We captured in film the knives, knife people and lots of fun that marked another great show.
Nothing beats the BLADE Show.
Nearly 1,000 vendors, countless knives and throngs of attendees crowded the Cobb Galleria from June 6–8 for the world’s largest knife shindig. That’s a lot of action—and plenty to take in over the course of three days. But armed with our trusty candid cameras, we at BLADE Magazine gave it our best shot.
Roving the main hall, “baller” room and convention center corridors, we captured glimpses of the knife event no words can fully describe. Take a moment to relive—or get your first look at—BLADE Show 2025 through the lens of those who were there.
Editor’s Note: Click on any photo to launch an enlarged gallery.
Show Saturday was bumper to bumper.CRKT fans get their fill of new knives.A Rosecraft BLADE Show ad greeted guests of the show’s host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, each time they took the elevator.Knife fans converge on the Rick Hinderer Knives booth.Mardi Meshejian has a firm hold on one of his custom sickles.Blade HQ held Balicomp 25 with Brycen Nelson winning the title, Steve Ash placing second and Landon Morrison third. (Blade HQ image) Tim Reeve (center with arms raised) directs traffic at the Chris Reeve Knives booth as Anne Reeve and Dean Felides (directly to Tim’s right) look on.Jens Anso conducts his BLADE University class.HEPK master smith/BLADE® field editor Ed Fowler (left) enjoys a customer visit.Knife deals were there to be had.Patrons wait in line patiently for the BLADE Show to begin.Who says BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® members can’t have fun? Michael Walker gives Bob Terzuola the rabbit-ear treatment. (Larry Hirsch image)Walter Brend (left) and Les Robertson enjoy another BLADE Show.A contestant flips a giant butterfly knife during Balicomp 25.The smiling face dead center is custom knifemaker Koji Hara.Aaron Frederick is back making knives and had a few on hand to show.Knife fans try their hand at foosball at the Big Idea Design booth.
Atlanta, Georgia (June 4, 2016) – Awards recognizing the highest achievement in the custom and factory knife industries were bestowed the evening of Saturday, June 4, 2016, at the BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) in the Cobb Galleria.
2016 BLADE Show Knife of the Year® Award Winners
Representatives from BLADE Magazine (www.blademag.com) distributed Knife of the Year® awards in 15 categories. Two of the awards—Industry Achievement and Publisher’s—went to a retail knife store and a knife-related organization, respectively, for their contributions to the world of knives.
All entrants in the Knife of the Year® competition were judged on a number of factors, including utility, design, creativity, materials, aesthetics, feel and other traits.
2016 BLADE Show Custom Knife Winners
The 2016 BLADE Show Custom Knife Award Winners were also announced on Saturday, June 4, 2016, at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.
Hugh Bartrug Best of Show: Mike Quesenberry and Saign Charleston
Yvon Vachon Best Miniature: Shigeru Tozaki
Best Folder: Gus Cecchini
Best New Maker: Michael Zieba
Best Bowie: Brian Thie
Best Handle Design: Jean-Louis Regel
Best Fighter: Bill Luckett
Best Art Knife: Bertie Rietveld
Best Collaboration: Mike Quesenberry and Saign Charleston
Best Damascus: Dionatam Franco
Best Fixed Blade: David Broadwell
Best Tactical Folder: Kirby Lambert
Best Sword: Ron Chen
Best Utility Hunter: Josh Fisher
Most Innovative Design: Phil Booth
Best of the Rest: CAS
About BLADE Show
The BLADE Show is the world’s largest, most important knife show, and has taken place every year since 1981 and in Atlanta since 1992. Upwards of 1,000 exhibitors from more than 20 countries display their knives and knife-related items over a three-day cutlery celebration that also features BLADE University knife seminars, knife auctions, custom knife awards, celebrity appearances and much more.
About BLADE
BLADE® Magazine (www.blademag.com) is the world’s No.1 knife publication. It is also the world’s oldest knife magazine, publishing its first issue in 1973. In conjunction with the BLADE Show, it has sponsored the Knife of the Year® Awards annually since 1982. The awards are the most coveted honors in the factory knife industry and are voted on by the booth exhibitors at the BLADE Show, who this year number more than 200. Only BLADE Show booth exhibitors are eligible to enter. The People’s Choice Award is open for voting to all visitors of blademag.com.
The BLADE Show and BLADE Magazine are the properties of F+W of Cincinnati, Ohio.
See 40 Years of Knives that Changed the World
BLADE collected the very best factory and custom knives into two digital collections to showcase the blades that changed the edged world forever. Click a cover to grab yours today.
Other than the name, what sets BLADE Show West apart from BLADE Show? They’re both dedicated to knifemaking, knife collecting and appreciating the rich tradition of knives, but there are a few things that set them apart.
And just so we’re clear:
BLADE Show: Takes place annually in early June in Atlanta
BLADE Show West: Takes place in Portland, Oregon, with the first installment happening Oct. 5-7
1) Location
With the BLADE Show firmly ensconced as the world’s largest and most important knife event—next year’s rendition will return to the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta June 7-9—show officials decided to offer a sister show in Portland, Oregon, to spread the sharp cheer to western BLADE Show fans who can’t make the trip southeast. It takes place at the Oregon Convention Center.
2) EDC Gear
In addition to knives, you’ll find loads of everyday carry gear to round out your daily ensemble. This includes anything and everything that’s handy and sized for pockets. Check out the full exhibitor list here to get a feel for what this means.
3) New Awards
BLADE Show West’s exhibitor awards will be a mix of the old and new. Custom and factory knives will each have the same categories: Best in Show, Best Fixed Blade, Best Folding Knife, Best EDC Knife and Best “Weird” Knife. Each also will have a Best Non-Knife EDC category for a tool or item that, as the name notes, is not a knife.
The Best in Show, Best Fixed Blade and Best Folding Knife are all self-explanatory. One proviso with the Best in Show is that, like at the BLADE Show, it is the category-winning knife judged best of all the category winning knives. The Best Non-Knife EDC will not be eligible for Best in Show. (Hey, after all, this is a knife show.)
The Best EDC Knife must be “a knife designed to be carried easily on an everyday basis for everyday cutting and other knife needs. It can be a fixed blade or folder, though if a fixed blade it must have a sheath or other carry system that makes it easy to carry on a daily basis.”
The Best Non-Knife EDC must be “a tool or item designed to be carried easily on an everyday basis for everyday needs.”
The Best “Weird” Knife will be a “knife that is best in keeping with Portland’s unofficial motto of ‘Keep Portland Weird.’ The motto is designed to promote ‘individuality, expressionism, local art’ and ‘atypical lifestyle choices and leisure activities.’ In other words, the sky’s the limit on this category. The weirder, the better.”
4) Laid-Back Programming
Unlike the BLADE Show and its BLADE University and demos, BLADE Show West will go for more of a laid-back approach to its seminars and demos, focusing more on quality than quality and quantity. All seminars and demos are free to BLADE Show West ticket holders.
With some of today’s top custom makers in attendance there will be a focus on knifemaking, including from the standpoint of the beginner and experienced knifemaker, as well as the buyer and collector of custom knives.
Two of the hottest genres in custom knives are slip joints and chef ’s knives, and BLADE Show West assembles some of the leading names in both categories for roundtable discussions.
Award-winning knifemaker Bill Ruple, along with some of his well-known pupils, will host a roundtable about the keys to the best custom slip joints, the importance of the mentor/mentee relationship and more.
Unlike Georgia, Oregon doesn’t have a sales tax. That means you can put what you save toward something else, like another knife, a cool EDC gadget, some fun after the show, or, heck, lunch.
7) Reduced Ticket Pricing for Tiny House Expo
The Tiny House Expo takes place Oct. 6-7 adjacent to BLADE Show West. Your BLADE Show West ticket will earn you reduced entry to that show (and vice versa).
More Information
Find more information about attending BLADE Show West here. Hope to see you there!
The July 11, 2012, edition of the Wall Street Journal included a nice feature-length article covering the 10th-annual World Championship Cutting Competition held in conjunction with the BLADE Show in Atlanta. The author did a decent job of covering the event, expressing the excitement in the air, and describing the cutting participants, including the champ.
If you want to compete in events like this one, you need the best sharpening information available. Click here for a download of knife sharpening instructions.
Hone your cutlery acumen at the 12th Annual BLADE University
How to make and design knives, how to determine which steel for which knife, what to look for in proper damascus patterns and how to enhance their appearance and other incisive knife subjects will highlight the class schedule of the 12th Annual BLADE University. Held in conjunction with the 44th Annual BLADE Show June 6-8 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, BLADE University will be sponsored by Work Sharp. Classes begin the Thursday before the show, June 5, and will run through Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7. All courses will be taught in the Cobb Galleria except one—Fundamentals of Grinding—which will convene under the tent in The Courtyard, aka the parking lot of the show’s host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly.
BLADE University assembles some of the world’s best knifemakers, bladesmiths and other cutlery and steel professionals to teach a wide range of subjects for the knife user, knifemaker, knife hobbyist, knife entrepreneur, knife designer, and knife aficionado and novice alike. If you love knives or are just beginning to, BLADE University has a topic for you. The complete course schedule, with subjects, teachers, times and venues:
Thursday, June 5
In “Level Up Using Lasers, Ninjas and Other Cool Tools,” ABS master smith Neels van den Berg dives into how tools like laser engravers, digital design, and jigs and process design can streamline your workflow and enhance your work.
Material Conservation for the Forging Smith, Mareko Maumasi, 4 to 5 p.m., Room 104—Award-winning bladesmith Mareko Maumasi shares techniques and approaches he uses to reduce guesswork and material waste in the workshop. His approaches not only help the knifemaker’s material go further but also save time and money.
Friday, June 6
In “Elevating Your Handle Appearance: Spine Filework, Handle Shapes and Pin Placement,” knifemaker Kyle Daily shares his preferred files and specialized equipment for crafting his five most popular filework patterns, ensuring your knife not only looks exceptional but also feels comfortable and functional. (Jocelyn Frasier knife image)
Fundamentals of Grinding, AmeriBrade and guest grinders, 8 to 9:30 a.m., The Courtyard—AmeriBrade and guest makers provide a general overview on grinds, techniques and different equipment. The class is interactive and the team answers questions and demonstrates suggestions for common issues.
Deep Dive into Culinary Knives, Mareko Maumasi, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Room 103—Mareko Maumasi returns to help collectors and makers better understand the nuances of high-performance culinary knives. The class covers design aspects from blade tip to pommel, aiding collectors in making more informed knife-buying decisions, and makers in creating higher-quality and higher-performing culinary knives.
The Tom Brown Tracker Experience, Mathew Williams, 1 to 2 p.m., Room 107—Experienced woodsman and tracker Mathew Williams discusses the iconic Tom Brown Tracker knife, including the blade’s notable features, how the knife’s function can be of benefit to the user and more. Mathew even dispels some Hollywood myths concerning the TBT. This one’s for old-time fans and newcomers alike.
Take Damascus Etching to the Next Level, Baker Forge, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Room 103—Greyson Weltyk of Grey Blades and Jordon Berthelot of JB Blades teach step-by-step processes on how to enhance intricate patterns in damascus with Gator Piss etchant, including in-person demos with damascus knives. Subjects include proper cleaning prep, temperatures, stacking oxide techniques, sealing oxides and more. Receive in-depth looks at new product offerings from Gator Piss for etching stainless damascus and properly sealing damascus with nano-ceramic technology. Have the opportunity for Q&A with authorities about damascus etching.
Hands on Sharpening, Work Sharp, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Room 113—What happens when a knife goes dull? How do you know when to sharpen it? Bring your own knife or borrow a demo model and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance from the team at Work Sharp. You get hands-on practice and experience sharpening your blade using a variety of sharpeners and abrasives, from whetstones to belts. (See under Saturday’s classes for an encore presentation.)
Leather Sheath Making Tips, Tricks & Tools, John Dennehy, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Room 107—Classes on sheath making are conducted at knife shows, social media and elsewhere. Unfortunately, some of the online demos are by those giving the wrong advice. John Dennehy shares the sheath-making tips he’s learned after working leather for almost 50 years, including leather selection, the tools he uses and why he uses them. He also covers the construction details he employs that experienced leather workers recognize immediately as the ones needed to produce a professional sheath.
Saturday, June 7
In “How to Select the Best Steel for Every Knife,” steel metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas talks about the factors that are important for different types of knives, such as cost, toughness, edge retention, sharpenability and corrosion resistance.
Elevating Your Handle Appearance: Spine Filework, Handle Shapes and Pin Placement, Kyle Daily, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Room 113—Enhance the appearance of your knife with distinctive features that go far beyond standard production models. Knifemaker Kyle Daily from KHDaily Knives guides you through the intricate art of filework on the spine, while also sharing insights into handle design and pin placement on the handle. Discover Kyle’s preferred files and specialized equipment for crafting his five most popular filework patterns, ensuring your knife not only looks exceptional but also feels comfortable and functional. From laying out your pattern to a step-by-step tutorial, this class provides the essential knowledge to achieve a professional and eye-catching finish. A Q&A session at the end ensures you leave with the skills and knowledge to take your knifemaking to the next level.
Demystifying Damascus, Mareko Maumasi, 9:30 to 11 a.m., Room 104—Mareko Maumasi completes his third straight day of teaching BLADE University classes with a most challenging one. He breaks the subject down in a way to help collectors gain a better appreciation for the knowledge and skill required to make unique damascus patterns, and to deepen the makers’ understanding of pattern design and composition.
The Cutting Edge, Nick Italiano, 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., Room 107—Nick Italiano, seasoned outdoorsman and host of the Raise The Flag Podcast, discusses the nuances of various blade grinds. From common everyday uses to survival situations, Nick covers several common grinds and their real-world function.
Level Up Using Lasers, Ninjas and Other Cool Tools, Neels van den Berg, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Room 113—Step up your knifemaking game with cutting-edge technology, unconventional techniques and insider secrets from ABS master smith Neels van den Berg. In this high-energy session dive into how laser engravers, digital design, and jigs and process design can streamline your workflow and improve your work. Plus, explore the mindset and discipline—the “ninja skills”—that separate good makers from great ones. Packed with real-world examples, practical insights and a touch of humor, this is a must-attend for makers looking to work smarter, not harder.
Designing Knives: Philosophy, Tools and Inspiration, Jens Anso, 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., Room 104—Award-winning knifemaker Jens Anso shares his approach to knife design, including how he thinks about form and function, the tools he uses and where he finds inspiration. With decades of experience in the industry, he’s developed a clear design philosophy that balances aesthetics, ergonomics and real-world usability. He explains his workflow, from sketching and CAD modeling, to prototyping and refining details. His goal is to provide insight into the design process and share practical takeaways for makers and enthusiasts who want to push their work further.
Hands on Sharpening, Work Sharp, 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., Room 113—What happens when a knife goes dull? How do you know when to sharpen it? Bring your own knife or borrow a demo model and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance in this encore presentation from the team at Work Sharp. You get hands-on practice and experience sharpening your blade using a variety of sharpeners and abrasives, from whetstones to belts.
How to Select the Best Steel for Every Knife, Larrin Thomas, 4 to 5 p.m., Room 104—Both the makers and buyers of knives have many options for steels, but how do they know which ones to choose? Steel metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas talks about the factors that are important for different types of knives, such as cost, toughness, edge retention, sharpenability and corrosion resistance. Which steels are more optimal for a large chopper, a kitchen knife or a folder? For makers, the topics of forgeability, grindability, polishability and ease of heat treating are covered to choose steels that perform well and fit the knifemaking setup.
More classes were being determined at press time. For more information on them and on how to enroll in one or more of BLADE University’s classes, see our course offerings. There will be additional information on BLADE University in the June BLADE® and also in the BLADE Show Program, copies of which will be distributed for free at the BLADE Show.
The BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® is proud to announce three most-deserving inductees for 2022: the husband-and-wife team of Mr. and Mrs. Aldo and Edda Lorenzi and Bill Ruple.
All will be formally inducted in a special Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame ceremony and breakfast during BLADE Show 2022 June 3-5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.
One of the most prolific, long-running supporters of custom knives in modern cutlery history, the Lorenzis forged a name known in knife circles far and wide while operating their G. Lorenzi retail knife store in Milan, Italy, where they sold knives of some of the greatest knifemakers of all time, including Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame members Buster Warenski, Bob Loveless, Michael Walker, Jimmy Lile, Gil Hibben, Ron Lake, Frank Centofante and many more.
Meanwhile, hailing from Pleasonton, Texas, Ruple is one of the most successful slip-joint makers of the 21st century, winning many awards for his traditional pocketknives, and also serving as a teacher and mentor to an entire generation of award-winning slip-joint makers from Texas and elsewhere.
Aldo and Edda Lorenzi (Francesco Pachi image)
Aldo And Edda Lorenzi
Aldo and Edda Lorenzi operated G. Lorenzi retail cutlery store in Milan from 1959 until its close in February 2014. The Lorenzis regularly attended the world’s most important knife shows, buying scores of knives for sale in their shop. They bought so many knives at shows, in fact, that the Lorenzis’ presence often determined a show’s success or failure. The support and exposure they gave to American makers in particular by selling their knives in their store in one of the most exclusive shopping areas in Milan was pivotal in introducing American custom knives to Europe.
In 1995 they won The Knifemakers’ Guild’s prestigious Nate Posner Award “in recognition for outstanding service in the promotion of handcrafted cutlery.” They also won the BLADE Magazine 2014 Industry Achievement Award for their decades of supporting the custom knife industry. For five years ending in 2019, they sponsored the Aldo and Edda Lorenzi Award for the Guild Show and the BLADE Show, with each event’s award-winning maker receiving $1,000 cash and a plaque—10 awards and $10,000 in all. The Lorenzis also are most supportive of the William F. Moran Foundation and are one of the Foundation’s first chartered member couples.
An exterior display window (shown here in the background) from the original G. Lorenzi shop is a centerpiece of the Lorenzis’ new museum. It was one of the store’s six “eyes” that communicated with window shoppers in one of Milan’s most exclusive retail districts, the counters of which, over the years, displayed more than 18,000 types of items. In the foreground is a display case of some of the Lorenzis’ favorite custom knives. (Francesco Pachi image)
“More loyal ambassadors of the art cannot be found,” one sitting Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame member noted of the Lorenzis. “Their store was like a museum, always welcoming visitors and ready to educate them on fine cutlery and custom knives. Several prominent collectors got their start by buying a custom knife at the Lorenzis’ store.”
In fact, the Lorenzis have assembled their massive collection of over 2,000 knives (including 150 custom knives by the world’s best makers spanning the past half century), 700 books, 1,000 magazines and prints, and related items in a new state-of-the-art museum in Milan (December BLADE®, page 60). The museum contains the knives in elegant oak display cases, a recreation of the copper-paneled room that featured the small entrance door to the G. Lorenzi store in Milan, a wooden portable knife grinder used by Aldo’s father and the store’s namesake, Giovanni Lorenzi, almost a century ago, and much more.
Bill Ruple
Bill Ruple
In the eyes of one sitting member of the Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame, Bill Ruple, an award-winning custom knifemaker specializing in traditional pocketknives/slip joints and multi-blades, has done as much as anyone to promote the knife business. Bill served on the board of the Texas Knifemakers Association, taught many how to make traditional knives and is very free with his knowledge. In recognition of this fact, he was presented with the BLADE Show 2019 Aldo and Edda Lorenzi Award. The award went to a knifemaker who excels in terms of teaching and mentoring his or her fellow makers in the art of knifemaking.
Having built knives for 34 years, Ruple is a premier maker of slip joints and possesses a selfless willingness to teach others how to do it, usually in his shop in Pleasanton, Texas, and also at BLADE University, the BLADE Show, BLADE Show West and other venues. He has helped many get started with the slip joint, one of the oldest yet most challenging folders to make. His kindness and patience validates something other makers know all too well—that he is most willing to share knowledge with and encourage, critique and mentor makers everywhere.
A selection of Bill Ruple’s slip joints in an array of open, closed and spine images show Bill’s awesome talent and versatility as a knifemaker. (SharpByCoop image)
Bill has taught quite a few who have become award-winning makers in their own right, including Rusty Preston, Luke Swenson, Tom Ploppert, Phil Jacob, Bubba Crouch, Toby Hill, Enrique Pena and others. A number have gone on to teach also, spreading Ruple’s knowledge to others who no doubt do the same as well. Bill does not limit his shared knowledge to just stock removal makers, receiving the American Bladesmith Society’s President’s Award for teaching ABS members how to make slip joints. Finally, Bill has donated some of his knives to knife shows and other cutlery organizations to raise funds for their various needs.
Hall Of Fame Criteria
Selected by a vote of sitting Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame members, the inductees are selected based on the following criteria: demonstrated extraordinary service to the knife industry; displayed honesty, character and integrity; advanced the industry by the creativity and originality of their works or contributions; as ambassadors or outstanding contributors, have furthered the positive impact of the knife industry on the world at large, and, in summary, have demonstrated a worthiness to be a member of this prestigious group.
The latest inductees exhibit all these qualities and more and represent a most worthy Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame induction class of 2022.
If you knew knifemaker Rob Simonich, share your memories of him with us on www.blademag.com.
BLADE® field editor Dexter Ewing has written the story, “Heart and Soul,” in the February BLADE which remembers Rob on the 10th anniversary of the death of one of knifemaking’s favorite sons. Killed tragically in a truck accident, Rob was loved by many, and his award-winning knives were among the best of their time—and they still hold up today.
Share your memories of Rob Simonich with www.blademag.com readers. (Shelby Chan photo)
Ten years is a long time, and a lot of people have come into the knife industry since Rob’s passing that do not know of the kind of person he was. If you knew Rob, you can help them know what kind of person he was by sharing some of your favorite memories of him.
Though Rob was taken away far too soon, he left an indelible mark on the knife industry, and, of course, his wife Christine and daughter Megan. Rob loved to break new ground in terms of knives, especially with blade materials such as Talonite® and CPM S30V. His knives won a number of awards, including his Urban Raven taking home the BLADE Magazine 2003 American-Made Knife Of The Year®.
As good as his knives were—and they were extremely well thought of and accepted by knife enthusiasts—it was Rob’s warm smile and sincere manner that helped him win over many friends. He loved people and he loved the outdoors, and it showed in most everything he did.
He also loved the BLADE Show and made it a point to attend every one he could. It was there that he made many friends in the industry.
How about it? Care to share any memories? We’d love to hear them—as would those who both knew him and those who want to know more about him.
For the latest knives, knife trends, knife news and more, stay tuned to www.blademag.com.
