From Pie-in-the-Sky Ideas to Likely Gear Trends: Steve Shackleford’s Annual Look Ahead.
Christmas and New Year’s are nigh, so it’s time for my holiday wishes and hoped-for predictions for 2026. Some are pie-in-the-sky, but what the heck—make mine pecan.
You teach a young person how to use a knife proficiently, safely and responsibly;
Every time a Hallmark Christmas movie comes on the power goes out;
The Federal Switchblade Act is overturned;
Every time Jingle Bells by The Singing Dogs plays the power won’t go out;
The U.S. states—28 at press time—that still have automatic knife bans repeal them;
It’s a white Christmas;
If you’ve never been to a BLADE Show, you get to attend the 45th annual rendition June 5-7 in Atlanta;
All Christmas cookies taste exactly like the best homemade chocolate chip cookie Mom ever made;
You buy a seatbelt cutter with a window breaker and place it in your car or truck for the quickest, easiest access in an emergency;
A law passes mandating that all members of Congress go without pay, on-time plane flights, etc., during government shutdowns just like every other applicable person must;
You always remember to carry a knife;
A law passes mandating that members of Congress cannot play the stock market, and that their family members, friends, proxies, etc., who do play it have their stock profits capped at the national consumer average;
Everyone learns how to properly use and sharpen a knife;
You discover an uncut, commercial-free version of your favorite Christmas movie and get the maximum enjoyment out of watching it;
Twenty-twenty-six is the hottest year on record for custom and factory knife sales;
A law passes mandating that before running for office, all candidates must score 90 or better on a test gauging their knowledge of the Constitution;
You finally get to meet and shake the hand of a knifemaker you’ve always wanted to but never met before;
Vladimir Putin gets run over by a reindeer;
The TSA allows Swiss Army knives on plane flights;
If it’s all you want, you get those two front teeth;
For knifemaking beginners, you make a knife that attracts buyers and sells for a value-appropriate price;
A law passes mandating that you must have lived at least 21 years in the USA before you can run for elected office;
You don’t put your or anyone else’s eye out with a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun;
You find and buy your grail knife;
The 190th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo (March 6) is celebrated in grand style;
The American Bladesmith Society’s 50th anniversary in 2026 is a most rewarding one for all involved;
The observance of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 in New York City in September goes off most appropriately and without suppression/oppression from the city’s mayor;
The 250th birthday of the USA is the most rousing and satisfying of all time for all Americans, and;
Last but not least, you have the merriest Christmas and happiest New Year ever!
BLADE Show West ’25 leaves them smiling in Salt Lake City.
What a difference a year makes—and most involved with BLADE Show West October 10-11 in the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City probably would be the first to agree.
While BLADE Show West ’24 didn’t exactly bomb, neither was it one of the best. Among the reasons for what some fairly or unfairly portrayed as an average event was the uncertainty surrounding the presidential election and how it would affect consumer spending, and the proximity of the show dates to the beginning of hunting season, among others. Whatever the excuses last year, no excuses were needed for the ’25 show as it met with approval from a large segment of exhibitors.
One of those exhibitors was BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame member Bill Ruple. He was very pleased—and not just because he won Best Slipjoint in the custom judging.
“I thought the show was really good!” he exclaimed. “Attendance seemed a little higher than last year, but I think sales were much higher. I took six knives and sold them all on Friday. All the [South Texas] Slipjoint Cartel guys sold out.”
BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Bill Ruple won Best Slipjoint for his five-blade stockman (see page 60). Bill’s winning knife sits atop one of the trophies made especially for the show by Princeton Wong.
Counting Bill, those included Tanner Couch, Toby Hill and Luke Swenson.
Though there were the usual number of exceptions, exhibitor sales seemed up almost across the board, both custom and factory.
“It was a really good show for us with increased sales,” Jonathan McNees noted of his McNees Knives production knife company. “We brought about 100 knives and sold about 25 to 30 percent to customers and the rest to dealers.”
Custom maker Jared Oeser brought 11 knives and sold them all.
Lots of folks handled lots of knives at the TOPS Knives booth.
“I had a mix of FCFS [first come, first served], lotto and auction knives,” he observed. “I was busy pretty much the whole time. I judge it based on whether I can get away from my table, and I never had a chance to leave.”
It was the first-ever BLADE Show West in Salt Lake City for Cutlery Hall-of-Famers Daniel Winkler and Karen Shook, and they sold every production knife they brought.
“About half to individuals and half to dealers. We were well stocked,” Daniel wrote. “There were good sales and traffic. It seemed to be more of a user clientele than the collectors at the BLADE Show, which is good for us. Our focus is users rather than collectors.”
Maker Princeton Wong—who made the cool custom and factory award trophies for the judging competition winners—brought 12 knives and sold out. John Cammenga of White River Knife & Tool also sold out—about 90 percent to attendees and 10 percent to dealers. Maker Frank Edwards brought six knives and sold four. ABS Master Smith Shane Taylor brought six and sold only one, but was happy because it was the most expensive of the six. Zach Thull of Dauntless Manufacturing said his company sold about 30 knives and Eddie Johnson of CobraTec enjoyed another banner sales show.
Old friends Mick Strider of Strider Knives (left) and BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame member Paul Bos (right) got caught up at the show.
“We always bring an overabundance of knives to the BLADE Shows, trying to ensure the customer’s experience is satisfying,” Johnson observed. “We sold 30 percent more knives this year over last year.”
As for customer experiences, Eddie’s favorite show moment consisted of a most satisfying one.
“[It was] when the son came to the table several times with his dad,” Eddie related. “The son was enamored with a particular model that was a little more expensive than our others. His mother was being ‘Mrs. No.’ After the father and son touched every knife we had displayed, dad looked at son and told him to go ahead. The genuine joy and appreciation were evident in the son’s facial expression and body language. Then hearing, ‘Thank you, I love you, Dad,’ was the best experience I had and witnessed.”
Fast Start
The show got off to a fast start Friday, no doubt sparked by many who thought the best knives might go quick—which in a number of cases they did. While opinions varied on which day and time were busiest, most seemed to think attendance was up markedly over last year.
Knife accessories moved fast.
“It was way better than last year for sure,” Edwards noted. “It seemed like from opening till 3 p.m. both days were pretty busy.”
McNees indicated his booth had the most sales on Friday morning, but probably more traffic on Saturday morning. According to Ruple, attendance was about the same on both days. Taylor stated that while traffic was impressive and has been every year at BLADE Show West in Salt Lake City, Friday morning to mid-day was the busiest. Wong remarked that the opening times, the initial rush from early bird and general admission, were most hectic for him.
“Friday appeared to carry more steady foot traffic,” he stated, “with more people stopping by the table than Saturday.” Johnson indicated the inclement weather may have affected the crowd a little on Saturday, though overall attendance was definitely better than the previous year.
“For us, Friday was the busiest, fairly steady beginning an hour after the show opened until the later afternoon. Saturday had small flurries of activity followed by slow times. It seemed like a better Friday than last year and a slower Saturday than last year,” Cammenga assessed. “We definitely saw more return customers than in the last few years. We assume that’s from being in the same place a few years in a row.”
ABS Master Smith James Rodebaugh puts the finishing touches on a rough-forged hidden-tang knife at the indoor forge of Lonnie Jensen’s Mountain Shadow Forge.
“The show seemed like the busiest of the Salt Lake shows,” Oeser commented. “There were surprisingly a lot of locals coming through on Saturday and the line outside was down the street.”
When asked to rank the attendance on a 1-to-10 scale, with 10 the busiest, Jared qualified his answer.
“Of my limited time at shows the attendance at this one was about a 6, but I feel like shows and the knife market right now are not high,” he opined. “For current show standards I would adjust it to an 8 or 9.”
All the exhibitors but one quoted for the story said they would be back next year, which may be the best sign of a successful show of all.
Only Time?
Frank Edwards displayed his heavily engraved damascus automatic dagger.
Enthusiasts came, they saw knives, they talked knives and, perhaps most important of all, spent time catching up and talking with each other at an event that may be the only time they see each other all year. But then that’s the way it is with a lot of knife shows, including the year’s last event in the BLADE Show triad of shows—BLADE Show West. Speaking of, plan now to attend next year’s sharp gala, Oct. 9-10, once again at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake.
Honor 250 years of Marine Corps history! Discover the legendary KA-BAR/MK2 fighting knife and new anniversary blades from makers like Medford and Defiant 7.
The day before Veterans Day, November 10 is the 250th anniversary of some of the most storied combat fighters in world history—the United States Marines.
The Marines have a special aura that almost transcends their many exploits. And when it comes to American military exploits, the Battle of Iwo Jima is in the top two or three all time. The raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi is America personified, and the United States Marine Corps War Memorial across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., celebrating the event is about the most awesome monument anywhere.
As for those in the knifemaking community, Marine veterans are well-represented and include two BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® members, Don Fogg and Joe Keeslar. Other Marine vets who make knives are Tim Britton; Matt Chase; Allen Elishewitz; Doug Esposito; Les George; Brad Jennings; Tim Kell; Jonathan McNees; Greg Medford; Jeff Moore; ABS Master Smith James Rodebaugh; Kevin Stack; and Connor Toor. There are no doubt many more, both present and past.
Then there’s the iconic Marine knife, variously known as the Mark 2/MK2, USMC fighting/utility, the Model 1219 or simply the generic kabar. Associated by many with having been made by KA-BAR Knives, the knife also was made by a number of other companies during World War II, including Camillus, Case, Colonial, Ontario, Pal, Queen, Robeson, etc., and is made by several of the foregoing that remain active today, as well as others. The 200th KA-BAR commemorative of the knife graced the cover of the November-December 1975 issue of The American Blade 50 years go in what may be the best BLADE® cover ever.
As for blades observing the 2025 anniversary, the 250th USMC Trench Knife by Medford Knife & Tool is available now. KA-BAR is making a dress sword in a limited edition of 250 pieces that at press time was slated to be out in early October. At Defiant 7, Allen Elishewitz and Les George are “reworking” the USMC MK2 in what will be called the M320. Among other features, it will include a 3V carbon steel blade and a stacked handle construction not unlike the original MK2 grip but in a polymer material and a more ergonomic shape. Ontario was reportedly working on a new kabar-inspired piece at press time, too.
Look for these and other anniversary-focused knives in future issues of BLADE. Choose one or more of them if you want a blade inspired by our incomparable Marines.
To America-loving Marines everywhere, Semper Fi! And to all U.S. military vets, Happy Veterans Day!
From UG-Tools’ snack-fueled award sweep to Rick Dunkerley’s full-circle Hall of Fame moment, this year’s show didn’t disappoint.
Each BLADE Show has more than its share of entertaining adventures, and the 2025 version was no exception. Two of the more memorable happenings from this year’s event were as follows:
UG Tools Tiny & Twinkies®
1: UG-Tools won both Imported Fixed Blade and Overall Knife Of The Year® for the TiNy Drop Point. Among the more notable features of the award winner is its light weight and the ability to be used for heavy-duty jobs and a variety of different applications, including hunting, fishing, hiking, law enforcement and EDC.
It was the knife’s lightweight/heavy-duty nature the UG folks chose to highlight at the show, doing so by putting the knife in the hands of patrons visiting the company’s booth.
“You could literally see their brains working to figure out why it was so darn light,” UG’s Jan Gierse wrote of the patrons’ reactions and the TiNy. The UG team would then take the knife and baton it through an 8×8 post, the sounds of hammering echoing through the exhibit hall.
Also known as Fixed Knives International and with the UG standing for (Philipp) Utsch and (Jan) Gierse, the German-based company began operations in 2020. BLADE Show ’25 was its first “trade fair” as an exhibitor and the firm’s brain trust had been contemplating how to best convey the low weight of their knives. The solution: say the knife is lighter than two Twinkies® and give away the famed Hostess snack cakes in large quantities to booth visitors. The idea went down well with young and old show-goers alike, and UG quickly became referred to as “the Twinkie guys,” even partaking of a few of the cream-filled treats themselves.
“The sugar was driving our brains to peak performance,” Jan wrote, “[and] we came up with an idea: If we won an award, [one of us would have] to get a tattoo of a Twinkie or a knife. Since we won the Overall award, each of us will get a tattoo. What it will be remains to be seen.”
Jan added that the results can probably be seen at next year’s show.
Rick Dunkerley’s Wild Ride to the Top
At the 1996 BLADE Show, Rick Dunkerley commanded notice for more than just his handforged folders. Late one night after the show he and fellow bladesmith Barry Gallagher mooned The Pit, the beloved sunken lounge in the lobby of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, from one of the hotel’s see-through glass elevators. As Rick stepped to the podium to be formally inducted into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® the Saturday morning of this year’s show, he began his comments by referring to the now-legendary “elevator exposé.”
“So it was 29 years ago that I was in the elevator and mooned The Pit,” he said to a round of laughter from the induction ceremony audience, “so my advice is that if you want to get into the Hall of Fame, don’t get in the elevator and moon The Pit. I got home from that episode and an ABS master smith called and told me they were going to kick me out of the ABS, and I said, well, if they’re going to kick me out of the ABS for that I don’t want to be in the ABS. But I passed my master smith test the next year, so I guess they didn’t hold it against me. My career has skyrocketed since,” he summarized to even more laughs.
Meanwhile, the induction ceremony was this writer’s first in my new role as Cutlery Hall-of-Fame chairman. In one of my first unofficial acts as chairman, I informed Rick and the audience that while the Cutlery Hall-of-Fame had a “little-known rule” banning anyone from membership if he or she mooned The Pit, the statute of limitations on the rule is—wait for it—28 years, and in his instance had run out. My lame joke aside, on behalf of BLADE®, the BLADE Show and the Hall of Fame, it’s my honor to help welcome Rick and the rest of his fellow inductees to the Hall.
Get a look at everything that went down at the world’s largest knife show.
The 44th Annual BLADE Show in Atlanta was yet another in a historic line of three-day edge-stravaganzas of the present, past and future of an international knife industry that seems to advance daily by leaps and bounds.
The latest and best knives, knifemakers and related accessories the planet has to offer, the pioneers that laid the groundwork for what the knife community is today, the new, up-and-coming knifemakers and knife companies that hold such great promise for tomorrow, and so much more all showed their sharpest stuff June 6-8 in the Cobb Galleria Centre.
Jason Yount displays his damascus pizza cutter under the watchful eye of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Steve Schwarzer. Steve called it the best BLADE Show in a few years.
It was about what you would expect from the world’s largest, most important international knife event.
BLADE University provided a full slate of topics, including knife and sheath making, how to sharpen, fundamentals of blade grinding, how to etch damascus and many more. BladeSports International conducted the annual BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competition and Blade HQ held Balicomp 2025.
Custom knifemakers and bladesmiths from around the globe displayed their wares, including members of the American Bladesmith Society, Knifemakers’ Guild and unaffiliated makers from everywhere. Meanwhile, various knife collector groups, knife rights organizations and other outfits met and discussed their favorite topic as only they can each year during the BLADE Show.
Through it all, knife enthusiasts of all stripes renewed old acquaintances, made new ones, and otherwise immersed themselves in the world’s keenest three-day weekend, capped off each night with food and beverages in The Pit, the legendary sunken lobby lounge of the host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly.
It was knife heaven on steroids.
BLADE Show Sales
The BLADE Show has always been unlike any other knife event and this year’s rendition was no exception. Attendance ebbed and flowed Friday and Saturday, and Sunday was its usual slow-to-middling self. While some exhibitors raved about the attendance and sales, some said both seemed off from last year.
Jordan Berthelot discusses next-level damascus etching while Greyson Weltyk shows a student a result of the process during one of many BLADE University classes.
One reason for the differences in observations may have to do with the sheer size of the show hall as opposed to the smaller size of the adjoining Baller Room. The show hall is so large that waves of attendees seemed to gravitate like flocks of birds from one side to the other, constantly in search of the latest, coolest knives. As a result, one area that was flooded with patrons for a while might be somewhat devoid of them minutes later. By contrast, the smaller Baller Room seemed to have fairly steady traffic throughout.
Another factor has to do with the exhibitors themselves. As with any business, those who are constantly on the go, looking to make deals or offering giveaways are usually the ones who experience the most success. Smiling faces and engaging, upbeat demeanors sell knives. Those who stand or, worse yet, sit behind their tables with their arms folded waiting for something to happen usually have a long if not endless wait.
Custom knife purveyor Michael Donato was constantly on the move, talking and probing for those who wanted to buy and/or sell knives. He said his company, KnifePurveyor.com, had its best show ever in 24 years of BLADE Shows.
John Horrigan’s 16.5-inch Kings Dagger features Gorgon flower damascus, petersite, a red agate, and 24k-gold engraving with a ruby, diamond, sapphire and emerald inset in the crown. John’s price for a similar knife: $14,500. (Jocelyn Frasier image)
“Many of my colleagues shared with me how well they had done at the show as well,” he noted.
Matt Bando of Demko Knives was stoked about Demko’s performance.
“We brought the largest number of knives we have ever brought to a show and sold out faster than any other,” he noted. “All of our USA models were sold by 2 p.m. Friday. There seemed to be a lot of people at the show and every year it seems to grow.”
Demko is one of those exhibitors who employs giveaways to drive sales and create enthusiasm.
“We had a large turnout for our giveaway on Saturday. We gave away five different packages. For the main giveaway, we gave a USA-made titanium AD20 in 3V. A young man entered his younger brother into the raffle and ended up winning his first Demko knife. Great story. “We were blown away and pumped.”
Two blade enthusiasts try out/talk knives at the McNees Knives booth.
Custom knifemaker Rhidian Gatrill not only won for Best Miniature in the custom knife judging competition but, along with Jeremy Yelle, also captured Best Collaboration. “Rhid” exhibited 13 knives, two of which were miniatures, and sold all but one.
“Most sold within the first few hours on Friday but the others sold slowly through Saturday and my minis within the last hours of the show Sunday,” he wrote. Still, he said he thought the buying was slower than last year, which was his first year exhibiting at the BLADE Show.
Vince Evans specializes in high-end historical swords and knives. He brought four swords and sold two, both on Friday.
“Most of my clientele are interested in historical pieces,” he stated. “Swords are a more limited field as some collectors don’t have the room to collect and/or display larger pieces.” Vince indicated the show seemed slower than last year and that a few regular local attendees did not come. “Friday and Saturday seemed fairly busy,” he wrote, adding that on a scale of 1 to 10, Friday and Saturday were “about a 7” and Sunday “about a 2.”
The VK-Zame—aka Shark—in M398 stainless steel and titanium was among the knives Poikilo Blade debuted at the BLADE Show. MSRP: $580-$600. Available to the public: August/September. (Poikilo Blade image)
Gregarious Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Steve Schwarzer was pleased. “I had a great show, sold most of my carved pieces and took several orders,” he commented. “It was the best show in a few years. It was very busy.”
As usual, the South Texas Slipjoint Cartel boys all seemed to do well, including sellouts by Tanner Couch and Toby Hill, the latter who sold all 11 of the knives he displayed. Bobby House only brought three knives but sold them all by early Friday afternoon. He indicated his most-sought-after knife was a high-end Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Bill-Ruple-design Ax Handle with wasp nest damascus bolsters and shield that went for $2,800 to a French buyer. The other two buyers were Americans, the latter being Arizona Custom Knives.
The Baller Room buzzed all three days.
“I thought attendance was up on Friday and Saturday,” he wrote, giving Friday a 7 rating. “Friday attendance was the people wanting to buy custom knives. They are there to get the first shot at our custom builds. Saturday attendance is more for entertainment purposes. They want to look and see all types of knives, but they have funds to buy also.”
He gave the Saturday attendance an 8, concluding, “Overall, it was one of the best shows that I have been involved in. Great job by the BLADE Show crew!”
BLADE Show Treasures
A highlight of all BLADE Shows is you never know what unusual old knife or sword, new knife introduction, mechanism or material, or other notable hidden treasure may turn up.
“I always enjoy seeing what the antique dealers bring to the show,” Evans wrote. “I purchased an antique quillon dagger for research and a future replication project.”
It’s easy to get mesmerized by knives at the BLADE Show, here at the table of Alex Hossom (left).
An antique also caught the eye of knifemaker David Kramp, who sold 10 of 12 knives and won Best New Maker in the custom knife judging.
“There was a French knife from the 1830s that was very intriguing,” he wrote. “I’m very much looking forward to that potential build with a fellow maker.”
Winner of Best Damascus in the custom knife judging, Gabe Fletcher came across a product that piqued his interest. “The Gator Skin Blade Coating from Baker Forge seems very interesting,” he wrote. “I picked some up to try on my damascus.”
Both Kramp and knifemaker Jared Oeser were gobsmacked by Gatrill’s lockback whittler automatic that won Best Collaboration in the show’s custom knife judging competition.
Conducted by Blade HQ, Balicomp 2025 drew a packed house on show Saturday.
“I’m not ready to make something like it yet but that auto slipjoint was impressive,” Kramp observed. Oeser, who brought 14 knives and sold out by Saturday afternoon, chimed in, “One thing that stood out to me was Rhidian’s automatic lockback whittler. I’m gonna have to try [making one like] that.”
Next Up: BLADE Show West
It was indeed another BLADE Show for the ages. Speaking of which, next year’s show will return to the Cobb Galleria June 5-7. For more information, visit bladeshow.com. Meanwhile, it’s not too late to make plans to attend BLADE Show West Oct. 10-11 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah (bladeshowwest.com). See you there!
Living and past greats highlight huge roster of inductees.
The BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame® enjoyed its most prolific induction ceremony ever when it welcomed eight new members during BLADE Show 2025.
The total includes four living inductees—Harvey Dean, Rick Dunkerley and Daniel Winkler and Karen Shook—and four deceased ones: Stanley Fujisaka, Dr. James R. Lucie, Alfred Pendray and Jim Schmidt.
Induction speeches were provided by an array of Cutlery Hall of Famers—newly minted inductee Rick Dunkerley, Ken Onion and Steve Schwarzer; friends of three of the inductees, military veteran Kevin Holland and Josh Smith, founder of Montana Knife Co.; and Stephanie Lucie, daughter of inductee Jim Lucie.
Emotions understandably ran high, as did more than a few tears. It was a ceremony to remember.
Jim Schmidt
Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Steve Schwarzer enjoyed the honor of inducting two of his mentors: Jim Schmidt and Alfred Pendray.
As wrote Dellana, one of Jim Schmidt’s stellar students that also included Barry Davis, Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Steve Schwarzer, Larry Fuegen and more, Jim was “larger than life, truly a giant among men.” Added Schwarzer, Schmidt’s inductor, “Jim was like the father of filework. All of that filework in the business came out of him.” Schmidt made the first goblin folders, a unique style his students such as Dellana, Schwarzer, Fuegen and others emulated. “He was always willing to teach,” Schwarzer said. “His generosity with his time and knowledge was legendary … He was there at the rise of modern custom knifemaking and is one of the reasons the movement has risen to the heights that it has … He brought tool-and-die work to knifemaking and was an incredible artist.”
In the 1970s, along with Jimmy Fikes and Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Don Fogg, Jim was instrumental in forming the New England Bladesmith Society and organizing the Ashokan Bladesmithing Seminar. He was one of the earliest ABS members and ABS master smiths, a member of the ABS Hall of Fame, a constant member of the Art Knife Invitational (AKI), winner of the Knifemakers’ Guild’s Red Watson Award and the Beretta Award for Outstanding Achievement, and more. He was the ultimate teacher, his profession for most of his life. An outstanding book on Schmidt is James Schmidt: The Great Master, by Mike Haskew. As the book noted, Jim “welcomed those who were earnestly interested in improving their bladesmithing and knifemaking skills into his shop … and shared with them the light of precious knowledge that he realized should be readily and freely given rather than hidden.”
Alfred Pendray
“Alfred Pendray was a legend in the forging business,” Schwarzer began. “He was the pioneer in wootz research. I worked alongside him and 99 percent of the rediscovery of that material was by Alfred Pendray. Once he got his mind set on something he wouldn’t quit; he did it scientifically and that legacy will live on for a long time. He was just good to people—he was really good to people.”
Pendray taught and influenced many bladesmiths. “I learned so much from him,” noted Charley Ochs, “not only about knives and metallurgy, but also about life and social interaction as a person.” Alfred is co-author—along with Dr. John Verhoeven, former metallurgical engineering professor at Iowa State University—of articles in eight scientific journals, four bladesmith publications and BLADE® on the nature of “genuine damascus,” or wootz steel. Pendray holds patent number 5,185,044 on a “method of making damascus blades.”
He joined the Guild in 1982 and became an ABS master smith in 1983. He spoke at the Symposium on Damascus Steel at New York University in 1984, the International Conference on Damascus Steel in Germany in 1985, and at the same conference and the Imperial College in London, England, in 1992. He won the ABS Bill Moran Knife of The Year in 1991 and was elected to the Guild board of directors in 1992. He received the ABS W.W. Scagel Award in 1998 and is a past recipient of the Guild’s Red Watson Award. He served as Guild president from 1998-2004 and is a member of the ABS Hall of Fame.
Rick Dunkerley
Teacher Rick Dunkerley (left) was inducted by one of his prize pupils, Josh Smith (right).
Rick Dunkerley made his first knife in 1983 and started forging in 1992. He founded the Montana Knifemakers Association in 1993, organizing the state’s first modern custom knife show. He became an ABS journeyman smith and hosted his first hammer-in in 1995 and became an ABS master smith in 1997. He’s taught bladesmithing internationally, in the process earning the Maestro Rating by the Italian Knifemakers Guild in 2006. In 2015 he was inducted into the AKI and later served on the AKI advisory panel. He’s served on the ABS board of directors for nine years and was just re-elected for another term.
According to Rick’s inductor/former student, Josh Smith, founder of Montana Knife Co., “What makes Rick special is his relentless desire to give back and teach … He hosted hammer-ins featuring instructors like Al Dippold, Hank Knickmeier, Rob Hudson, [Cutlery Hall-of-Famers] Wayne Goddard and Don Fogg and other greats. It was through these hammer-ins that the Montana Mafia was born. With Rick as the ringleader, this group went on to shape the landscape in bladesmithing and damascus to this day. It’s because of Rick and others in this era [including Shane Taylor, Wade Colter and more] that pattern-welded steel and the patterns to create it took giant leaps into the future … There’s no doubt the incredible makers we have today are standing on the shoulders of these giants.” Added an emotional Josh, who started learning how to forge under Rick’s tutelage at 11, “That was 33 years ago and I’ve been able to be in this community and build what I’ve built all because he let a kid into his shop. I love him for that.”
Stanley Fujisaka
Stanley Fujisaka made beautiful linerlock folders and fixed blades and was a beloved mentor to Hawaiian and other makers, including Scott Matsuoka, Les George, Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Ken Onion and many more. Fujisaka played a key role in encouraging Onion to patent his SpeedSafe assisted-opening mechanism, a mechanism that resurrected Kershaw and revolutionized folding knives. However, in his speech inducting Stanley, Onion said it was the “little” things that set the new inductee apart.
“Stan didn’t invent a new category of knives, he didn’t have some crazy invention. What he had was admiration and respect and love for every one of you guys in this room,” Ken noted. “Every time I went to a show I’d come back to his shop and he’d tell me these stories of Schwarzer, of Ruple, of everybody, and they were legends to me, and he was a really great orator about that, a really great story teller, which is really why I got enough courage to come to a [knife] show. You guys were all magical to him.
Stan was one of those guys if you bought a knife from him he would write down your name, your wife’s name, your kid’s name, where you lived, your address, everything, and he would send you coffee, Hawaiian candies, a handwritten card thanking you. He would struggle to look through his book if he saw you walking toward his table so he wouldn’t forget your name. He was the truest form of gentleman, and I think that’s more of what I learned from him. It was not just knifemaking, it was how to … respect everybody, how to conduct myself in an honorable way, and nobody did that better than Stan.”
Dr. James R. Lucie
Stephanie Lucie inducted her father, Dr. Jim Lucie, with family and friends as special guests. From left: the inductee’s nephew, Chris Lucie; ABS master smith Kevin Cashen; and the inductee’s daughters, Robin Lucie, Stephanie Lucie and Pam Lafrance.
Dr. James R. “Jim” Lucie was the personal physician of Cutlery Hall-of-Famer William Scagel and signed Scagel’s death certificate in 1963. In her speech inducting her father, Stephanie Lucie said Jim researched Scagel’s life and collected his work for over 30 years, culminating in Dr. Lucie’s seminal book, Scagel Handmade. After retiring from medicine at 65, Jim dedicated his life to making Scagel reproductions. “He recreated Bill’s designs as closely as possible—unless he saw a way to improve them,” Stephanie said. “Ever the physician, he even X-rayed Bill’s knives so he could ‘see what the old boy was up to,’ as he liked to say … His goal was to become an ABS journeyman smith, which he achieved at the age of 71.”
A highlight of his career was making a knife for Willie Nelson and presenting it to him after a concert. It was featured on the cover of BLADE®. In 2001, the ABS created the Dr. Jim Lucie Award, making Jim its first recipient. He hosted a hammer-in at his house that over 500 people attended, and he freely shared Scagel’s techniques at many bladesmithing events. “He helped many beginning knifemakers, just as others had helped him,” Stephanie said. “When it came time to move from Michigan to Texas, instead of selling his knifemaking equipment, he donated much of it to the ABS—enough for each U.S. ABS school.”
In a speech Jim said, “Nowhere does there exist a finer or more helpful cadre of people than the knifemakers and bladesmiths of today. I have not yet found anyone [among them] who was not ready and willing to help impart knowledge or answer questions. I have always believed that we must give something to the society from which we took, and these people are doing it in grand style.”
Daniel Winkler And Karen Shook
From left, Karen Shook and Daniel Winkler accept their plaque after Kevin Holland (right) delivered their induction speech.
In the late 1980s, Daniel Winkler started handforging period-correct frontier knives and Karen Shook made period-correct sheaths to match. In 1992 the showcasing of Daniel’s period pieces in the hit movie Last of the Mohicans made the pair custom knife stars. The film captured the attention of Kevin Holland, who would go on to serve in both the Naval Special Warfare Development Group/aka SEALs and Army Special Missions Unit. He asked Winkler to make a hatchet for him in 1993, and Daniel complied with a model Kevin carried for the balance of his Navy hitch.
After his discharge and still with hatchet, Kevin was working as a North Carolina game warden when 9/11 happened. He joined the National Guard and worked his way into the Army Special Missions Unit. One day his team leader espied the Winkler hatchet on Kevin’s belt and asked if he could get more. Kevin contacted Daniel, who subsequently filled an order for 15 or so. Then Kevin’s old SEAL unit saw the hatchets and Daniel made them some, too. It wasn’t long before Daniel and Karen had reached a crossroads—make period pieces for collectors, or hatchets and knives for special ops warriors. They eventually agreed that making tools for our nation’s warriors was far more important than anything else they could do.
As Kevin noted in his speech inducting the new Hall-of-Famers, “… they had a higher call … making tools that meant life or death to men in combat. They saw how important that was. They put these tools in the hands of our military and law enforcement, who carry them all over the world now.” Added Daniel, “We’ve been very fortunate to be a part of it, and I couldn’t have done it without Karen.”
Harvey Dean
Harvey Dean enjoys the moment.
As inductor Rick Dunkerley outlined, Harvey Dean made his first knife in 1979—the same year Harvey and Deborah were married. “Harvey said this is the kind of wife I have. She let me sand that first knife on the kitchen table. Harvey has a good backup system there,” Rick smiled. Harvey started making knives full time in 1992 and became the 42nd ABS master smith the same year. He joined the ABS board of directors in 2004, was voted into the AKI in 2007 and served as chairman of the ABS from 2015 to 2019, and continues to serve on the board today. He was inducted into the ABS Hall of Fame in 2016.
Harvey’s taught an impressive number of students all over the USA, including conducting two hammer-ins a year with Johnny Stout for 25 years. “The amount of teaching going on there was pretty incredible,” Rick observed. “Harvey’s won countless awards. If it has to do with a bowie knife, Harvey won it … Harvey does it all. He brings bowie knives to the AKI, he brings slip joints, he’s the consummate knifemaker. He can make whatever he wants and makes it at the highest level. There just aren’t a lot of makers who can do that. And as much as he’s given back, he’s a better man, a better family man, a better father, a better husband than he is a knifemaker.”
In accepting, Harvey said, “In the Bible, Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul says a man should not think more highly of himself than he should, and I’ve tried to live my life and career like that, so it’s hard for me to get it in my head that I deserve this—but I’ll take it.”
Cutlery Hall-of-Famer’s book showcases the most unique, historic and outlandish blades to enter their treasury.
Probably the most important international buyers of modern American custom knives ever, BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® members Aldo and Edda Lorenzi bought and then sold those knives and many other edged items in their iconic G. Lorenzi retail cutlery store in Milan, Italy.
Located on the Via Montenapoleone in the heart of Milan’s elegant retail sales district, and under Aldo and Edda’s direction, G. Lorenzi sold the finest knives, scissors, razors, table cutlery and assorted other edged wonders from 1959 to 2014, serving customers from every corner of the globe.
If you read BLADE® regularly, you know of the Lorenzis—but mostly only through the eyes of BLADE. In their new book, Shining Blades from the Aldo and Edda Lorenzi Collection, the Lorenzis recall their journeys far and wide in their lifelong search for the finest blades as only they can tell it, from the age of Elvis and crewcuts to the internet era.
Intrepidly scouring Europe, America and elsewhere for cutting tools of all kinds, the Lorenzis chronicle their travels in Shining Blades. From Aldo doubling Edda on their Guzzi Galletto motorbike through the snow and rain in the Alps on their first working trip to Fance in the early 1960s, to their early visits to the knifemaking shops of John Nelson Cooper, Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Bob Loveless and many other of the most famous American makers and beyond, the Lorenzis share their incredible story.
Shining through it all are full-page color images of some of the most spellbinding edged implements you will ever see. In addition to buying them the Lorenzis collected the vintage edged implements along the way. Bronze-Age spoons, folding forks and unbelievable folding knives of the 17th century forward are just some of the visual feasts of the edged art that populate the book’s pages.
For instance, if you think you’ve seen all there is to see in scissors, think again. The images of vintage scissors alone are enough to fill an encyclopedia on the subject. Spectacularly ornate and mystifying in construction, the scissors the Lorenzis amassed over the decades alone will take your breath away.
The preceding simply scratches the surface of what the book is all about. Most of what is illustrated and much more can be seen in the state-of-the-art Aldo and Edda Lorenzi Foundation museum in Milan.
The book also delves into some of the oldest knives known, from the 5,000-year-old knife of Otzi the Iceman discovered in 1991 on the Austrian-Italian border, the finest in European custom knives and knifemakers, ancient books on all things cutlery, notes on damascus steel and much more.
It’s all contained in a top-quality, 9 x 9.75-inch hardbound book with 344 pages that will provide you enjoyment for years to come. It’s a unique history with an MSRP of only $50—a ridiculously low price for such a landmark publication. However, as Edda Lorenzi noted, it’s not about the money so much as the education of worldwide edged tool enthusiasts and the recognition of those who authored some of the most fascinating edged tools extant.
“The book cost us about double its sales price [to produce], more or less,” she began. “Keeping the price low was our choice. It is a choice in line with our Nate Posner Award—to honor the artisans who created the works we loved most and whose names we would like to be known by as many people as possible, and to encourage new generations of artisans who, unlike collectors, certainly do not have large sums of money to invest in expensive books. To achieve this, this choice had to be made!”
If most anyone else had written the preceding paragraph I might be going, “Yeah, right.” But with the Lorenzis, you can rest assured it’s true. If you don’t believe me, ask members of the old guard at knife shows who know of them. If anything, my assessment of Aldo and Edda isn’t laudatory enough.
