We Take A Look Inside The Shop Of ABS Master Smith Steve Schwarzer And See How He Makes His Mosaic Damascus Wonders
Of all the forgers of mosaic damascus in the knife industry, none stand out any more than American Bladesmith Society Master Smith Steve Schwarzer.
Steve began forging in the early 1970s. In 1981 he received his ABS master smith rating, his papers signed by none other than one of four ABS founders/BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bill Moran, and was officially recognized as an MS in 1983. Steve has an intense passion for forging mosaic damascus and his contribution to this steel niche over the decades has been immeasurable. Unselfish to the extreme, he has forged damascus for many custom makers and tutored many on forging and the making of pattern-welded steel over the years—which he continues to do to this day.
His awards over 50 years of knifemaking are too numerous to name, as have his appearances in BLADE®. BLADE is delighted to feature Steve once again, this time in a supersized edition of “Shop Dump” to give readers a deep dive into the equipment this modern-day master uses to achieve his magical works.
Inside Steve’s Shop
Steve rescued his Kent USA precision surface grinder from a knifemaker friend. In the process of retrieving it, Steve almost destroyed it while loading it. However, another friend restored it to better than new.
As you can imagine, Steve has acquired a lot of equipment over his many years of knifemaking and has honed his shop to perfection. We asked the artisan to give us an extended tour of his digs and he gladly obliged. He kicked the tour off with his forging hammer.
“The Chambersburg 2 Hammer was my first real game changer,” Steve notes. “I had owned several mechanical hammers before I found it. The control in forging set me apart from others. It also allowed me to work much larger masses of damascus. I have trained dozens of the current top makers pattern welding using this machine. I built my second shop around it. It’s now in my home shop.
“Next up is my custom-built 50-ton Coal Works computer-assisted C Frame press. This is a recent acquisition and is also a game changer for controlled forging. It has a return to 1/100 of an inch. Basically, it comes with millions of electronic stop blocks. It has the ability to swap dies to any configuration in minutes. I have built many presses over the years; this one has all the benefits and adaptability afforded by all the others combined. I worked very closely with the crew at Coal Iron to bring this beast to life. I’m still exploring its capabilities.”
Grinders are a must-have of any maker’s shop and Schwarzer has a passel of them.
“I own four Beaumont grinders—one for over 20 years—and they are great machines that track properly,” Steve states. “Three are 2×72 belt grinders, two with controllers. They’re constructed of steel, making it very easy to make tooling and various fixtures for any project. The disc grinder runs perfectly true, making grinding precision angles a breeze.”
Steve Schwarzer’s Forges
Steve’s ribbon burner is one of several forges in his shop. He designed it and a close friend built it. It’s purpose-built for working very large canister damascus.
Steve brings the heat to his steel with a forge of his design.
“My forge is one of several I run in my shop. It’s a ribbon burner designed by me and constructed by a close friend. It’s purpose-built for working very large canister damascus. I have built dozens of forges over the last 40 years. This is the latest version. My previous forges were all versions of a Don Fogg design.”
If you’ve read past installments of “Shop Dump,” you know it’s not at all uncommon for equipment to be passed down from one maker to the next. Such is the case with Steve’s mill and surface grinder.
“My Kent USA knee mill is my go-to for all precision drilling and milling. It was rescued from a retired knifemaker who took excellent care of it,” Steve relates. “It’s variable speed, making it handy for all types of tooling.
“I also rescued my Kent USA precision surface grinder from the same knifemaker. It had a history when I went to retrieve it. I made a rookie mistake loading it. Long story short, I, for all practical purposes, destroyed it. I broke about everything on it. I had in mind to scrap it. I called a friend who owns one and asked if he wanted it for parts. He said, ‘Let me look at it.’ I took it to his shop. He is a true wizard. He totally restored the machine I thought was lost to better than new. He also taught me how to properly grind with it. I will always be grateful.”
If walls could talk there is no telling how many amusing tales Schwarzer’s shop could tell.
“I have a shop full of machines, all with some story attached,” the affable bladesmith said. “My tool rack has dozens of hammers and tongs collected over 40 years. This is my happy place. I love teaching and sharing the stories with students and friends.”
For more information contact Steve Schwarzer through his website at steveschwarzer.com.
Get a sneak peek at all the happening at the 2023 BLADE Show West.
Last year’s show was much better than expected and show officials are anticipating more of the same except more of it for BLADE Show West 2023’s encore appearance October 13-14 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Set once again for the plush Salt Palace Convention Center in the heart of downtown, the show will host return engagements from most of last year’s leading exhibitors plus a large additional group of some of today’s best and brightest knifemakers, bladesmiths, knife companies, knife suppliers and others.
BEAT THE LINES! Get Your BLADE Show West Tickets Now!
Also in the offing is an entertaining slate of seminars highlighted by new ones conducted by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Devin “Hoss” Thomas, ABS journeyman smith Mardi Meshejian, knifemaker David Carver and AmeriBrade grinders, along with popular returnees conducted by the likes of Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Steve Schwarzer and Squid Industries, the latter the balisong-festooned 4th Annual West Coast Flipping Championships.
ABS master smith Shane Taylor (left) and knife guru Steven Garsson (right) needed no cheering up at last year’s show.
Drinking it all in will be knife enthusiasts from the local area, surrounding states and those even further afield eager to partake of the BLADE Show brand of knife show, Western style.
“The crowd was way more than I expected,” Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bill Ruple noted of last year’s event. Added award-winning maker Mike Tyre, “It was extremely busy. Both days were non-stop people.” Ruple and Tyre, along with an all-star cast of makers and other exhibitors, will be among those returning this year.
The Salt Palace Convention Center received high marks from attendees last year in terms of overall atmosphere, amenities and easy accessibility to most everything, including hotels, parking and restaurants. “The venue was excellent. My hotel was really upscale with great parking,” Tyre observed. “The show was a short walk across the street.” Chimed in ABS master smith Steven Koster, “The hotel and food were very convenient and easy to get to … The show venue was nice and easy to access.”
BLADE Show West Awards
At a time to be determined on show Friday, the custom knife and factory knife judging competitions will be held. Exhibitors wanting all the details on how to enter should read the competition rules supplied in their exhibitor packets.
BLADE Show West hosts two knife judging competitions: factory and custom. WE Knife won Best Folder and Best of Show in the factory judging last year with the Nitro Mini, a collaboration between WE and knifemaker Peter Cary. (SharpByCoop image)
Categories in the custom competition are: Best Hunter, Best Kitchen, Best Damascus, Best Slip Joint, Best Fixed Blade, Best Folder, Best Tactical, Best Of The Rest, Best M.A.C.K. and Best of Show. Categories in the factory competition are Best American Made, Best Imported, Best EDC, Best Fixed Blade, Best Folder and Best of Show.
All award winners will receive trophies and coverage in the BLADE Show West recap edition(s) of BLADE®. The winners will be announced at 8 p.m. on show Friday at the BLADE Show West Awards After Party.
Things To Do Around SLC
As noted, many outstanding restaurants and watering holes are within easy walking distance of the Salt Palace Convention Center. The area is also home to an energetic nightlife scene, national parks, museums and other attractions.
Dennis Friedly will be among the show’s top art knife exhibitors. His knife celebrating his 50th year of knifemaking in 2022 boasts a 9.5-inch blade of damascus forged by Tanner McFall, a guard of damascus by Robert Eggerling and an ancient ivory handle. Gil Rudolph is the engraver. Overall length: 16 inches. (SharpByCoop image)
Meanwhile, the latest in custom and factory knives and accessories, tomahawks, swords, multi-tools, knifemaking materials and equipment, vintage collectibles, knife swapping galore, old friends renewing acquaintances and new friendships waiting to be made—you get it all and more at BLADE Show West 2023.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 1-to-2 p.m.: Fundamentals of Grinding AmeriBrade will provide a general overview on grinds, technique and different equipment. The class will be interactive and the AmeriBrade team will answer questions and demonstrate suggestions to address common issues. 2:30-to-4 p.m.: How Much to Charge for a Custom Knife Finding the right balance between charging too much and not enough for a knife can spell success or failure for any maker. If you want to learn what goes into the thought process of makers who set their prices properly, join BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Devin “Hoss” Thomas for his seminar. 4:30-to-5:30 p.m.: It’s Not a Friction Folder: A Modern Interpretation American Bladesmith Society journeyman smith Mardi Meshejian will talk about his innovative folder design and construction inspired by traditional friction folders and straight razors.
One of the best-attended seminars not just of BLADE Show West but all affiliated BLADE Shows is “Let The Pros Critique Your Knife.” ABS master smith Steve Schwarzer (right, seated at table) returns with a fresh batch of award-winning knifemakers to opine on the knives submitted by show goers for review. See seminar schedule for details.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 12-to-1 p.m.: Let The Pros Critique Your Knife Cutlery Hall-Of-Famers Steve Schwarzer and Devin “Hoss” Thomas and award-winning makers Jared Oeser and Luke Swenson will examine the custom knife you bring and tell you what’s good about it, what’s not and how it can be made better. This will be a limited-seating event. Bring one knife only. Questions from attendees will be entertained throughout. 2-to-3 p.m.: Folder Design David Carver of Carver Knife Co. will teach techniques on making a folding knife that works well, looks good, and feels great in the hand and/or pocket. 4-to-6 p.m.: 4th Annual West Coast Flipping Championships Hosted by Squid Industries, the event will feature head-to-head/live balisong flipping in an elimination/bracket-style competition.
*All seminars and the flipping championships will be held in Meeting Room 150.
Sample of Top Exhibitors
A few of the exhibitors set to show their stuff at BLADE Show West ’23 include such outstanding custom makers and bladesmiths as: ABS master smiths Bill Burke, Murray Carter, Steven Koster, BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Steve Schwarzer, Shane Taylor and Shayne Carter; Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bill Ruple; Dennis Friedly; Todd Begg; Jim Dunlap; Duane Dwyer; Gavin and Grant Hawk; Johnny Stout; Keanison Knives; Mike Tyre; Jared Oeser; Enrique Pena; Princeton Wong; Luke Swenson; Tim Robertson; and a host of others.
The custom knife section of the Salt Palace Convention Center was jampacked with knife nuts at BLADE Show West ’22. The same is expected this year to see gobs of fabulous knives such as those by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Steve Schwarzer. His Shark Knife sports a 4.25-inch blade of mosaic canister damascus and an ancient ivory handle in fishy motifs. (Jocelyn Frasier knife image)
Domestic and international factory knife and knife accessory exhibitors will include Artisan Cutlery; Boker USA; Bradford Knives; CobraTec; Cold Steel; CRKT; Emerson Knives, Inc.; Fox Knives; GiantMouse; Heretic Knives; Hogue Knives; Kizer; Kansept; LionSteel; Microtech; Pro-Tech; Reate Knives; Rosecraft Blades; SOG Knives; Spyderco; TOPS Knives; WE Knife; White River Knife & Tool; Wicked Edge Precision Sharpeners; and many more. Knifemaking suppliers set to exhibit include Damasteel; Evenheat Kiln; Knife & Gun Finishing Supplies; New Jersey Steel Baron; Nichols Damascus; Vegas Forge Damascus; and a number of others.
From UG-Tools’ snack-fueled award sweep to Rick Dunkerley’s full-circle Hall of Fame moment, this year’s show didn’t disappoint.
Each BLADE Show has more than its share of entertaining adventures, and the 2025 version was no exception. Two of the more memorable happenings from this year’s event were as follows:
UG Tools Tiny & Twinkies®
1: UG-Tools won both Imported Fixed Blade and Overall Knife Of The Year® for the TiNy Drop Point. Among the more notable features of the award winner is its light weight and the ability to be used for heavy-duty jobs and a variety of different applications, including hunting, fishing, hiking, law enforcement and EDC.
It was the knife’s lightweight/heavy-duty nature the UG folks chose to highlight at the show, doing so by putting the knife in the hands of patrons visiting the company’s booth.
“You could literally see their brains working to figure out why it was so darn light,” UG’s Jan Gierse wrote of the patrons’ reactions and the TiNy. The UG team would then take the knife and baton it through an 8×8 post, the sounds of hammering echoing through the exhibit hall.
Also known as Fixed Knives International and with the UG standing for (Philipp) Utsch and (Jan) Gierse, the German-based company began operations in 2020. BLADE Show ’25 was its first “trade fair” as an exhibitor and the firm’s brain trust had been contemplating how to best convey the low weight of their knives. The solution: say the knife is lighter than two Twinkies® and give away the famed Hostess snack cakes in large quantities to booth visitors. The idea went down well with young and old show-goers alike, and UG quickly became referred to as “the Twinkie guys,” even partaking of a few of the cream-filled treats themselves.
“The sugar was driving our brains to peak performance,” Jan wrote, “[and] we came up with an idea: If we won an award, [one of us would have] to get a tattoo of a Twinkie or a knife. Since we won the Overall award, each of us will get a tattoo. What it will be remains to be seen.”
Jan added that the results can probably be seen at next year’s show.
Rick Dunkerley’s Wild Ride to the Top
At the 1996 BLADE Show, Rick Dunkerley commanded notice for more than just his handforged folders. Late one night after the show he and fellow bladesmith Barry Gallagher mooned The Pit, the beloved sunken lounge in the lobby of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, from one of the hotel’s see-through glass elevators. As Rick stepped to the podium to be formally inducted into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® the Saturday morning of this year’s show, he began his comments by referring to the now-legendary “elevator exposé.”
“So it was 29 years ago that I was in the elevator and mooned The Pit,” he said to a round of laughter from the induction ceremony audience, “so my advice is that if you want to get into the Hall of Fame, don’t get in the elevator and moon The Pit. I got home from that episode and an ABS master smith called and told me they were going to kick me out of the ABS, and I said, well, if they’re going to kick me out of the ABS for that I don’t want to be in the ABS. But I passed my master smith test the next year, so I guess they didn’t hold it against me. My career has skyrocketed since,” he summarized to even more laughs.
Meanwhile, the induction ceremony was this writer’s first in my new role as Cutlery Hall-of-Fame chairman. In one of my first unofficial acts as chairman, I informed Rick and the audience that while the Cutlery Hall-of-Fame had a “little-known rule” banning anyone from membership if he or she mooned The Pit, the statute of limitations on the rule is—wait for it—28 years, and in his instance had run out. My lame joke aside, on behalf of BLADE®, the BLADE Show and the Hall of Fame, it’s my honor to help welcome Rick and the rest of his fellow inductees to the Hall.
Dowell, Harsey and Fogg join the ranks of other greats.
Custom knifemakers T.M. “Ted” Dowell and William “Bill” Harsey Jr. and ABS master smith Don Fogg have been voted the 2024 inductees into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame®.
The three were elected by a vote of sitting members of the Cutlery Hall of Fame and a panel of industry authorities, the latter assembled by BLADE® Magazine. The vote was finalized April 25.
The trio will be inducted formally in a special ceremony during the 43rd Annual BLADE Show June 7-9 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. The ceremony will be held Saturday, June 8, at 8 a.m. in the Kennesaw Room of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel, the host hotel of the BLADE Show. For ceremony ticket information, visit [email protected].
Dowell was one of the founding members who established The Knifemakers’ Guild, the grandaddy of all modern knifemaker organizations, in 1970. Along with fellow Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bob Loveless, Dowell wrote the Guild’s original bylaws. Ted was Guild president in 1975 and coordinated the organization’s first custom-knives-only-no-guns show. He helped Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Phil Lobred establish the Art Knife Invitational in the early 1980s. Lobred credited Dowell with making the first modern integral knife, a design Ted introduced in 1972 in his basic hunting knives and which eventually evolved into some of the most ornate of integral art knives. Integral knives in general turned into a category of their own and remain popular to this day. Ted passed away in 2012.
Fogg and Murad Sayen formed a partnership called ‘Kemal’ in 1980. Kemal created some of the best art knives ever, including one pictured in Esquire Magazine. The accompanying article helped bring the beauty of art knives to the world. In 1981, Bill Moran and Fogg received the first ABS master smith ratings. In 2006 Don was inducted into the ABS Hall of Fame. He long has shared his vast knowledge. He revealed the art of Samurai and Viking sword making and developed the W’s damascus pattern. He shared the drawings of his best gas forge and his gas heat treat oven for swords. He built one of the first 20-ton hydraulic forging presses for making damascus. Today the press is as popular as a power hammer. He also was instrumental in starting the ABS bladesmithing school in Auburn, Maine.
Harsey has made and designed knives for 38 years, during which time he has been one of the most prolific and recognizable names in the industry, working behind the scenes and designing for Al Mar Knives, Beretta, Chris Reeve Knives, CRKT, Gerber, Ruger and Spartan Blades. He worked and consulted with and designed for Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Col. Rex Applegate, including the British SAS Collaboration Knife. Bill designed the U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret Knife, aka The Yarborough, for Chris Reeve Knives, a serialized version of which was presented to each graduate of the Special Forces Qualification Course. He also designed the official knife of the Canadian Special Forces and the U.S. Navy SEAL Silver Trident knife, and worked on the Neil Roberts knife project.
The elections bring to 74 the number of members in the Cutlery Hall of Fame, the world’s only shrine to the giants of the entire knife industry.
Forty-five shows in, the edge-travaganz’s remains the beating heart of the knife world.
Each year, the BLADE Show draws thousands as the knife industry’s perennially premier event. Now celebrating its 45th anniversary, BLADE Show has grown from humble beginnings at the Drawbridge Motor Inn in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, in 1982 to a hub that stirs enthusiasm, sparks lively discourse, facilitates buying and selling and energizes the world of cutlery like no other.
Knife enthusiasts and aficionados of all types, makers, purveyors, factory representatives and collectors have crowded the floor of the show regularly, from the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area to the World Trade Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, to its present home in Atlanta. Memories have been made, deals struck and a rising tide has lifted all.
“We originally said we were going to do one show a year,” remembered Bruce Voyles, BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame® member and longtime publisher of BLADE® Magazine. “The goal was to make it more than a show. We loved the original venue in the Cincinnati area, but we outgrew it in two years, moving to 70,000 square feet in Knoxville by 1985 or so, with 700 tables, and then to Atlanta, where there is an airline hub and more international people were able to attend.
From the right, Bob Loveless, J.W. Denton and Myra and Durvyn Howard enjoy a dinner after a day on the BLADE Show floor. The show is as much a social gathering as it is an industry event. (John Denton image)
“Nobody had gotten such an incredible group of people together in one room before, and from it some amazing things happened,” Voyles reflected. “Sal Glesser of Spyderco came up with the idea for collaborations, and that really began at the BLADE Show as manufacturing people wandered into the handmade area–and it happened! We built the show on borrowing ideas from others and adapted it for all we could, trying to minimize mistakes we had seen in other shows.”
Through the years, the BLADE Show has been characterized by its exchange of ideas, vigorous commerce, displays of remarkable collections, professional demonstrations, honors for the industry greats and much more. Voyles smiled, “It just went gangbusters!”
And so, while the BLADE Show is in its 45th year, many have made the annual pilgrimage time and again. They acknowledge the impact the event has had on the knife industry and reflect on their memories and its true significance. The show has evolved, experienced growing pains and reached new heights of influence–but its dynamic energy has never waned, even in these days of the internet and instant access to information.
Knife Family Reunion
From the start, BLADE Show was red hot. Documenting the first show at the Drawdridge Motor Inn near Cincinnati, Ohio, the article from the July/August 1982 American BLADE estimates more than 7,000 knife enthusiasts showed up.
“The early BLADE Shows were run by Bruce,” commented ABS master smith and custom purveyor Dave Ellis. “Over the years, ownership has changed and the crowds have grown. Now there are two rooms to hold all of the table holders. The lines to attend start days in advance and eager folks flood in to be first to their tables of choice. The seminars have grown, and celebrities, musicians and folks from all walks of life attend with the expectation of purchasing that special piece they have saved all year for.”
During his active days as a bladesmith, Ellis attended shows with greats like Hall of Fame legend Bill Moran and master smith Jerry Fisk. He remembers sitting in “the Pit” at Atlanta’s Waverly Hotel, where friendships were forged and discussion flourished.
Hall of Famers Daniel Winkler and Karen Shook were attendees in the 1980s, and their first impressions were lasting. “It was overwhelming to know there were that many people making knives and to see the diversity,” Karen recalled. “The most striking memory is the sense of community and camaraderie. We did not know who the legends were at the time, but when we got to know them, we learned of a group of great talents with great passion for knives and the knife community.”
Among the aspects that set BLADE Show apart from other knife shows is the inclusion of factory knives. This has become an important part of the industry, as companies vie for the coveted Knife Of The Year award. Spartan Blade nabbed the honor in 2024 with its wicked Clandestina.
Karen fondly remembers sitting in the Pit. “It was like a family reunion. Almost every face became familiar. The show and the promotion of the same have attracted interested parties and given makers the opportunity to meet people and educate attendees as to why custom knives cost more than your typical hardware store hunting knife.”
Magic Of Knives In Person
When UK-based custom scissor maker Grace Horn attended her first BLADE Show in 2003, she was expecting her second child. “That child was conceived with the knowledge that I had to attend and not be too pregnant to do the transatlantic flight,” she laughed. “I have been attending every year since, and the changes have been fascinating. The fluxes of the industry are so much easier to see in a microcosm at a show … a snapshot of the industry at a point in time. Even in this world of increased social media engagement, nothing replaces the actual interaction between people. I love the sense of community that comes with the BLADE Show.”
Collector Chris Schluter agrees. “These days, so much of knife collecting takes place via social media,” he said. “It’s been great for sure–online sales, frequent interaction with makers and collectors. There’s still not a substitute, though, for meeting people in person and handling knives in person. For collectors, this is seeing your favorite makers in person and also walking by that table with a maker you’ve never heard of and stopping because something caught your eye. It’s not just meeting people during the show. It’s also after hours in “The Pit” and nearby restaurants and bars where people have time to chat. The BLADE Show is always something I look forward to, and I think many makers and collectors see the show as a sort of annual ritual that they really try to go to each year.”
From top, knives from Hall of Famer Bill Scagel, CAS and Hall memeber Bill Moran. Imagine seeing so many great creations in one case. Through the years, it’s become commonplace at BLADE Show. (Dave Ellis image)
That pervasive energy, the smiles and the renewal of each acquaintance team up with the latest across the knife world to make the BLADE Show even more relevant in today’s environment. “The BLADE Show has made the careers of custom makers,” declared renowned knife innovator Ernest Emerson. “Before the internet, how could you find out about custom makers and their knives? BLADE Magazine was it, and the readers of BLADE Magazine would go to that show. Still, there is no motivation like seeing what the other guys are making.”
Emerson’s following is proof positive that the BLADE Show complements a career. The throng that gathers at each show to purchase his knives and those of other makers gave rise to the lotteries that are commonplace these days.
“The BLADE Show has pushed the knife world to outer space,” assessed Loveless knives expert and purveyor John Denton. “People keep coming back because it has something to do with the love of custom knives—one on one with makers, dealers, collectors—we all love the same thing. So, it is so much fun to see everyone. It feels like family. We all come back because we have all we need at the BLADE Show. The future is here, and now, so I just hope the magic stays.”
BLADE Show launched during the golden years of custom knives in the 1980s. But don’t think the best years are behind. Contemporary makers, such as Brazilian Dionatam Franco, continue to wow with creations like his 2023 Best of Show dagger.
That magic was indeed, at times, like catching lightning in a bottle. “It was things like [Hall of Famer] Bob Loveless staying with Wayne Clay, and once the show ended for the day, we all went out to eat,” Denton commented. “Then, at the hotel, you just looked around the room, and the knifemakers of the world were all pretty much in the same place. You could listen to Loveless and [Hall of Famer] A.G. Russell discussing things. Over on the couch was [Hall member] George Herron. Then you saw Bill Moran relaxed next to him. It was all bigger than life.”
From Show To Spectacle
Les George was a young knifemaker when he attended his first BLADE Show at age 25. “I don’t know if I can say it’s better now because it’s been amazing from the very first time,” he remarked. “On top of being a trade show for knives, it’s the number one social event for this business. I see some friends only at the BLADE Show, even though I’m in touch with them all the time. The BLADE Show is a huge fixture in my life, and the whole year pivots around the June trip to Atlanta.”
Of course, many others would say the same thing. Like the proverbial sun, the BLADE Show is the center of the knife community’s solar system. Its atmosphere sheds radiant light on the industry. Its gravitational pull is virtually irresistible. Its intensity is nothing short of “white hot”.
A couple of master smiths—Jason Knight (left) and Dave Ellis (right)—rub elbows at the BLADE Show. (Dave Ellis image)
Through change and reinvention, the BLADE Show remains a driving force in its 45th year. And even though the computer screen and cell phone add to the communication milieu, those who know what the BLADE Show is will accept no substitute. Here’s to 45 more years.
See Who Took Home The Hardware From The 2024 Custom Knife Awards At BLADE Show.
Once again, the Custom Knife Of The Year® Awards at the June 7-9 BLADE Show at the Cobb County Gallery showcased some of the finest bladesmithing in the knife world. The challenge was determining which knives would rise to the top.
In a fiercely competitive field, a panel of expert judges selected the top knives in various categories, highlighting the best of the best. Below are the winners, including the prestigious Hugh Bartrug Best In Show award.
Best of Show & Best Folder: Evan Nicolaides
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best of Show Contender: Jean Louis
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Art Knife: Fabio Barros
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Kitchen Knife: Jordan LaMothe
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Bowie: Samuel Lurquin
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Collaboration: Javi Garcia, Enrique Pena, Jared Oeser
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Damascus: Ronmell Fernandes
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Fighter: Seth Lopez
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Fighter Contender: Samuel Lurquin
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Fixed Blade: Harvey Dean
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best M.A.C.K.: Sergey Shirogorov
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Folder Contender: Vogt Knives
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Handle Design: Vogt Knives
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best New Maker: Bobby House
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Sword: Vince Evans
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Tactical Folder: Dmitry Sinkevich
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Utility Hunter: Dionatam Franco
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Most Innovative Design: Carlos Queiros
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Miniature: Rhidian Gatrill
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
Best Slip Joint: Rhidian Gatrill
Photo: Jocelyn Frasier
See Past 2023 Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:
See who took top honors in the BLADE Show Texas Factory and Custom Knife Awards.
As expected in Texas, everything is bigger and that includes knife competitions. BLADE Show Texas’ second year in the Forth Convention Center March 17-18, 2022 certainly drew a Lone-Star-State-sized field of some of the world’s most accomplished knifemakers. Between factor and custom competitions, there were some 150 entrants vying for top honors in a total of 14 categories (4 in factory, 10 in custom). Each segment was judged by a panel of top knifemakers from across the industry, who evaluated each for superior utility, design, creativity, materials, aesthetics, and feel, among other traits.
BLADE Show Texas Custom Knife Awards
Best Custom Slip Joint and Best In Show: Evan S Nicolaides
