Gillette (Wyoming) News Record over the summer, in a well-written newspaper feature describing his otherwise quiet Wright, Wyoming, neighborhood that has become accustomed to hearing his hammer hit the anvil on a typical afternoon. 

To excerpt a few paragraphs: 

The mechanical whacking could be a little unsettling if the neighbors didn’t know what it was, but it is just something that they expect to hear once in a while along the otherwise quiet street.

After a few more thumps, another pause, and a man wearing soiled leather gloves and mirrored sunglasses walked into the sunny yard next to the hut. His mountain man white beard gave way to a wide grin and a warm hello.

A forge roared behind him, heating steel that will be painstakingly massaged and ground into some of the highest quality knives in the world on the two 100-year-old trip hammers.

The 53-year-old man is Kirk Rexroat.

Just because he has reached the status of Master smith in the knife-making world doesn’t mean that Rexroat has stopped learning.

The mine welder and metal fabrication specialist has been shaping custom knives for about 30 years, but it isn’t a lack of innovation that has made him world renowned.

“He made his first knife with sandpaper in our living room out of an old truck leaf spring,” said Rexroat’s wife, Holly, while shooting him a glance. “Your knives have come a long way since then.”

To read the entire article, go to: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700146156/Wyo-knife-makers-craft-still-has-edge.html

Les de Asis of Benchmade was interviewed by Marketplace.org (http://marketplace.publicradio.org) for a feature article on small-to-mid-sized companies that have actually continued hiring through the economic recession.

For the full story, follow this link:  

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/09/08/pm-knife-maker-hires-amid-us-economic-woes/

Being sure that future generations have the ability to own and carry the knife of their choice is at the core of the American Knife & Tool Institute’s mission and efforts to influence and change knife laws.  But without instilling an appreciation for man’s oldest tool in younger people, it won’t matter how effective the organization is at eliminating restrictive knife laws.
 

To Share the Knife Heritage with more youth, AKTI and the Mule Deer Foundation have partnered. The AKTI will be distributing thousands of its revised youth safety pamphlets through the M.U.L.E.Y. Events to mentors, parents and youth. This is an exciting opportunity to reach a lot of young people about knife safety, use, and importance in their dailiy lives.
 

AKTI continues behind the scenes in New York State and several other states to lay the groundwork for successful changes to knife laws in the next legislative sessions. The chance to own a Buck 119 and support AKTI’s Legislative Fund ends today August 31st at 11:59 pm. Full details about this first AKTI online auction, the knife and photos are available at AKTI Monthly Auction. <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=pev5ilcab&amp;et=1107392177275&amp;s=1968&amp;e=001wqsrVn6J0OeIHiM8SuOjuz-69eRjq7fB0n5WgK8a2mCao9Wv3GjXwIM0o2QYO7ZDk_xL6Dx1FaLg0rsQpT_YA6bIbSuE0rXGc07reeDkRdwCXznUefvKug==>
 

Thanks to Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT) for the September AKTI online auction knife – a CRKT Onion Skinner LTD.  The 3-1/2″ blade is premium Bohler K110 stainless at 58-60 Rc., with a high hollow grind, a fine satin finish and a 3/4 tang.  Details and photo will be on the website <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=pev5ilcab&amp;et=1107392177275&amp;s=1968&amp;e=001wqsrVn6J0OeIHiM8SuOjuz-69eRjq7fB0n5WgK8a2mCao9Wv3GjXwIM0o2QYO7ZDk_xL6Dx1FaLg0rsQpT_YA6bIbSuE0rXGc07reeDkRdwCXznUefvKug==>  September 1st. Remember, your successful bid makes a contribution to the costs involved in working with lobbyists, legislators and law enforcement.

Under the Headline “The Knife Rack Goes High-End,” the New York Times ran a feature article in the June 14, 2011 edition about a new line of J.A. Henckels high-end, high-carbon-steel chef’s knives that are designed by Olympia, Washington, knifemaker and shop owner Bob Kramer.

According to the Times, hundreds of the knives, priced as high as $349.95 for a 10-inch chef’s knife, were purchased by cookware chain Sur la Table, and 20 percent of the inventory sold in 10 days. 

For more on Kramer, see his website: http://www.kramerknives.com/home.htm.

To read the New York Times feature, see: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/dining/the-knife-rack-goes-high-end.html?_r=1&ref=knives

Congratulations to New Hampshire Rep. Jenn Coffey who sponsored this bill and who worked tirelessly with her colleagues, local advocates and the Knife Rights Org. lobbyist to ensure the bill passed unanimously in both houses of the New Hampshire legislature. Rep. Coffey’s efforts enacted a strong preemption law that will protect knife owners from senseless local ordinances well into the future.

Rep. Coffey won Knife Rights’ Freedom’s Edge award last year for her successful effort to repeal New Hampshire’s prohibitions on switchblades, dirks, daggers and stilettos.  Knife Rights’ National Knife Law Preemption Campaign started successfully last year in Arizona. Earlier this year Utah enacted knife law preemption.

Preemption prevents the creation of, or eliminates, a patchwork of ordinances and rules that serve to confuse or entrap those traveling within or through the state. A person traveling in a state without preemption laws could be charged with a violation of local law when they have no intention of violating the law. Preemption ensures citizens only have to know and abide by state law. Preemption allows Knife Rights and the American Knife & Tool Institute to focus their legislative efforts at the state level where the organizations can more easily succeed in improving the legal environment for knife owners or opposing efforts to impose further restrictions on knives.

New Hampshire Rep. Jenn Coffey will be signing her new book, Knives, Lipstick and Liberty: One Woman’s Journey, at the Knife Rights BLADE Show Booth, #139,  Friday at 2:00 PM and Saturday at 10:00 AM. The BLADE Show runs Fri.-Sun., June 10-12. Jenn is a champion of knife freedom in New Hampshire and this inspiring book tells the story of how she became an EMT and then an activist lawmaker. Jenn’s knife rights Bill last year removed the bans on switchblades, dirks, daggers and stilettos in New Hampshire. This year, Jenn sponsored a Knife Rights-backed Knife Law Preemption Bill that is on the way to the Governor for signature.   

A portion of the proceeds from the book sales will support Camp Constitution, a program that works to ensure the next generation will protect and defend our Constitutional Rights by being educated about them. As Jenn reasons, “After all, if they don’t know what their rights are, how will they know when they have lost them?” 

Jenn will be sharing the lessons learned at the NH State House in her BLADE Show seminar “Got Liberty? How to Repeal Anti-Knife Laws” to be held on Saturday at 2:15 PM in Room 108.  If you’re not going to be at BLADE Show, you can purchase the book online at www.JennCoffey.com. 

The private equity company, Black Orchid Equity, LLC (a South Dakota company), has acquired the assets of Moteng and has plans to grow the company’s volume dramatically.  “We are thoroughly capitalized and in the process of doing three things – stocking up on inventory, selling at the most competitive prices allowable and becoming the largest knife distributor in the country,” says Blake Whitney Thompson, one of the new owners.  The new owners of the company, based in San Diego, plan to use Moteng as a platform to acquire other distribution companies in the industry and to fund/invest in certain manufacturers that they represent.  
 
Moteng has launched its new look at www.Moteng.com <http://www.Moteng.com>  and plans a major dealer/vendor show in the fall for all of its customers.