New Knife-of-the-Year Awards rules, categories and protocol announced!
Other updates include how the awards are determined, where they are presented and more
The 43rd Annual BLADE Show is proud to announce several updates to the BLADE Magazine 2024 Knife-of-the-Year® Awards, including the addition of five new awards and the termination of two old ones.
The Knife-of-the-Year Awards are, of course, for factory knives only and submitted only by eligible exhibitors at BLADE Show ’24.
The new awards for 2024 are:
American-Made Fixed Blade of the Year
Imported Fixed Blade of the Year
American-Made Folding Knife of the Year®
Imported Folding Knife of the Year®, and
Automatic Knife of the Year® presented by PVK.com.
The new awards join the holdovers of Overall Knife of the Year®; Most Innovative American Design; Most Innovative Imported Design; Best Buy of the Year; Investor/Collector Knife of the Year®; Manufacturing Quality Award; Accessory of the Year; Knife Collaboration of the Year; Kitchen Knife of the Year®; Publisher’s Award; and Industry Achievement. (The latter two are picked from individuals in the knife industry by the staff of BLADE Magazine.)
The updates increase the overall number of awards from 13 to 16.
The old awards that have been discontinued are American Made Knife of the Year® and Imported Knife of the Year®, though in actuality they have simply been expanded to include individual awards for fixed blades and folders, both American made and imported.
Procedural Changes
There are also changes in the way certain awards are determined. Those modifications include:
Overall Knife-of-the-Year Award: In the past, the winner of this category was determined by the leading vote getter between the American-Made and Imported Knife-of-the-Year categories, the latter two which have been discontinued in 2024. This year, whichever knife receives the highest number of votes of ALL categories is the Overall Knife of the Year.
Best Buy of the Year Award: Unlike in the past, there will be no specific spot in the display area for entries in this category. Instead, ALL entries in ALL categories must be accompanied by the correct manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). As a result, ALL knives in ALL knife categories accompanied by the correct MSRP are eligible and considered by the judges for the Best Buy of the Year.
Manufacturing Quality Award: Like Best Buy of the Year, there will be no specific spot in the display area for entries in this award category as in the past. As a result, each entering exhibitor must submit a list of each knife and category he/she enters so the judges can check the lists, view/evaluate the applicable knives, and vote for the exhibitor of his/her choice for the Manufacturing Quality Award.
PVK Auto Award
Presented by PVK.com, the Automatic Knife of the Year goes to the best knife that opens automatically by the push of a button, slide, concealed release (scale, bolster, etc.) and so on. The knife can be conventional or dual action (opens as both a manual and an auto) out the side, single- or double-action (both opens and closes by the operation of a slide, button, etc.) out the front, and so on.
Award Venue Moved
Along with the BLADE Show Custom Knife Judging Awards, the Knife-of-the-Year Awards will be presented Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Garden Court area of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel on the floor above The Pit. This is a change from last year’s award venue, which was next to The Pit in the hotel lobby.
Display Area
Entries for the BLADE Magazine 2024 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards will be on display in the front lobby beginning show Friday. As noted, the awards are for factory knives only and submitted only by eligible exhibitors at BLADE Show ’24.
New Rules For Exhibitors
Complete copies of the new rules for the BLADE Magazine 2024 Knife-of-the-Year Awards were emailed to all eligible exhibitors in packets well before June. All eligible exhibitors are advised to go over those rules with a fine-tooth comb to ensure they do not miss out on any of the new rules and thus possibly miss out on winning one or more awards as a result.
Entry Deadlines
Entries will be accepted at the display area beginning at 9 a.m. June 7. No entries will be accepted after Noon the same day.
Larry “The Hammer” Harley, one of the stars of National Geographic’s hot new TV series, Lords of War, will exhibit his knives and conduct a seminar at the BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) May 31-June 2 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.
Meet The Hammer in person at his BLADE Show seminar 3 p.m. Saturday in Room 104 of the Cobb Galleria and ask him any and all questions concerning knives, swords, his TV show and more. And bring the kids, too. Larry’s presentation is suited for the entire family. He also will be exhibiting his knives in the BLADE Show hall at table 9Q .
Larry “The Hammer” Harley, one of the stars of National Geographic’s “Lords of War” TV show, will exhibit his knives and conduct a seminar at the BLADE Show.
Harley has long been known to knife enthusiasts as a fine knifemaker, an ABS journeyman smith and among the more colorful characters in the knife industry. It is small wonder that the National Geographic Channel picked him to be one of the stars of its Lords of War television series. On the show Larry appraises any and all knives, swords and edged weapons, and also helps test fire the antique and other guns appraised—and he almost always outshoots his Lords of War co-stars in the process.
The Hammer’s credits are many. In addition to making knives for many years, he has involved himself in the knife industry in a number of ways. He conducted knife hog hunts for several years and was among the first to win at the early ABS cutting
competitions. He is also extremely active in teaching bladesmithing to youngsters, including a heavy involvement in same with the ABS. He has conducted hammer-ins for both youths and adults at his shop in Bristol, Tennessee. His son Richard has been making knives for a number of years now and is quite good at it. Though The Hammer may come across as a good ol’ country boy—which he is—he is also highly educated and well-versed in a wide range of topics. Meet him at the BLADE Show. You will enjoy it.
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!
It’s perfect timing considering the thousands of knife manufacturers, purveyors, collectors, dealers, enthusiasts and media professionals traveling to the BLADE Show May 31-June 2, 2013 in Atlanta. Yet the article will remain relevant long after the BLADE Show and into the future.
“Travelers need to be aware of knife laws where they go to make sure they are legal, and, of course, know the policies of the airlines, TSA, or whatever mode of transportation they use” related Jan Billeb, Executive Director of AKTI.
“Some municipal laws may not allow certain knives, or some states may have restrictions on knives at airports.”
As Haskew puts it, “In the post 9-11 era, traveling with knives by air or ground requires a heightened awareness of applicable laws and methods for safe carry and transport to and from the destination. When an airline is involved, the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) enforces strict rules. A knife owner traveling with his or her trusty two-blade trapper is subject to scrutiny and possible confiscation, just as the knife dealer traveling to a show with multiple collectible pieces, or the chef heading home from a culinary event.”
Top masters in the world of bladesmithing have donated the most exciting set of auction knives ever seen for the American Bladesmith Society Annual fund raiser at the 2012 Blade Show and International Cutlery Fair in Atlanta, GA on June 9th. High end damascus bowies, a magnificent trailing point hunter, and a ivory carved liner lock folder with damascus blade are up for auction. Let us take a look at what some generous and committed bladesmiths have donated to the annual auction and fund raiser for the American Bladesmith Society. Each year the ABS gives the opportunity for bladesmiths to submit knives for its annual auction. One master smith and one journeyman smith are chosen to do a fixed blade, one master smith to do a folder, two or more directors from the ABS board to do a knife of their choosing, and a master smith to do the TOMB knife. Let us take a look at these fantastic knives.
Karl B. Andersen was chosen to make the ABS Journeyman Smith Knife of the Year for 2012. Karl B. Andersen created a beautiful large bowie knife with a damascus pattern that he calls his “radical random”. This striking masterpiece has a blade of 336 layers of 1095 and 15N20. It is deeply etched and hot blued. The handle is a beautiful premium desert ironwood. The fittings are hot blued and provide an excellent support to the rest of the knife. Karl’s handle on this knife was created for full take-down disassembly and assembly. Karl indicated that this allows the owner/collector to store the knife and do continual maintenance/care of the individual components. Karl indicated that this may be as “simple as relaxing the assembly to allow the handle to move under climate changes, or a full re-bluing of the assembly parts” after years of use. Karl pointed out that the sheath that accompanies this knife comes from ABS member Scott Teaschner of Cody, Wyoming. Scott is a high end leather smith and his talents are amply displayed in the accompanying sheath. The sheath is finely tooled with an actual inlay of elephant hide directly inletted in the sheath leather. Scott also donated this fine sheath as part of the project. When I asked Karl about the design, he humbly told me that his sole purpose was to “make something the ABS would be proud of”.
Joseph Szilaski was chosen to make the ABS Master Smith Folder of the Year for 2012. Joseph Szilaski donated one of the most fantastic folders I have ever seen. This knife is absolutely gorgeous. This is an ivory handled liner lock folder with a multi-bar damascus blade made from 1095 and 15N20. The pattern is old European in style. The blade is in a twist pattern and has been carved to accent and compliment the carving on the handle. The carving and file work in this folder are amazing. There is exquisite detail on the file work along the liners showing the skill of a master. Joe’s folder is breathtaking and all the small things are there too. The folder has a ruby thumb stud in a 14 k gold setting and there is intricate file work both inside and outside on the titanium liners and spine. Joe’s file work on this knife is just topnotch. This knife is just stunning.
Jon Christensen was chosen to make the ABS Master Smith Knife of the Year for 2012. Jon Christensen created the second of the three bowie-styled knives donated this year. The pattern on Jon’s knife is a very intricate and beautiful “quilted feathers mosaic” damascus. It is composed of 1085 and 15N20. This is a 7 and ¼ inch blade with a deep clip bowie pattern. Jon describes his bowie as having an early San Francisco style handle. The handle material is ironwood burl and the handle is a frame handle construction. I was amazed to see the carving on the handle and how that carving and engraving technique passed over across the tang from each side of the handle. Jon’s work is very precise and creative. The individual fittings are nitre-browned mild steel or nickel silver. Just the feel of this knife in your hand gives a sensation of sheer balance, strength and speed. This is Jon Christensen’s “cowboy bowie” and it is beautiful.
E. Jay Hendrickson, a former president of the ABS and a current board director, has donated a fine and handsome trailing point hunter knife as one of the ABS Director Knives of the Year for 2012. This knife is very special in that it is composed of a W2 core surrounded by 316 stainless steel. As Jay indicates this is a “difficult and unique process which offers a stainless steel blade welded to a high carbon steel core” so that you get the edge holding benefits of W2 mated to the stain resistance of 316SS. Jay has fitted knife out with a curly maple handle with fine silver inlay of scrolls and pins. The guard on Jay’s knife is file worked to add to the overall esthetic. Jay indicates that the handle material was purchased in 1987 by Bill Moran and bought by Jay in the 2006 Moran auction. Jay has finished off the knife with a high quality leather pouch sheath. This is truly another high quality piece that any user/collector should be proud to own.
Dr. Dan L. Petersen, one of the newer members of the ABS board directors was chosen to make an ABS Director Knife of the Year for 2012. Dan’s knife is also a bowie knife. Dan indicated that the blade is a damascus ladder type pattern produced from a W pattern billet. He used W2 and a modified L6 type steel in the blade. The heat treatment of the blade was a precision process using salt tanks to achieve an ultra-fine grained martensite structure. Dan indicated that this is his first frame handle that he has put on a bowie knife. The handle material is a white mastodon ivory. The knife is accompanied by a wood lined leather sheath of Dan’s creation. When Dan was asked about the overall shape of the knife, he shared the following, “I had been reading about the caning of Senator Charles Sumner on the floor of the US Senate in 1856. After Sumner’s attack it was reported that many legislators began carrying weapons into the halls of Congress. James Henry Hammond of South Carolina was reported to have stated, “Every man on the floor of both Houses is armed with a revolver – some with two revolvers and a bowie knife.” After reading this I speculated on what kind of bowie knife a legislator might have chosen to carry back then. While I cannot claim that this knife resembles any knife carried at the time by a legislator, its overall design is not outside of the possible and history was the inspiration behind the knife. Obviously, it was inspirational as I have made this knife using damascus and fittings that are not true to the period materials”.
This year the TOMB knife for 2012 is a damascus bowie made by Mastersmith Red St. Cyr. This knife is St. Cyr’s “Gentleman’s Bowie”. The overall length of the knife is 13 3/4 inches with a blade length of just under 9 inches. The damascus is a mix of 1084, 01 and nickel. The handle is African Blackwood and the deep black coloring of this handle is striking. The finish on the damascus is one of the best I have seen and the contrasts of damascus, stainless steel fittings, and deep black handle complement every aspect of this knife as a work of art. There are some who recognize the positive contributions of the organization known as TOMB, Each year the American Bladesmith Society has provided TOMB the opportunity to auction a knife to raise monies for the organization. TOMB is a fellowship organization that raises money to support the ABS Schools.
All of these knives are fantastic and represent both high art and functionality that has come to be recognized of ABS smiths. To donate knives of this caliber is truly amazing and clearly demonstrates the commitment these smiths have to support the American Bladesmith Society. The money raised by this auction allows the American Bladesmith Society to continue to offer its educational events across the country. For those of you who might consider bidding on these superb creations you will not only be bidding to own substantial works of art, but also you will be bidding to support the premiere knife organization in the world with a primary educational mission. The 2012 American Bladesmith Society Knife Auction at the Blade Show at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta, GA will be on Saturday, June 9th at 10am. Additional information will be posted on the ABS Forum or you can contact the ABS Office at 419-832-0400 or send an email to the ABS Knife Auction Coordinator Dr. Dan L. Petersen at[email protected].
The 2nd annual BLADE Show West 2019 factory and custom knife awards were bestowed on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.
Judges reviewed knives submitted by exhibitors for consideration. Winning criteria included design, craftsmanship, innovation and more.
Factory Knife Awards
Best in Show & Best Kitchen Knife: Spyderco Bunka Bocho (Murray Carter collaboration, pictured above)
Few seats remain for BLADE University, the BLADE Show‘s classroom approach to teaching you all about your favorite subject—knives—from every angle. Held on the BLADE Show site at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, BLADE University will begin the day before the BLADE Show next week, June 5, and end June 7.
•TACTICAL KNIVES: In Knife Designs of The Masters, learn from such world-renowned tactical makers as Chris Reeve, Bill Harsey and Jerry Busse as they explain how they approach making their tactical and other knives, from the design process all the way to the completed knife;
Hands-on teaching by such world-renowned knifemakers as ABS master smith Wally Hayes will highlight BLADE University.
•FORGING: Let ABS master smith Joe Keeslar and other members of the ABS take you through how the ABS tests applicants for journeyman and master smith status, how and why ABS smiths incorporate the concept of line and flow into their knives, and how to inlay wire in handles and sheaths. Also, ABS master smith Jerry Fisk will explain how he forges such knives as his award-winning Sendero model and others in his Knife Designs of The Masters class;
•COLLECTING: The knives of such legends as Bob Loveless, Bill Moran, Bo Randall and Jim Schmidt are among the world’s most collectible custom knives. Major Louis Chow, Dave Ellis and Gary Clinton will school you on which of the legends’ knives are most collectible, their values, what to look for and much more;
•EMBELLISHMENT: Glendo Corp. has a state-of-the-art engraving school in Emporia, Kansas, where it teaches some of the world’s finest engravers and also knifemakers the art of engraving. Learn from the experts via the latest in engraving equipment and hands-on instruction and much more in this comprehensive series of classes;
•TRADITIONAL POCKETKNIVES: Tony Bose has been making award-winning slip joints for decades and also designs special collaborations for W.R. Case & Sons. Allow him to share his extensive experience and knowledge on how he makes his famous saddlehorn trapper and other traditional pocketknife patterns;
•JAPANESE SWORDS: ABS master smith Wally Hayes forges both Japanese swords and knives and also specializes in their handles and fittings. Let him show you hands-on how to wrap Japanese handles and his approach to fittings and the wavy temper line known as the hamon.
