The BLADE Blog w/Steve Shackleford

The new knives for this weekend’s blockbuster debut of Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables 2, the Blade Magazine 2012 Knives Of The Year®, a recap of the 2012 BLADE Show and much more highlight the latest issue of the November BLADE®, on most newsstands NOW!

Made by Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Gil Hibben with input from Stallone, the Legion Fighter is the Hibben knife fashioned especially for Expendables 2, and it graces the cover of the November BLADE. Read about it and much more concerning the movie and its knives this issue.

Meanwhile, the Kai Group—which includes Kershaw, Shun and Zero Tolerance—took home four Blade Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year Awards during the 2012 BLADE Show, and its winners and the balance of the factory knife industry’s finest are highlighted in the November BLADE.

The BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) was one of if not the most successful renditions ever of the world’s largest and most important knife show. The November BLADE tells you all about it, including the winners of the custom knife awards, which knives sold, the latest trends and a whole lot more.

Other stories include Kit Carson’s induction into the Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame; the growing trend of the Japanese hamon appearing on an increasing number of Western knife styles; Spyderco’s “Upside-Down Lock”; knifemaking how-to’s; knife tests; the latest knives and much, much more.

American Bladesmith Society master smith Red St. Cyr of Reva Forge in Wilmington, California, passed away yesterday after suffering a heart attack.

    Red, pictured above at the 2012 ABS San Antonio Show, was the founder of the American Bladesmith Society’s (ABS) West Coast Forging Clinic, a member of the Southern California Blades, ABS, Arizona KCA, and Oregon KCA, and president of the California Knifemakers Association.

    His specialty was fixed blades, forging his own damascus and mosaic patterns. In 1995 he became an ABS journeyman smith and earned his ABS master smith rating in 1998. He has received numerous awards for his knives, including the ABS Bill Moran Award.

    At the tender age of 13, Red began an apprenticeship with a farrier and fell in love with working with metal and horses. By the time he was 16, he was a full-fledged farrier. He eventually became a master farrier, designing, forging and custom fitting horseshoes throughout the United States and several foreign countries.

    When farmers baling hay began to use twine in place of baling wire, someone asked Red if he could make a knife from a horseshoeing rasp, and that started Red’s life-long love of bladesmithing. He made knives for over 35 years.

    Red was known for his readiness to share his knowledge and skills with others. He hosted the California Forging Clinic annually and also did forging demonstrations at the Knife Expo, the old BLADE Show West, BAKCA, and Reno ABS shows.

    Funeral arrangements are pending. More information will be forthcoming on the ABS Forum at http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/