The BLADE Blogs

The blogs of the BLADE editors, Steve Shackleford and Erin Healy.

SOG Twitch II Helps Save The Day

    A SOG Twitch II assisted-opening knife helped save the day in a recent car accident. Zachary Taylor was the passenger in a car driven by his fiance when it spun out of control while avoiding a large animal in the road.The passenger side hit two trees and Taylor’s right leg was pinned under the dash.

     As Taylor recounts the incident, “My right arm was pinned because the impact swung it up under me, but I used my left hand to retrieve the Twitch II knife from my pocket, opened it with one finger, and cut the seat belt. I then used it to cut away my pants leg that hung up under the dash. If I would’ve not been able to get out of the car, we would still be sitting there as no one was around us, we were way off down the embankment, the cell phone was busted, the front lights had busted out, it was really cold and we were wet from an exploded cooler.”

     You can read the whole story, including photos of the car, at http://on.fb.me/xWdPOI

    The preceding is courtesy of Knife Rights. For more information click on http://kniferights.org/

For more information on the Twitch II, click on www.sogknives.com.

 

    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+ssfb020112#BL1SU

New BLADE® On Newsstands Now!

Get the lowdown on the latest knife hotbed of Russia in the new BLADE®—on newsstands NOW!

Debuting on newsstands today, the new BLADE sports the Shirogorov brothers' Hati on the cover.
The Shirogorov brothers’ Hati is the cover knife for the new BLADE, which debuts on newsstands today.

Sporting the Hati flipper folder by Russia’s hot knifemaking brother team of Sergei and Igor Shirogorov on the cover, the March BLADE features the headline story on the explosion of all things knife in Mother Russia. From the custom knives of the Shirogorovs and others, the factory knives of Olamic Cutlery and Kizlyar, and the explosion in the buying of American-made custom and factory knives by Russians, today’s knife market is warming up nicely in the Land of the Bear.

If you’re into making knives, the new issue has two stories that should fit your sheath. In fact, one is part two of Ed Fowler’s pouch sheath how-to. The other is Pat Covert’s pictorial on how Bob Dozier makes a frame-lock folder.

Like bushcraft knives? If so, join Mike Haskew as he taps the expertise of some leading makers and users of same in discussing “5 Keys To Top Bushcraft Knives.”

From the early days of Bill Moran to some of today’s leading custom knives, wood knife handles with the tiger-stripe look seem to have a mesmerizing effect on knife enthusiasts. Discover which woods have it and what all the hubbub is about in “Tiger Woods.”

The year past was a momentous one in the world of knives, and BLADE was there to cover all the head-turning events. Relive the year that was in “Dancing On The Edge.”

And, winding up BLADE’s 40th anniversary series on the top knives and makers of the past 40 years is part three of the installment on the top custom makers over a segment of that stretch—this time the top 16 from 2001-2012.

There’s much more—and it’s all in the new March BLADE.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more, stay honed at www.blademag.com.

 

We’re Re-Designing Knife Showcase

We’re re-designing Knife Showcase, so please bear with us as changes are made.

 

Thanks!

 

-Ben

Spyderco’s Knife That Changed Knife History

Spyderco in BLADE
Spyderco’s knife that changed knife history is a headliner in the latest BLADE®, on newsstands now!

Spyderco’s knife that changed knife history, Creek Stewart of Fat Guys In The Woods fame and his knives, the top knives of the SHOT Show and more highlight the latest issue of BLADE®, on newsstands now!

Spyderco is celebrated worldwide for its signature folders with the hole in the blade and also a pocket clip and serrations. The first-ever Spyderco knife with the hole and the clip was the Worker, which debuted in 1981. Mike Haskew visited with BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Sal Glesser for the back story on the knife that changed the way an industry made and used knives forever.

In addition to his TV show on The Weather Channel, Stewart is known for his survival skills—and what’s survival without knives? While Creek gave knives away to the top “survivor” at the end of each episode of his show, he decided he wanted to take things a step further and work with a small American business to produce a line of knives. Whiskey Knives from Hank Gevedon’s Reptile Toolworks are the result and the focus of Erin Healy’s “Samurai Woodsman” on page 12.

Along with the annual BLADE Show—which is set for June 2-4 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta—the SHOT Show is the place where many factory knife companies debut their new knives for the year. Check out the hottest knives of SHOT, along with a number of new companies under new flags, in the story on page 26.

There’s much more in the latest issue, including tests of camp knives, custom hunters and the return of an old friend—the newest factory boot knives; the urban survival knife and whether yours meets the demands of your environment; those who forge and sell stainless damascus to knifemakers worldwide; on the 100th anniversary of the USA’s entry into World War I, the first of a two-part story on the knives carried by U.S. Army personnel, aka The Doughboys; and much more, all in the latest issue of BLADE, available in the digital edition and also by subscription.

SHOT Show to Stay in Vegas. Let it Ride!

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, owners of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show®, and Reed Exhibitions, producers of the SHOT Show, have reached an agreement with Las Vegas Sands Corp. to present the SHOT Show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center through 2014.

 

“SHOT Show attendees have made it clear to us that Las Vegas is their city of choice, and this agreement allows the National Shooting Sports Foundation to meet their expectations and to continue our great relationship with the city and the Las Vegas Sands Corp.,” said Steve Sanetti, president and CEO of NSSF, trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. “The Sands has responded to our requests for improvements to the venue that have been very favorably commented upon by exhibitors and attendees alike, and this was a key factor in our decision.”

Beer Knives Cap Off National Drink Beer Day

Trekker beer knife
Troney Troler of Knives Plus likes the Victorinox Trekker as a fish knife—and it also has a bottle opener for your favorite ale.

Opening your favorite beer will be on tap Thursday, Sept. 28, for National Drink Beer Day, and you can cap off the festivities with one of the latest in beer knives.

Boker Tech Tool
Boker’s Tech Tool takes the traditional bottle-can opener approach to beer knives.

There are a number of new beer knives, from the traditional combo bottle/can-opening tools on Swiss Army and other multi-implement knives, to the more recent trend toward knives with the bottle opener in the butt of the handle or otherwise incorporated into the body of the knife. Examples of the latter style include the TOPS Pit Stop 3 and F.O.R.K. IT, Timberline Javelin BOK, the Kershaw Shuffle, Hops and Malt, Boker Plus Toucan, Coast FX200, DPx Gear HEST 2.0, White River Knife & Tool GTI 2.5 and Knucklehead, and Buck Selkirk Firestarter, Examples of the former include the Boker Tech Tool, Victorinox Walker and Trekker, and Great Eastern Cutlery Beer Scout Knife (a tip of the hat goes to the latter for the title of the knife category).

Since it provided the fizz for the headline, let’s start with the Great Eastern Beer Scout Knife. It employs a bottle opener of 1095 carbon steel to accompany a highly utilitarian sheepfoot blade. Since it’s carbon steel, be sure to wipe your bottle-opening implement and knife down after use and corrosion should be held to a minimum.

White River Knucklehead
The White River Knife & Tool Knucklehead makes a great beer knife with a bottle opener in the butt and has a blade of CPM S30V stainless.

While we don’t think White River Knife & Tool was trying to insinuate anything about beer drinkers in general with the name of its Knucklehead beer knife, we DO like the name—Moe Howard of Three Stooges’ fame problem would, too—and we also like both the Knucklehead’s 2.875-inch blade of CPM S30V stainless steel and the bottle-opener in the butt. As Curly Howard might intone, get yourself a Knucklehead and “whoop-whoop-whoop” on down to National Drink Beer Day.

The preceding two are but a sampling of the latest beer knives. Check out those herein and be sure to drink responsibly and let someone else drive on National Drink Beer Day!

Kershaw Shuffle
The Kershaw Shuffle has the bottle opener in the butt of the handle for easy opening.
TOPS Pit Stop 3
The bottle opener on the TOPS Pit Stop 3 is on the handle spine and should be used when the knife is sheathed.
Javelin BOK
The Timberline Javelin BOK has a long handle for great leverage in popping your top.
Four beer knives
Four beer knives, from left: the TOPS Pit Stop 3, Boker Plus Toucan, Kershaw Shuffle and Timberline Javelin BOK (Bottle Opener Knife).
Great Eastern Beer Scout
The Beer Scout from Great Eastern Cutlery has a traditional bottle opener and a sheepfoot blade of 1095 carbon steel.
Quartet of beer knives
Cap off your day with the bottle openers of, from left, the Victoinox Walker, TOPS F.O.R.K. IT, Buck Selkirk Firestarter and White River GTI 2.5.
DPx Gear HEST 2.0 beer knife
KnifeCenter’s Jason Kunkler used the bottle opener on the blade spine of the DPx Gear HEST 2.0 while on vacation in Peru. He did not mention whether he opened a cold one at Machu Picchu, however.
Coast FX200 beer knife
The Coast FX200 is one of the new breed of beer knives with the bottle opener in the butt.

7 Pearl Knives For Dec. 7

Perry pearl.
John Perry employs the classic gunstock-lobster pocketknife pattern to showcase the mother-of-pearl. (Chuck Ward image)
Osborne pearl.
Gold engraving by Martin Butler borders the stunning black-lip mother-of-pearl inlay in Warren Osborne’s interframe folder. (SharpByCoop image)

7 pearl knives for Dec. 7 somehow seems oh so fitting. Dec. 7, 1941—the date which lives in infamy marked the USA’s entry into World War II and the awakening of a military dynamo that would vanquish Japan and play a crucial role in the defeat of Germany in Europe. Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor early that day thrust America headlong into the maelstrom that would change the world forever.

With the 74th anniversary of that momentous event upon us, we thought a fitting  way to observe it would be with knives sporting one of the most beautiful of handle materials: mother-of-pearl. Called pearl by most, the material is coveted on higher-end knives and makes for a most worthy edged presentation.

Herein are seven of those knives in memory of Dec. 7. Enjoy!

Overeynder pearl.
Black-lip mother-of-pearl rarely looks as pleasing as it does on Tom Overeynder’s folding art dagger. (PointSeven image)
Don Hanson pearl.
Don Hanson’s mother-of-pearl folder boasts some of the maker’s forged mosaic damascus for the blade and bolster, and titanium liners anodized blue. (PointSeven image)
Kyle pearl.
Kyle Hanson goes the mother-of-pearl route in damascus and with a handsome leather sheath. (PointSeven image)
Pearl Steigerwalt.
Ken Steigerwalt uses black-lip mother-of-pearl for the inlay on his damascus art folder with a modified tanto blade. Accents in 14k gold add to the mix. (SharpByCoop image)
Victors pearl.
Gilles Victors of Vacquiers, France, offers up his “Zephyr” model in mother-of-pearl as well as a handle of carbon fiber. The damascus blade comes in a modified wharncliffe style.

 

 

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