Joe Kertzman's Blog

“You have to know within yourself that you can do it. If you can work a wrench, use a screwdriver or hammer a nail, you can make a knife.” ~ Bob Loveless

The legacy of Bob Loveless

All of the knife industry has been touched by the late Bob Loveless, a pioneer in knifemaking. We at F+W Media are humbled and proud to have had the opportunity, just months before his death, to work with Mr. Loveless on a book showcasing his knifemaking legacy. Knifemaking with Bob Loveless: Build Knives with a Living Legend, by Author Durwood Hollis, is an inspiration for all knife enthusiasts.

Widely recognized as the father of the modern custom knife movement, Mr. Loveless popularized the dropped hunter, Big Bear sub-hilt fighter and other knives, and, along with Richard Barney, co-wrote How to Make Knives, the precursor to this book.

For this project, he generously allowed Mr. Hollis unprecedented access to his workshop and his life, revealing his methods for creating a knife, including tempering and design, the materials and tools he used, and his recommendations for the care of your knife.

He was an innovator in his field and this book is a tribute to him and his craft. The pages of Knifemaking with Bob Loveless: Build Knives with a Living Legend, present:

• Exclusive access and interviews, color photos and insight into the world’s most famous knifemaker and his private knifemaking shop
• Spectacular photo gallery of famous Loveless knives and patterns, including never-before published images of custom Loveless knives
• Insider information on how Bob Loveless grinds, heat-treats and tempers his blades
• Step-by-step knifemaking techniques by Bob Loveless as told to author Durwood Hollis
• Tips from Bob Loveless on field use, handling and care of his or any knives
• Foreword by A.G. Russell, proprietor and publisher of the largest mail order knife company and catalog in existence—A.G. Russell Knives and “Russell’s For Men”

Check out: http://www.shopblade.com/product/knifemaking-with-bob-loveless/

ESEE Knives is discontinuing the production of the HEST Fixed Blade effectively immediately. All current orders / back orders for the HEST Fixed blade will be filled but the company is not accepting any new orders. ESEE will maintain a small stock of HEST Fixed blades for any future warranty replacements for any Rowen manufactured / ESEE Hest fixed blade knife.

Later in the week ESEE Knives will be sending out an additional email with information concerning DPx Gear and ESEE Knives.

Buck Knives has added survival instructor Ron Hood to their growing Pro Staff, bringing new focus on a key aspect of the knife market. This new agreement also will incorporate Hood’s skills as a knife designer, working with Buck in the development of new survival/tactical knives.
Hood has taught courses at UCLA, and has produced and published numerous award winning survival training videos. He has been featured on many TV shows and assisted with the training that goes on behind the Man vs. Wild TV show on Discovery Channel. He also has taught many military operatives the skills they need to survive in harsh outdoor conditions, based on first-hand knowledge and skills from his days in the Military Intelligence Community while in the Army Security Agency.
Hood says he bought his first Buck knife when he returned from Vietnam in 1967.

Locate up-to-date information on legal issues that affect knife users, research laws in all 50 states and learn more about the activities of knife advocacy organization American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI) on the redesigned AKTI.org website.

Knife advocates will find extensive legislation updates, educational materials and other current knife information at the new site. While some of the material is available only to members, much of the site caters to all knife users and provides resources for everyone who uses a knife as a tool—whether for work, recreation or as part of their everyday lives.

“For more than a decade, AKTI has used its website to keep the knife advocacy community updated about important issues that affect us all, in all 50 states, and at the federal level,” said AKTI Executive Director Jan Billeb. “This new design makes it easier for knife users to easily find the information they need, from knife safety resources to legislative updates to stories about how knives have been used in challenging work and recreational situations to save lives.”

Through its new website, the American Knife and Tool Institute shares information about state and federal knife laws and legislation. The organization has also added sections to the AKTI.org website specifically for legislators, law enforcement officers and media.

“We want to build on the work we’ve done and the reputation we have as the organization for those who work with or benefit from knives, and to support those who have questions about legal knife usage,” Billeb said.

Wow, what an incredible amount of information, photos and features on one disc. You are now able to pre-order the First 25 Years Of BLADE Collection.

This is your chance to complete your collection of BLADE Magazines–to own every issue from 1973 through 1997 (the first quarter century of BLADE and 165 issues in all) on one completely searchable PDF, viewable on your computer. BLADE and F&W Media are offering the disc at an exclusive discounted rate of $47.99, which equates to 29 cents per issue. This price absolutely will go up after the pre-order period is over.

Use the “Bookmarks” feature to navigate to whatever story, feature, index, ad, regular column or individual knife you wish to see, read about and admire. Such is the beauty of accessing all issues in living color on your computer screen.

Click here to pre-order now.

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!

A Himalayan expedition for disabled veterans and climbers? Right on! Benchmade Knife Company is sponsoring “Soldiers to the Summit,” an extreme mountain climbing expedition of expert climbers and wounded combat veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The climb is organized by World TEAM Sports, a non-profit organization that supports disabled athletes through team athletic events.

The team includes 12 injured soldiers and 10 expert climbers, including Erik Weihenmayer, the first and only blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. The team will attempt to climb the 20,075 foot Lobuche East, a technical snow and ice climb in the shadow of Mount Everest. The expedition will take place for 20 days from October 2nd through October 21st.

“Benchmade is proud to support these wounded warriors and climbers embarking on this incredible journey,” says Rob Morrison, Director of Marketing and Strategic Planning for Benchmade Knife Company. “This is a wonderful cause and we are glad that the soldiers and climbers will be using our knives during their expedition.”

Each soldier and climber has been outfitted with a model 940SBK folding knife that has been personalized with a customer laser mark. This is the second time that Benchmade has supported Erik Weihenmayer who first reached the summit of Mount Everest in 2001, also with a model 940SBK in hand.

For more information on the “Soldiers to the Summit,” visit their website and follow the expedition at: http://soldierstothesummit.org/.