For more Information Contact: B.R. Hughes at (903) 838-0134 or Email BR
Registration: $55 Registration fee can be paid in “Event Registration” in the ABS Store or contact Cindy Sheely, ABS Store Manager at (419) 832-0400 or Email Cindy
Demonstrators:
Jerry Fisk, MS – Marketing Tips
J.R. Cook, MS – Handles and Guards
Mike Williams, MS – ABS Judging Standards
Greg Neely, MS – Damascus Steel
Dr. James Batson, MS – Antique Bowies
Hotels:
Holiday Inn Express, 2600 North Hervey Street, Hope, AR 71801, (870) 722-6262
Best Western, 1800 Holiday Drive, Hope, Arkansas 71801-2510, (870) 777-9222
Request an extension on the comment period for the punitive proposed federal ivory regulations NOW! Jean Louis Regel uses ancient walrus ivory for the handle of his bowie. (SharpByCoop image)
To help save all ivory from proposed punitive federal regulations, request an extension for the comment period on the regulations from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service NOW!
Among other unreasonable stipulations, the regulations would require you to prove that the ivory on your knife or other item was imported prior to Jan. 18, 1990—a near impossibility for most people to prove about such items. The regulations also claim that the USA continues to play a role as a destination and transit country for illegally traded elephant ivory. However, as Sandra Brady of the Elephant Protection Association noted, the regulations offer no proof of this claim and no figures as to what percentage of illegal ivory is “laundered” here.
The proposed regulations were released on July 29, and concerned citizens were given only 60 days to contact the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) with any objections the citizens might have to the regulations. Since there are 27 pages of proposed regulations, regulations the government had over 13 months to research and write, it seems only fair that concerned citizens get more than 60 days to respond. In fact, the law provides for up to a 90-day comment period, which is especially appropriate for regulations that are so voluminous and affect so many Americans.
The Elephant Protection Association has composed a form letter for you to use to request the extension. The letter is located here. Keep your request short and simple. Amend the letter to fit your association/group but don’t try to make a substantive case of why the extension should be granted so much as simply let FWS know the extension must be granted. The more people, associations and groups that request the extension, the better. In this instance, it’s more a matter of the quantity of requests than the quality of them.
The Elephant Protection Association strongly advises that you send your letter via priority or overnight mail with a means of confirming receipt.
The new BLADE® is on newsstands now! Get the latest on knives for Veterans Day, the coolest factory assisted-opening knives, knife tests, knifemaker profiles and much more with newest edition of the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication.
Sporting the Condor Tool & Knife (CTK) Tactical Rescue Tomahawk (TRT) on the cover—the first time ever that an edged tool from CTK has appeared on the cover of BLADE®—the latest issue includes the TRT among four hawks tested by writer James Ayres.
It was almost 10 years ago this month that knifemaker Rob Simonich was killed in a vehicle accident. Join Dexter Ewing as he interviews those who knew and loved Rob—including Mrs. Christine Simonich, knifemaker Jerry Hossom, Mike Fuller of TOPS Knives, knifemaker Tom Mayo and others. Those who remember Rob will relish the story, and those who don’t get the chance to acquaint themselves with a man who touched the lives of many—and continues to to this day.
We often get letters from readers who want more on sheaths, and this issue ABS master smith Ed Fowler begins a multi-part story on how he makes the sheaths for his knives. Known far and wide for his sheep-handle knives with 52100 blades, Ed also makes one of the best pouch sheaths going. He shows you how he does it in part one of “Sheath How-To Step-By-Step.”
Part two of the story on the top makers in the 40 years of BLADE® focuses on the cream of the cutlery crop from 1989-2000. It was yet another golden age of knifemaking. Check out the top makers over that span as identified by our panel of edged experts. Tell us who we left out—because it’s impossible to do such a list and not leave someone out.
There’s much more in the issue—but the best way we know to tell you about it is to tell you to go get the latest issue on newsstands. Or, if you want it faster, subscribe to BLADE® digitally by visiting http://www.shopblade.com/blade-1-yr-digital-subscription
Forged tacticals are heating up in the new BLADE®, on newsstands NOW!
Forged tacticals as a trending new niche market, perhaps the best knives to use in corrosive saltwater environments, four hot new butterfly knives, the latest machetes and a comprehensive preview of the 2nd Annual BLADE University highlight the new BLADE®, on most newsstands today.
Purveyor Les Robertson specializes in tactical and handforged knives, so it only stands to reason he would be on the cusp of the edge if forged tactical knives were to become hot as firecrackers—and apparently such is the case. Find out why, which ones are hot and more in Robertson’s “A Niche Market In The Making?”
Spyderco has long touted its H1 steel as being not just stainless but stain proof. Ocean kayaker Lance Clinton decided to try out the company’s Pacific Salt model while floating off the coast of Costa Rica. Find out what he found out about this intriguing blade material in “Down To The Sea With Knives.”
Balisongs—aka butterfly knives—have long intrigued edged enthusiasts, and the latest examples of the genre will capture your fancy in “Enter The Spin Zone.” Factory machetes, meanwhile, are appearing in ever-increasing numbers. Check out some of the latest of the long blades in “Those Magnificent Machetes.”
BLADE University, a fresh approach to knife education at knife shows, was a huge hit at last year’s BLADE Show—and this year’s 2nd Annual BLADE University has been expanded to cover a wider range of topics, including knife grinding, collecting, how to have your design picked up by a knife manufacturer, 3D CAD/CAM knife design, how to engrave, how to design combat knives, how to make handles and guards, introduction to bladesmithing, how to sharpen, what to look for in the best high performance knife and much. Get the complete lowdown in “School of Steel.” BLADE University will commence a day before through the show Saturday of the BLADE Show, which will be June 5-7 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.
There’s much more in the latest issue of BLADE. Check it out at your local newsstand.
Recommended:
Stay abreast of the latest developments on this and many more knife rights issues with a subscription to BLADE.
 Congratulations to the new Master Smiths in the American Bladesmith Society. The following new Master Smiths had their five presentation knives judged by the Judging Panel and were awarded their new rating at the 2012 Blade Show in Atlanta on Friday, June 8th.
                                                         Daniel Warren and Gary House  Congratulations to Daniel and Gary!
 And congratulations to Daniel Warren who was awarded the BR Hughes Award for submitting the most outstanding knife as selected by the Judging Panel.
The 2017 BLADE Show Knife and its 1.4116 stainless steel blade cut stationery with ease after whittling curlicues. It was very sharp out of the box.To begin disassembly of the 2017 BLADE Show Knife, push the lever on the bolster up.The sensation of holding a knife that’s coming apart in your hand is kind of cool.The 2017 BLADE Show Knife separates into three parts: two handle halves and the blade. Keep it super simple, you might say.Partially reassembled you can see the liner lock spring and wheel in the handle butt.Rotate the wheel in the handle butt clockwise until the handle separates.
The centerpiece of the 2017 BLADE Show Knife, however, is Onion’s “Field Strip” technology, which enables you to easily disassemble the knife for cleaning and reassemble it in a matter of seconds without the need of a takedown tool of any kind.
Sounds easy but what about people with 10 thumbs like me? I pulled out the 2017 BLADE Show Knife and opened and closed it a few times. The flipper opener works well. I tried whittling some curlicues from a board and cutting stationery, both with good success. The blade was very sharp out of the box.
The directions for the “Field Strip” feature are pretty straightforward. With the knife in the closed position, push the lever on the bolster up. No problem. Rotate the wheel on the handle butt clockwise until the handle separates. The wheel is notched with gears. I found it turned well either with one of my 10 thumbs or my “second thumb” that passes for an index finger. The handle separates into three pieces—two handles and the blade—all simple to clean when the time comes.
To reassemble, put the three pieces back together, press down on and hold the pivot, rotate the wheel counter-clockwise until snug, and push the pivot lever down. It’s pretty easy, even for me.
The CRKT Homefront Tactical is the Official 2017 BLADE Show Knife.
A couple of things: If, after reassembly, the pivot lever balks any when you try and push it down, tweak the screw on the reverse side of the pivot pin until the lever cooperates. Also, be sure the white washers on the pivot pin stay put when you have the knife apart. If they were to come off for any reason during cleaning and/or reassembly, they could be difficult to find. You may even want to remove them during cleaning and apply a small dab of oil to keep them lubricated.
In case you missed it several issues back in BLADE®, Manhattan, New York, district attorney Cyrus Vance recently banned just about all sporting knives, knife carry and just about anything else with an edge from his jurisdiction. As a result of this heinous act, Stephen D’Lack was forced to move the New York Custom Knife Show from New York City to Secaucus, New Jersey.
Well, this coming weekend is D’Lack’s show, and this is the chance for all good New Yorkers, New Jersey-ites and others to show Vance and his minions that no simple D.A., or any usurper of citizens’ rights, for that matter, can keep us knife enthusiasts from our appointed rounds at knife shows.
As a result, if you live anywhere near Secaucus, please attend the 33rd Annual New York Custom Knife Show, one of the world’s oldest custom knife shows, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. For more information contact Stephen D’Lack, Dept. BLKS, POB 313, Turners, MO 65765 417-866-6688 hg_inchotmail.com.
