Steve Shackleford's Blog

ABS Announces 1st School Outside USA

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June 19, 2013

The American Bladesmith Society (ABS) will offer its first-ever bladesmithing school outside the USA beginning in October.

Operated in partnership with The Forge at Ostiches, Belgium, the school’s first class will be “Introduction to Bladesmithing.” Limited to seven students, the class will have as its primary instructor ABS master smith Jean-Paul Thevenot of Dijon, France. Belgium’s Dirk Bourguignon and Frederic Taquet, both ABS bladesmiths, will assist.

The school site is in a beautiful village south of Brussels. Accommodations are nearby within two to three miles. English will be spoken.

The first ABS school of bladesmithing outside the USA was approved in a vote of the ABS Board of Directors during the ABS annual meeting at the 2013 BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo (www.bladeshow.com) May 31-June 2.

The Belgian facility is the fourth ABS school of bladesmithing. The others are the original—the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing in Old Washington, Arkansas—and the Haywood Community College in Clyde, North Carolina, and the New England School of Metalwork in Auburn, Maine.

“We now have members in 18 countries,” noted ABS Webmaster Dan Cassidy, “and it is not unusual for my wife Sally and I to communicate with our ABS members around the world in Spanish, Portugese and French on a routine basis. The Internet makes all of this possible today.”

Cassidy credited ABS master smith and new ABS president Joe Keeslar with making the new school possible. Winner of the 2013 BLADE Magazine Industry Achievement Award, Keeslar has been a groundbreaker in bringing modern bladesmithing to both France and Belgium. “Joe was the one who made all the arrangements for the new school,” Cassidy noted, “and it was done over the course of more than a year.”

For information on dates, tuition and accommodations for the new school, contact [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected].

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

New BLADE on Newsstands Today!

Steve Shackleford

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June 18, 2013

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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!

The Bermans: Valued Friends of Custom Knives

Steve Shackleford

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June 13, 2013

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The Bermans: Valued Friends of Custom Knives

The custom knife industry has few better friends than Shelley and Sarah Berman, and that point was driven home once again when Shelley wrote about custom knives in the May 31 issue of The Wall Street Journal.

A long-time comedian and actor, Shelley penned the story titled “The Comedian in the Tomato Patch” in the WSJ edition that appeared the Friday of the 2013 BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo (www.bladeshow.com). An accompanying picture showed Shelley and Sarah working the tomato patch in their garden. While Shelley started off talking about his garden, he wrote more about his custom knife collection and damascus steel than anything.

“I collect custom knives,” he wrote in the WSJ story. “In many cases, I know—or knew—the maker. Many of my knives are one of a kind. Some of the great knifemakers are no longer with us. Some of the younger knifemakers are fine at the trade, though many of us old-time collectors still respect and revere the ones we’ve known … One section of the knives in my collection is mostly damascus process. In every case, one side of the blade has an almost scattered pattern, but, oh, what a blade. Frankly, I am very proud of my knife collection.”

Shelley’s affinity for custom knives is well known to many BLADE (www.blademag.com) readers and many in the custom knife industry. He has written stories about his knives and has been interviewed about his collection in BLADE. He has attended any number of custom knife shows over the years, including the California Custom Knife Show, the Solvang Custom Knife Show, the Art Knife Invitational and the Knifemakers’ Guild Show. In fact, he has performed his comedy act at a number of knife shows, including a most memorable performance at the 25th Anniversary Guild Show in Orlando, Florida.

Hats off to Shelley and Sarah Berman—two class acts and valued friends of the custom knife industry.

Read more about custom knives in the new Knives 2014 book.

Parkers’ Knife Show June 13-15

Steve Shackleford

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June 12, 2013

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If antique knives are your bag, Parkers’ Greatest Knife Show tomorrow through Saturday, June 13-15, is for you.

Held in the Sevierville Events Center at Bridgemont in Sevierville, Tennessee, the 20-plus-year-old event draws antique pocketknife dealers and collectors from around the region—the heart of the old pocketknife network of the mid-South. And it’s not just pocketknives—antique fixed blades will be there, too. From Case to Boker and many well-known and not so well known brands, vintage cutlery will be in abundance at an event started by the late BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Jim Parker and continued by his son, Buzz.

In addition to the great old knives are the dealers, many of whom have been in the business for decades and have forgotten more about antique knives than most knife enthusiasts know. These dealers are fountains of knowledge. Not only will they sell you great vintage knives but they also can answer your questions about your antique knife or knives as well.

Sevierville is also home to Smoky Mountain Knife Works, one of the world’s largest retail knife stores if not the largest, which also contains the National Knife Museum. In the shadow of the storied Smoky Mountains, Sevierville is also within a short ride of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, home to Dollywood and other attractions, and Gatlinburg, one of the South’s most popular mountain getaways.

The show kicks off tomorrow at noon, with the doors closing at 6 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday’s are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $7 per day or $15 for a three-day pass. An early bird pass is $20, which allows for “special entry time” each day and free parking at the event.

For more information call Ed Henley at 423-892-0448 or visit http://www.insidesevierville.com/things-to-do/sevierville-events/parkers-greatest-knife-show/.

For more on the latest knife news, stay on www.blademag.com.

Check out such classic knife names as Case at Parkers' Knife Show. — Case and many other legendary knife names will be featured at Parkers’ Knife Show.

No Knives On Planes After All

Steve Shackleford

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June 5, 2013

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After much hue and cry from those who equate knives with all that’s evil and wrong with the world, the Transportation Security Administration has backed off from its plan to allow small carry-on knives on commercial flights.

Knives will continue to be allowed in checked luggage.

The goofball wording that also would have allowed bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks, pool cues, ski poles and lacrosse sticks probably didn’t help the original ruling that would have allowed knives.

A big reason it failed, though, was due to such anti-knife zealots as Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, as well as 145 House members signing a letter to TSA Administrator John Pistole to keep the current rules in place. Also, flight attendant union protests and airline officials’ opposition played a part, too.

Meanwhile, more anti-knife mania reared its ugly head in the form of a Homeland Security spending bill that would block the TSA from spending money to implement the change. That bill is still in the works and is expected to pass.

While some, such as Debra Burlingame, whose brother was the pilot of one of the planes that hit the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, reversed their opposition to the change after hearing Pistole’s arguments, it wasn’t enough to hold off the anti-knife circus.

For more, stay tuned to www.blademag.com and BLADE® Magazine.

BLADE Show Names Top Knives

Steve Shackleford

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June 3, 2013

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The Blade Magazine 2013 Best Buy Of The Year is the CRKT Endorser, named during the 2013 BLADE Show. (CRKT photo) — The CRKT Endorser took home the BLADE Magazine 2013 Best Buy Of The Year Award at the 2013 BLADE Show. (CRKT photo).

The world’s top knives were recognized during the BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo (www.bladeshow.com) May 31-June 2 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.

The leading factory knives were honored with the BLADE Magazine 2013 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards, while the world’s pre-eminent custom knives were named in the show’s custom knife judging competition.

All entrants in the Knife-Of-The-Year and custom knife judging competitions were rated on a number of factors, including utility, design, creativity, materials, aesthetics, feel and other traits.

Announced Saturday night at the BLADE Magazine Awards Banquet in the Cobb Galleria, honors in 13 different Knife-Of-The-Year categories included 10 knives and one knife accessory. Two awards also went to individuals for special achievement in the knife industry. The categories and winners:

•Overall Knife Of The Year®: Zero Tolerance 0454;

•American-Made Knife Of The Year®: Hogue Elishewitz EX-04;

•Imported Knife Of The Year®: Fox Knives Modras;

•Most Innovative American Design: Microtech D.O.C. Kill Switch;

•Most Innovative Imported Design: CRKT Ken Onion Swindle;

•Best Buy Of The Year: CRKT Endorser;

•Kitchen Knife Of The Year®: Ken Onion Chef Works;

•Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year®: Pro-Tech Newport;

•Knife Collaboration Of The Year®: Microtech Mick Strider;

•Manufacturing Quality Award: Chris Reeve Knives;

•Accessory Of The Year: CRKT Onion Survival Para-saw;

•Industry Achievement Award: American Bladesmith Society (ABS) master smith Joe Keeslar for introducing the ABS and modern bladesmithing to France through annual workshops, as well as teaching bladesmithing in the USA via seminars and his books, for his award-winning knives, and for his leadership via several terms on the ABS Board Of Directors and as chairman of the ABS; and, finally:

•Publisher’s Award: Joyce Laituri, marketing manager of Spyderco, for almost two decades of setting the standard for how to best promote and publicize a knife company’s knives—in this case, those of Spyderco. Her ability to work with the media in terms of providing Spyderco knives, knife imagery, knife information and other materials has been a model for all others in public relations to emulate. No one has done it better.

Tips To Enhance Your BLADE Show Experience

Steve Shackleford

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May 29, 2013

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Tips To Enhance Your BLADE Show Experience

With folks already arriving at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta for the BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo (www.bladeshow.com), here are some tips to enhance your overall show experience:

•Get there early. The show opens to the public at 2 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. The best knives always go first–which means early. Get there then to get the best;

•Stay hydrated. There are water fountains at the show entrances and concession stands in the back of the show hall. Also, apples are a great source of both nourishment and water. Eat one mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon, whichever works best for you.

•Wear comfy shoes. There are almost 1,000 exhibitors to see, and walking and standing can take a toll on your feet. Wear the most comfortable shoes you’ve got. It doesn’t matter what they look like, just be sure they’re comfy. In fact, if you’ve got two such pairs of shoes, bring both. Wear one pair in the morning and the other pair in the afternoon. Also, whenever you get the chance, sit down and rest.

•Wear a small backpack. Carrying stuff gets old in a hurry. A small backpack is a great way to carry knives, knife literature, that extra pair of shoes, etc.

•Dress for warm temperatures. With scores of people jamming the hall in late spring in Atlanta, chances are it will be warm inside, too. Shorts, T-shirts and sandals or tennis shoes are the uniform of the day.

•Study the seminar schedule and attend the ones that interest you most. Not only are there some most entertaining and educational seminars to enjoy, but you can find a seat at all of them (if you get there early enough) and rest for a spell, killing two birds with one stone.

•Follow the pack. The BLADE Show is one of those happenings that has many surprise/spontaneous events within the event. If you hear/see a commotion going on, go to it. You never can tell what kind of cool knives/accessories are being sold or, in some cases, even given away.

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ABS Announces 1st School Outside USA

New BLADE on Newsstands Today!

The Bermans: Valued Friends of Custom Knives

Parkers’ Knife Show June 13-15

No Knives On Planes After All

BLADE Show Names Top Knives

Tips To Enhance Your BLADE Show Experience

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