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BLADE Show 2023: What To Expect In Atlanta

BLADE Staff

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May 16, 2023

BLADE Show 2023: What To Expect In Atlanta

BLADE Show 2023 is just around the corner. Here’s what to look out for at the “World’s Greatest Knife Show!”

If the third time really is the charm, then BLADE Show 2023 is smack dab in the middle of charm’s way.

Why? Because it’s the third BLADE Show after the one that was cancelled in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, and most all travel restrictions instituted even as late as last year’s BLADE Show have been lifted. That means a full return of international knife exhibitors and fans in addition to all those domestic are expected to make the 42nd annual rendition of the world’s most important knife event the biggest and best ever.

Sponsored by Smoky Mountain Knife Works, the BLADE Show is where more knives—new, old, custom, factory, etc.—are exhibited, bought and sold than at any other knife event. Almost 930 exhibitors* from every continent but Antarctica were scheduled to exhibit at press time, all bringing their latest and greatest knives and other edged tools, accessories, knifemaking supplies and more. Factory and custom knives, sharpeners, knife collections, knife purveyors and other cutlery entities too numerous to mention will showcase their wares as the world knife community makes the yearly pilgrimage to the Cobb Galleria Centre.

BLADE Show Overview

WHAT: BLADE Show
WHERE: Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta
WHEN: June 2-4
DAYS and TIMES:

Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (early bird ticket holders can enter at 10 a.m.)
Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Get Your BLADE Show Tickets

The latest, hottest custom knives, factory knife debuts, the educational knife instruction class schedule of BLADE University and action-packed free demos are among the sharp goodies awaiting hordes of show patrons. The BLADE Magazine 2023 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards, the custom knife judging competition and the knife collection display judging competition are others. The ABS Knife Auction, formal inductions of the latest members of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame®, and some of the best knives the ABS and the Knifemakers’ Guild and unaffiliated makers in general have to offer are still others.

And don’t forget The Pit, the after-hours meeting place in and around the sunken bar of the host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, where show patrons and exhibitors will congregate into the wee hours beginning the night before the show through the end of the weekend to compare knives, swap lies and otherwise celebrate the year’s most momentous cutlery weekend.

BLADE University

Avail yourself of the latest knifemaking techniques and other trending sharp subjects during the 10th Annual BLADE University show Friday and Saturday.

Ed Flowler seminar — BLADE® field editor Ed Fowler will present the seminar “Seeking Safety In Knife Design” show Saturday at 1 p.m. in Room 107.

Sponsored by Work Sharp Sharpeners, BLADE University has the most extensive schedule of knife, knifemaking and other instruction held at any knife show. Among the highlight classes for 2023 are “CRKT Presents Q&A with Michael Walker” featuring the industry renowned creator of the linerlock; “Designing Kitchen Knives” and “How To Run A Successful Knifemaking Business” with chef’s knife maestro Bob Kramer; “Exploring the Performance of Pattern-Welded Steel,” with damascus forging legend Devin “Hoss” Thomas and his son, internet steel guru Larrin Thomas; and many more.

BLADE University Schedule

FRIDAY

8-9:30 a.m. Fundamentals of Grinding, The Courtyard. AmeriBrade and guest makers cover grinds, technique and different equipment.
10-11 a.m. Exploring the Performance of Pattern-Welded Steel, Room 103. Devin and Larrin Thomas review their experiments on the strength, toughness and edge retention of damascus steel.
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Designing Kitchen Knives, Room 104. ABS master smith Bob Kramer discusses considerations to ponder when designing kitchen knives.
1-2 p.m. CRKT Presents Q&A with Michael Walker, Room 104. BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Michael Walker answers questions on the linerlock he developed in 1981, the evolution of the many other locking systems he designed post-linerlock and more.
1:30-2:30 p.m. Dancing with the Devil: Algorithms, SEO and Ecommerce, Room 103. Ben Petersen explains how to sell knives online and build your brand while navigating Google, Amazon and Meta.
2-3 p.m. What’s Hot in Knife Steels, Room 103. Join representatives from Mike Norris Damascus, Nichols Damascus and Vegas Forge as they discuss today’s hottest steels and why those steels are so much in demand.
3-4 p.m. Forging Ancient Materials and Why It’s Important Today, Room 107. Award-winning knifemaker Ilya Alekseyev and friends explore how and why practicing forging methods used by the craftsmen of old translates into modern materials.
3:30-4:30 p.m. Hands-On Knife Sharpening, Room 113. Bring your knife or a borrowed one and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance from the team at Work Sharp Sharpeners.
4:30-5:30 p.m. Unlearning Bad Habits: My Unique Path to JS, Room 107. Matt Stagmer focuses on makers that have been in the craft for many years, and how becoming an ABS journeyman smith differs from someone learning those standards from day one.

SATURDAY

8:30-9:30 a.m. Decorative Custom Knife Filework, Room 113. Knifemaker Kyle Daily of KHDaily Knives shows you his preferred files and the equipment he uses to make his five most popular filework patterns.
8:45-9:45 a.m. How To Forge a Hunting Knife, The Courtyard. Using his propane forge, ABS master smith Timothy Potier demonstrates how to forge a full-tang drop-point hunter.
9:30-11 a.m. How To Run a Successful Knifemaking Business, Room 104. ABS master smith Bob Kramer shares his 35 years of experience running a successful knifemaking business.
9:45-10:45 a.m. Reproducing Traditional Pocketknives, Room 107. Tim Robertson covers patterning traditional slipjoints from original factory knives in detail, including methods of disassembly, correct scribing techniques and proper hole layout.
11 a.m.-12 p.m. 3D Printing for Canister Patterns, Room 113. ABS master smith Steve Schwarzer and Ron Hardman show you how to use this game-changing advancement to forge patterns on a budget that were previously unthinkable.
2-3 p.m. Let the Pros Critique Your Knife, Room 104. Award-winning knifemakers Lucas Burnley, Luke Swenson and Devin Thomas, and ABS master smiths David Lisch and Mike Quesenberry examine your knife, tell you what’s good about it, what’s not and how to make it better.
2:15-3:15 p.m. Hands-On Knife Sharpening, Room 113. Bring your knife or a borrowed one and learn the progression of shaping a bevel, sharpening and edge maintenance from the team at Work Sharp Sharpeners.
2:30-3:30 p.m. Writing for a Knife Publication, Room 107. Author/ABS apprentice smith Jason Fry and a panel of industry insiders share the tips and tricks it takes to get into the knife writing game.
4-5 p.m. Folder Design, Room 104. David Carver of Carver Knife Co. teaches techniques on making a folding knife that works well, looks good and feels great in the hand/pocket.

Enroll In BLADE University Classe Now!

World Cutting Title

The BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competitions will be conducted by BladeSports International (BSI) and held in The Courtyard, the parking lot of the host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

At press time, contestants in both men’s and women’s divisions were scheduled to compete. Last year, James Clifton won the men’s division and Terri Lynn the women’s.

Knives Of The Year

The BLADE Magazine 2023 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards will be announced and presented during the BLADE Magazine Awards ceremony Saturday night in The Pit.

The entries are limited to BLADE Show factory booth exhibitors, and will be on display show Friday and Saturday under glass in a special locked cabinet in the lobby. The winners will be announced on BLADE’s here after the awards presentation, and a list will be posted outside the show entrance Sunday morning.

The award categories are: Overall; American-Made; Imported; Most Innovative American Design; Most Innovative Imported Design; Best Buy Of the Year; Investor/Collector; Collaboration; Manufacturing Quality; Accessory; Kitchen; Publisher’s; and Industry Achievement.

Custom Knife Judging

Leading industry authorities will pick the best custom knives by BLADE Show exhibitors in the annual knife judging competition, with the winners announced during the BLADE Magazine Awards ceremony Saturday night in The Pit.

Rhea knife — ABS master smith Lin Rhea will exhibit such forged wonders as his damascus hunter in mammoth ivory. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)

The categories: Hugh Bartrug Best Of Show; Best Fixed Blade; Best Damascus; Best Kitchen Knife; Yvon Vachon Best Miniature; Best Art Knife; Best Fighter; Best Bowie; Best Handle Design; Best Tactical Folder; Best Utility Hunter; Best Folder; Most Innovative Design; Best Knife Collaboration; Best Sword; Best New Maker; Best Of The Rest; and a new BLADE Show category: Best M.A.C.K. (Machine Assisted Custom Knife).

The competition is open to the show’s custom knife exhibitors only. The winners will be announced on BLADE’s blademag.com website after the awards ceremony, and a list will be posted outside the show entrance Sunday morning.

Seminars & Demos

Seminars and demonstrations will be held in classrooms inside the Cobb Galleria or in The Courtyard, or under The Courtyard’s BLADE University tent. Admission is free to BLADE Show ticket holders.

Among the highlights will be “Knowledge Destroys Fear” presented by Ernest Emerson, CEO of Emerson Knives, Inc. Ernest will share the secrets of how Navy SEALs, Special Forces, Rangers and U.S. Marines conquer fear and thrive and prevail in the face of extreme life-threatening danger. Another highlight will be “Seeking Safety in Knife Design” with BLADE® field editor Ed Fowler. Ed will outline how to use knives efficiently and safely and what to look for in knives that cut effectively, do so without causing hot spots, and otherwise aren’t accidents waiting to happen in and of themselves.

Cutlery Hall Of Fame®

The BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® will formally induct three new members at 8 a.m. show Saturday in the Kennesaw Room of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel. (At press time, the new members had not been determined.) Tickets are required ahead of time for the ceremony, which includes a breakfast. Seating is limited. For ticket information, email [email protected].

Knife Colletions

Outstanding knife collections will be on display, with the best recognized via a judging competition. Last year’s winners: Larry Oden, Best of Show for “Buck Factory Production Knives of the 1960s.” Judges awards went to Gene Merritt for his “Yellowhorse” display of David Yellowhorse knives and Bruce Cannon for “Paul Bos: Alloys’ Greatest Ally.” Natalie Lindsey won the Youth Award for “Tinkerbell and Friends Put the Magic in BCCI and Buck Knives.”

Bali Championship

Top balisong flippers will vie for the title of “Grand Master” in the 7th Annual Battle for Bali-Champion sponsored and conducted by Blade HQ.

Bali awards — The 7th Annual Battle for Bali Champion conducted by Blade HQ will be Saturday in The Courtyard. Last year’s top finishers, from left: James Hill (3rd place), Leighton Gravely (first) and Moiz Khalil (second).

The top three finishers will receive prizes and all participants will get swag bags. The competition will be limited to 48 contestants.

BLADE Show ticket holders are invited to watch the competition in The Courtyard under the BLADE University Tent on show Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. Competitors will start flipping knives at 12:30 p.m.

BLADE Show Seminars And Events

SATURDAY

8 a.m.: BLADE Magazine Cutlery-Hall-Of-Fame inductions, Kennesaw Room, Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel: Buy Cutlery Hall Of Fame Tickets
10-to-11:45 a.m.: ABS Knife Auction, Room 103
Noon-to-1 p.m.: Knowledge Destroys Fear—Ernest Emerson, Room 104
Noon-to-2 p.m.: 7th Annual Battle for Bali-Champion—Blade HQ, The Courtyard (the actual competition starts at 12:30 p.m.)
1-to-2 p.m.: Seeking Safety in Knife Design—BLADE® field editor Ed Fowler, Room 107
12-to-3 p.m.: Buck Collectors Club, Room 103
4:30 p.m.: BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competitions, conducted by BladeSports International in The Courtyard

Editor’s note: Microtech Knives and Heretic Knives are the presenting sponsors for BLADE Show 2023. RoseCraft Blades is The Pit sponsor. Work Sharp Sharpeners sponsors BLADE University. The other sponsors are Hogue Knives; Reate Knives; Nottingham Tactical; QSP Knife; Zac Brown’s Southern Grind; WE Knife; Glow Rhino; Columbia River Knife & Tool; and Artisan Cutlery.

10 Things You’ll Need at the 2016 BLADE Show

BLADE Show

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May 12, 2016

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10 Things You’ll Need at the 2016 BLADE Show

Join the thousands who will descend on the BLADE Show this weekend. (PointSeven photo) — Thousands of knife enthusiasts will visit the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta June 3-5 for the 2016 BLADE Show. (PointSeven image)

The 2016 BLADE Show will be here before you know it. Here are the 10 things you’ll need.

#1 – Tickets

If you don’t have yours already, getting your tickets ahead of time has never been easier. Just click here to handle everything online. You can also purchase tickets at the event, but taking care of this beforehand can only make your experience smoother.

#2 – A Place to Stay

If you’re already in the Atlanta area, you probably don’t need to worry about a place to stay. For everyone else, finding a hotel for a popular event can be challenging. Fortunately, BLADE made the hotel hunt easier by providing this interface to help you book.

chris reeve inkosi blade show — Have you heard about the exclusive Chris Reeve Knives Inoksi? To celebrate the 2016 BLADE Show, 25 special edition Inkosi knives were made. Each comes numbered and with the BLADE Show logo on the handle. Click the knife to see specs and learn how to get yours. They’re going fast!

#3 – A Plan

The BLADE Show grows year after year, which means there’s a lot to pack into your visit. While some attendees head to whatever catches their eyes, other knife enthusiasts map out a plan. This exhibitor list will help make those decisions easier.

In addition to the show floor, there are several events to plan for, too. Click here to view the schedule.

#4 – An Open Mind

Anyone playing the knife game long enough develops a comfort zone. It could be collecting knives from only a handful of companies or makers, or turning the nose up to a particular sort of steel. There’s nothing wrong with knowing what you like, but what if you’re missing out?

With so many knifemakers and knife companies coming in from across the country and the planet, the BLADE Show isn’t the place to limit yourself. The entire world of knives is together in one spot. Try something new.

If you need help breaking out your rut, attend a Blade University class, hosted in conjunction with the BLADE Show. These classes are prime opportunities to learn something new.

#5 – A Good Pair of Walking Shoes

You’ll be on your feet all day. Comfortable shoes make a big difference.

#6 – A Keen Sense of Knife Show Etiquette

Exhibitors at the BLADE Show are happy to talk with you about their knives, but there are some unspoken rules to keep in mind.

Fortunately, BLADE‘s Steve Shackleford put together this guide to knife show etiquette to help you understand the nuances of when to touch an exhibitor’s knives, why it’s a good idea to swallow before you lean down to check out a knife, how to start a conversation and more.

#7 – A Way to Ship Knives Home

Unless you’re a local, chances are you’re flying in to attend the BLADE Show. This presents a problem when it comes time to get your knives home. Do you trust your new (and expensive) knives to remain safe in your checked luggage?

A better bet is to ship your knives using a carrier. There is a UPS store in the Waverly Hotel, which is attached to the Cobb Galleria (the site of the BLADE Show). There are other choices in the area, too.

#8 – A Way to Carry Around Knives and Other Materials

This 18-pocket roll from BLADE offers a convenient yet secure way to store your knives.

In the first few hours of the show, carrying around your purchases isn’t that big of a deal. But as time goes on, even the small items feel much larger. Add in a few knife books from BLADE‘s booth by the main entrance, and things get heavy in a hurry.

A sturdy backpack, briefcase or other bag is a good idea. Knife rolls are essential, too, and ShopBlade.com has a terrific deal on a sleek, 18-pocket model.

#9 – Warm Weather Clothing

The BLADE Show takes place in June in Atlanta, so you already know the weather will be warm. Because of the attendance records broken year after year, the show floor demands you not underestimate the necessity of comfortable, warm weather clothes. Time to break out those jorts.

#10 – A Good Attitude

The BLADE Show offers the rare chance to meet the entire gamut of knife enthusiasm. While that does equal opportunity for those buying and selling knives, it can also mean stress.

Don’t lose sight of why you’re at the show in the first place. You love knives as much as the other attendees. A little bit of pressure is OK, but don’t rain on anyone else’s great day. The better your attitude going into the show, the more you’ll get out of it.

BLADE Show 2019 Checklist

BLADE Staff

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May 25, 2018

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BLADE Show Atlanta — A view of one corner of the BLADE Show floor from above.

BLADE Show 2019 kicks off June 7 in Atlanta. In the hurry to get everything ready, don’t forget these considerations.

Pack comfortable shoes for all that standing and walking.

If you’re flying in, figure out how you’re getting from from the airport to your hotel. Most people opt for a taxi (available right outside the doors of the airport), a ride-sharing service or a shuttle (if your hotel provides one).

Then figure out how you’re getting from your hotel to the Cobb Galleria.

If family/friends traveling with you are less interested in knives than you are (hey, it happens), check out this list of family-friendly attractions.

The BLADE Show is huge, and it grows every year. Make an itinerary of exhibitors and activities you want to hit so that you don’t get too far into the weeds.

On the other hand, casually browsing the show has benefits, too. You never know what surprises you might find.

Learn proper knife show etiquette so you stay sharp.

How will you get the new knives you purchased home? The most popular way is with a courier service, like UPS or FedEx. Scout out locations ahead of time. Don’t wait until the last minute!

If you plan to make purchases with cash, it’s a smart idea to arrive with it in hand rather than relying on ATMs. There are ATMs located on-site, but if there’s a run on cash, they might be empty.

On that note, how will you keep your cash secure as you walk the show floor?

How will you keep your knives and cash secure in your hotel room?

Have you set a budget for yourself about how much to spend on knives? It’s easy to get carried away on the show floor.

Last, but certainly not least, safety is important. How you carry every other day is different from how you carry at a crowded knife show. Please don’t be this guy:

BLADE Show Texas 2025 Preview: Hotbed Of Blades

BLADE Show

Steve Shackleford

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February 25, 2025

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BLADE Show Texas 2025 Preview: Hotbed Of Blades

The first big knife show of 2025 also is the Longhorn State’s biggest—BLADE Show Texas.

What: BLADE Show Texas 2025
Where: Fort Worth Convention Center
When: March 7-8
Days and Times:
Friday, March 7, 10-10:30 a.m.
Early Bird Pass Holders Only
Friday, March 7, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
General Admission
Saturday, March 8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
General Admission

The first big knife show of 2025 also happens to be the biggest knife show in Texas—BLADE Show Texas, to be exact—where the world’s best knives and knifemakers await you March 7-8 in the Fort Worth Convention Center.

The show will host 420 exhibitors from around the world, including Australia, Brazil, China, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Sweden and elsewhere, not to mention top American custom knifemakers and ABS master smiths; all returning winners of the BLADE Show Texas ’24 custom and factory knife judging awards; and other of the world’s leading factory knife companies, including current and past winners of BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards.

Over 70 makers and companies that did not exhibit last year will do so this year, including though not limited to South Africa’s Bertie Rietveld; Winkler Knives; Sweden’s Anders Hogstrom; ESEE; ABS master smith David Lisch; GiantMouse; ABS master smith Steve Randall; Demko; Darrin Thomas; Dozier Knives; Liam Hoffman/Hoffman Blacksmithing; and Peter Kohler/Dark Timber Custom Knives.

South African Bertie Rietveld will help headline the international contingent at BLADE Show Texas in the Fort Worth Convention Center. His curvaceous integral features a blade of his Dragonskin damascus and black jade inlays. Overall length: 11.8 inches. (SharpByCoop image)

The Fort Worth Convention Center will be a hotbed of blades, with thousands of custom and factory knives—from low end to high end, stock removal to forged, fixed blade to folder—tomahawks, swords, sharpeners and more. And if the exhibiting makers don’t have what you’re looking for, the exhibiting custom knife purveyors and factory retailers probably will; and if they don’t, they can put you in touch with someone who does.

For knife hobbyists and novice and veteran makers alike, the show’s diverse selection of knifemaking supplies and suppliers will have the materials, tools and equipment you need to make the knife of your dreams. From the latest steels, handle materials, hardware, sheath materials to most every knife part extant, the show’s suppliers should have it.

Knife Awards

ABS master smith Mike Quesenberry returns to defend his titles in three categories—Best of Show, Best Bowie and Best Art Knife—of the show’s custom knife judging competition.

The knife judging competitions will recognize the best of the show’s custom and factory knives. The custom award categories, with last year’s winners in parentheses:

Best of Show: Mike Quesenberry
Best Bowie: Mike Quesenberry
Best Fighter: Franco de Souza
Best Damascus: Franco de Souza
Best Hunting Knife: James Rodebaugh
Best Folding Knife: Jared Oeser
Best Kitchen Knife: Harvey Dean
Best M.A.C.K.: Princeton Wong
Best EDC: Karis Fisher
Best Art Knife: Mike Quesenberry
Best of the Rest: Jason Knight and Mark Winburn
Best Slipjoint: Tim Robertson

There were also three Best Contender winners:

Franco de Souza (Bowie)
Peyton Ramm (hunting knife)
P.H. Jacob (slipjoint)

The factory award categories, with last year’s winners in parentheses:

Best Of Show: ESNYX/Reate
Best EDC: ESNYX/Reate
Best American Made: Heretic Knives
Best Imported: Les George and Allen Elishewitz design for Ketuo
Best Fixed Blade: Vero Engineering
Best Folder: Vero Engineering
Best of the Rest: Reate

As noted, all of last year’s winners are returning for this year’s show.

The custom and factory knife judging is reserved exclusively for show exhibitors, all of whom received packets with complete details on category descriptions, judging rules and more prior to checking into the show.

Leading Factory Exhibitors

The factory section looks to entertain knife enthusiasts of all interests and ages.

Included among the leading factory knife exhibitors will be:

Artisan Cutlery
Bastinelli Knives
Big Idea Design
Boker USA
Bradford USA
Brighten Blades
W.R. Case and Sons
Chaves Knives
CobraTec Knives
Condor Tool & Knife
CRKT
Demko Knives
Dozier Knives; Emerson Knives, Inc.
ESEE; ESNYX Knives
Fox Knives
GiantMouse
Glow Rhino
Hawk Knife Designs
Heretic Knives
Hogue Knives
Jack Wolf Knives
Kansept Knives
Ketuo
KeyBar
Knafs
LATAMA Cutlery

Liong Mah Designs
McNees Knives
Medford Knife & Tool
MKM/Maniago Knife Makers
OCASO Knives; Olamic Cutlery
Poikiloblade
Pro-Tech
QSP Knife
Reate Knives
Rike Knife
RMJ Tactical
Rosecraft Blades
Santa Fe Stoneworks
Smoky Mountain Knife Works
Spyderco
Squid Industries
Stroup Knives
Tactile Knife Co.
Three Rivers Mfg. (TRM)
TOPS Knives
ULTICLIP
Vero Engineering
WE Knife Co.
White River Knife & Tool
Winkler Knives

Knifemaking Suppliers/Equipment

Scott Gallagher will be among a strong contingent of ABS master smith exhibitors. His Vest Bowie boasts a 4.5-inch mosaic damascus blade.

Included among the leading knifemaking/equipment suppliers will be:

Abrasives, Inc./Hog Brand
Alabama Damascus Steel
Alpha Knife Supply
American Metal Xchange Inc.
CamoCarbon
Current Composites
Damasteel AB
Evenheat Kiln
Fine Turnage Productions
Imperial Leather Works
Jantz Supply
Knife & Gun Finishing Supplies
Knifesupplies.com
Knight’s Stabilized Woods
Maker Material Supply

Maker’s Leather Supply
Mystik Materials
Nichols Damascus
Paragon Industries
Pops Knife Supply
Reeder Grinders
Robertson Leather Works
Rowe’s Leather
Texas Farrier Supply
The Stag Depot
Vegas Forge Damascus
VZ Grips
Wuertz Machine Works;

Top Custom Makers

Jack Wolf Knives will exhibit its distinctive brand of slipjoints with such models as the Benny, here in the Fat Carbon Mars Valley edition. MSRP: $349.99.

Among the top custom makers exhibiting at BLADE Show Texas will be:

Allen Elishewitz
Allen Newberry
Ben Seward
Bobby House
Bruce Barnett
Bertie Rietveld
BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Bill Ruple
Bob Merz
Brad Zinker
Lucas Burnley
Peter Carey; Chuck Gedraitis
Corey Dunlap
Tanner Couch
Bubba Crouch
Peter Kohler/Dark Timber Custom Knives
Darrin Thomas
D. R. Davis
Eric Fritz
Dennis Friedly
Duane Dwyer
Evan Nicolaides
Brian Fellhoelter
Burt Flanagan
Gary Langley
Les George
GTC Knives/Gustavo Cecchini
Herucus Blomerus
Liam Hoffman/Hoffman Blacksmithing
Anders Hogstrom
Jeremy Yelle

Johnny Stout
Keanison Knives
Kelly Vermeer
Tom Krein
Andrea Lisch
Mardi Meshejian
Erik McCright
Messori Knives
Mick Strider Customs
Jared Oeser
Nick Orr
P.H. Jacob
Enrique Pena
Tom Ploppert
Princeton Wong
Jerry Moen
Ricardo Vilar
Peyton Ramm
Scorpion 6
Stanley Buzek
Suprlativ Knives
Luke Swenson
Tim Robertson
Tobin Hill
Tony Baker
W.D. Pease
Will Stelter
Tom Overeynder
Will Zermeno

For the complete list of exhibitors, visit bladeshowtexas.com.

Show Trifecta!

BLADE Show Texas will be the first of three BLADE-Show-sponsored events for 2025, the other two being the grandaddy of them all, the 44th Annual BLADE Show June 6-8 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, and BLADE Show West 2025 at the Salt Palace Convention Center Oct. 10-11 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Attend all three for the BLADE Show trifecta!

More On BLADE Show Texas

2024 BLADE Show Texas Factory Award Winners
2024 BLADE Show Texas Custom Award Winners
2024 BLADE Show Texas Recap
2023 BLADE Show Texas Factory And Custom Award Winners

BLADE Tactical Recap: A Peek At What You Missed In South Carolina

Elwood Shelton

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November 12, 2024

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BLADE Tactical Recap: A Peek At What You Missed In South Carolina

We take a gander at some of the knives that showed up at the first BLADE Tactical at CANCON Carolina.

Sun, guns and a whole bunch of knives—BLADE Tactical was a whole new twist on BLADE Show. And a heck of a marriage between it and one of our sister events, CANCON Carolina.

Held Nov. 7-8 at South Carolina’s Clinton House Plantation range, the inaugural BLADE Tactical brought together some 25 knifemakers to show and sell their wares, all of the blades with a definite tactical bent. The knife show ran the first day, on the periphery of the shooting events. It had a different feel than any of our legacy shows, given it was outdoors and had the constant report of suppressed gunfire as background noise. But it wasn’t too far off our big three with some knife enthusiasts spending the night in the parking lot so they could be the first to the BLADE Tactical pavilion.

With that sort of enthusiasm, we’ll chalk the event down as a success.

For those who were unable to make the BLADE Tactical show or have their interest piqued, we’ve put together a recap of some of the knives that made their way to central South Carolina. Take a gander at what was up for sale and start planning now for next year’s B-Tact extravaganza. For anyone looking to pick up a hot new knife and burn some powder at the range—consider the gathering your Valhalla!

Krein Knives

Tactical doesn’t preclude good looks, which is certainly the case with this Krein Knives Alpha. The blue thumb studs add a nice flare to this top-end framelock.

Carver Knives

Carver Knives‘ Waif has it going on. Up front is a titanium handled-model, in the back a dark Ti handle. Both are thin as a minute, particularly when measured up the knucks in the middle.

Pro Tech Knives

Pro-Tech came to BLADE Tactical with an offer you couldn’t refuse, like a number of these thin and wicked Godfather autos.

The company also offered a nice bit of custom bling for the show, a CANCON blaze orange G-10 insert on several of it’s knives buttons.

Elishewitz Custom Creations

With the Ek Integral, Elishewitz Custom Creations combined class and performance in a light and functional package. A nice dagger-style blade deploys in the wink of an eye via a thumb stud.

McNees Knives

Some hefty debuts from McNees Knives at BLADE Tactical. In the rear, is the Ringed Agent and up front the Stalker. Par usual for McNees, both feel like their built to beat the world.

Somewhat from the neighborhood (Alabama), the McNees crew drove to BLADE Tactical. Needless to say, they did so in style… nice wheels.

Nicholas Nichols Knives

Certainly, the Guppy is no small fry. Nichols Knives drop point has plenty of size to get nearly any job done, but stays light in the pocket thanks to a titanium handle.

Spartan Blades

Spartan Blades was right at home at BLADE Tactical—no surprise there. But the belle of the ball was the company’s Ronin-Torii, a traditional tanto, which few would want to find themselves on the wrong end of.

Nottingham Tactical

Believe it or not, you’re looking at six-years of development. Nottingham Tactical was game for a carbon-fiber model, but it took a ton of work to get it to come together, from finding the carbon-fiber up to the abuse to getting the right adhesives to get the metal parts to stay.

Vero Engineering

It wasn’t all fixed blades and folders for the knife side of the show. After BLADE Tactical closed, the knifemakers hit the range at CANCON for some therapeutic trigger time. Here’s Joseph Vero of Vero Engineering getting on one of Maxim Defense’s shorties.

CANCON Video Recap

If your interest has been piqued, check out upcoming BLADE Tactical and CANCON events.

Check Out More BLADE Shows:

2024 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Awards
BLADE Show 2024 Recap
2024 BLADE Show Texas Recap

2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Award Winners

BLADE Show

Elwood Shelton

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October 17, 2023

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2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Award Winners

See Who Took Top Honors In Salt Lake City For The 2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Awards.

BLADE Show West took place Oct.13-14, 2023, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was the show’s second year in Utah and drew custom makers, manufacturers and collectors from around the county and world.

It also drew an impressive cadre of entrants for the BLADE Show West Factory and Custom Knife Awards. For Factory Knives, awards were given in six categories, while the Custom Knives awarded nine categories.

The Factory section was evaluated by a panel of undisclosed industry experts who judged the blades on a number of factors, including utility, design, creativity, materials and other traits.

BLADE Show West Factory Award Winners

Best In Show &Best Factory Import: WE Equivik

Best Factory Folder: QSP Rhino

Best Factory EDC: Mr. Mr. Designs D-Cipher Folder

Best Factory EDC: Mr. Mr. Designer D-Cipher Folder

Best American Made: Microtech Knives MS1

Best Factory Fixed Blade: Giant Mouse GMF4

See Past 2023 Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:

2022 Factory Knife Of The Year Award Winners
2021 BLADE Show Knife-Of-The-Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners
2019 Knife of the Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners
2018 Knife of the Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners

Conversation Overheard @ the BLADE Show

Joe Kertzman

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June 4, 2013

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So I was working behind the table at the book booth during the BLADE Show this past weekend in Atlanta, a great show, by the way, best ever. And this gentleman was interested in buying the “First 25 years of BLADE Collection: 1973-1997” DVD. He said he already owned the DVD that came after it, “BLADE 1997-2007.”

The lady he was with asked, “Why don’t you just subscribe to BLADE®?”

He replied, “I can get 25 years worth of the magazine for $42.99, why would I want to pay $21.98 for one year?”

She said, “The subscription is new magazines, not old magazines, that’s why!”

It got me thinking that neither one of them was wrong. I prefer to get my magazine when it comes out, but to each their own. And I’m just glad they enjoy the magazine well enough to have the conversation.

BLADE Show

BLADE Show 2023 is just around the corner. Here’s what to look out for at the “World’s Greatest Knife Show!”

BLADE Show Overview

Get Your BLADE Show Tickets

BLADE University

BLADE University Schedule

Enroll In BLADE University Classe Now!

World Cutting Title

Knives Of The Year

Custom Knife Judging

Seminars & Demos

Cutlery Hall Of Fame®

Knife Colletions

Bali Championship

BLADE Show Seminars And Events

Read More About The Blade Show:

#1 – Tickets

#2 – A Place to Stay

#3 – A Plan

#4 – An Open Mind

#5 – A Good Pair of Walking Shoes

#6 – A Keen Sense of Knife Show Etiquette

#7 – A Way to Ship Knives Home

#8 – A Way to Carry Around Knives and Other Materials

#9 – Warm Weather Clothing

#10 – A Good Attitude

The first big knife show of 2025 also is the Longhorn State’s biggest—BLADE Show Texas.

Knife Awards

Leading Factory Exhibitors

Knifemaking Suppliers/Equipment

Top Custom Makers

Show Trifecta!

More On BLADE Show Texas

We take a gander at some of the knives that showed up at the first BLADE Tactical at CANCON Carolina.

Krein Knives

Carver Knives

Pro Tech Knives

Elishewitz Custom Creations

McNees Knives

Nicholas Nichols Knives

Spartan Blades

Nottingham Tactical

Vero Engineering

CANCON Video Recap

Check Out More BLADE Shows:

See Who Took Top Honors In Salt Lake City For The 2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Awards.

BLADE Show West Factory Award Winners

Best In Show &Best Factory Import: WE Equivik

Best Factory Folder: QSP Rhino

Best Factory EDC: Mr. Mr. Designs D-Cipher Folder

Best American Made: Microtech Knives MS1

Best Factory Fixed Blade: Giant Mouse GMF4

See Past 2023 Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:

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