The BLADE Blogs Archives

30th Annual BLADE Show Packs ‘Em In!

The BLADE Blogs

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June 13, 2011

From all preliminary indications, the 30^th Annual BLADE Show held over the weekend at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta was one of the best in recent memory.

The show appears to have had some of the heaviest customer traffic in the history of the event. Pete Cohan of the National Knife Museum said the lines of people waiting to buy tickets that streamed by his booth in the show foyer were some of the longest he’d ever seen.

Meanwhile, sales were great for a number of exhibitors. Purveyor Les Robertson said he sold more the Friday of the show than he did during all of last year’s event. Custom knifemaker Brian Tighe said he sold 45 knives in the first day or so. Maker Michael Zscherny said he sold all seven of his knives quickly, too, and that next year he will bring more. Bill Burke said he sold 17 of the 19 knives he brought before the show was two hours old Friday. Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member D’ Holder also reported strong sales.

Dave Wilson was the lucky winner of the special William Henry Studio 30^th Anniversary BLADE Show knife, valued at $10,000. BLADE Show attendees could enter by visiting the booths of the American Knife & Tool Institute, Custom Knife Collectors Association and Knife Rights, and filling out a form and depositing it at a box at each respective booth. The idea was to expose more knife enthusiasts to how they can protect their right to own and carry a knife through AKTI and KR, and how to collect custom knives through the CKCA. One observer said the boxes were stuffed so full of forms that it was difficult to shake them up properly for the drawing at each booth. The final drawing was done at the William Henry booth.

Also, the lines were long for BLADE Show patrons who wanted to meet, get the autograph of and pose for pictures with R. Lee “The Gunny” Ermey at the SOG Specialty Knives & Tools booth. The Gunny was his usual irrepressible self and entertained show patrons for most of Saturday at the SOG booth. The BLADE Show cannot thank SOG and The Gunny enough for their efforts.

At the BLADE Show Banquet, Charles Elsener Jr. gave a stirring speech accepting on behalf of his near-90-year-old father, Carl Elsener Sr., for the latter’s induction into the Cutlery Hall Of Fame. Elsener Sr. has been president of Victorinox Swiss Army knives since shortly after the end of World War II, and has led the company to its mega-success since. Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Tim Leatherman gave a touching induction speech for the elder Elsener.

The Blade Magazine 2011 Knife Of The Year® Awards recognized the industry’s finest factory knives and are as follows:

•Overall Knife Of The Year®: Zero Tolerance 0777;

•American Made Knife Of The Year®: Spyderco Native 5 Fluted Ti;

•Imported Knife Of The Year®: Spyderco Vallotton Subhilt:

•Most Innovative American Design: Microtech Select Fire;

•Most Innovative Imported Design: Fox Dobolock;

•Best Buy Of The Year®: Columbia River Knife & Tool Shenanigan;

•Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year®: William Henry Studio ST-4010;

•Manufacturing Quality Award: Chris Reeve Knives;

•Collaboration Of The Year®: Zero Tolerance and Rick Hinderer for the Model 0560;

•Kitchen Knife Of The Year®: Kershaw Shun Fuji;

•Accessory Of The Year®: Blade-Tech MOLLE Lok;

•Industry Achievement Award: Pete Cohan;

•Publisher’s Award: New Hampshire Rep. Jenn Coffey.

The BLADE Show custom knife awards are as follows:

•Best Knife Collaboration and Best Of Show: Dennis Friedly art knife engraved by Gil Rudolph;

•Best Miniature Knife: Yoshio Sakauchi;

•Best Fixed Blade: Rodrigo Sfreddo;

•Best Bowie: John White;

•Best Fighter: R.J. Martin;

•Most Innovative Design: Joe Caswell;

•Best Utility Hunter: Dan Farr;

•Best Sword: Vince Evans;

•Best Art Knife: Donald Vogt;

•Best Of The Rest: Mardi Meshejian;

•Best New Maker: Rod Watts;

•Best Handle Design: Vince Evans;

•Best Tactical Folder: Brian Fellhoelter;

•Best Damascus Knife: John White.

On the American Bladesmith Society end of things, a highlight was the husband and wife team of Adam and Haley DesRosiers winning the B.R. Hughes Award and the George Peck Award, respectively, for the best respective knives by ABS master and journeyman smith applicants. Also, Bert Gaston won the Don Hastings Award, Julie Britton the Margaret Moran Silver Slipper Award, and Kyle Royer the Bill Moran Award for the society’s best annual knife done in the style of a European quillon dagger. Also, the announcement was made that Michael Price, Joe Keeslar and Jim Schmidt would be among those who would be inducted into the ABS Hall Of Fame in August.

There was much, much more—the best in seminars, knife lotteries, knife giveaways, collection displays, etc. For the complete report on the show, see an upcoming issue of BLADE®.

Editor’s note: The knives pictured with the story are the new Shenanigan models from Columbia River Knife & Tool. The Shenanigan is the Blade Magazine 2011 Best Buy Of The Year®.

BLADE MAGAZINE 2012 OVERALL KNIFE OF THE YEAR®

Steve Shackleford

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September 13, 2012

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Knife: ZERO TOLERANCE 0888

Pattern: Premium folder

Blade steel: Composite blade S110V edge, 14C28N spine

Heat treat: 59-61 HRC

Blade length: 3.75”

Blade pattern: Drop point

Blade thickness: .156”

Blade grind: Flat

Blade finish: Satin and bead blasted

Handle: Smooth, contoured titanium

Feature comforts: Stainless steel lockbar insert w/integral over-travel stop; built-in clip slides left or right, integrates into design

Closed length: 5.375”

Operating/locking mechanism: Titanium frame-lock flipper; KVT ball bearings in pivot

Weight: 7.6 ozs.

MSRP: $499

The Blade Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards are voted on each year at the BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) by the show’s exhibiting booth holders, plus a panel of five special judges, the latter whose votes count double. The 2013 BLADE Show will be held once again at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.

For the latest knives, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us/?lid=blss091312

Can Fire-Steel Bushcrafters Take the Heat?

Steve Shackleford

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June 13, 2017

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Can Fire-Steel Bushcrafters Take the Heat?

BLADE and Bold Action — Bear & Son Cutlery’s Bold Action V is the cover knife for the new BLADE®, on newsstands now!

See if bushcraft knives with fire steels can take the heat, meet a Marine Corps vet who helps spread the good word of Zac Brown’s knives, learn whether paying knife deposits on custom knives is for you and more in the latest issue of BLADE®—on newsstands now!

BLADE field editor Abe Elias puts four new bushcraft knives, all equipped with fire steels, through a series of tests and critiques. See how they fare and what makes a good bushcraft knife—not what makes good hype—in “Bush The Envelope.”

Losing both legs from above the knee down would understandably destroy most people, but not veteran Marine Staff Sgt. Joey Jones. Fitted with prosthetic devices after the devastating effects of an IED in Afghanistan, he picked up the pieces in civilian life and has become a powerful motivator for individuals, corporations and charities. He also works with Zac Brown’s Southern Ground, which, in addition to the Southern Grind knife company, funds Camp Southern Ground for children, especially those with neuro-developmental disorders or in families with a parent deployed, wounded or lost. Erin Healy examines Jones and Brown’s Southern Ground in “Joined By Knives.”

Ordering a custom knife from a knifemaker and making a down payment—better known as a deposit—on the knife is something collectors have done for many years. But is paying deposits for you? Custom knife purveyor Les Robertson guides you through the do’s and don’ts of the practice in “Knife Deposits: Yea, Nay, Maybe.”

Casstrom bushcraft knife — Can Casstrom’s Woodsman bushcraft knife with fire steel take the heat? Abe Elias shows the way in the latest BLADE®,

Also in this issue of BLADE:

•The latest in factory automatics, including the cover knife, an entry from Bear & Son Cutlery’s first-ever line of autos, the Bold Action V;

•Learn how the super-lightweight Gerber LST folder changed knife history in “Father of the EDC?”;

•MSG Kim Breed, retired 5th Special Forces, puts a couple of heavy-duty camp knives through the ringer in “Is Bigger Better?”;

•James Morgan Ayres tests four of the latest factory tomahawks in “Tomahawk Toughies”;

•BLADE field editor Ed Fowler recounts his lifelong addiction to knives in “Just Say Yes!”;

•In “A Linerlock On Roller Skates,” Leroi Price describes a new approach to the linerlock developed by Jake Hoback;

•BLADE field Dexter Ewing concludes his three-part series on 12 of the newest knife sharpeners in “The Hone Zone”;

•Reload your knife with sharp blades or simply discard them in “The Replaceables” by Pat Covert, and;

•You can almost hear the mosaic damascus “snakes” on Greg Cimms’ chef’s knife blade hiss in “The Dubai Vipers.”

You get all this and much more in the latest BLADE. Click here for the download edition. To subscribe to BLADE, click here for the domestic print edition, here for the international print subscription, here for the Canadian print subscription and here for the digital subscription.

Knives Of Summer: Timberline Alaskan Bush Pilot Hatchet

Steve Shackleford

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June 27, 2012

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Summer means camping and camping requires lots of chopping jobs for such handy pieces as the Alaskan Bush Pilot Hatchet from Timberline.

Designed by custom knifemaker Russ Kommer, the hatchet features a 440 stainless steel blade in a satin finish and a finger-grooved haft covered with Zytel slabs. Overall length: 9 inches. Weight: 3 pounds. It comes with a bridle leather sheath and a non-slip belt loop.

For more info on the Timberline Alaskan Bush Pilot Hatchet click on http://www.shopblade.com/timberline-bush-pilot-survival-hatchet-6013/?r+ssfb062712

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. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us /?r+ssfb062712 for more information.

Image of Randall Knife Christmas Tree Courtesy of Dorris Wood Creations

The BLADE Blogs

BLADE Staff

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December 22, 2010

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The photo of the Christmas tree in our “rotating” photo screen above that accompanies our news roll is courtesy of Dorris Wood Creations. Dale Dorris e-mailed the image of the tree decorated with Randall knives to wish the BLADE® ad staff a Merry Christmas. We asked him if we could use the image on Knife Showcase and he said yes. Thanks, Dale!

By the way, the knives on the tree are NOT photoshopped. Those puppies are really “hung with care.”

For more information on the tree and Dorris Wood Creations’ custom display cabinets and stands, visit http://www.DorrisWoodCreations.com.

BLADE Show Welcomes New Pro-Knife Law

Steve Shackleford

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May 10, 2017

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A new pro-knife law signed into law this week in Georgia comes just in time for the 36th Annual BLADE Show.

Signed May 8 by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, the new pro-knife law (HB 292) increases the legal carry length of a knife blade in the state from 5 to 12 inches.

“With the BLADE Show coming up June 2-4, attendees and exhibitors will have more freedom to carry their larger knives without fear of legal entanglements,” Knife Rights reported. It is language from Knife Rights’ Georgia Knife Law Reform bill, SB 49, that is included in the new pro-knife law.

Held annually in the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, the BLADE Show is the world’s largest and most important knife show and will feature over 1,000 exhibitors from every continent but Antarctica. Thousands of patrons worldwide will invade the Cobb Galleria show hall to enjoy the latest in factory and custom knives, knife collections, knife instruction via the show’s 4th Annual BLADE University, knife demos, the BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards, the BLADE Show custom knife awards, inductions into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame© and much more. As such, the passage of the new pro-knife law is most welcome news for show exhibitors who sell larger knives like bowies, camp knives, combat knives and other models that fit within the new expanded length restrictions.

The new 12-inch length limit became effective as soon as Deal signed the bill. Since Georgia passed Knife Rights’ Knife Law Preemption in 2012, any lesser length restrictions in cities and towns are now voided by HB 292. Moreover, neither can local jurisdictions enact prohibitions more restrictive than those in the new pro-knife law.

The BLADE Show and blademag.com express their gratitude to such organizations as Knife Rights, the American Knife & Tool Institute and others that fight for common-sense knife legislation. Both organizations will be among the exhibitors at the BLADE Show and blademag.com encourages you to stop by the booths of each for more information on how to protect your right to own and carry knives.

Custom Knives That Are Best For You

Steve Shackleford

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October 29, 2014

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Choosing the custom knives that are best for you can be a tricky proposition. There are a number of things to consider, including how much money you have to spend, whether you’re buying the knife to use, collect or resell, and other factors. Especially if you’re new to the market, looking to change the focus of the kinds of knives you buy or simply unsure which knife is best for you, a custom knife purveyor (also known as a dealer) is out there who can help you.

There are a number of different types of custom knife purveyors. Some specialize in one type of knife only, such as art knives or tactical knives. Since tactical knives have been hot for a long time, there are probably more tactical knife purveyors than any other type.

On the other hand, some purveyors may specialize in two or more knife genres, such as tactical and handforged, for instance. Others may sell one maker’s knives only, such as those made by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Bob Loveless. Still others may sell the knives of a select iconic few, such as Loveless, Jim Schmidt, Cutlery Hall-Of-Famers Bill Moran and Ron Lake, and a few others.

The serious ones have websites with professionally photographed images of the custom knives they offer for sale, and/or advertise their purveying service in knife magazines and/or other media. A sign of a purveyor who is in business for the long haul is one who advertises consistently over an extended period of time. (The latter also goes for knifemakers.) Still other purveyors may photograph their knives for marketing purposes—with some being quite good at it—own a brick-and-mortar retail knife store, and a very few produce/coordinate their own knife shows. Some purveyors do two or more of the preceding and at least one does all three.

To find out which purveyor fits your needs, ask around at knife shows, knife discussion forums, social media sites and other venues, check websites and knife magazines, etc. Talk to your friends or acquaintances who buy custom knives or ask them for the names of others who buy custom knives. Tell them what kinds of knives you’re looking for and ask them which purveyors are the best at providing such knives and offer the best customer service. Get as many opinions as you can. It’s better to have more information than not enough. Whittle the purveyors down to a select few you think you might want to work with and call them and feel them out. Go with the one you connect with best—in other words, go with your gut feeling in picking the one you want to use.

Before we continue, some fundamentals on how purveyors obtain the knives they sell is in order. It’s really pretty cut and dried: the purveyors attend select knife shows in search of the top knives and makers and/or establish relationships with those makers—and a select knife show is always a great place to both meet the maker and see some of his/her best work. The best purveyors work with proficient makers who are good at meeting deadlines on the knives they agree to make, offer good customer service if something goes wrong with the knife, and who, in general, appeal to custom knife enthusiasts of most all stripes. The purveyor will reach an agreement with the maker to buy one or more of his or her knives and then sell the knife/knives at enough of a markup to make a profit, stay in business and buy more knives for sale. That’s pretty basic, but that’s essentially how it works.

Why should you buy from a purveyor instead of a maker? Actually, if you can bypass the purveyor and buy directly from the maker, you probably should. However, that’s not always possible and is where purveyors come in. (Besides, as noted, if you’re new to the market or unsure of what to buy, the guidance a capable purveyor can provide in buying a custom knife can be invaluable.) Through the working relationships they establish with leading makers, purveyors have access to knives from those makers that most individual custom knife enthusiasts do not. Many makers have to struggle to make deadlines for other custom orders and knife shows, and often cannot fill your order quick enough or before the knife loses some of its luster and is no longer “hot.” Purveyors, on the other hand, may have the knife in question in stock or something from the maker that will fill your needs immediately.

As an aside, if you look around enough, you will no doubt hear from some that one purveyor or another is prejudiced in favor of a certain maker or makers. Whenever you hear this, take it with a grain of salt because most all purveyors will indeed be prejudiced in favor of makers that are a) easy to work with and b) make deadlines—traits that you would probably like in a maker as well.

These are just some of the things to look for in a custom purveyor. The more you look and ask around, the more you will find other traits that will make the custom purveyor the best for you and your knife needs.

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