The BLADE Blogs

The knife-designer and artist Virgil England, who lives in Anchorage/Alaska, is a visionary in several respects. As a talented artisan and smith he creates unique knife-and weapon objects which, at the same time, are perfectly interwoven with figurative allusions and details. All his works are part of the environment of a fantastic place which he calls “Het Lands”, a place sometime in the universe where an archaic civilisation is confronted with the apparition of the “Seth Daemon”.

But also actual antique eras inspired him to these fantastic ideas and to exactly these pieces of work.

In 2004, he designed the “Empire Sword”, a series of Yatagan swords with reference to the powerful ancient Iranian kingdom of the Achaemenidic kings Cyrus and Darius, approximately 2600 years ago.

Since the 1970’s, Virgil England worked as a knife maker and started to increase his interest in intricate, multipartited projects of art. However, he never abandoned the knife blade. The famous American Damast smith, Daryl Meier, delivered the material for Virgil England’s blades. Now, for the first time, Virgil England will be introduced in a “personal show“. This was only possible through the generous loans of collectors of his works from the USA and also from Germany.

About 45 works by Virgil England – knives, swords, daggers, axes, a helmet, a shield and pieces of jewellery – were put together in a collection by the German Blade Museum, additionally, sketches and detailed drafts in colour can be seen.

“I wanted something that used the techniques of the past but allowed me to skew the civilization and its history to fit my scenario. The result was the creation of the “Het Lands”, a place sometime in the universe where an archaic civilization is faced with the appearance on their world of the “Seth Daemon”.

From the beginning the purpose has been to make real items, not movie props. The pieces are made utilizing techniques that were being used in ancient armouries on our own world. (The history may be fabrication but the physics are not.) Everything is hand made. Whether it is steel or woven fabric care is taken that each piece is a one-of-a kind item. With the assistance of fellow artisans in woodcarving, glass blowing, potting and weaving I continue to flesh out the history of the “Het Lands” with items of everyday life.” (Virgil England)

Press conference

Thursday 10 June 2010 at 12.00 pm at the German Blade Museum in Solingen. Virgil England will be present.

Opening
Friday 11 June 2010 at 6.00 pm

Buck Knives had the honor of being a supporting sponsor for the first ever Generation Next Awards Banquet in which the Boone and Crockett Club® recognized youth hunters who took record worthy animals during 2007 to 2009.

The Club® hosts an Awards banquet every three years honoring both trophies and fair chase hunters, followed by the release of its latest records book. This year, for the first time, young sportsmen and women were recognized at an Awards event. CJ Buck, President of Buck Knives, was the Master of Ceremonies for this year’s youth event.

“I was proud to be a part of this, and am pleased to see that a good number of youth hunters took trophy animals and are being taught the principals of Fair Chase,” said Buck. Buck had the honor of introducing each hunter and telling a bit of their story that led them to becoming a record holder.

Over the past three years, 73 young men and women (ages 16 and under) have taken B&C qualifying trophies. One youth took the largest non-typical mule deer recorded in 36 years. Another included a massive Alaska brown bear.

For two years now Buck Knives has been working closely with the Boone and Crockett Club to help support and promote the principals the Club was founded upon. Buck has developed a line of Limited Edition knives to honor the Club and sales from these knives help support the causes of this non-profit conservation organization.

In support of the 27th Big Game Awards, Buck created one-of-a-kind limited edition fixed blade knife featuring the 27th Big Game Awards logo on the blade and a beautiful wooden handle with a Malachite inset. The knife is worth $1,000 and was well received during the auction, raising $1,650.00 for the event.

According to information provided by the Club, the Boone and Crockett system of scoring big game trophies originated in 1906 as means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing because of rampant habitat loss and unregulated harvest. Science-based conservation efforts led and funded by license-buying hunters brought those species from vanishing to flourishing.
Scoring records remain a classic gauge of habitat and management programs. In addition to its prestigious history and tradition, the Boone and Crockett Club’s scoring system is strongly associated with the highest tenets of fair chase and hunting ethics.

The new record book will be released in the fall of 2010.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) June 23, 2010 — On June 6, 2010, members of the American Knife and Tool Institute (www.AKTI.org) met in Atlanta for the group’s Annual Membership Meeting and Legislative Update to learn about the organization’s successful efforts to defend our rights to own and carry knives. Plans for future efforts were also on the agenda. The non-profit organization’s mission is to ensure that Americans will always be able to buy, sell, own, carry and use knives and edged tools. Its goals are to: Educate the public, legislators and law enforcement about knives. Promote reasonable, responsible and consistent knife legislation. Inform with accurate industry, historical and technical information.

“AKTI has been the reasonable and responsible voice of the knife-making and knife-using community since 1998,” said Executive Director Jan Billeb. “As the advocacy voice for the entire knife community, AKTI has a successful, proven record of accomplishments.”

During its annual meeting, members were updated regarding successful legislative initiatives in the last year that limited restrictive knife laws and protect law-abiding citizens. Success stories included Kansas, New Hampshire, and Texas where major changes were achieved. AKTI led the effort to oppose a U.S. Customs’ attempt to define nearly all folding knives as switchblades and make de facto criminals of millions of knife owners. Together with coalition members, they were successful in amending the Federal Switchblade Act with language previously used by AKTI in Texas HB 4456.

AKTI also announced the development of a new website at www.AKTI.org which will provide a central location for information on current state and national knife laws, AKTI initiatives to help re-define knife terminology in current laws and to change old outdated laws related to knife ownership and carry. The site will also add to AKTI’s state of preparedness for the next effort to restrict our right to carry man’s oldest tool.

In other news, three new board members were introduced: Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT), Rod Bremer, co-founder and President; Meyerco, Mike Manrose, Vice President; and United Cutlery, Clint Kadel, President /CEO.

CRKT was appointed to fill a vacancy. Meyerco and United Cutlery were added as the Board of Regents was increased from seven to nine, a move that was part of an initiative to expand AKTI’s effort to “Keep Knives in American Lives.”

For more information about the group and its initiative, contact Jan Billeb, Executive Director, American Knife & Tool Institute, 22 Vista View Lane, Cody, WY 82414-9606. The phone number is (307) 587-8296. The website is www.AKTI.org.

Atlanta, GA — On June 6, 2010, members of the American Knife and Tool Institute (www.AKTI.org) met in Atlanta for the group’s Annual Membership Meeting and Legislative Update to learn about the organization’s successful efforts to defend our rights to own and carry knives. Plans for future efforts were also on the agenda. The non-profit organization’s mission is to ensure that Americans will always be able to buy, sell, own, carry and use knives and edged tools. Its goals are to: Educate the public, legislators and law enforcement about knives. Promote reasonable, responsible and consistent knife legislation. Inform with accurate industry, historical and technical information.

“AKTI has been the reasonable and responsible voice of the knife-making and knife-using community since 1998,” said Executive Director Jan Billeb. “As the advocacy voice for the entire knife community, AKTI has a successful, proven record of accomplishments.”

During its annual meeting, members were updated regarding successful legislative initiatives in the last year that limited restrictive knife laws and protect law-abiding citizens. Success stories included Kansas, New Hampshire, and Texas where major changes were achieved. AKTI led the effort to oppose a U.S. Customs’ attempt to define nearly all folding knives as switchblades and make de facto criminals of millions of knife owners. Together with coalition members, they were successful in amending the Federal Switchblade Act with language previously used by AKTI in Texas HB 4456.

AKTI also announced the development of a new website at www.AKTI.org which will provide a central location for information on current state and national knife laws, AKTI initiatives to help re-define knife terminology in current laws and to change old outdated laws related to knife ownership and carry. The site will also add to AKTI’s state of preparedness for the next effort to restrict our right to carry man’s oldest tool.

In other news, three new board members were introduced: Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT), Rod Bremer, co-founder and President; Meyerco, Mike Manrose, Vice President; and United Cutlery, Clint Kadel, President /CEO.

CRKT was appointed to fill a vacancy. Meyerco and United Cutlery were added as the Board of Regents was increased from seven to nine, a move that was part of an initiative to expand AKTI’s effort to “Keep Knives in American Lives.”

For more information about the group and its initiative, contact Jan Billeb, Executive Director, American Knife & Tool Institute, 22 Vista View Lane, Cody, WY 82414-9606. The phone number is (307) 587-8296. The website is www.AKTI.org.

June 5, 2010, Gilbert, AZ: Knife Rights is pleased to announce that Evan Nappen is the inaugural recipient of its Freedom’s Point™ Award which was presented to Evan at the Sharper Future™ Awards Breakfast on June 5th during BLADE Show in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Freedom’s Point™ Award is to be given annually to honor a individual citizen who has demonstrated their commitment to a Sharper Future™ by leadership in the fight to protect or enhance our knife rights.

Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter said, “Evan Nappen is being recognized for two significant contributions during the past year. Last summer, when U.S. Customs was attempting to redefine what a switchblade was in a manner that would have adversely impacted 80% of the knives sold in the U.S. today, Evan volunteered to develop Knife Rights’ official response to U.S. Customs. He put together an excellent legal brief clearly exposing the fallacies and inconsistencies of Customs’ position in a matter of a few short days.” That effort eventually resulted in Congress passing an amendment to the Federal Switchblade Act exempting assisted opening and one-hand opening knives.”

Doug continued, “Every legislative initiative requires someone local to lead the charge. In New Hampshire, it was Evan who worked long hours to rally support for the Knife Rights bill introduced by Representative Jenn Coffey. It was Evan who spearheaded the fundraising effort. It was Evan who organized the testimony in front of the committees. We would not have been so successful in New Hampshire if it weren’t for the leadership and hard work of Evan Nappen.”

The Knife Rights Bill passed in New Hampshire legalizes switchblades, dirks, daggers and stilettos.

Knife Rights is America’s Grassroots Knife Owners Organization™, working towards a Sharper Future™ for all knife owners. Knife Rights is dedicated to providing knife owners an effective voice in public policy.

Convenience and cost savings make these new packs worth looking for. See more at BuckKnives.com.

POST FALLS, IDAHO– When you’re looking for that new knife you want, you try to find one that will provide the quality and reliability you need, at a reasonable price. If you can find that, plus an added item you can use, you’ll know you’ve found the deal you’re after.

That’s exactly what Buck Knives is offering with their new series of Combo Packs. If you’re a hunter looking for a good, affordable knife you may well be after Buck’s Omni Hunter 12 PT, with a 4” fixed-blade that has an inset gutting-skinning blade at a very appealing $58 suggested retail. You’re also after a good caping knife and are attracted by Buck’s new skeletal PakLite Caper, which has an surprisingly low $25 MSRP. You want both, but you aren’t sure if you’re ready to spend that $83 total.

Then, hanging there is the Buck Combo Pack, combining those very knives, with an MSRP of $71 –$12 less than buying them separately. That’s too good to pass up!

There are other Combo Packs, too. For your next fishing trip, Buck has combined their popular Silver Creek Fillet Knife and its perfect-flex 6-3/8” blade, with a Parallex lockblade knife and a versatile Fishing Clipper. The Clipper not only cuts monofilament line, it has a fold-out sharpening file, an eyelet cleaning needle/knot tool, and a hook bender. The fillet knife alone has an MSRP of $36.50. With the other two added, the retail tops $50 if bought separately. But as a Combo Pack, the suggested retail is only $40.

Buck has another hunter’s Combo Pack, too. This one combines a 390 Omni Hunter Skinner 10 PT, which has a 3-1/4” fixed-blade, with a PakLite Guthook for maximum versatility when field dressing game. They come in a special combo sheath made of heavy-duty nylon. Here again, the value is great. Bought separately, the MSRP is $69. As a combo, even with the added benefit of the special sheath, the suggested retail is only $57.

Of course, all are backed by Buck’s unlimited Forever Warranty.

Click here to check them out on BuckKnives.com.

June 8, 2010, OREGON CITY, Ore. – Benchmade Knife Company is proud to announce a partnership with custom knife maker Charles Marlowe. Mr. Marlowe has a great passion for knives and began designing his own models eighteen years ago.

“I’ve really enjoyed developing a relationship with Benchmade,” says Mr. Marlowe. “Their attention to detail and respect for the integrity of the original custom design are what excited me about working with the company.”

The first Marlowe-Benchmade design is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with such a talented knife designer,” says Rob Morrison, Benchmade’s Director of Marketing and Strategic Planning.

“Through our association with world’s best custom knife makers, we continue to bring innovative and functional designs to market. This partnership with Charles will help Benchmade continue in our mission of manufacturing superior edged tools.”