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How to Sharpen a Knife

It doesn’t matter if you’re a hunter, outdoorsman, knife enthusiast, collector or even an experienced survivalist or do-it-yourselfer, learning the basics of knife sharpening often takes a backseat to more pressing matters. It’s a question on everyone’s mind—What’s the fastest, easiest way for me to sharpen a knife, and what’s the best sharpener on the market? Unfortunately, there’s no one right answer, but through researched and developed, step-by-step articles on knife sharpening, we’ve made it easy for anyone to learn the basics, and even some of the more involved methods of honing blades.V8724

The “Sharpen A Knife & Care For A Collection” digital download is an easy-to-navigate, read and enjoy eBook.  This digital guide is a PDF file you download and access with any home computer, lap top or digital device with the Adobe Reader program installed. In this guide you’ll find 11 chapters covering various facets of knife care and sharpening, written by noted knife industry experts, including Dexter Ewing, Durwood Hollis and James Morgan Ayres.

Here’s an excerpt:

It’s one of the oldest methods of honing a blade bevel, the most traditional, conjuring up images of ancestors, grandparents, even Japanese bladesmiths working edges on whetstones or oilstones, fingers blackened from the grit. Stone remains a popular sharpening medium. It might not be the Stone Age, but you would hardly know it by perusing the rock-hard offerings of knife or knife sharpener and accessory companies.Sharpener01

Unlike traditional stones bought for pennies apiece at the old hardware store, the Smith’s 2-Stone Sharpening Kit (www.smithsproducts.com) comes with a 5-inch, medium-grit stone, a 4-inch fine Arkansas stone, honing solution and a sharpening guide. The medium-grit stone, meant for quickly setting an edge, comes mounted on a molded-plastic base that features a built-in storage area at the bottom for holding the fine Arkansas stone, the latter of which is ideal for finishing or polishing an edge. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP): $15.99.

“It is everything you need to put a razor-sharp edge on your large or small knives and tools,” Richard Smith says. “The neat thing about this kit is that, although you get two stones, they only take up the space of one bench-mounted stone. I never lose the fine stone because it’s always stored in the base, and it allows me to take the fine stone into the field with me if needed.”DMT-W6EFC

Click here for more, and enjoy!

 

What Are The Best EDC Knives?

Lately I’ve been carrying a Gerber Bear Grylls clip-point, lockback folder. I love the feel of the rubber handle inserts, and I’ve gotta tell ya, the black and orange combo just looks cool. But this isn’t about me. It’s about what knife industry professionals say are selling, being carried, receiving positive feedback and working well as EDC’s.

Carajas duoI recently interviewed a few industry pros, and following is an excerpt from what they had to say. To read the entire article, see the September 2013 issue of BLADE® on newsstands now, or subscribe to BLADE by clicking here. For more EDC knife options, click here.

“You could poll 10 people and have 10 different opinions on what the ideal EDC knife is,” suggests Dan Weidner of Boker USA. “A construction worker is not going to select what an office worker or traveling salesperson carries, and a first responder won’t choose what an outdoorsman wants.Cover

“Most folks have a few EDC knives,” he adds. “I carry the Boker Plus Damascus Gent II to the office. It does everything I need during the day, feels good in my pocket, is easily accessible, and when a visitor arrives, I have a beauty that I can say, ‘Look what I have.’ After all, at the end of the day we like to show off what we carry.”

What the Damascus Gent II locking-liner folder (this issue’s cover knife) has to show off is a 2.75-inch, 67-layer-damascus, drop-point blade, ebony handle scales, dual thumb studs and a detachable pocket clip. Weighing 1.6 ounces, its manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is $89.95.

“It’s just a classy looking knife, and the damascus blade and ebony handle blend into artistic cutlery,” Weidner comments. “When it comes to packing for a hike into the Rockies, it goes on top of the dresser and out comes a more formidable piece that can handle rugged duty. Yard work calls for good old-fashioned high carbon steel, sharp as can be, with a totally blackened blade. SAK_0_9410_3__S1

“It’s this chameleon EDC change-up that keeps the industry rolling!” Weidner concludes. “I think most will agree, there is no best EDC material that covers all bases.”

Rob Sterner, senior vice president of sales for Swiss Army Knives, says the Victorinox Hunter Pro Folding Blade has been designed to meet the needs of the serious hunter, as well as the general outdoors enthusiast, making it a versatile knife. “For the first time, we have incorporated the blade steel from our professional knives, which we’ve provided to the slaughterhouse and meat-packing industries since 1884,” he explains.Case 1 WHIT

To read the entire article, see the September 2013 issue of BLADE® on newsstands now, or subscribe to BLADE by clicking here.

Fairbanks Knifemaker Gets Good, Solid Press!

Fairbanks, Alaska, knifemaker Mark Knapp not only built and reportedly patented a cool .1911 Combat Survivor Knife, but he recently received some well-deserved press on the piece. For more combat and survivor knives, click here.

If any of you are familiar with Mark and his work, he fashions some high-art, yet utilitarian fixed blades and folders with “mosaic” handles of exotic natural materials from Alaska and around the world. He forges his own damascus, is a full-time maker and built his first knife in 2000.

The article first ran at www.newsminer.com, a domain of the Fairbanks Daily News – Miner, on Monday, March 18, 2013. Click here to read the feature article. 

 

Conversation Overheard @ the BLADE Show

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.”Y0602

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.

Why Get Knives Photographed?

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Knifemakers have a hard enough time making a living doing what they love without added expenses. So what are the benefits of paying a professional photographer to photograph their knives for them?

The reasons to have knives photographed are many. As managing editor of BLADE Magazine, I can tell you that often when knifemakers send me images of their newest models for possible publication, the self- or friend-taken digital images are low resolution, fuzzy, with busy backgrounds or too low quality for a high-gloss, color magazine. The images might look good on a website, computer screen or printed, but once reproduced on quality magazine paper, in four color, they lose their crispness and look fuzzy.

Here are some other reasons to have your knives photographed by a pro from photographer Jim Cooper of SharpByCoop.com.

The benefit of a professional image will promote you in a number of ways: 

  • Large clear print for your portfolio
  • Crisp website image for email or display 
  • Large digital file for printing
  • Posted and viewed by thousands on Bladeforums, CKCA forum, and our SBC Facebook page
  • All files are sent to USA and International editors of knife magazines
  • Guaranteed: Your knives are always available to view and search on our extensive website
  • A professional image shows you take pride in your work

 

Knives So New, They’re Not Out Yet!

It’s my pleasure to share with website visitors some research I conducted on knives that will debut at the BLADE Show in Atlanta, May 31-June 1. These are models some of the largest knife manufacturers in the world plan to debut at the show, so consider this a “sneak peek,” if you will.

Spyderco C28POR2 Orange DragonFly2 Lightweight  

spy C28PORThe BLADE Show has fast become one of two main venues companies use to introduce knives, entire knife lines, accessories, and for new outfits and divisions themselves to be launched.

 

Coast Products FX350  

Coast FX 1Unlike the SHOT Show, the BLADE Show is a consumer and trade event ideal for debuting new models to a targeted, educated knife-loving audience as diverse as the show offereings. It’s the place to be for all industry pros, dealers, collectors, purveyors, users and enthusiasts.

 

Smith’s Abrasives Pocket Pal X2 Sharpener and Survival Tool 

smith's 3smith's 1As Russ Cowen, marketing manager for the sporting goods and hardware division of Smith’s Abrasives, says, “The BLADE Show will expose this product to knife enthusiasts and media outlets that will, in turn, communicate the message to the consumer base. There is no faster way to create buzz about a new product than exposing it to BLADE Show exhibitors and attendees, who happen to be the most passionate and verbal people in the industry.

 

Boker Plus 02BO610

Boker 02B“BLADE Show attendees like to talk about knives, other cutting tools and accessories,” he adds. “They’re also creators, inventors and marketers, so when they see something they classify as neat or innovative, they naturally want to talk about it.”

Tips for Traveling With Knives

An informative article written by Mike Haskew on how traveling with knives presents challenges is posted on the American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) website.

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. 674b1262ac2f843595177d7c527ebc39_Outdoorseminar3450px

“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.”

Read the full article here. 

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