The blogs of the BLADE editors, Steve Shackleford and Erin Healy.
On behalf of the staff of Knife Showcase, BLADE Magazine, the BLADE Show and everyone at Krause Publications and F+W Media, here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays, and a most fruitful New Year.
The image of the Christmas tree decorated with Randall knives is courtesy of Dale and Laura Dorris of Dorris Wood Creations Custom Display Cabinets & Stands at http://www.DorrisWoodCreations.com.
And no–the image is not photoshopped. Those are real Randall knives!
In search of some of the best in knives, and/or wanting to connect or reconnect with new/old friends? If you live near Ozark, Missouri, or Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, both areas will have knife shows this weekend.
A one-day-only event, the Knife Club of the Ozarks’ 15th Annual Spring Cabin Fever Knife Show will be Saturday in the 4H Building of Ozark’s City Park. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call Don Long at 417-485-6759 or Randy Long 417-581-8138.
Meanwhile, the Country Cupboard Inn just north of Lewisburg will host the 23rd Annual Keystone Blade Association Knife Show on Saturday and Sunday. The Country Cupboard Inn is on Rt. US 15, four miles south of Interstate 80. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information call or e-mail Marlyn Kepner at 570-584-4835/[email protected], or call Skip Fryling at 570-387-4955.
Donavon Phillips (pictured at the 2010 BLADE Show World Cutting Championship) won BladeSports International’s recent U.S. National Championships in Mountain View, Arkansas, and headlines the 10 U.S. qualifiers for the BLADE Show World Cutting Championship, which will be held June 11 during the BLADE Show.
The other qualifiers, in order of their finish in the U.S. Nationals: Dan Keffeler, Ted Ott, Gary Bond, Evan Martin, Bud Robbins, Lars Rosenblad, Jose Diaz, Michael Eubanks and John Czagas.
BSI Executive Director Jose Diaz, who is also one of the qualifiers, said he expected all 10 to attend barring any unforeseen circumstances.
International cutters expected to compete include the United Kingdom’s Ian “Longstrider” Allen-Rowlandson and Farid Mehr, and Ed de Pauw of Holland.
The BLADE Show will be June 10-12 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta. For more information, click on “BLADE SHOW” in bar above.
POST FALLS, IDAHO– When a 110 Folding Hunter rolled off the production line at Buck Knives on Friday, Oct. 29, it was the millionth knife made this year.
“We’re breaking records,” said Phil Duckett, Buck’s chief operating officer. “It’s awesome, and we still have two months to go.”
Another positive sign of growth has been the addition of 40 new employees this year, bringing Buck’s total workforce to 250 in their Post Falls, Idaho, plant.
“This is a testament to our commitment to making our products in America,” Duckett said. “The troops on the floor worked hard to get us to these impressive numbers.”
Pictured: Buck employees with the millionth knife produced in 2010.
To My Knife Showcase Friends,
Since Knife Showcase launched earlier this week, I’ve received many questions and requests regarding the site. I want to let everyone know that I will respond to you. I’m running a bit behind due to the volume of messages, but that doesn’t mean your questions are any less important. I’m committed to giving you the best experience and I will get back to you.
Stay sharp, Edgencia!
Ben
The 41st Annual Knifemakers’ Guild Show, held this past weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, was a great way to spend time with some of the world’s best makers and see some of the world’s best custom knives.
Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Gil Hibben displayed his knives from The Expendables, AKI member Steve Hoel exhibited an awesome pearl-handle folder with breathtaking gold-inlaid leaf engraving by Barry Lee Hands and there was much more. Leading the up-and-coming knifemaking contingent were Dwight Phillips with his impressive antique bowie repros and Jason Rabuck with his utilitarian fixed blades, among others. There was much more—impeccable screwless construction folders by Stan Wilson, Tom Overeynder’s incomparable doctor’s knives and others.
Knife giveaways, awards, lots of post-show things to do in and around the Seelbach–it was a great weekend for custom knife enthusiasts.
To read more, see a future issue of BLADE.
In one of its latest e-mail newsletters, Knife Rights reports that Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs Todd Rathner testified at a hearing of the Alaska House Judiciary Committee on HB55 “Definitions of Gravity Knives and Switchblades” this past Wednesday. Referred to by sponsor Representative Mark Neuman as the “Knife Rights Bill,” the measure would clarify state law on the subject of assisted-opening and one-hand opening knives to ensure they are not considered gravity knives or switchblades, currently banned under Alaska statute. The bill was first introduced last year.
According to the newsletter, Rep. Neuman introduced an amendment at Knife Rights’ request that was adopted into the bill to include Knife Law Preemption. Preemption means the state laws are applied throughout the state, regardless of where you are. With preemption, other political jurisdictions such as cities, towns and the like cannot pass laws regarding knives that are more restrictive than the state law. Preemption is the keystone to eliminating the patchwork of local knife laws that can trap the unwary citizen who cannot possibly know the particulars of the laws for each and every municipality. Preemption is the basis for further efforts to ease irrational knife restrictions altogether and is the cornerstone of Knife Rights’ efforts to protect Americans’ right to own and use knives.
HB55 advanced out of committee with a unanimous vote.
If you live, work or travel in Alaska, please contact your Representative and ask him or her to vote in support of HB55. For more information, click on http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/commbr_info.asp?session=27
For more on Knife Rights, click on www.KnifeRights.org
For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb022012#BL1SU
