Stubble is in trouble thanks to the hottest straight razors—one of which, the newest model by Kirby Lambert, is the cover piece for the latest BLADE®, on newsstands NOW!

Known for his custom tactical folders, Lambert is one of several makers who offer custom razors, the others highlighted in the story on page 12 being Sal Manaro, Rick Barrett, Wally Hayes, Neels van den Berg and Bill Ellis. There’s also a factory version from Boker that made the cut. Speaking of Hayes, he wrote a story outlining his approach to making straight razors on page 20.

Is a tactical knife a fixed blade or a folder? The answer depends a lot on who you ask. While knife-o-philes continue to ply the age-old question, we provide nine of the best factory buys in the genre—both folding and fixed—on page 28.

Heroes are important in any walk of life, including those of knifemakers of all stripes, from the legends to the up-and-comers. We asked four makers—BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member D’ Holder, Tom Krein, Larry “The Hammer” Harley and Joey Cordova—to share their knifemaking heroes with you. We think you’ll find their answers both interesting and relevant to you and your knives.

Knife kits have some a long way from the days when they consisted of a blade blank, a couple of handle slabs and several screws. Now they offer folders in a number of configurations, including one for a butterfly knife. Check out the latest versions on page 40.

You’ve already read on blademag.com about the first-ever knife show that will combine members of both the Knifemakers’ Guild and the American Bladesmith Society set for Sept. 18-20 in Kansas City. However, BLADE gets more of the inside info—including the fact that the old Muehlebach Hotel, site where Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bill Moran reintroduced damascus at the 1973 Guild Show, is in one of the wings of the new venue—for you on page 46.

Spyderco long has been a world leader in factory knives and it continues that role with its Ethnic Series of knives that include designs by such international makers as Pekka Tuominen, the late Eduard Bradichansky and Gabor Szakonyi, as well as accomplished American maker Ed Schempp. Go global with the Spydie guys on page 50.

There’s something about a super-thin custom folder that bespeaks of elegance. And some are so thin and delicate you’d think they might not be able to do their cutting jobs—though such is not the case. Check out some of the leanest of the keen by Richard Rogers, Cliff Parker, Bill Ruple, Scott Sawby and Ken Erickson on page 74.

There’s much more, including Ed Fowler’s “12 Keys to Great Knife Promotion”; a look back at the many contributions of the late, great Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer, Kit Carson; a test of two big fixed blades in MSG Kim Breed’s “Spec Sheet”; E.C. Loerchner’s masterful “Autumn Knife”; and much more, all in the latest issue of BLADE.