Ray Appleton, maker of the “I.Q.” and other puzzle-type, “multilock” custom knives, passed away Saturday. He was 88.
The tall, lanky, likable Appleton caused quite a sensation with his puzzle/multilock knives in the late 1980s. Beautifully carved, anodized titanium folders, they were way ahead of their time (see “Ray Appleton Redefines the Folding Knife,” January/February 1988 BLADE®). One of their main endearing features is that Ray would build them with hidden mechanisms, etc., so you had to figure out how to open them.
BLADE field editor Ed Fowler, a long-time acquaintance of Ray’s, had nothing but good things to say about the talented maker. “Ray was my hero when I was a kid in high school and remains a hero to me,” Fowler observed.
According to Ray’s son, Ron, an accomplished maker in his own right who will display his knives at the upcoming Art Knife Invitational, Ray had not been in a knife shop in at least seven years. Ray had moved to Montana to live with his daughter and spend time with his grand kids and play on the computer.
Spyderco’s knife that changed knife history is a headliner in the latest BLADE®, on newsstands now!
Spyderco’s knife that changed knife history, Creek Stewart of Fat Guys In The Woods fame and his knives, the top knives of the SHOT Show and more highlight the latest issue of BLADE®, on newsstands now!
In addition to his TV show on The Weather Channel, Stewart is known for his survival skills—and what’s survival without knives? While Creek gave knives away to the top “survivor” at the end of each episode of his show, he decided he wanted to take things a step further and work with a small American business to produce a line of knives. Whiskey Knives from Hank Gevedon’s Reptile Toolworks are the result and the focus of Erin Healy’s “Samurai Woodsman” on page 12.
Along with the annual BLADE Show—which is set for June 2-4 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta—the SHOT Show is the place where many factory knife companies debut their new knives for the year. Check out the hottest knives of SHOT, along with a number of new companies under new flags, in the story on page 26.
There’s much more in the latest issue, including tests of camp knives, custom hunters and the return of an old friend—the newest factory boot knives; the urban survival knife and whether yours meets the demands of your environment; those who forge and sell stainless damascus to knifemakers worldwide; on the 100th anniversary of the USA’s entry into World War I, the first of a two-part story on the knives carried by U.S. Army personnel, aka The Doughboys; and much more, all in the latest issue of BLADE, available in the digital edition and also by subscription.
Shelley and Sarah Berman show off some of the custom knives in their collection. (Dave Harvey photo)
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.
The Knifemakers’ Guild and the American Bladesmith Society will hold their first-ever joint knife show Sept. 18-20, 2015, in Kansas City.
The show will be called the International Custom Cutlery Exposition (ICCE) and will include knives displayed by members of both the Guild and the ABS. It will be held in the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. The original Guild Show also was held in Kansas City.
It is a historic meeting of the minds of two knifemaker organizations that basically have competed with one another for almost four decades.
“The main thing is we’re coming together to put on a show,” the Guild’s Gene Baskett noted.
Baskett said everything will be “50/50” between the two organizations and both will have equal say so on matters concerning the show. For example, each organization will have 75 tables to allot to its members, giving the show 150 tables in all.
Guild members who want to inquire about exhibiting at the show should contact the Guild c/o Charlie Mathews, and ABS members should contact the ABS c/o Harvey Dean.
Baskett said the officials of the Kansas City Marriott “bent over backwards” to accommodate the Guild and the ABS for the show. The hotel recently underwent $14 million in refurbishments. Veteran knife observers will recall that the Guild Show enjoyed a very successful run at the Orlando Marriott for many years.
Admission for show patrons will be $10 for one day and $15 for three days. All Guild Honorary Members will be admitted for free, as they always have been at past Guild shows. Baskett said the ABS will make its own arrangements concerning admission for its special members.
“There will be more information to come once we get more details,” Baskett added.
For more information visit americanbladesmith.com or knifemakersguild.com.
For the latest knives, knife trends, knife news and more, stay tuned to blademag.com.
The Knifemakers’ Guild and the American Bladesmith Society will hold their first ever joint knife show Sept. 18-20, 2015, in Kansas City.
BLADE Show preview highlights the latest issue of BLADE® Magazine, on newsstands today!
The knives, knifemakers, events within the event, the people, awards—these and much more are the focus of the BLADE Show preview in the latest BLADE® Magazine, on newsstands today.
•A selection of the hot new factory knives that will debut during the show’s three-day run June 3-5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta;
•The highlights, instructors and complete class schedule of the 3rd Annual BLADE University;
•The BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards, the factory industry’s most coveted individual knife honors;
•The 14th Annual BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competition sponsored by BladeSports International, which also will include the first-ever Women’s World Cutting Championship;
•The annual custom knife judging competition, which annually entertains 200 or so of the world’s finest custom knives, with this year’s Best Of Show winner slated to receive special recognition during the BLADE Magazine Awards reception the Saturday night of the show;
•The show’s extensive slate of seminars and demos, and;
•BLADE field editor and High Performance Endurance Knife Mastersmith Ed Fowler’s eight keys to having your best BLADE Show yet.
Also this issue: ABS master smith Wally Hayes shows you how to bring out the hamon on folder blades; how to introduce your kids to knives, including the latest knives designed especially for them, collecting clubs for children and more; tests of the latest in bowies and affordable tactical folders; how to use clay as a teaching aid in making outstanding damascus; and a whole lot more in the latest BLADE.
Rebooting collections works wonders. OK, so not everyone does it, but many who have done it one or more times seem to enjoy their collecting more.
Chris Nolen has successfully rebooted his knife collection several times since he started collecting. He began in his pre-teens, fueling his cutlery appetite by mowing lawns, and he even wrote a term paper on hunting knives.
Rebooting collections has paid dividends for Chris Nolen, here with wife Linda and their bowie knife collection.
“I was married at 24 and started collecting handmade hunting knives. Most were stag drop points or skinners,” Chris recalls. “I met a great local maker named Jerry Berry of Natchitoches, Louisiana, who got me interested in not just the handles, but the steel in the blades. Of course, I would buy BLADE® and other knife magazines, and I would always find myself looking for big bowies.
“One day I was sitting at my desk and drew out a large, sort of re-curved, stag-handled bowie. I mailed it to Jerry and realized it was time to reboot my collection of maybe 40 knives. And reboot I did! I sold most of the old hunters to make money for my new passion for large bowies.” Nolen is an avid collector of fine bowies to this day and is as enthusiastic as ever.
J.T. Oldham is a long-time folder collector of the modern tactical type and has rebooted his collection on occasion.
“I was a regular customer of the House of Blades in Fort Worth, Texas, where I found many great knives, and also bought up all of the back issues of BLADE I could lay my hands on,” Oldham states. “Production knives were just a way to whet my appetite, as I soon realized that what I wanted to collect was custom knives—and those knives had to have damascus steel.”
As a result, J.T. rebooted and started collecting upscale custom folders—and does to this day.
“At the ICCE [International Custom Cutlery Exposition] show in Kansas City last year, I bought a knife from my No. 1 knife hero, Ralph Turnbull. He was the knifemaker who really started it all for me. I remember looking on his website and in the pages of BLADE Magazine and thinking, ‘If I could only someday own one of Ralph’s knives I would really be a true collector.’”
Since retiring, however, Oldham has tempered his budget a bit. “I no longer have the disposable liquid capital I once enjoyed, so my purchases are now somewhat limited,” he lamented. “However, I follow the custom knife industry with the same interest that I focus on my retirement investments.”
Conversely, rebooting collections is something Kevin Jones has never tried.
“My preference for knives hasn’t changed over the 15 years I’ve been collecting,” Kevin relates. “I started out collecting American Bladesmith Society hunting knives and bowies, and that’s still what interests me. I consider myself a custom knife collector and investor. I’ve found to be successful on the investor side it helps to limit your area of interest so as to become very knowledgeable on both the knives—and the particular knife market—for the knives you collect.”
To REBOOT or NOT to REBOOT?
Why should you consider the concept of rebooting collections?
“Many collectors end up rebooting collections early on as a result of buying their first knives on impulse prior to them acquiring the knowledge and exposure to determine what type and style of knives are going to hold their interest long term,” Jones observes.
Before rebooting, you need to answer questions concerning not only your preferences and current status, but outside realities as well.
Rebooting collections is not for everyone. Kevin Jones has collected ABS hunting knives and bowies and nothing but for 15 years, and has no plans to reboot anytime soon.
“I guess one of the first things to consider is, are you really ready and willing to reboot your collection and take it in an entirely new direction? Has your perspective or your interest changed? Is this an artistic response or a reaction to market trends? For me, a complete reboot means to liquidate your current collection and re-invest in another direction,” Oldham notes. “Are you no longer happy with your knives? Has there been a downturn which has you concerned your collection has lost value? Are you eager to participate in the latest trend?”
Rebooting collections also raises questions as to whether you should sell your current knife collection to finance a new one.
“I feel that’s up to the individual collector,” Jones opines. “However, many need to sell knives in their current collection to help finance them rebooting. I always recommend that while selling an entire collection through a purveyor or auction may be quicker, selling or liquidating piecemeal via a variety of methods will result in a better return.”
Nolen offers a word of caution he discovered after selling off his first collection to reboot.
“Back then I put ads on internet boards and in the newspaper,” he recalls. “I see some knives on eBay that go for hundreds of dollars now that I only paid six to 12 dollars for back in the ’60s and ’70s. I wish now I had most of those back!”
BEST WAYS to LIQUIDATE
What is the best way to liquidate knives if you do decide to sell off your current collection to finance your new one?
“I feel it’s best to use a variety of methods in selling custom knives,” Jones advises, “including contacting other collectors who are interested in the type knives you are selling, selling some on the better knife purveyor sites, and I’ve been very successful selling knives on my ‘collector website.’ It’s very important to have good photos of your knives listed on the internet. You are basically putting your knives out there for the world to see.”
Rebooting collections began for J.T. Oldham when he bought a folder from his hero, custom knifemaker Ralph Turnbull, maker of this damascus linerlock.
“I, for one, would never consider using eBay. Not for my collection,” Oldham states. “And there are just too many trolls on the knife forums! I know that there are decent knife forums, but I simply would not regard that as the right place to offer my knives. I would work one-on-one with certain interested parties—and those individuals may be found on forums. This is all said from my perspective and the knowledge I have of certain individuals with whom I have dealt with in the past. I have a rather large and reliable network of purveyors and collectors whom I trust. A good resource for purveyors is BLADE and the KNIVES annual for a comprehensive listing of those who are associated with the knife community.”
Studying and researching the professionals who deal in knife sales, and then determining who among them are the most knowledgeable and reliable for advice is a must.
“Your purveyor of choice is your best ally in determining what would be in your best interest,” Oldham continues. “If this reboot is purely for financial or investment purposes, no one knows the value of knives better than those who actually determine the value of knives on a day-to-day basis. While they may be able to provide a rough ballpark estimate for your collection, values are subject to change. Be prepared to be presented with values which may be far less than you expected or you’re willing to accept. Be willing to make compromises in order to achieve your goal and obtain what you are truly after, as in any business deal.”
Also keep in mind that when selling to purveyors it is important to remember they are in the business to make money, so they must have a profit margin built into the knives they buy.
IS IT TIME?
As you can see from the comments of our seasoned aficionados, collectors are a distinctly different lot—but that’s what makes the whole avocation of cutlery collecting interesting. As human beings we all have a level of curiosity to see what’s on the other side of the door. Once we have opened it we can either leave or explore. Keep in mind a reboot does not have to be an overnight decision. You can always wade into another genre or style without a full commitment. Whether you wish to upgrade your collection, totally switch gears or seek an investment, there are fresh new knives out there to satisfy any desire.
Long-time knifemaker Norman Bardsley of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, passed away yesterday.
Probably best known for his fantasy knives, Mr. Bardsley also made working knives. His patterns included fighters, boot knives, and renaissance and native American styles in upscale and presentation fashion. He used exotic hides for his sheaths.
Among others, Mr. Bardsley made knives for such actors as Geoffrey Lewis, known for his role as Clint Eastwood’s sidekick in Everyway Which Way But Loose, the leader of the trio that seeks revenge on the town of Lago in High Plains Drifter and other films.
