Steve Shackleford's Blog

Prime Cutters Are Good To Go

Steve Shackleford

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November 22, 2016

Small-to-medium-sized fixed blades make excellent cutting tools, and today’s prime cutters are good to go. Here are five of the hottest in this sharp-looking category.

The P.U.K. (Personal Utility Knife)

Atlas Dynamic Defense P.U.K. — The P.U.K. from Atlas Dynamic Defense is a hungry little cutter in CPM S30V stainless.

The P.U.K. (Personal Utility Knife) from Atlas Dynamic Defense has a 2.52-inch blade of CPM S30V stainless steel heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of 57-58 HRC in a controlled vacuum with an additional -300°F cryo bath. Top that with a DLC blade coat and you’ve got one hungry little cutter. The scales are removable with a coin or rifle cartridge. MSRP: $225.

Buck Omni RT

Among other prime cutters is the Buck Omni RT with a stout 3.25-inch blade of 420HC stainless steel and an ergonomic handle of Dynaflex rubber in Realtree Xtra Green Camo. Weight: 4.6 ounces. Overall length: 7.75 inches. A nylon sheath that matches the look of the handle completes the ensemble.

Western Knives Kota

The Kota from Western Knives includes a 3.25-inch blade of titanium-bonded 420 stainless and an ergonomic handle of G-10 with an elongated hole for a lanyard. Overall length: 7 inches. It’s kind of a cool design, really. A nylon sheath is included. MSRP: $29.99.

ESEE 3HM

If you’re looking for a carbon-steel cutter, the ESEE 3HM offers a 3.63-inch blade of 1095 carbon steel in a low-glare, stain-resistant powder coat and a canvas Micarta® handle. The contrast of the light-colored Micarta and the dark blade is choice. Weight: 7.7 ounces. Overall length: 8.88 inches. A black leather pouch comes standard.

Knives of Alaska Legacy

The Legacy from Knives Of Alaska has a blade of D2 tool steel to go along with a stag handle—all in the style of the late BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Bob Loveless. It includes a leather sheath. D2 is a favorite of Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Wayne Goddard and “Dr. D2” himself, Bob Dozier. Somewhere, Loveless is probably nodding in approval.

Looking for More Edgy Ideas?

Check out BLADE‘s holiday gift guide for knife nuts.

Dozier 9-11 Knife Raises $1,525 For Benefit Fund

Steve Shackleford

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October 14, 2011

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The Bob Dozier 10^th anniversary 9-11 knife sporting a damascus blade that includes steel from the South Tower of the World Trade Center brought $1,525 in an auction that concluded earlier this week, with proceeds going to the New York Police and Fire Widow’s and Orphans Benefit Fund.

The bid for the winning knife—the folder was featured on page 50 in the December BLADE®—was submitted by retired New York City firefighter Keith Kaiser.

Forged by Daryl Meier, the knife’s blade includes a piece of South Tower steel and 1095 carbon steel. The pre-ban ivory handle boasts scrimshaw scenes by Sandra Brady. On one side is “We Remember 9-11-2011” commemorating the 10th anniversary, and the New York city skyline, including a shadow outline of the Twin Towers in place of the missing jet in a flyby jet formation, and a soldier saluting. On the flip side is a scene of firemen fighting the fires of the Twin Towers before they fell, an American flag, and the words, “Lest We Forget 9-11-2001.”

“There will never be enough to repay our debt for what [the first responders] paid,” Dozier noted. “All proceeds from the auction of this knife will go to help the families of the firefighters and policemen who lost their lives that day.”

For more information contact Bob Dozier Knives at [email protected] or visit www.dozierknives.com.

Which Knife Collaborations Would You Arrange?

Steve Shackleford

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August 15, 2014

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Which Knife Collaborations Would You Arrange?

Steve Culver's cut 'n shoot would make a great collaboration with Browning. (SharpByCoop image) — Steve Culver’s cut ‘n shoot would make a great collaboration with Browning. (SharpByCoop image)

Which knife collaborations would you like to see between today’s custom knifemakers and knife and/or gun companies?

There have been many great knife collaborations over the years—from such early ones as those between Smith & Wesson Knives and Blackie Collins and Bob Loveless and Schrade, to those between Spyderco and Bob Terzuola, CRKT and Kit Carson, Benchmade and Mel Pardue and many more—all of which got us to thinking: What great collaborations that never happened would you like to have seen?

Or, perhaps better yet, which ones would you like to see among today’s companies and knifemakers?

Here are a few, first of the former:

•Bob Loveless and Marble’s: Hey, the man behind the dropped hunter and one of the leading hunting knife companies of a bygone era. Seems like a natural collaboration;

•Bill Moran and Busse Combat Knife Co.: Moran made those big, sweeping fixed blades and Busse does, too;

•Bob Lum and Cold Steel: OK, so it probably never would have happened, but the possibilities for a special American tanto collaboration would have been intriguing.

And now for the latter:

•Wolfgang Loerchner and William Henry Knives: Two great makers of fine knives would make an awesome pairing in anybody’s knife book;

•Joe Keeslar and Spartan Blades: Joe’s a retired Marine and Mark Carey and Curtis Iovito of Spartan Blades are retired Special Forces. I bet they could put their heads together and come up with a really cool combat knife collaboration;

•Steve Culver and Browning: Culver’s cut ‘n shoot is a tour de force of the genre and a collaboration with Browning would be a real breakthrough in terms of a special limited-edition crossover between the knife and gun industries. Browning has experience working with the knife industry—for example, Russ Kommer and Jim Crowell are two makers who have collaborated with Browning on knife projects—so Browning would not have to break new ground.

How about it? What knife collaborations would you like to see/have seen?

Knife Of The Day XXIV: Truncali Mammoth Tooth Lockback

Steve Shackleford

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May 15, 2012

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A lockback folder with a stunning mammoth tooth handle, copious filework and engraved bolsters distinguishes one of knifemaker Pete Truncali’s latest offerings.

Featuring a 2 9/16-inch blade of ATS-34 stainless steel, Pete’s folder was engraved by Tony Pitts. Closed length: 3 7/8 inches.

For more information on Pete’s knives click www.truncaliknives.com or visit his table, 3E, at the 2012 BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) June 8-10 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta .

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.

Knifemaker Earl Witsaman Passes Away

Steve Shackleford

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May 16, 2012

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Long-time knifemaker Earl Witsaman, perhaps best known for his award-winning miniature knives, has passed away after a long illness.

Earl worked out of Stow, Ohio, for many years, where he also made a wide variety of fixed-blade patterns, from Randall repros to D-guard bowies. He sold his first knife in 1974. He exhibited his knives at the BLADE Show for many years, including the early years of the show in Knoxville, Tennessee, with his wife Sue always at his side. Sue, in fact, collected miniature knives for many years and her display won awards at the BLADE Show, among others.

Earl was one of the nicest guys in the business and always had a kind word and a smile. The knife fraternity will miss him greatly.

For more on Earl click http://www.beckyscags.com/Earl_Witsaman/About_Me.html

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.

The Whole World Will Be Cutting

Steve Shackleford

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May 23, 2016

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IMG_0434 copy — The whole world will be cutting at the 35th Annual BLADE Show June 3-5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. Knifemaker Jens Anso (behind the table) waits on customers at last year’s show.

The whole world will be cutting at the 35th Annual BLADE Show. Question is, will you be among them?

June 3-5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, the BLADE Show is the event knife enthusiasts point to year round, with many saving their knife “fun” money just for this one show where custom knifemakers, factory knife companies, and knife accessory, material, machine and tool suppliers and more introduce their latest knives and knife-related products.

Whether you’re a veteran of or a newcomer to the “sharp wars,” have your ducks in a row so you will miss as little as possible at the show. (Let’s face it, with almost 1,000 exhibitors spread out over 144,000 square feet and non-stop knife action for most of the three-day event, it’s hard to see it all.) With that in mind, here’s a short list of things to do and see:

•Get a BLADE Show Program: Available for free in the show lobby, the program will have the show’s most-up-to-date exhibitor listings so you will know how to find your favorite knifemaker, knife company, dealer, supplier, purveyor, collection or what have you. Also, check the program for special customer deals, knife giveaways, contests, live demos, silent auctions and other cool offers;

•If you don’t know, ask: Everyone’s knife family at the BLADE Show, so if you don’t know something, ask. And if the person you ask doesn’t know, ask if he knows someone who does. This includes finding out where the hottest knives are. Strike up a conversation with those in the show and ask them what they’ve seen that’s cool. You’ll be surprised at how you can find some really great knives this way;

•Check out the Knife-Of-The-Year Awards display sponsored by Smoky Mountain Knife Works in the show lobby for the entrants in the factory knife awards competition;

•To find out who wins the BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards, which are sponsored by Smoky Mountain Knife Works, the BLADE Show Custom Knife Awards and who the inductee to the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame© is, see the signs outside the show entrance Sunday morning;

•For the complete BLADE University class schedule—including J. Neilson’s class on how the Forged In Fire TV show selects contestants—and the BLADE Show seminar slate, see the signs in the show lobby;

•Be sure to attend the first-ever BLADE Show Women’s World Championship Cutting Competition and the 14th Annual BLADE Show Men’s World Championship Cutting Competition at 4:15 p.m. Saturday in The Courtyard under a new, sprawling tent sponsored by Burr King;

•Check out The Pit, the sunken lounge in the lobby of the host hotel Renaissance-Waverly each evening after the show, including the spillover from The Pit outside the hotel entrance, the perfect place to have fun and compare show notes with your fellow show patrons;

There’s much more, of course, much of which will be up to you and your inquisitiveness in finding it at the world’s most important knife event. See you there!

Knives Of Summer: Keep Those Puppies Sharp!

Steve Shackleford

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July 9, 2012

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When you use one of our “Knives Of Summer,” you will need to sharpen that puppy. In fact, a little edge maintenance after each use—when feasible—is the best way to keep your knife sharp for the next time you need it.

GATCO’s Natural Arkansas Sharpening Kit is a great way to keep your edges keen at all times. Designed for sporting, kitchen and other knives, it features a novaculite stone mined from Arkansas. The kit includes a block-mounted 5-inch stone for sharpening, a 3-inch stone for final touch-ups, honing oil and a storage case.

For more info click on http://www.shopblade.com/gatco-natural-arkansas-sharpening-kit-80005/?r+ssfb070912.

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