What started as a family vacation quickly took a turn for the worst after a six-year-old boy is attacked by a mountain lion in Big Bend National Park. “We we…
Don’t Get Into a Throw-Down With the Great Throwdini
Getting his just due? Perhaps. Dr. David Adamovich, aka The Great Throwdini, has been throwing knives at targets, just missing his brave models, for longer than I’ve been a knife editor, and I’ve been at this for 14 years.
AolNews.com recently ran an article on The Great Throwdini, who reportedly holds 25 world records. AolNews.com reports that Guinness World Records finally recognized The Great Throwdini after years of rejecting records Adamovich submitted and claimed to have broken and held. The one that finally got the Great one into the Great book–throwing 144 knives around a human target in one minute, and catching 254 thrown knives in one minute.
Guinness World Records also gives The Great Throwdini credit for throwing 10 knives around a human target in 3.73 seconds. Omitted from the Guinness World Records book, but still recognized by Guinness, is Adamovich’s “Ladder Of Death” feat in which he threw 10 knives in 4.0 seconds on altering sides of his target girl. Bless her heart!
So frustrated was The Great Throwdini with early rejections from Guinness World Records that he spent years compiling and eventually coauthoring his own book, “Believe the Unbelievable,” in which he and coauthors Thomas Blacke and Dean Gould reveal data they gathered from other organizations, such as the International Federation of Competitive Eating, The Book of Alternative Records, and The Asia Book of Records. “Believe the Unbelievable” features 700 record setters and 1,500 records, each focused on human achievement feats.
To read the entire AolNews.com report on The Great Throwdini, go to http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/the-great-throwdini-takes-a-stab-at-guinness-with-new-world-records-book/19640586 And don’t forget to duck!
United Teams With Mikkel Willumsen on the “Blondie”
United Cutlery has paired with custom knifemaker Mikkel WIllumsen of Denmark to produce a new line of knives, including his popular “Blondie” model with machined G10 handle scales, a 440C blade, thumb-hole opener, a solid frame lock, low-profile pocket clip and smooth, flick-of-the-wrist
opening. The modified tanto blade offers strength and versatility. The Blondie is available in a black-coated, urban camouflage or satin-finished blade with a partially serrated or straight edge totaling six versions in all.
Willumsen has been a custom knifemaker for the past ten years in Copenhagen, Denmark, calling his designs Urban Tactical. Specializing in folders, fixed blades and balisongs, Willumsen’s designs are based on functionality and quality, mixing classical designs with modern tactics. Renown for his inovative and tactical designs, Mikkel Willumsen brings his talents and knifemaking experience to United® Cutlery.
“We are thrilled to partner with Mikkel Willumsen,” said Clint Kadel, CEO and owner of United® Cutlery. “Mikkel is a well respected designer with years of experience. Willumsen’s knives are already highly sought-after in the custom-knife world, fetching as much as $600 each for a tactical folder. We are excited at the opportunityto give all knife enthusiasts a chance to purchase a Willumsen Urban Tactical knife at an affordable price with no compromise in the quality of materials.”
For more information, or to download a free catalog, go to: www.unitedcutlery.com
Greatest Loveless Knife Designs 2
Continuing my thread in which I’m sharing some of the greatest Bob Loveless knife patterns/designs. I plan to do this every other day or so until I have 15 or 20.
This time: a drop-point hunter, made in 1973, when Steve Johnson worked with Bob Loveless, and it features hidden-tang construction, a single guard and a maroon-Micarta handle. How sweet it is!
From the John Denton collection, this piece was photographed by Hiro Soga and featured in the book Knifemaking With Bob Loveless by Durwood Hollis.
Make a Knife like Bob Loveless
You’ll actually get three great books in one bundle at a great price: The Wonder of Knifemaking
Knifemaking with Bob Loveless
How to Make Knives (CD version of the classic book co-written by Bob Loveless)
Click here to get these great knifemaking books for $34.99 (51% off retail).
Are Quality Knives Worth The Quid?
The following is excerpted from the KNIVES 2015 book.
By Roderick T. Halvorsen
One of the grandest campfire knife debates involves the age-old question of whether costly, premium knives are worth the buck paid. Are quality knives worth the quid? Arguments rage one way or another, with the debate oftentimes stalling due to a dearth of experience with the real pricey ones. Truth is, who wants to plunk down the big dough just to treat a cutting tool like a farm implement in order to find out if it was worth all the quid? And, well, what if it isn’t?
Mulling this over, I decided to dedicate myself to the exclusive use of a pair of “high enders” in order to see for myself. Where I use my knives in winter, I must have good faith they will serve well or I may be in it deep. Deep snow and ice that is, and far from home and hearth. I cannot afford failure, whatever the dollar price paid! My work and play take me into remote, high mountains where knives are not just helpful, they are essential.
So it was with a little trepidation I swore off my own handmade and well-proven knives in order to obtain a couple Fällkniven AB models. Fällkniven has earned high praise the world over, and is a thoroughly modern company. The finest Swedish iron is mined 140 miles from its headquarters in Norbotten, Sweden, whereupon it is shipped to Japan. There, Swedish iron becomes Japanese steel, and the knives are made. Some years ago, the company used Hitachi ATS-34 stainless steel, but now favors a VG-10 steel laminate for the toughest of its outdoors knives. Leather scabbards are made in Spain. 
See the KNIVES 2015 book to read the rest of the story. Click here. And let us know your opinion. Are quality knives worth the quid?
Editor’s Favorites from Knives 2013 Book
The success, popularity and response from the Greatest Bob Loveless Knife Designs posts has prompted me to start a “Favorites from the Knives 2013” book thread.
So, here’s the first of the “Editor’s Favorites from Knives 2013 Book.” It is a Mediterranean dirk as only Rick Eaton could fashion it, blending old styles with modern flair. It parades flare-cut engraving, Arabesque accents and banknote engraving, as well as an ancient-ivory handle and a damascus blade. The guard is sculpted and engraved, and the entire dirk intrigues.
So here’s to Rick, his Mediterranean dirk and a new thread showcasing fine knives. To order your copy of the book, go to: http://www.shopblade.com/knives-2013-33rd-ed?lid=JKblfl090712.
Now That’s one Far-Out Flipper Folder!
The temper line alone on Michael Burch’s flipper folder is enough to catch the old knife enthusiast eye, not to mention a Samurai warrior, that, thanks to Jody Muller color engraving, emerges from the gold, copper and stainless steel bolsters of the 1095 folding tanto.
The Samurai remains partially concealed by a crosshatching of mammoth ivory, as well as that smoky temper line. The handle treatment gives it an exotic, bamboo-like look that fits the engraved subject matter, as well as the blade style, and all taken together propels the knife to the status of an “Editor’s Favorite from the Knives 2013 book.” (SharpByCoop.com is responsible for the photography.
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