Steve Shackleford, Author at BLADE Magazine

AKTI Wins a Blade Magazine 2012 Industry Achievement Award®

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June 28, 2012

The American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) won a Blade Magazine 2012 Industry Achievement Award® for stellar work in the area of pro-knife legislation at the recent BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) in Atlanta.

Another organization receiving a Blade Magazine 2012 Industry Achievement Award was Knife Rights, also for its efforts in protecting Americans’ right to own, use and carry knives.

Accepting the award on behalf of AKTI was AKTI Executive Director Jan Billeb (pictured above). “It was a real pleasure to accept the Industry Achievement Award from BLADE® Magazine on behalf of the AKTI Board of Regents and all members of the American Knife & Tool Institute who have diligently worked since 1998 to ensure that our liberties to make, own or use knives or edged tools have not been further restricted, and to successfully remove knife law restrictions. We are pleased that BLADE Magazine recognizes the achievements of our organization on behalf of the knife industry and all knife owners,” Billeb said. “There is still a lot of work to be done to make reasonable and responsible changes state by state and we appreciate the support of the entire knife community.”

In May, the Louisiana governor signed AKTI-supported legislation that made it clear that a knife with a bias toward closure is not an illegal switchblade. Bias-toward-closure language is a concept that has stood the test of time since AKTI introduced it in California over a decade ago, an AKTI press release reported. Several states, including Texas and Kansas, have since adopted it, as well as it being incorporated into the Federal Switchblade Act. This language clarifies that assisted-opening knives are not classified as “illegal” switchblades or gravity knives. More information about the bias-toward closure-concept and AKTI’s past successes recognized by BLADE is available at www.akti.org

AKTI is working with legislators in South Carolina to pass pre-emption language, Pennsylvania to remove all knife restrictions, Michigan to remove the switchblade prohibition and other restrictions, Alaska to incorporate the bias-toward-closure language, as well as in several other states to remove or lessen knife restrictions.

In an interview after the ceremony AKTI President Bill Raczkowski commented, “Thanks to BLADE Magazine for honoring AKTI with an Industry Achievement Award acknowledging the proactive efforts of our organization. Our members sincerely appreciate the many ways that BLADE Magazine and the BLADE Show help us spread the word about the importance of AKTI’s efforts to keep knives in American lives.”

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb062812 for more information.

Knives Of Summer: Timberline Alaskan Bush Pilot Hatchet

Steve Shackleford

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June 27, 2012

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Summer means camping and camping requires lots of chopping jobs for such handy pieces as the Alaskan Bush Pilot Hatchet from Timberline.

Designed by custom knifemaker Russ Kommer, the hatchet features a 440 stainless steel blade in a satin finish and a finger-grooved haft covered with Zytel slabs. Overall length: 9 inches. Weight: 3 pounds. It comes with a bridle leather sheath and a non-slip belt loop.

For more info on the Timberline Alaskan Bush Pilot Hatchet click on http://www.shopblade.com/timberline-bush-pilot-survival-hatchet-6013/?r+ssfb062712

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb062712 for more information.

DPx Gear: Hot Knives From A Hot New Company

Knife Collecting

Steve Shackleford

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June 26, 2012

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Robert Pelton Young (above), adventurer, filmmaker and author of Licensed To Kill*, The World’s Most Dangerous Places, and Come Back Alive, has spent a good bit of his life in places most people would not visit with a free, round-trip, first-class ticket and an 82nd Airborne Division fire team as bodyguards. War zones, low-intensity conflict areas, failed states, third world dictatorships, pestilent swamps, parched deserts and places where guys with AKs and bad attitudes hang out are home to RYP, as he prefers to be addressed. His first knife design, the HEST—Hostile Environment Survival Tool—reflects that experience, as do his later models, all now offered through DPx Gear.

His entry into knife design was sparked by talks with Jeff Randall of ESEE Knives—then known as R.A.T. Cutlery—when both were in Peru, where RYP was doing a story on drug labs and Jeff was running one of his survival courses. The original HEST grew from those conversations and was initially manufactured by R.A.T. (page 74, October 2009 BLADE®).

RYP has expanded his product range and manufacturing base. Ontario Knife Co. manufactures the original HEST, made to the same specs. Lion Steel of Maniago, Italy, makes another version, the HEST II, using Uddeholm Sleipner tool steel. Lion also manufactures the HEST/F, a folder with a D2 tool steel blade designed for the same hostile environments, and two models of the HEFT—Hostile Environment Field Tool—one with a 4-inch blade, the other 6 inches, both of Uddeholm Sleipner. All versions of the HEST and HEFT have a storage compartment under the scales.

My cohort and I used the original HEST extensively over a period of a year in the California Sierras and the Mojave Desert. It also was one of the few knives I brought with me during my six months of travel in various countries around the Mediterranean. At 7 5/8 inches overall and with a 3 1/8-inch blade of 3/16-inch 1095 carbon steel in a Rockwell hardness of 56-57 HRC, the HEST and its Kydex® sheath are small enough to disappear in a pocket, tuck inside a belt, or carry as a neck knife. It is an excellent example of what I call a “traveler’s knife”—a fixed blade small enough to have with you at all times, sturdy enough to pry open a locked door, rip through a stone wall, serve as an arresting device, and with the ability to take and hold a hair-popping edge.

We did all those things with the HEST and used it for everyday tasks: opening boxes, whittling fire boards and preparing food, including slicing potatoes, ribs, steaks and ripe tomatoes, the latter which requires a very sharp edge to avoid squishing them. If a knife is not useful on a daily basis, sooner or later it will be left behind. The HEST is effective as a daily tool and serves as a reliable emergency implement.

It sports a wire breaker, a tiny pry bar at the butt and a bottle opener. Where he travels, RYP said good beer has caps requiring a lifter, whereas bad beer has screw tops. However, I had reservations about the bottle-opening notch and was concerned it weakened the blade. In actual practice the blade did flex at that juncture with the weight of a 200-pound person hanging from it, but it did not break and sprang back to true when the pressure was released.
At first I thought the pry bar would poke and catch on clothing, but after a while I forgot it was there until it was needed. We used it to grind away mortar between stone blocks and to scrape out the mortar around a steel door set into concrete before ripping the door from the wall. I carry a fire starter and paper money rolled tightly in the hollow space under the green canvas Micarta® handle slabs. The HEST balances well, feels good in the hand, is small, sharp, tough, and, at 4.9 ounces, performs above its weight class.

The HEFT 6 (pictured at top splitting wood) has a 5.75 inch blade of Uddeholm Sleipner, is 10.4 inches overall and weighs 10.2 ounces. It has a combination striker and pry bar at the butt. We gave the knife a heavy month-long workout during which we used it to split a stack of 2x4s, chop through a stand of saplings, cut sheet metal, and pry open a locked steel gate. After that, and with only a quick edge touch up, I loaned it to a professional butcher, Shawn Carlson. Shawn used it for a week, during which he broke down a beef carcass, dressed out a couple dozen slabs of ribs, a stack of pork roasts, bacon and assorted other meat products. He also sliced up 20 rib slabs and split 15 chickens.

“This is a well-designed knife with a comfortable handle,” he assessed. “It’s easy to work with and doesn’t fatigue your hand during a full day’s work. Unlike some sharpened pry bars, this knife has a fine point that allowed me to easily get into muscle and separate it from connective tissue. I didn’t need to touch it to a sharpening steel even after chopping through joints and cartilage.”—by James Morgan Ayres

*Editor’s note: Licensed To Kill is an insightful and entertaining look into the lives of military contractors, especially during the height of the Iraq War. It may not change your opinion of such contractors but it definitely will enlighten you as to what it was/is like to be one.

DPx Specs

DPx Gear

attn: Robert Young Pelton

Dept. BL7, 2321 Kettner Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92101

888-233-3924

619-780-2600

www.dpxgear.com

Specialties: Utility fixed blades and folders

Blade Materials: Uddeholm Sleipner and D2 tool steels, German Lohmann Niolox 1.4153.03 stainless steel, and 1095 carbon steel

Blade Finishes: Black texture powder coat, milspec black, stonewashed, and black satin TiCN PVD

Handle Materials: Green canvas Micarta®, olive drab G10/titanium, black G10 and Brazilian Santos wood

Geared Up: Features on some models include a wire breaker, a tiny pry bar at the butt, glass breaker and a bottle opener; all versions of the HEST and HEFT have a storage compartment under the scales

DPx FYI: Specific models are designed by Robert Young Pelton and/or Pelton in conjunction with Tom Novak and Tommaso Rumici, and made by Ontario Knife Co. and Lion Steel

Sheaths: Leather and DeSantis Kydex® models

MSRP Range: $123.75 to $275

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb062612 for more information.

SOG Collaborates on Video Game Tomahawk

Steve Shackleford

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June 26, 2012

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SOG (www.sogknives.com) has partnered with Electronic Arts, a global leader in digital interactive entertainment, to develop the Voodoo Hawk, a tomahawk weapon designed specifically for the video game Medal of Honor™ Warfighter.

     The Voodoo Hawk (http://sogknives.com/store/F18-N.html), a combination of SOG’s Tactical Tomahawk and FastHawk weapons, was designed by SOG, game designers and U.S. Tier 1 Operators, the creators of the Medal of Honor series, to provide game players with an authentic warfare experience.

     A limited-edition version of the Voodoo Hawk, which includes custom engraving, SOG patch, and special sheath (http://sogknives.com/store/F18LTD.html), will go on sale this October, in conjunction with the launch of Medal of Honor Warfighter. The Voodoo Hawk is made with a 420 stainless steel head, weighs 24 ounces and has a glass-reinforced nylon handle. Overall length is 12.56” and has a cutting edge of 3.5”.

     Proceeds from sales of the Limited Edition Voodoo Hawk will be donated to Project HONOR (http://www.medalofhonor.com/project-honor), an initiative launched by Electronic Arts to benefit the NAVY SEAL Foundation, the Special Operations Warriors Foundation, and other charities. The Voodoo Hawk and the Limited Edition Voodoo Hawk will retail for $75.00 and $100.00, respectively. Only 500 Limited Edition Voodoo Hawks will be sold.

“We were honored to be asked by the Medal of Honor producers to work with them in creating a unique weapon specifically for this game,” says Nando Zucchi, VP of Marketing for SOG. “The Medal of Honor series dedication to accuracy in portrayal of the equipment and weaponry used in their game is incredible. The producers of the game felt that SOG had to be included in Warfighter in order to meet their standard of authenticity. We are delighted to be a part of this franchise and to work with Electronic Arts to benefit the Project HONOR foundation.”

Medal of Honor WarFighter, which is the latest video game from the Medal of Honor series, was written by U.S. Tier 1 Operators and will be released for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on Oct. 23. In addition to the Voodoo Hawk, the SOG Ops Black TiNi belt knife and SOG PowerLock EOD Black Oxide Multi-Tool are also featured in the game.

SOG Specialty Knives and Tools are sold nationwide. To find a dealer in your area or to learn more about SOG visit www.sogknives.com.

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb062612 for more information.

Get In On The Knives of Summer!

Steve Shackleford

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June 25, 2012

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Summer’s here and so are all the hot things there are to do during it—many of which call for one of the sharp knives in our “Knives Of Summer” feature.

Among the things that make summer so much fun is fishing, not to mention eating a nice grilled or fried fillet afterward. Before you cook your catch you have to fillet it, and the Big Eddy from CRKT is ideal for the job. The 420J2 stainless blade features Russ Kommer’s high hollow grind, which creates an air pocket to lift and “float” fillets off, while the flat taper ground side glides smoothly across the skin. Triple-Point Serrations help you cut through gristle, bones and fins. A Kraton grip offers a firm, safe hold on the knife.

For more on how to get your Big Eddy, click on http://www.shopblade.com/big-eddy-3008 ?r+ssfb062512

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb062512 for more information.

High In The Necking Order

Steve Shackleford

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June 21, 2012

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An Alan Folts design, the Columbia River Knife & Tool Minimalist Tanto features a 2.125-inch blade of 5Cr15MoV stainless with a Rockwell hardness of 55-57 HRC. Weight: 1.6 ounces. Overall length: 5.13 inches. MSRP: $34.99 (includes A glass-filled nylon sheath, neck paracord and braided fob). (CRKT photo)

The latest factory neck knives are a smorgasbord of designs and carry options

“When neck knives are designed and made properly, they will be minimal in size, yet easy and comfortable to use. They will be light enough around the neck to not be bothersome or noticeable [and] will be held safely and securely upside down in their sheath, but can be drawn and put into action with a minimum of effort.”

The preceding words by ABS master smith Murray Carter accurately and succinctly capture the finer qualities of neck knives, a subject Carter knows a thing or two about since he forges nearly 40 varieties. Along with the growing popularity of knives specifically designed for this carry system, the offerings by knife manufacturers are also expanding to meet the demand, and like many factory-produced blades today, the quality of the finished product is increasingly excellent.

If you happen to be in the market for a small, multi-use utility neck knife, then the Boker Plus Gnome fits the bill. The full-tang design is 4 inches overall, which is somewhat smaller than most neck knives, and the 2 1/8-inch blade of 12C27 stainless steel is relatively thin to enhance cutting ability. The Micarta® handle is equipped with a hole for a lanyard.

“On a knife this small, weight is generally not an issue, and the lanyard hole does help the knife’s balance,” noted Terry Trahan, Boker USA product specialist. “The Micarta with the unique handle design’s deep choil-like area and lanyard all work together to provide a good grip.”

The design is a collaboration between Boker Plus and Danish maker Jesper Voxnaes. The knife also is available in a stag handle, and comes with a leather belt sheath.

Female LEO Feedback

5.11 Tactical (see April 2011 BLADE®*) has introduced a new necker to its growing family of knives. Consistent with the company’s approach to knife designs, this one also grew out of feedback from customers.

“We had a meeting of all female law enforcement officers, which was the first time we had women only at one of these meetings,” said Mike McCourt, business leader for 5.11’s knife program. “The female officers requested a personal defense, last-ditch knife that could be worn around the neck or behind a belt.”

The resulting effort is the “SidePick Spearpoint,” which has a 2-inch blade of AUS-8 stainless steel and choices of a plain or 50-50 plain/serrated edge. The textured FRN scales are removable. The back edge can be sharpened (though be sure to check the laws in your area for double-edged knives). MSRP: $59.99.

“The composite sheath comes with an adjustable boot/belt clip and adapter that allow for a total of 12 carry angles,” McCourt noted. “There’s also an ankle strap for extra security during boot carry, and for neck carry it has a black beaded breakaway chain.” A breakaway chain prevents injury and even strangulation should it be grasped in a struggle or catch on something.

“A Pure Necker”

Nemesis Knives offers four different neck knives, including the new “Afterburner.”

“The Afterburner’s 2.25-inch blade fills a gap between our 1 5/8- and 2-inch models and, unlike our other neck knives which can be carried numerous ways, the Afterburner is a pure necker in the sense that there are no other carry options,” noted Nemesis headman and the knife’s designer, Jeff Hall. “I’ve been thinking about the design for a long time, so it has been two or three years in the making.”

The knife is 5.25 inches overall with a blade of 9Cr13 stainless in a satin or black finish. A bead chain and Kydex® sheath are included.

“Our customers wanted a beefier small fixed blade, so unlike many other neck knives, which are only 1/8 inch thick, the Afterburner is 3/16 inch thick,” Hall said. “It’s also full machined inside and out, and all the holes and corners are CNC-machine countersunk and chamfered.” The knife features skeleton construction to reduce weight, and thumb ramp ridges for added traction in various grips. Tentative MSRP: $49.95.

Church-Key Design

To hear Mike Manrose of Meyerco tell it, the company’s “Besh Wedge Bottle Rocket” designed by Brent Beshara seems to be a multi-collaboration of sorts.

“It started off as Dirk Pinkerton’s Variable Broadhead neck knife and Brent added the BESH Wedge geometry, while also lengthening the knife out,” Manrose said. (Author’s note: The BESH Wedge is two diagonally opposed bevels converging to create a third edge [see October 2010 BLADE*]). In other words, what you have is a bottle opener and a handy box cutter. “The knife is a great utility piece as well as a very usable backup weapon,” Manrose said. “It is based on an age-old church key design.”

The origin of church key is unknown to me, but the term brings to mind various bottle/can openers worn around the neck on youthful trips to the beach with a hoard of guys toting coolers full of beer. Apparently that memory is not far off the mark, as I discovered when I asked Beshara what the knife is designed to do.

“It is a beer-drinking tool which opens bottles and cans,” he grinned. “The handle is the bottle opener, and the front has a BESH Wedge, which is unsharpened due to the nature of the tool, and the reinforced tip easily opens can tabs.”

The Bottle Rocket’s 2.5-inch blade is 7Cr17 stainless (according to Manrose, an equivalent of 440A). Overall length: 5 inches. It comes with a sheath and neck chain. “The sheath is glass-filled nylon, which is tough as nails,” Manrose said. “We put a detent ball in it so you can spin it on a smooth surface for who buys the next round. It will serve you well for a long time as a utility piece, bottle opener, backup—and it’s just cool!”

While nodding my head in mute admiration, I asked Manrose to expand on the “spin” feature.

“Another age-old tool from the Roman era,” he chuckled. “An old sailor’s game I picked up along the way,” added Beshara. The MSRP is $29.99 and the piece comes with the words “Cheers! Besh” aptly engraved on the reverse side.

Added Considerations

Given today’s available neck knife choices, opting to wear one involves making decisions that include purpose, size, materials, design, or just about anything else you would consider when choosing a fixed blade, with the provision that the overall length will be naturally limited.

I have worn a necker regularly for some time in perhaps the most common form—handle down in a Kydex sheath. It is easy enough to access under a shirt with the button closest to the handle open, though I exercise great care returning the blade to the sheath for reasons equally divided between my intense dislike of pain and a deep fear of embarrassment were I to stab myself in the chest. Along with using caution in re-sheathing, it is also important to remember a general rule of thumb: Any fixed blade may be considered “concealed” for legal purposes, so it is good to be familiar with pertinent state and local regulations.—by Stephen Garger

For information on how to get a wharncliffe-blade version of CRKT’s Alan Folts Minimalist, click on http://www.shopblade.com/folts-minimalist-2385?r+ssfb062112

For a profile of 5.11 Tactical, the BESH Wedge story and other articles, nearly 300 past issues of BLADE® are available in two separate DVDs. Visit http://www.shopblade.com/category/cds-dvds-videos?r+ssfb062112 or call 855-278-0406 and mention the First 25 Years Of BLADE DVD collection (1973-1997), or the BLADE 1997-2007 DVD.

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb062112 for more information.

The Buseys’ Birthday Knives

Steve Shackleford

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June 20, 2012

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The author embellishes Charles Sauer and Zac Buchanan knives for actors Gary and Jake Busey

By Barry Lee Hands

Early last year, a friend of mine asked me to keep an eye out for some good collectible knives.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

“Well,” he began, “I want two knives for you to engrave, maybe a bowie and a fighter. One is going to be a birthday gift for a father, Gary Busey, and the other a birthday gift from Gary to his son, Jake.”

This was going to be fun! A veteran actor, Gary has appeared on television and in such movies as The Buddy Holly Story—for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor—Lethal Weapon, Under Siege, The Firm, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and many others, though in today’s “what-have-you-done-lately” world, he may be best known for his appearance last year on Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice 4. Gary’s son Jake is also an actor.

The 2011 BLADE Show was approaching and I told my friend I would keep an eye out for the knives there. Moreover, as soon as he mentioned bowie, I thought of my old friend, knifemaker Charles Sauer. Charles and I had done a few really nice knives back in the 1990s. He forges his own damascus, and a damascus bowie would be a good counterpoint to the as-yet-to-be-determined fighter.

I called Charles and he said he had a blank for a Dall DeWeese-style bowie he could finish up in a few weeks. A bit later he sent me an e-mail describing the knife and explaining a bit about William Dallas “Dall” DeWeese (1857-1928).

“Dall was a famous big game hunter in the late 1800s. He was largely responsible for the opening up of big game hunting in Alaska. The notable thing to me,” Charles noted, “is that he not only designed his knife but had it made—kind of like the Jim Bowie story. Most all knifemakers back then were indentured, so whoever made his knife was probably a blacksmith. I stayed true to the pattern but blew it up from a hunting knife to a bowie. The pattern also has that old ‘Green River flavor,’ which is very popular.”

Charles spared no effort in obtaining the materials and preparing them for the knife.

“I took a piece of the top rail of a baby mine car track from the Gold Mines in Montana, a chunk from an Apache attack helicopter chain-gun barrel, and seven pieces I cut out of an antique ice saw. I forged out the mine track and the barrel into two bars, then cut them both into seven pieces,” he explained. “Then, I alternated the three steels into a 21-stack and forged them down and out into a billet, then handforged roughly to the shape of the knife. I also zone tempered/differentially heat treated the blade, [including cryogenically treating] it. The chain gun and mine track are pretty soft steels, so the ice saw [steel] helped out for some strength.”

The bolsters are bridge cable and the bolster pins are damascus as well. The handle is presentation ironwood with nickel-silver pins. The inlaid sheath is by Paul Long. “Paul is the best sheathmaker around,” Charles opined.

When I received the knife, I was extremely pleased. The damascus pattern is very appropriate for what I call the “overall flavor” of the knife. The pins were engravable and Charles left me a polished spot on the bottom of the tang on which to engrave an inscription. With one knife down and one to go, I went to work.

Excellent Interpretation

The BLADE Show rolled around and there was a lot to see. I must confess, I spent as much time cutting up with friends as I spent looking at knives.

Knifemaker Steve Johnson and I were looking about and visited Thad Buchanan’s table. Thad has been making Loveless-style knives for many years, and he was eager to introduce us to his son, Zac, and the knives he had been making. Zac had some really nice pieces and one of his fighters caught my eye. After the show I called and told him I needed a knife to engrave for Gary, and I was thinking about buying the fighter.

“I could tell you liked that one, but it’s gone,” Zac said. My heart sank. I should have bought it when I could but somebody beat me to it. However, all was not lost. “I do have one that I was keeping for myself,” he confided. “It’s the best piece I’ve made to date and if you want, I’ll sell it to you.”

“What is it?” I asked. “A Loveless-style Mini Wilderness,” he replied.

Now I was excited. The Mini Wilderness is one of my favorite Loveless designs.

Two days later I had it in my hands and was really pleased. The fit and finish is excellent. It is curved in all the right places and straight in all the right places—an excellent interpretation of the classic Loveless design.

Zac is a chip off the old block. He sent me a copy of the letter he sent to Gary that describes the knife. In part, Zac wrote:

“I was pleased to hear one of my custom knives was purchased for you. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy yours.

“The steel is CPM-154,” Zac’s letter continued. “The guard and handle fittings are 416 stainless steel. The handle material is India sambar stag. If needed, the blade can be cleaned with a mild soap and warm water, but try to avoid washing the handle with soap and water. It is better to use vegetable oil on the stag if it needs to be cleaned. If the blade gets dull, I will be happy to sharpen it for you at no charge.”

It was time for me to embellish the knife. The Mini Wilderness does not have a lot of area to engrave, but it still takes some time to do it. My friend wanted it ready for Gary’s birthday party, which was in a few weeks.

I had been thinking about a new style of 24k-gold overlay with my trademark “black satin” background. I went at it working long hours, as an engraver is often required to do to meet a deadline.

Cuttin’ The Cake

The birthday party was at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey. Zac could not attend but Charles and I were there with Gary and a small circle of friends.

Gary is a lot of fun and loved the knives. He asked many questions about how they were made. Later, after dinner and as Gary cut the birthday cake with Charles’ knife, I asked if he would supply the answers to a few questions for BLADE® readers. Those questions and his answers follow:

BLADE: What was your first knife?

GARY BUSEY: When I was in the 2nd and 3rd grades, I had a little pocketknife with a picture of Gene Autry on it.

What do you like about knives?

I like the artistry and manifestation of the knife and what the knife stands for—in survival in the woods, the mountains, and jungle. God bless the knife!

Have you used knives in your movies?

No, just guns and fists.

Is there an inscription on the Charles Sauer bowie you gave your son for his birthday?

Yes. “Happy 40th, Jake. Love, Dad.”

Do you feel engraving enhances a collectible knife?

Absolutely!

What do you envision for the future of knife collecting?

How much time you got? In terms of knife collecting, that’s here to stay.

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb061912 for more information.

For more on how to make knives the Bob Loveless way, click on http://www.shopblade.com/knifemaking-with-bob-loveless /?r+ssfb061912

Steve Shackleford

AKTI Wins a Blade Magazine 2012 Industry Achievement Award®

Knives Of Summer: Timberline Alaskan Bush Pilot Hatchet

DPx Gear: Hot Knives From A Hot New Company

SOG Collaborates on Video Game Tomahawk

Get In On The Knives of Summer!

High In The Necking Order

The Buseys’ Birthday Knives

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