The BLADE Blog w/Steve Shackleford

Knives, knife people, knife news, knife use, knife collecting, knifemakers, knife events, the BLADE Show, BLADE Magazine, and more.

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.

Medal Of Honor Recipients Saluted on 9/11

Case and Zippo are presenting a special knife/lighter set to MOH awardees on the anniversary of 9/11.
Case and Zippo are presenting a special knife/lighter set to MOH awardees on the anniversary of 9/11.

Case and Zippo saluted Medal Of Honor recipients with a special personalized knife and lighter set on the 13th anniversary of 9/11.

The presentation of the sets to MOH recipients occurred last week as part of the 2014 Medal of Honor Convention and celebration in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In an official release, Case and Zippo presented the Medal of Honor Commemorative Lighter and Knife set “to the recipients of America’s highest military honor, in recognition of their outstanding service in preserving America’s freedom. Case knives and the American military have gone hand-in-hand for decades, as far back as World I, when the U.S. government called on Case to make military knives for American servicemen and women. Later, during World War II, Case manufactured the V-42 stiletto, issued to the First Special Service Force, aka the Devil’s Brigade.”

The knife is a Case trapper boasting a red, white and blue bone handle laser-engraved with images of an American flag, a reproduction of the Medal Of Honor Society seal and an eagle. The Zippo lighter has a high-polish chrome Armor™ case with deep dimensional engraving, 24k-gold reproduction of the MOH Society seal and a heavy gold-plated inside unit. Both pieces are personalized for each MOH recipient and were made in Bradford, Pennsylvania, home to Case and Zippo.

The MOH Convention included a number of special events throughout downtown Knoxville, including many awards and appreciation presentations. A number of the events were sold out, including a Charlie Daniels Band performance at the Tennessee Theatre as well as the Patriot Award Gala at the Knoxville Convention Center. A number of MOH recipients were available for questions from the audience during special live interviews at the Cox Auditorium at the Alumni Memorial Hall on the University of Tennessee campus. Autograph sessions and other special events also were offered.

For more info visit http://www.mohknoxville.com/2014-convention/events/


The latest issue of BLADE is on newsstands now!Recommended:

Stay abreast of the latest developments on this and many more knife rights issues with a subscription to BLADE.

Pirate-Pistol-Packin’ BLADE On Newsstands TODAY!

Learn how to make a cut ‘n shoot “pirate pistol,” what effect the federal ivory ban has on your knives, all about the BLADE Show’s groundbreaking new BLADE University and much more in the latest issue of BLADE®, on many newsstands today.

Hitting many newsstands today—the new, pirate-pistol-packin' issue of BLADE®!
New, pirate-pistol-packin’ BLADE® hits many newsstands TODAY!

Steve Culver won “Best Of The Rest” in the 2013 BLADE Show custom knife judging competition with his “Laffite’s Revenge” cut ‘n shoot, and he takes you through the building of his award-winning knife pistol in this month’s issue.

On the ivory knife front, the federal government is targeting any and all items made of elephant ivory, including the very same knives that have been legal to sell for decades! Find out what the new regulations mean for you and your knives on page 10.

BLADE University is a brand new approach to knife show seminars. In fact, instead of seminars, BLADE University is a curriculum of classes, each concentrating on specific subjects and including some of the world’s best-known knife professionals as teachers, including knifemakers Jerry Fisk, Chris Reeve, Jerry Busse, Tony Bose and Bill Harsey, to name a few.

A chief concern among many in the knife industry is there are far too few young people making knives. In “Kids Just Want To Make Knives,” three young aspiring makers show off the knives they’ve made and tell how they make them, and also explain the support system of family and friends that has sustained their knifemaking endeavor.

Other stories in the new BLADE include: the heartwarming tale of how many in the knife community came together to help damascus maker Zoe Crist and family after he suffered a debilitating shop accident; the end of an era is saluted with a story on the closing of Aldo and Edda Lorenzi’s famous retail knife store in Milan, Italy; and much more, all in the new BLADE.

Act Now To Fight Ivory Ban

If you think it’s too late for you to do anything about the oppressive ivory ban being implemented by federal officials, think again.

Ivory ban is unjust.
With federal officials saying elephant ivory is being disguised to resemble fossil ivory in some cases, authentic fossil ivory pieces such as Jerry Fisk’s majestic bowie could attract undeserved scrutiny from law enforcement. (Chuck Ward photo)

You can act now to have your voice heard by congressional and federal officials to stop more language adverse to those who buy, sell and collect ivory knives being added to the federal government’s “use after import” regulations.

One of the issues that apparently remains unsettled in the official language of the new ban is the exact wording concerning the legality of the sale of ivory, including ivory knives, across state lines. The updated regulations are due to be completed and released sometime in April, sources said.

As a result, you have time to contact your representative and other federal officials now before it’s too late. For more on the specifics of the ban, frequently asked questions and more, visit http://www.fws.gov/

To determine the name and contact information for your Congressional representative, visit http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

In addition, make your views known to Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior, and Daniel M. Ashe, director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife. The mailing address for the Department of the Interior is 1849 C St., NW, Washington, DC 20240. It can be reached by phone at 202-208-3100 or e-mail at [email protected]. The mailing address for U.S. Fish and Wildlife is 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203.

We recommend hitting all of them on all fronts—by phone, e-mail and snail mail. They say a written letter carries more weight, so it may be time to break out the pen and paper and attack this issue old-school style.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more, stay tuned to www.blademag.com.

Veteran Knifemaker Ted Dowell Passes Away

 

Ted Dowell, long-time knifemaker, past Knifemakers’ Guild president and popularizer of the integral knife design, passed away Oct. 5.

    In a statement, Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member and current Guild president Gil Hibben noted, “It is with a heavy heart that I report the passing of my friend and Knifemakers’ Guild Founding Member and Past President, Ted Dowell. Our hearts go out to his family and especially to his beloved wife, Betty. As soon as I know the arrangements and details I will post them. Ted was a true pioneer of the KMG and a great master knifemaker. He will be deeply missed.

   Also known for his “Funny Folder” design, among many others, Dowell was the only Guild member to exhibit at every Guild Show—40 in all—until the streak came to an end in 2010, Betty always by his side, smiling and flying the “Dowell banner.”

    According to Hibben, the family of Ted Dowell has requested that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Knifemakers’ Guild (www.knifemakersguild.com) in Ted’s memory. “Ted truly loved the Guild, and the Dowell family’s request reflects that love,” Hibben added.

    To stay abreast of the latest in knives and knife information, subscribe to BLADE at http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us?lid=SSfbbl101012

Vacation Knives: CRKT Guppie

Tom Stokes and Launce Barber designed the Guppie as part of Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT)’s I.D. Works line of tools. It’s a hard-working carabiner tool with dozens of uses.

The adjustable wrench jaw opens to a half-inch so you can use it for all kinds of light repair and assembly jobs. Thanks to the carabiner gate, the Guppie is easy to carry on a belt loop, D-ring, pack or rope. It’s not a weight-bearing tool, though (sorry, mountain climbers).

The high-carbon, stainless steel 2″ blade with a Razor-Sharp edge can be worked with one hand using the blade slot.

The removable bit carrier is also a high-intensity LED light. Two magnets hold it securely to the Guppie’s left side. The stainless steel clip will hold the Guppie in your pocket or on gear. This adds another layer of versatility.

The Guppie makes a great little money clip, too, for those who prefer it over a thin wallet.

If that weren’t enough, the Guppie carabiner detent will open bottle caps and metal jar lids.

For more info click on http://www.shopblade.com/guppie-9070/?lid=blssbl080912

SHOT Show Hosts AKTI Ontario Marine Bayonet Drawing

Pictured above, from left: Bill Raczkowski, AKTI president; Nick Trbovich Jr. of Ontario Knife/Queen Cutlery; Goldie Russell of A.G. Russell Knives, AKTI past president; and Jan Billeb, AKTI executive director. (Missy Beyer photo)

    

 

 

 

    A Special Ontario Knife Co. Marine Bayonet was won by a current member of the American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) in a drawing at the Ontario booth during last week’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The member’s name is being withheld pending notification.

 

     Individual members who renewed or joined AKTI between Jan. 1 and Dec. 30, 2011 were eligible to win the special bayonet and private factory tour, including a one-night stay in western New York.

 

     The bayonet was taken from the Ontario archives. It is one of the first 200 OKC3s Marine Corps Bayonets produced and set aside in the company’s vault. Of those originally archived 200 knives, 52 were used to fill urgent requests from deploying Marines, when the company did not have regular production-run bayonets immediately available.

 

     The reverse side of the 8-inch carbon steel clip point blade is laser engraved with the AKTI logo and the obverse side with a quote from Ronald Reagan, the Marine Corps logo and the serial #001 of 001. The one-of-a-kind knife with sheath ships with a glass-top walnut display case, and includes a certificate of authenticity attesting to its rarity, and a certificate for a one-night stay in western New York and a private tour of the Ontario facility.

 

    “Ontario Knife Company has been a long-time member and supporter of AKTI, actively serving on the Advisory Members board as well as being an important asset on the Legislative Committee. They have been invaluable dealing with knife issues in their region of the country,” noted Jan Billeb, AKTI executive director.

 

     AKTI has been actively changing restrictive knife legislation since 1998, working on a state-by-state basis promoting reasonable and responsible knife laws and enforcement to benefit all knife and edged tool users.

 

     “AKTI is laying the groundwork for more knife law changes in various states to ensure that law-abiding citizens are not considered de facto criminals for carrying a tool they use every day,” Billeb said. “We are looking forward to an exciting year working with legislators for the benefit of the entire knife community.”

 

     For more information click on www.AKTI.org.

 

 

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+ssfb240112#BL1SU

 

 

 

 

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