Our Knife Of The Day for Dec. 19 is the Boker Plus Rold, a VoxKnives design. The 11-inch camp knife sports a 6 1/8-inch blade of D2 tool steel and a G-10 handle. Boker’s MSRP: $169.95.
For more information contact Boker USA, attn: D. Weidner, 1550 Balsam St., Lakewood, CO 80215 303.462.0662 fax 303.462.0668 www.bokerusa.com.
Designed for great looks and solid performance, the Kershaw Echelon is our Knife Of The Day XI. The folder features SpeedSafe assisted opening and opens with a thumb stud that seems to “float on air,” hovering in the middle of an over-sized blade cutout. Kershaw used natural G-10 to create a semi-translucent handle that allows you to see the operation of the SpeedSafe mechanism inside. The Echelon also features Kershaw’s new reversible deep-carry pocket clip for discreet pocket carry.
Blade steel: Sandvik 14C28N stainless. Blade length: 3.25″. Closed length: 4″. MSRP: $89.95. For more information, visit kershawknives.com or Facebook.com/KershawKnives.
To get that special custom knife, attend knife shows—and if you see a knife you want, don’t put it down until you’re through haggling! (PointSeven image)
Is it realistic to say there’s a surefire way to get any custom knife you want? While there are always exceptions to the rule, if you practice the following nine steps, you might just find that beautiful custom knife you’ve dreamed about nestled warm and safe in the fleece lining of your favorite zippered knife pouch:
Attend the knife show(s) where the maker and/or owner of your dream knife exhibits;
Introduce yourself to the maker/owner at the show, talk about his/her work and designs and/or knives, ask questions, and express your interest about the knife inside the show and/or at the hotel bar after show hours;
Ask to look at and hold the knife—and don’t be afraid to tell the maker/seller what you will pay for it;
On a high-end knife especially, it it’s worth it, buy it! You won’t sleep if you pass on the knife for a small difference in the asking price;
If you see the knife you really want and pick it up at the maker’s/seller’s table, do not put it down until you’re finished haggling for it;
If it’s a custom order, supply the materials for the knife directly to the maker;
Visit the maker’s shop or the seller at an agreed-upon place and pay cash for the knife;
In the case of the maker especially, tell him or her you will give the knife a great home and how you will display it, or how good the knife feels in your hand and how you will use it, and;
Plan a pricing strategy to go with all the travel, conversation and luck that surround the big purchase. Have a figure that you will pay for the knife in mind beforehand.
“If the price is way over your head, then walk,” advised custom knife collector Chris Nolen, stressing that even though it may seem unorthodox, it is good to tell the maker how much you are willing to pay. “If the price is in the ballpark, buy the knife,” he concluded. “You will know when it’s that ‘special’ piece.”
Both Hibben and Holder are Cutlery Hall Of Famers. Each served multiple terms as president of The Knifemakers’ Guild. Both have influenced many knifemakers through mentoring, teaching and their knives.
Hibben, of course, is probably best known for making the knife used by Sylvester Stallone in the third and fourth installments of the Rambo movie series. Holder is perhaps best know for his “My Knife” hunter with a handle of stacked spacers of beautiful natural materials, including amber and others.
Holder was one of the original board members of the American Knife & Tool Institute, the oldest existing organization that fights for common-sense knife laws. Hibben made some of the most spectacular fantasy knives ever, probably the most fantastic of which were designed by Paul Ehlers.
In addition to the Rambo movie knives, Hibben also made the knives for another Stallone action vehicle, The Expendables. Holder designed a number of factory/custom collaborations, including the Toad for Spyderco and a number of fixed-blade hunters for Canal Street Cutlery. Hibben has designed a number of factory/custom collaborations, too, including many for United Cutlery.
The above only touches on the outstanding careers of two invaluable members of the custom knifemaking community. Please join us in congratulating them on a combined 109 years making knives—and what we hope are many more such years to come.
Bruce Bump won Best Of Show at the International Custom Cutlery Exposition for his cut ‘n shoot model.
Modern custom knife history was made this past weekend in the first-ever International Custom Cutlery Exposition (ICCE) held at the Marriott Downtown in Kansas City.
It was the first time the Knifemakers’ Guild and the American Bladesmith Society, the world’s two oldest and best-known knifemaker organizations, combined forces to hold a joint knife show.
And from all indications, things went about as smoothly as anyone could have hoped.
Over 120 makers exhibited their knives at the show. A number of exhibitors commented on how nice it was to see makers from both organizations displaying side-by-side and getting along so well. Of course, that was a far cry from the old days when the two groups competed openly and did not get along so well, to say the least. However, those days seemed to be forgotten over the weekend as both organizations came together and voted on the best knives of the show, with members of each group often voting for knives by makers in the other. Among the winners of the awards were Bruce Bump for Best In Show for his cut ‘n shoot knife, Paul LeBatard won an award for his stag hunter, Adam DesRosiers for Best Combat Knife and Best Hunter, Jerry Moen for Best Tactical Folder, Johnny Stout for Best Folder, Charles Vestal for Best Fighter, and J.W. Randall for Best Damascus. Other honors included Betty Dowell being presented with the Nate Posner Award and Dianna Casteel winning the Red Watson Award.
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.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.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.
Make Your Own Legendary Knife
The third edition of BLADE’s Guide to Making Knives gives you all the information you need to start making knives. At less than $20 when you order directly from BLADE, it’s the best investment in your knifemaking career you can make.
Our Knife Of The Day for Dec. 19 is the Boker Plus Rold, a VoxKnives design. The 11-inch camp knife sports a 6 1/8-inch blade of D2 tool steel and a G-10 handle. Boker’s MSRP: $169.95.
