The BLADE Blogs Archives

Knife Ed 101: From the Periodic Table to the Rockwell Hardness Scale

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December 5, 2016

Knife Ed 101: From the Periodic Table to the Rockwell Hardness Scale

Jim Bowie scowls as I absorb the minutia of properly conveying knife specs. — Jim Bowie is not amused with my lack of knowledge about steel mixes.

Knowing what you don’t know sometimes means knowing when to stop researching and just play with your knife. In the course of more fully educating myself about knives, I find that everything, and I mean every little thing, involves further study. It can be paralyzing. And sometimes it needs to just get silly so I can stop worrying about it.

I’m in charge of maintaining the style sheet at BLADE, which is an alphabetical list of knife industry-specific terms and instructions—or exceptions to instructions—regarding how we present certain things in BLADE. We want to be consistent.

The other day my boss and BLADE editor, Steve Shackleford, sent me something like, “Just so you know… the V in MoV is always capitalized. For example, 8Cr13MoV: Cr refers to chromium, Mo refers to molybdenum and V refers to vanadium—all elements in the steel mix.”

Cool, I thought.

And then I thought: The periodic table of elements? Seriously?

For an English major with a history minor—even one into guns and knives—this concerned me. Oh sure, there’s science in the acids and bases of a batch of cookies in the oven, but I honestly never imagined printing out that chart after I left high school. But there it lies, adding color to the growing pile, its information so obvious in hindsight. Jim Bowie perpetually scowls with what I imagine can only be his disappointment in my slow pickup.

So, when Steve explained how BLADE presents Rockwell hardness: “the Rockwell hardness is 58-59 HRC,” I figured I should try to fit more about that topic into my rock hard head.

After work I called a friend.

His response: “What is the Rockwell hardness scale and what does it mean to me?”

Exactly, I replied.

And while we’re at it, I thought, aren’t “hard” and “tough” synonyms for the same thing, like soldiers or overcooked steak? (That’s a joke. You can read about the difference between hardness and toughness in Bernard Levine’s article, “Rockwell Hardness, What It Is And What It Means To Your Blades,” BLADE Magazine, Sept. 1997, Pages 74-76.)

And why can’t I close my Twitch II? Am I not pressing hard enough? Am I afraid of the release? (That’s not a joke, and no, the lock is not engaged.)

“I can envision both scenarios,” my friend said.

That’s how he talks.

We joke about cut-resistant gloves, only he’s not joking. I’m a klutz.

He explained something about measuring divots and my ears stopped up and my eyes glazed over. I have a hard time thinking in 3D.

But I had the power all along. In the archives of BLADE itself I found this helpful article: Bernard Levine’s article, “Rockwell Hardness, What It Is And What It Means To Your Blades,” BLADE Magazine, Sept. 1997, Pages 74-76

It all makes perfect sense. I think I can now move on to worrying about whether there’s a good mix of ATS-34, 440C, CPM S30V, CTS steels and 5160, O1, D2, 1095, L6 steels represented in our Knifemaker Showcase pieces.

Your Knifemaking Questions, Answered

Get all your knifemaking questions answered in this collection of expert advise from former BLADE columnist Wayne Goddard. The Wonder of Knifemaking makes a thoughtful gift for someone interested in starting or perfecting their knifemaking skills

Cut, Handle or Chop It in BLADE’s Guide!

Steve Shackleford

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November 30, 2016

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Cut, Handle or Chop It in BLADE’s Guide!

BLADE's Guide Spring 2017 — Cut, handle or chop it in **BLADE’s Complete Knife Guide 2017**, on newsstands now!

Cut, handle or chop it—or lock it or look it up—in BLADE’s Complete Knife Guide 2017, on newsstands now!

The knife industry’s only annual buying journal, the 2017 BLADE’s Guide includes a comprehensive listing of anyone and everyone who does business in the factory knife industry, including manufacturers, importers, accessory, material and equipment makers and suppliers, knifemaking schools, photographers, embellishers and more. The Guide also has a special section on some of the top factory knives that will debut in the coming year.

Looking for today’s hottest blade steels? In “Steel Trek: The Search For Sharp,” David W. Jung takes you through not only the latest ones but also the ones that are being used by custom knifemakers and manufacturers most on their newest knives. Need a wedge of hardened steel to chop, whop or split logs, kindling and more? James Morgan Ayres outlines the sharpest in hatchets and hand axes in “Cut Me Some Whack!”

Knifemakers who use elephant ivory have been among those under attack by federal and state legislation, but those who use ancient ivory have found themselves under the gun as well. Meanwhile, the suppliers who sell handle materials are having to change with the changing market. Mike Haskew examines the issue from the sellers’ standpoint in “Ivory: How Knife Suppliers Adapt.”

Framelock folders offer some of the most secure lockup of any folding knife—a good thing for all knife enthusiasts, including the ladies. Daniel Jackson outlines four of the latest such folders from a woman’s perspective in “Framelocks From the Feminine View.”

Also in our special annual issue: knife handles designed for those with big hands; knives that double as bottle openers; an excerpt from the world’s greatest knife book, KNIVES 2017, on bowie fighters; an introduction of BLADE® Magazine’s new managing editor, Erin Healy; and much more. Subscribe, buy the digital edition or tramp on down to the newsstand for the latest issue!

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Prime Cutters Are Good To Go

Steve Shackleford

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November 22, 2016

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Small-to-medium-sized fixed blades make excellent cutting tools, and today’s prime cutters are good to go. Here are five of the hottest in this sharp-looking category.

The P.U.K. (Personal Utility Knife)

Atlas Dynamic Defense P.U.K. — The P.U.K. from Atlas Dynamic Defense is a hungry little cutter in CPM S30V stainless.

The P.U.K. (Personal Utility Knife) from Atlas Dynamic Defense has a 2.52-inch blade of CPM S30V stainless steel heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of 57-58 HRC in a controlled vacuum with an additional -300°F cryo bath. Top that with a DLC blade coat and you’ve got one hungry little cutter. The scales are removable with a coin or rifle cartridge. MSRP: $225.

Buck Omni RT

Among other prime cutters is the Buck Omni RT with a stout 3.25-inch blade of 420HC stainless steel and an ergonomic handle of Dynaflex rubber in Realtree Xtra Green Camo. Weight: 4.6 ounces. Overall length: 7.75 inches. A nylon sheath that matches the look of the handle completes the ensemble.

Western Knives Kota

The Kota from Western Knives includes a 3.25-inch blade of titanium-bonded 420 stainless and an ergonomic handle of G-10 with an elongated hole for a lanyard. Overall length: 7 inches. It’s kind of a cool design, really. A nylon sheath is included. MSRP: $29.99.

ESEE 3HM

If you’re looking for a carbon-steel cutter, the ESEE 3HM offers a 3.63-inch blade of 1095 carbon steel in a low-glare, stain-resistant powder coat and a canvas Micarta® handle. The contrast of the light-colored Micarta and the dark blade is choice. Weight: 7.7 ounces. Overall length: 8.88 inches. A black leather pouch comes standard.

Knives of Alaska Legacy

The Legacy from Knives Of Alaska has a blade of D2 tool steel to go along with a stag handle—all in the style of the late BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Bob Loveless. It includes a leather sheath. D2 is a favorite of Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Wayne Goddard and “Dr. D2” himself, Bob Dozier. Somewhere, Loveless is probably nodding in approval.

Looking for More Edgy Ideas?

Check out BLADE‘s holiday gift guide for knife nuts.

Bear & Son acquires GATCO sharpener division

Erin Healy

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November 16, 2016

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Bear & Son acquires GATCO sharpener division

Acquiring GATCO has positioned Bear & Son Cutlery to be a true one-stop shop for knife enthusiasts. — Bear & Son Cutlery, Inc., has purchased the sharpener division of GATCO.

Bear & Son Cutlery, Inc. announced Nov. 14 that it has acquired the sharpener division of GATCO. Ken Griffey, president of the Jacksonville, Alabama, manufacturing company, said he’s been in the knife industry for 39 years, and for 28 or 29 of those years Bear & Son has worked trade shows and other events side by side with the Great American Tool Company, Inc., or GATCO, as it was better known. Griffey expressed confidence that Bear & Son can now truly be a one-stop shop for knife enthusiasts. “It’s a natural fit,” he said.

Sharpener production at GATCO ceased in June or July, Griffey explained, so the number one order of business is to get merchants restocked. For the immediate future, GATCO sharpeners will continue to be made in both the USA and China. In short order, Bear & Son executives will assess whether some manufacturing can be moved back to the United States.

All GATCO sharpeners will continue to be made with the possible exception of one or two models. In place of those, Bear & Son will debut two new sharpeners to complement its knife lines. Griffey said he saw 3D models of these new sharpeners but wants to see the real thing before he approves production and sets price. Decisions will be made in time for any new products to make their first appearance at the SHOT Show, Jan. 17-20, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

GATCO celebrated its 25^th anniversary in 2014. Founded by John Anthon and originally based in Getzville, New York, its specialty was offering a wide range of sharpeners. Angle guide, pull-through, stone, diamond abrasive, ceramic, carbide—GATCO had a model. The company’s Tri-Seps sharpener was the BLADE Magazine 1999 Accessory Of The Year.

Griffey said the purchase of GATCO makes Bear & Son Cutlery a full one-stop shop for knife enthusiasts. Always strong on the outdoor and hunting side of the knife market, the company also offers its Bear Ops line that focuses on law enforcement, military and self-defense knives. A new line, the affordable Bear Edge, will offer knives with some components made in China but assembled in the USA.

Steve Shackleford, BLADE® editor, contributed to this article.

This Gear Care Kit Field Grade Tin is a perfect stocking stuffer and includes a GATCO Super Micro sharpener.

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Distinguishing Elephant from Ancient Ivory

Steve Shackleford

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November 7, 2016

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Distinguishing elephant from ancient ivory is challenging and becoming more and more important for the owners of knives with handles of ancient ivory. However, there are two reliable keys to make the determination easier.

Polished cross sections of elephant and mastodon/mammoth ivories display stacked chevrons of cross-hatched lines called Schreger lines or Lines of Retzius—incremental lines of rhythmic deposition of successive layers of enamel/dentine matrix during development. The Schreger lines closest to the outer bark of the tusks are the most visible—and the ones to measure—though there are also inner Schreger lines that are less discernible around the nerve cavity. The intersection of Schreger lines form angles, and this is the key—if the average angle is greater than 115 degrees, then it’s elephant ivory; if the average angle is less than 90 degrees, it’s mastodon or mammoth. Variations in the angles can occur in individual tusks, particularly as the patterns tighten more toward the center. Plus, the visible cross section must be cut square to the axis of the tusk—otherwise the chevrons’ angles will be distorted.

Specimens from both extinct and existing animals can show angles between 90 and 115 degrees in the outer Schreger lines, so the differentiation should never be based solely on a single angle measurement when the angles fall in this range. When averages are used, a clear separation between the ivory of existing elephants and extinct mammoths/mastodons exists. Elephant ivory averages above 100 degrees and mammoth/mastodon ivory averages below 100 degrees.

Another I.D. key, though more involved, can also distinguish mammoth or mastodon ivory from elephant. These ancient ivories can often have blue-green or brownish blemishes on the surface produced by an oxidized iron phosphate called vivianite. Even if the discoloration is barely visible, ultra-violet light will make it stand out with a dramatic velvety-purple appearance. Even if elephant ivory were similarly discolored—though in its natural state, elephant ivory will not display the same discoloration—it would not exhibit the characteristic fluoresence of vivianite.

With recent ivory laws handed down by Fish and Wildlife greying the lines between elephant and ancient ivories, it is possible the laws may give federal agents the right to seize knives and materials that cannot be proven as outright ivory but simply have the ivory look. As a result, if you own knives with ancient ivory handles, having an at least a general knowledge of how to differentiate elephant from ancient ivory could save you from having your knives confiscated, from being fined or both.

Hot Knife Deals at ShopBlade.com

Tomahawks Are Top Chops in BLADE

Steve Shackleford

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November 2, 2016

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New BLADE on newsstands now! — Tomahawks are top chops in the new **BLADE®**, on newsstands now!

Tomahawks large and small continue to take the world of knives by storm and four of the latest models are top chops in the new BLADE®—on newsstands now!

Featuring the Hardcore Hardware Australia CTT-01 on the cover, the issue also includes the diminutive Micro Hawk from TOPS Knives. Sandwiched in between is the versatile EX-T01 from Hogue Knives. All four get in their licks and the once over several times from Pat Covert in “4 Hawk Hoedown.”

The talent level of today’s best custom knifemakers is better than ever, but what about the ones that offer some of the sharpest blades anywhere but nobody knows of them? Mike Haskew smokes out today’s most underrated cutlers in “Under-The-Radar Knifemakers.”

Every knife has its “sweet spot”—the spot on the blade that cuts better than any other, on the handle that feels better than any other and more. Some knives even have more than one sweet spot. High-endurance performance knife master smith Ed Fowler shows you how to find them in “The Sweet Spots.”

A child’s rite of passage comes in many forms, including his or her first experiences with knives. What makes that rite even more meaningful is when it includes teaching the child how to make knives. See how ABS master smith Timothy Potier and the folks at the New England School of Metalwork help usher kids through the keenest of rites in “Life Skills Meet Knife Skills.”

Also this issue: the latest in factory neck knives and a test of four of the latest Japanese-style Santoku kitchen knives; the Case Collectors Club and the festivities at its recent 35th annual reunion at the Case factory in Bradford, Pennsylvania; the latest in knife kits and how to best assemble them; President Theodore Roosevelt’s knife that brought a record price of $414,000 at an American auction; and much more, all in the latest BLADE—on newsstands now, or buy the digital edition or subscribe!

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Benchmade Drops HK Knife Line to Refocus on Own Brand

Erin Healy

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November 2, 2016

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Benchmade ceased production of all HK knives. The initial offering of the Benchmade-HK partnership was the HK Pika. — Photo courtesy of Benchmade Benchmade and H&K officially kicked off their collaboration 12 years ago with the 2004 release of the HK Pika.

Over a month ago Benchmade decision makers opted to immediately ramp down production of all Heckler & Koch (HK) knife lines, according to Benchmade Public Relations and Communications Manager Derrick Lau. Benchmade will concentrate efforts on its own brand of sports cutlery and edged tools.

The Oregon City designer and manufacturer notified knife dealers that although not official until Jan. 2, 2017, they would no longer make approximately 17 to 18 different models. Some supply remains, but is quickly dwindling. Dealers are encouraged to contact Benchmade if there are any HK knives they’d like to get before they are all gone.

The tactical design and affordability of HK knives attracted law enforcement officers. The knives include the Entourage, Patrol Axis, Ally, Turmoil, Dispatch, Plan D, Nitrous Blitz, MP5 and Epidemic families.

Benchmade designed and manufactured knives for other companies in the past, such as Harley-Davidson® and Bone Collector. Three years ago the company ended its collaboration with Lone Wolf to rededicate its efforts to Benchmade-branded knives. This is a continuation of that plan, Lau explained, adding it was a case of the company needing to “get our bearings back.”

The licensing agreement specified that Benchmade would design and manufacture the knives, and retain the use of any resulting innovations, while HK would lend its name and branding to the product. Such an arrangement can be a marketing boost for the manufacturer and provide a platform for creative innovation. Since automatics cannot be imported into the U.S., Lau explained, the German-based Heckler & Koch benefitted from the ability to get HK autos into the U.S. market through Benchmade.

The Benchmade-HK arrangement was another in a series of firearms manufacturers working with knife manufacturers to create a mutually beneficial business endeavor. Other examples include Remington and Bear & Son Cutlery, Ruger and CRKT, Smith & Wesson and Schrade and others.

“Our dealers are our most important asset,” Lau said. Dealer feedback indicated that the Benchmade brand is Benchmade’s most attractive selling point. After 30 years in the business, it was simply determined that Benchmade should refocus on its own brand.

Heckler & Koch does not have anything lined up in terms of continuing its knife brand, according to the company’s public relations spokesperson. “We’re a firearms company,” she reiterated, but “we like to offer our fans the accessories we know they want.” She added, “Benchmade did a great job of showing us there was a market for the knives.”

Benchmade would consult with HK officials on some designs they were considering, and HK would choose some for its web shop. Benchmade had the infrastructure in place for wider distribution.

In the future, Benchmade may be open to other collaborations, but for now the company is committed to growing its own line of knives. Some of the Benchmade knives in the works will have features inspired by the HK lines.

Benchmade did not issue an official press release because they wanted their dealers to know first, allow them time to ask questions, and provide any support they might need.

Steve Shackleford, BLADE® editor, contributed to this article

ShopBLADE is offering a not-to-be-missed package for “Knives” readers. You get the 2016 and 2017 paperback issues of “Knives,” a $67.98 value. Plus you get a digital download for the 2004-2015 editions, an $79.99 value. Your cost: $59.99, a savings of $87.98. Hurry!

Click here to check out the “Knives” bundle.

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27 Star-Spangled, Flag-Waving Knives That Cut Great

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10 Family Gift Knives Sport Holiday Spirit

Knife Ed 101: From the Periodic Table to the Rockwell Hardness Scale

Your Knifemaking Questions, Answered

Cut, Handle or Chop It in BLADE’s Guide!

Prime Cutters Are Good To Go

The P.U.K. (Personal Utility Knife)

Buck Omni RT

Western Knives Kota

ESEE 3HM

Knives of Alaska Legacy

Looking for More Edgy Ideas?

Bear & Son acquires GATCO sharpener division

Distinguishing Elephant from Ancient Ivory

Hot Knife Deals at ShopBlade.com

Tomahawks Are Top Chops in BLADE

Benchmade Drops HK Knife Line to Refocus on Own Brand

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