The blogs of the BLADE editors, Steve Shackleford and Erin Healy.
To celebrate a planned move in January, Murray Carter’s Carter Cutlery is holding a special sale Nov. 19-21, according to a Carter Cutlery news release.
Based in Vernonia, Oregon, Carter Cutlery reportedly will be moving to a much nicer, larger and more centrally located facility that is handier to “the Portland metropolis.”
For more information, e-mail mailto:[email protected].
Long-time knife photographer Chuck Ward is the new Official BLADE Show Photographer, the BLADE Show and BLADE® Magazine are happy to report.
The BLADE Show is the world’s largest and most important knife show and will be held in its 36th annual rendition June 2-4 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.
Chuck replaces Eric Eggly and PointSeven, who had been the Official BLADE Show Photographer for about 20 years. Eggly retired from photography late last year to enter another industry.
The new Official BLADE Show Photographer counts being president of the Arkansas Knifemakers Association and membership in The Knifemakers’ Guild among his credentials. He is also the official photographer for the Oklahoma Custom Knife Show and the Arkansas Knifemakers Association Show—officially known as The Art of Steel Custom Knife Show slated for Feb. 18-19 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. He has been photographing knives for over a decade and has been published in many magazines, including BLADE.
As the Official BLADE Show Photographer it will be Chuck’s job to photograph all of the annual BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® winners, all of the winners in the annual BLADE Show custom knife competition, and all of the American Bladesmith Society’s annual best knives named at the show. All told those images will total 32, give or take a few. The resulting images will be the exclusive property of BLADE and will be used in the magazine’s stories recapping the annual BLADE Show.
The Official BLADE Show Photographer will be ably assisted by his staff. His grandson, Brennan Ward, will help Chuck with the photography, editing and printing of images. Brennan’s wife, Mrs. Anna-Catherine Ward, will handle all clerical duties and Chuck’s grandson, Grayson Ward, will assist in returning knives after they have been photographed. Brennan and Anna-Catherine are graduates of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Brennan is director of marketing at Elite Core Audio, and Grayson is custom shop director at ECA.
ABS master smith Jerry Fisk will be one of several makers exhibiting at this weekend’s Arkansas Custom Knife Show. Fisk’s “Sendero” hunter features the maker’s dog-star-pattern damascus blade steel and a mammoth ivory handle. The engraving is by the maker. (Chuck Ward photo)
Some of the world’s top bladesmiths and knifemakers will descend on Little Rock, Arkansas, this Saturday and Sunday for the 17th Annual Arkansas Custom Knife Show.
The show will be held in the Robinson Center Exhibit Hall at Markham & Broadway in downtown Little Rock. There will be 150 tables, of which 102 will have various styles and sizes of custom knives. The balance of tables will have knifemaking supplies, leather products, and knife-related books.
Among makers slated to exhibit are Russ Andrews, Jim Batson, Tim Britton, Bruce Bump, Joel Chamblin, Jim Crowell, Jerry Fisk, Don Hanson III, Jerry Lairson, Shawn McIntyre, Ron Newton, Cliff Parker, Lin Rhea, Kyle Royer, Brian Thie, Brion Tomberlin, Jim Walker, John White, Mike Williams and many more.
Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, which is good for both days.
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+ssfb021612#BL1SU
Let some of the world’s top bladesmiths teach your children about the craft in the American Bladesmith Society’s “Bladesmithing For Kids” seminar at the BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) & Living Ready Expo May 31-June 2 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.
Join American Bladesmith Society (ABS) master smiths Joe Keeslar and Tim Potier and ABS journeyman smiths Wes Byrd and Larry “The Hammer” Harley of Lords Of War TV fame as they explain the ancient art of bladesmithing. The seminar will be show Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in Room 109.
All four men have extensive experience teaching children about bladesmithing, and all four are great at relating the craft to youngsters in language kids can understand.
Founded in 1976 by Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© members Bill Moran and B.R. Hughes, as well as Don Hastings and Bill Bagwell, the ABS is the world’s oldest and pre-eminent organization of bladesmiths—that is, those who forge the blade steel for their knives by hand or with power hammers. The ABS holds its annual meeting at the BLADE Show, where it selects new master and journeyman smiths, announces its annual awards, elects officers to its board of directors, holds a knife auction and much more.
The ABS also has a long history of instructing children on bladesmithing. It has conducted a number of special kids’ bladesmithing events at such venues as the BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo and also at Smoky Mountain Knife Works (SMKW) in Sevierville, Tennessee. In fact, the ABS Youth Hammer-In will be held just a few weeks after the BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo, June 28-30, at SMKW (visit www.americanbladesmith.com for more information). Mr. Harley has conducted children’s bladesmithing seminars at his forge in Bristol, Tennessee, as well.
The knives from the Battle of Gettysburg, the best EDCs for your money, the blades of summer and the hottest flipper folders are but a sample of the topics covered in the new BLADE® (www.blademag.com), on newsstands TODAY!
On the eve of the battle’s 150th anniversary, we caught up with Paul Shevchuk, museum specialist at the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War. He was most forthcoming in providing pictures of and information about the knives, bayonets and other edged tools used by both sides in Pennsylvania in 1863. From a Confederate saber bayonet found on a Gettysburg street after the battle to side knives, pocketknives, D-guard bowies and more, Shevchuk’s contributions to the story make for an enlightening glimpse on how soldiers on both sides used their knives during the War Between the States.
Joe Kertzman tapped the know-how of a number of industry experts to get the lowdown on today’s best EDCs for the money. From the damascus and ebony of the Boker Plus Damascus Gent II—this issue’s cover knife—to the CRKT Carajas designed by Flavio Ikoma and many more, you’re bound to find an EDC that fits your pocket and pocketbook.
Speaking of EDCs, it’s always good to know what the legal ramifications are when you carry a knife. Mike Haskew consulted such industry authorities as attorney Evan Nappen, AKTI Executive Director Jan Billeb and Knife Rights’ Doug Ritter for their recommendations on what you need to consider when you carry a knife.
With the beginning of summer mere days away, it’s time to replenish your summertime blade array. James Morgan Ayres suggests any number of ways to do it—including camping, picnic and just about every other knife need in the good ol’ summertime—in “The Blades of Summer.”
There are many more entertaining stories in the new BLADE (www.blademag.com). Check it out on newsstands NOW!
Zack Jonas earned his American Bladesmith Society (ABS) journeyman smith stamp at the recent ABS Show in San Antonio, Texas.
The five knives Zack submitted for judging are in the photograph by Point Seven. All feature 1095 carbon blade steel.
Zack said he’s received more comments on the Honey Badger (second from top in the photograph) than any other of the knives.
“Apparently there’s this video on YouTube where somebody has dubbed over some footage of a honey badger being a honey badger, and it’s supposed to be fairly inappropriate,” Zack noted. “[ABS maser smith] Tommy Gann cracked up when I told him what that knife was called.
“I named it that because as I was working it, the swedge reminded me of the coloration on a badger’s back/face, and because the ironwood was distinctly honey-hued. That’s the whole story.”
For more on the knives, contact Zack at [email protected] or click on www.JonasBlade.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+ssfb021212#BL1SU
RUKO LLC has good reason to celebrate the new year in 2014. As of Jan. 1, 2014, RUKO will be the exclusive North American importer of MUELA Knives of Spain, as per a deal recently inked between the two knife entities.
Says Christopher Koppe, president of RUKO, “We are thrilled to have been chosen by Muela to represent their brand in North America. My father, Rudolf Koppe, began working with Eladio Muela 23 years ago, in 1991. Following in their footsteps, Jose (Muela) and I are focused on a unified approach in building Muela into a household brand in the U.S. and Canada.”
RUKO LLC and RUKO of Canada have 79 combined years of experience importing, distributing and servicing the hunting, camping and sporting goods trades in the U.S. and Canada. MUELA has been manufacturing fixed-blade and folding knives from its factory in Argamasilla de Calatrava, Spain, since 1955. With an annual production of over 300,000 knives, Muela is one of Spain’s foremost knife factories specializing in genuine red-stag-handle knives, as well as limited-edition and one-of-a-kind pieces for collector’s globally, including the king of Spain.
With over 500 models in the program, MUELA offers a wide range of knives in a host of handle finishes with coral Pakkawood™, cocobolo, kingwood, olivewood, beech wood, walnut, ram horn and red stag for hunting and collectible knives; and G-10, linen Micarta®, nylon, Zamak and Kraton® rubber for entry level hunting, survival and tactical knives. Steels used (depending on form and function of the blade) include 420H (HRC 56-58), German X50CrMoV15 (HRC 57-58), 512-layer high-carbon or stainless damascus, MOVA-60 and Sandvik 14C28N.
For more information on RUKO and MUELA knives click here. For a wide variety of knives and knife styles, make sure to visit www.shopblade.com.
