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Steve Shackleford

Steel That Changed History in April BLADE®

The steel that changed knives forever, the hottest knives of the hottest custom makers, how to build an emergency shelter and much more highlight the April BLADE®, on most newsstands NOW!

Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Bill Moran introduced modern damascus knives 40 years ago this year at the Knifemakers’ Guild Show, and those who were there remember it and the impact it has had on the knife industry since.

The hottest knives of the hottest makers change constantly. Find out what the knives are and who makes them in “On The Boil!”

Bushcraft remains hot, as does survival in disaster situations. James Ayres shows you how to build an emergency shelter with your knife in a short amount of time in “Shelter From The Storm.”

Want to know what will be the hot factory knife collectibles down the road? BLADE Managing Editor Joe Kertzman picks the brains of the pros and tells you in his story.

There’s much more: a test of a brut de forge knife, Ray Kirk’s giveaway knife for the upcoming Arkansas Custom Knife Show, a profile of knifemaker Will Zermeno and his cool tactical folders, how to clean a hunting knife, the latest mid-tech knives, Chad Nichols’ MokuTi knife material and much more—all inside the April BLADE with Jim Burke’s Villain Super Sonic on the cover.

To subscribe to BLADE click on www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us?lid=ssfbbl013013BL0413CAN_final

Jensen Art Knife in Contemporary Crafts Exhibition

One of knifemaker John Lewis Jensen’s classic art knives is in the Mesa Art Museum’s 34th Annual Contemporary Crafts Exhibition, Jensen announced in an e-mail release.

Located in Mesa, Arizona, the museum will feature the knife as one of 47 selected pieces in a highly competitive juried exhibition through March 31.

For more information visit www.mesaartscenter.com or http://www.jensenknives.com.

John Lewis Jensen
John Lewis Jensen

Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame Series: CRKT/A.G. Sting

CRKT/AG Russell StingWhen you talk Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© members, few carry the cache of A.G. Russell, and his Sting design reproduced by CRKT is a great way to experience his knife genius. The non-reflective, powder-coated blade of 1050 carbon steel is 3.197 inches long, and the integral handle is contoured to fit your hand.

Click here to get stung for yourself at ShopBlade.com.

Urban Survival Knife Tools

What has happened in NYC post Sandy can happen to many. In such an instance, you need tools not only that can cut but also can work as pliers, screwdrivers, can openers and much more. Enter the multi-tool.

Gerber survival toolGerber Diesel Multi-Tool

Features pliers, wire cutter, wire crimper, partially serrated knife blade and more. Click here for more on the Gerber Diesel Multi-Tool.

 

Columbia River Knife & Tool Zilla-ToolCRKT Zilla-Tool

This Columbia River Knife & Tool item sports pliers, screwdriver w/hex bits, 3-inch flipper knife blade, can opener and more. Click here for a full breakdown on the CRKT Zilla-Tool.

 

Byrd Knives Meadowlark2 SpyderEdge Rescue KnifeByrd Knives Meadowlark2 SpyderEdge Rescue Knife

The key to the Meadowlark2 is that it lacks a tip. This helps minimize damage to whomever or whatever needs to be freed from binding materials. Click here for more specs on the Meadowlark2 SpyderEdge Rescue Knife.

Deibert’s Award-Winning Mid-Bowie

ABS journeyman smith Michael Deibert took home the George Peck Award for the best knife made by a journeyman smith applicant at this year’s BLADE Show.

“I forged this knife after a long look at many historical and modern bowies. After a few rough sketches I lit the forge, heated a hefty piece of 1095 and let the hammer fall. I tried to come up with something as original as possible, yet maintain the flavor of the bowie. Even though the bowie inspired this particular knife, it is a bit shorter, though I don’t consider it a ‘small knife.’ For this reason I call it the ‘Mid-Bowie.’”—Michael Deibert

Knife Name: Mid-Bowie

Maker: Michael Deibert

Award: George Peck Award for the best knife submitted by an ABS journeyman smith applicant

Blade Material: 1095 carbon steel

Blade Length: 8.5”

Handle: Stabilized spalted maple

Special Features: Guard and pin are both cold-blued mild steel; a slender clip extends the majority of the blade length

Overall Length: 13”

Maker’s List Price For a Similar Piece: $400

Click here for a full list of award recipients from the 2012 BLADE Show.

A Few Great Everyday Carry Knives

Best everyday carry knives

No. 1 for knife enthusiast Nick Morgan is the Chris Reeve Sebenza. “The tolerances are so much better on Chris Reeve knives than any other production knives, and you’ll find just about perfect fit and finish on every model. I love the blade and handle shapes, and the plain, simple looks are beautiful,” he said.

The Spyderco Sage2 is second on Morgan’s list. “I love the deep-carry wire clip—for my money the best clip in the industry,” he stated. “The profile of the titanium Sage2 is thinner than the carbon fiber Sage1, so using and carrying it is noticeably nicer.”

Morgan said the Benchmade 940 is a blast to play with due to the AXIS lock. “It’s super easy to open and close, and it’s fast!” he emphasized. “The reverse tanto blade shape is my favorite. For cutting, whittling and stabbing, it’s strong, sharp and great looking. It’s the best knife to sit in front of the TV and flip open/closed hundreds of times.”

Next on Morgan’s list is the DPx HEST 2.0, “a knife that can survive heavy-duty use day after day. I love the functional blade shape and, at 3.25 inches, it’s big enough for 99 percent of my cutting tasks while not being too big that it scares people when I use it in public. It locks up solidly like the Sebenza and I love the extra features—bottle opener, wire stripper and glass breaker/skull crusher, the latter which is really nicely executed. My favorite feature is the bayonet clip—it buries so deep in the pocket that nobody suspects I’ve got a knife on me.”

Last on Morgan’s list is what he terms the “best-bang-for-the-buck” knife: the Large Buck Vantage Pro. “It has a great blade and handle shape, I love the flipper, it has top quality blade steel [CPM S30V] and handle material, an excellent deep-carry bayonet clip, it’s USA made and has a nice, slim profile. Best of all,” he added, “it’s less than half the cost of every other knife on my list.”

For more EDC knives, check out this selection at ShopBlade.com.

CKCA Funds For Cancer Research Tops $34,000

CKCA LogoThe Custom Knife Collectors Association (CKCA) announced it has raised $6,598.30 for the Jimmy V Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

The money was raised through the CKCA’s raffle of a special bowie made by ABS master smiths/CKCA members Larry Fuegen and Tim Hancock. The winner was knifemaker/CKCA member Joel Chamblin.

The CKCA’s contributions to date to cancer research projects totals $34,053.30.

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