Steve Shackleford's Blog

Knives With Keyhole Handles In New BLADE®

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June 17, 2014

Knives With Keyhole Handles In New BLADE®

Keyhole integrals, knives made in the USA, movie fantasy swords and much more highlight the new BLADE®, on most newsstands now!

ABS master smith Rodrigo Sfreddo appears to have been the first to make knives with the integral-style handle in the shape of a keyhole where the handle material and fittings meet, and other ABS bladesmiths have taken the concept and run with it. ABS master smith Ron Newton’s modified keyhole integral graces the cover of this issue and Mike Haskew’s story examines the concept in detail.

With Independence Day a couple of weeks away, we thought a story on some of the knife companies who make their knives in America would be a great way to celebrate the 4th. And, in the realm of blade grinds and finishes, we offer stories on what to look for in the best blade grinds and the latest look in blade finishes—including those used on the swords of the hit movie, The Hobbit™: An Unexpected Journey.

We continue our “Riddles Of Steel” series with a story on the mystery of the kukri notch, and Bill Simmermacher details how he had a 21st century sheath made for a 19th-century antique bowie. If you like knife tests, Kim Breed compares the Ammo Daddy Alpha and KSR Field/Camp knife, and on the slip joint front, Pat Covert studies models that include both the traditional and those tailored to be “global legal.”

There’s much more, including part two of both Ed Fowler’s “Quest For Cut” and the series on Plaza Cutlery observing its 40th anniversary of selling knives in the South Coast Plaza Shopping Resort in Costa Mesa, California; some of the latest in damascus patterns on custom knives; Eric Ochs’ chute knife flipper; “The Knife I Carry”; and much more, all in the latest BLADE.

Knife Brings World Record Price

Steve Shackleford

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September 14, 2016

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Roosevelt's knife — On one side of President Theodore Roosevelt’s knife is a forest scene with two men behind a tree, one standing with rifle in hand, the other crouching.

President Theodore's Roosevelt's knife. — The top of the handle of President Theodore Roosevelt’s knife is carved in the shape of an eagle’s head of solid gold. The eagle’s eyes are garnets.

Roosevelt circa Oct. 1910. — Theodore Roosevelt in October 1910.

A knife presented to President Theodore Roosevelt brought a world record price of $414,000 at auction this past weekend, Sept. 9-11.

It is believed to be the most ever paid for an American knife at auction, according to the auctioneer, Rock Island Auction Co.

The previous world record price for a knife at auction reportedly was $270,000 in 2006 for a piece that was linked to Sam Houston.

Made by J. Russell & Co. of Massachusetts and with an ornate handle of gold and platinum by New York luxury jewelry retailer Dreicer & Co., the knife originally was presented to Roosevelt “to carry with him on his African hunting trip” by James W. Gerard, New York Supreme Court Justice and later ambassador to Germany. The knife was said to have cost $1,250 when it was presented to Roosevelt in 1909, which is about $33,266 in today’s money. The knife had been in the Roosevelt family ever since until this past weekend’s auction.

The 6-inch spear-point blade has a mottled gray patina and is etched on the left side with “PRESENTED TO/THEODORE ROOSEVELT/BY HIS FRIEND/JAMES W. GERARD.” The blade mark is J. RUSSELL & CO./GREEN RIVER WORKS. The “T” guard is bear heads sculpted in gold. The sculpted gold handle has a pommel in the shape of a highly detailed eagle head with red garnet eyes. The left side of the handle has a frontier scene on a platinum background. Overall length: 11.5 inches.

When Roosevelt died in 1919, the knife became part of the estate of his widow, Edith C. Roosevelt. From there it went to Mrs. Roosevelt’s eldest daughter, Ethel Roosevelt Derby, probably sometime around Mrs. Roosevelt’s death in 1948. In 1976, Mrs. Derby presented it as a gift to the knife’s consignor, who wishes to remain anonymous, as the consignor was about to marry Mrs. Derby’s granddaughter. The consignor and Mrs. Derby’s granddaughter used the knife to cut the cake at their wedding ceremony.

In 2013, Stuteville Antiques & Appraisals reportedly valued the knife at a quarter of a million dollars.

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Knife Of The Day XIII—1st One for 2012!

Steve Shackleford

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January 4, 2012

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Our first Knife Of The Day for 2012 is the Benchmade Presidio. Sporting a 3.42-inch drop-point blade of 154CM stainless steel and an AXIS locking mechanism, the Presidio is a Mel Pardue design with a black anodized, machined 6061 T-6 aluminum handle, 420J stainless steel liners, and a reversible tip-up pocket clip. The handle features a multi-directional positive grip. Blade thickness: .125 inch. Weight: 5.62 ounces. Closed length: 4.87 inches. MSRP: $200.

For more information contact Benchmade, attn: Alicia Hunt, 300 Beavercreek Rd., Oregon City, OR 97045 503-655-6004 www.benchmade.com.

For the latest knives, knife trends, knifemakers and 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-subscription-us/?r+ssfb040112#BL1SU

James Black Descendant Gets a Bowie

Steve Shackleford

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September 4, 2013

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While there is still no definitive proof that James Black made a knife for Jim Bowie, one thing is certain: a descendant of Black’s received a “recreation of a James Black knife” during the Natchez Antique Bowie Knife Show last month.

ABS master smith James L. “Jim” Batson made the reproduction of the knife and presented it to Mrs. Celia Johnson, who claims to be a descendant of Black. She says she is descended from Gradison DeRorysten Black, the son of James Black. Celia and her husband, Jerry, traveled from Baytown, Texas, to accept the silver-mounted knife and sheath fashioned by Batson and based on what is believed to be a Black knife in the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Johnsons stayed at the Dunleift Hall, owned by Mike Worley, during the show. Worley sponsored the show, which was held in Natchez, Mississippi.

The Johnsons brought a scrapbook full of old family pictures and a handwritten list of ancestors and originally showed it to Batson during the American Bladesmith Society’s 2012 All-Forged Knife Expo in San Antonio, Texas (see page 44, July 2012 BLADE® www.blademag.com). Batson is one of the world’s foremost authorities on Jim Bowie and James Black. He has conducted extensive research on Bowie and bowie knives, written any number of stories on the subject for BLADE, a book on Bowie’s famous Sandbar Fight, coordinated Bowie Symposiums at the BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com), and much more. He also coordinates the Batson Bladesmithing Symposium each spring in McCalla, Alabama, and is a past multi-term chairman of the ABS.

Batson pored over the Johnsons’ documents and pictures at the 2012 San Antonio show. Among the topics of their discussion was the famous 19^th-century daguerreotype that reportedly shows James Black and Judge Jacob Buzzard, the physical resemblance of the man some believe is Black in the daguerreotype to that of some of Celia’s ancestors, and Black family history in general.

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

BLADE’s Complete Knife Guide On Newsstands Now!

Steve Shackleford

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December 3, 2013

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BLADE’s Complete Knife Guide On Newsstands Now!

BLADE’s Complete Knife Guide—your ticket to everything knife—is on newsstands now!

BLADE’s Complete Knife Guide (BKG) is the only knife buyer’s guide in a magazine format that gives you all the contact information for all the major players in the custom and factory knife industries—all in an easy-to-access format that provides each knife source’s physical and web addresses, phone numbers, specialties and much more.

In addition to being your No. 1 source for accessing the knife, knifemaker, knife company, sheath, knifemaking materials, purveyor, accessory and everything cutlery related that you need, BKG also contains the stories that help you identify and obtain the perfect cutlery product for you. Included in this issue are:

•What To Look For in EDC—We went right to the professionals who work in the business for a living and asked them what they look for in an everyday carry (EDC) knife, including size, price point, blade steel, taste and intent, “the essentials,” and much more;

•Sheaths Today: Dressed For Success—Sheath styles, materials, the top makers and more, this story takes you inside the minds of some of the industry’s leading sheath makers for their take on the subject as only they can provide it;

•Out-Of-Site Knives—Buying knives on the internet is the way a lot of folks do it these days. But do you know what to look for in the best custom and factory sites? BKG takes you inside some of today’s hottest sites and details the services they provide, the knives they sell and much more;

There’s much more in this issue, including new knives for 2014; knife guards that both protect and adorn; what makes some of the latest factory tactical knives tactical; today’s top knife steels and who makes them; special deals on how to make a knife on a budget; some of today’s top custom knife purveyors; sharpening made easy and much more.

For the latest knife news, stay tuned to www.blademag.com.

Knife Of The Day XXV: Jody Muller’s “King Arthur”

Steve Shackleford

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June 13, 2012

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As Mel Brooks says in The History Of The World, Part I, “It’s good to be the king.” And Jody Muller’s “King Arthur” dress locking folder, the 25th installment in our “Knife Of The Day” series, resembles Brooks’s remark.

Boasting damascus forged by Jody, a handle of carved ancient walrus ivory, and 24k-gold and copper inlays, the knife gives Camelot a whole new dose of cool.

For more information on the knife, click on www.mullerforge.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. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us for more information.

Tomahawks Are Top Chops in BLADE

Steve Shackleford

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November 2, 2016

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New BLADE on newsstands now! — Tomahawks are top chops in the new **BLADE®**, on newsstands now!

Tomahawks large and small continue to take the world of knives by storm and four of the latest models are top chops in the new BLADE®—on newsstands now!

Featuring the Hardcore Hardware Australia CTT-01 on the cover, the issue also includes the diminutive Micro Hawk from TOPS Knives. Sandwiched in between is the versatile EX-T01 from Hogue Knives. All four get in their licks and the once over several times from Pat Covert in “4 Hawk Hoedown.”

The talent level of today’s best custom knifemakers is better than ever, but what about the ones that offer some of the sharpest blades anywhere but nobody knows of them? Mike Haskew smokes out today’s most underrated cutlers in “Under-The-Radar Knifemakers.”

Every knife has its “sweet spot”—the spot on the blade that cuts better than any other, on the handle that feels better than any other and more. Some knives even have more than one sweet spot. High-endurance performance knife master smith Ed Fowler shows you how to find them in “The Sweet Spots.”

A child’s rite of passage comes in many forms, including his or her first experiences with knives. What makes that rite even more meaningful is when it includes teaching the child how to make knives. See how ABS master smith Timothy Potier and the folks at the New England School of Metalwork help usher kids through the keenest of rites in “Life Skills Meet Knife Skills.”

Also this issue: the latest in factory neck knives and a test of four of the latest Japanese-style Santoku kitchen knives; the Case Collectors Club and the festivities at its recent 35th annual reunion at the Case factory in Bradford, Pennsylvania; the latest in knife kits and how to best assemble them; President Theodore Roosevelt’s knife that brought a record price of $414,000 at an American auction; and much more, all in the latest BLADE—on newsstands now, or buy the digital edition or subscribe!

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Knifemaker Jack W. Crain Passes Away

New BLADE On Newsstands NOW!

Next Ivory Meeting Deadline is June 2

Guild/ABS Will Hold Joint Knife Show

What Makes a Knife Sexy in New BLADE

Knives With Keyhole Handles In New BLADE®

Knife Brings World Record Price

Make Your Own Legendary Knife

Knife Of The Day XIII—1st One for 2012!

James Black Descendant Gets a Bowie

BLADE’s Complete Knife Guide On Newsstands Now!

Knife Of The Day XXV: Jody Muller’s “King Arthur”

Tomahawks Are Top Chops in BLADE

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