The BLADE Blogs

BLADE Managing Editor Joe Kertzman already has alerted you to new December BLADE, and I’d like to add to his alert by telling you that the December BLADE is on most newsstands as of today, Sept. 14.

It’s the first-ever issue we’ve done almost exclusively on knives used by the military. Buy it now before they’re all gone! The cover knife is the XM-7 EOD by Les George. Other knifemakers and knife companies with knives mentioned editorially in that issue, in no particular order, are: Burt Foster, Strider Knives, Spartan Blades, Allen Elishewitz, Justin Gingrich, Blackhawk, Klotzli, Schrade, Case, Gerber, Leatherman Tool, Bobby Branton, Al Mar Knives, the old Camillus, Columbia River Knife & Tool, Cold Steel, Bob Dozier, Aaron Frederick, Benchmade, Pro-Tech, Spyderco, Michael Ruth Jr., Byrd, Mike Draper, Todd Begg, TOPS, Grayman Knives, Emerson Knives, Inc., ESEE, Buck, SureFire, Jerry Partridge, Paul Granger, Jay Fisher, Brent Beshara, Jim Hammond, Ka-Bar, Chris Reeve Knives, SOG Specialty Knives, Ontario, Steve Huey, Pat & West Crawford, Derrick Wulf, George Tichbourne, Michael Holtschulte, John Horrigan, Jerry Fisk, Zero Tolerance, Sebertech and Bob Terzuola.

Master Smith Jim Crowell has just posted ” Creating a Temper Line or Hamon” on the ABS Forum Click here to read this step by step article.

October 5, 2010, OREGON CITY, Ore.-Benchmade Knife Company is pleased to announce their acquisition of Wilsonville, Ore.-based Lone Wolf Knives, Inc. The addition of Lone Wolf Knives to the Benchmade portfolio will allow the company to compete at the heart of the sports cutlery market with a purpose driven product line influenced by the outdoors.

“The acquisition of Lone Wolf Knives will be a great addition to the Benchmade family of brands,” says Les de Asis, Founder and CEO of Benchmade Knife Company. “Those familiar with Lone Wolf Knives appreciate the extremely strong connection the brand and product has with the outdoors.”

New Lone Wolf Knives product will be developed in the coming months and will be launched at the NSSF SHOT Show, January 18th-21st at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Over the past several years, Benchmade has been building a stable of quality brands. In addition to the flagship Benchmade Knife Company product, the company also has exclusive licensing agreements to design, manufacture and market Harley-Davidson® Knives and HK® Knives. Despite the recent turbulent economy, Benchmade has been able to post several years of consecutive double-digit growth and recently added 20,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space to their manufacturing headquarters in Oregon City, Ore.

“We’ve been blessed to have talented employees and loyal customers and dealers that have helped us grow despite the economy” said de Asis. “We are very excited about the opportunities that will emerge as a result of our acquisition of Lone Wolf Knives.”

Larry Bailey, vice-president and one of the founders of the Custom Knife Collectors Association (CKCA), passed away March 2.

According to an e-mail circulated to CKCA members by CKCA president Kevin Jones, “This is a sad day for the CKCA and the custom knife community in general. Larry loved custom knives and I can’t think of a collector who has spent so much effort for so many years moving our community forward.

“Larry was an ambassador for custom knives, always preferring to work behind the scenes, shying away from getting credit. My heart and condolences go out to the family and Larry’s many, many friends. I/we are going to miss this fine man so much.”

There is no word on funeral arrangements at this time.