Steve Shackleford's Blog

Learn Knife Grinding at BLADE U.

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April 13, 2015

Learn knife grinding at the 2nd Annual BLADE University brought to you by Premium Knife Supply in a three-part class taught by knifemakers Lucas Burnley, Tom Krein and Chris Williams.

BLADE U. will be held in conjunction with the 2015 BLADE Show June 5-7 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta. Also held in the Cobb Galleria, BLADE U. will begin the Thursday (June 4) before the show and end show Saturday. The grinding seminar is but one of a full range of classes on a variety of knife subjects taught by some of the world’s leading cutlery professionals.

In their blade-grinding instructional, the three makers will outline the proper tools and equipment, the importance of safety and show you how it’s all done.

In the classroom setting of part one, they will discuss two-wheel vs. three-wheel grinders; variable speed vs. fixed speed; the differences between 1- and 2-inch contact wheels; belts and belt backings; flat platens; small wheel attachments; rotary attachment; grinding jigs; and more.

From the classroom to the outside setting of The Courtyard of the show’s adjoining host hotel, the Renaissance Waverly, in part two the three makers will teach grinding for beginners on machines provided by Wilmont Grinders. The session will include how to scribe the centerline and grind lines on the blade, how to hollow grind to the grind lines and grind a swedge/clip, and more. Finally, in part three, Burnley will cover advanced blade grinding—including grinding in a fuller—and recurve, compound and convex grinds.

For more information including how to enroll in BLADE University and/or buy tickets for the BLADE Show, visit BLADE Show or e-mail [email protected].

Recommended for You:

Making Tactical Fixed Blades DVD

Learn both basic and advanced knife making techniques with expert instruction from Allen Alishewitz in Tactical Fixed Blades. Allen demonstrates how to craft a double-edged tactical fixed blade knife from start to finish, and creates two knives in order to fully illustrate the knife building process. You’ll learn:

– Profiling and Drilling the Knife
– Tang Tapering on a Grinder
– Tang Tapering on a Mill
– And more!

Order here

Guild/ABS Will Hold Joint Knife Show

Steve Shackleford

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September 17, 2014

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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.

Gene Osborn Passes Away

Steve Shackleford

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November 30, 2011

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Gene Osborn, the head man behind Center Cross Instructional Videos of Fort Worth, Texas, passed away Nov. 9. He was 51.

As noted on the company’s website, www.centercross.com/cciv/, Osborn remained the “UNKNOWN KNIFEMAKER” by choice, and proudly displayed the Center Cross as the signature on all his work. For the last 30 years he made “‘one-of-a-kind knives,’ custom-made damascus steel for other knifemakers across the globe, and built the most complete and comprehensive video library of instructional guidance designed to take you to the next level in custom knifemaking.”

Center Cross is known for a wide range of knifemaking videos featuring such leading makers as Steve Johnson, Harvey Dean and others. The company is also known for the “Ultimate Knife Kit,” a kit that provides all the parts to build a knife with any number of different materials.

Among Osborn’s survivors is his wife, Mellanie, who will continue to run Center Cross.

To read more on the latest knife news, subscribe to BLADE® by clicking on

http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us/?r+ssfb301111#BL1SU

Vacation Knives: Multi-Tool For Emergency Repairs

Steve Shackleford

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November 1, 2012

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A hot multi-tool with a selection of sharp blades in plain and serrated edges, assorted tools such as a spring-loaded pliers, flat-head and Phillips screwdrivers, a saw, scissors, can-opener and more—what else would you need to fend off an emergency repair job while on the road? The Gerber Suspension Multi-Tool has it all, plus one-hand opening and the company’s Saf.T.Plus locking system—all for our nifty price of $34.99.

For more info click on http://www.shopblade.com/gerber-suspension-multi-tool-y6989/?lid=blss081512

What’s Your “Comeback” Knife?

Steve Shackleford

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September 3, 2013

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Is there a specific knife model, a knife style or some other knife feature, gizmo or what have you that you don’t see anymore but would like to see make a comeback?

It can be just about anything—custom or factory, combat or kitchen, utility or fantasy—you name it and you discuss it. A picture of it sure would help matters.

Here’s an example.

I’d like to see Spyderco bring back the Maddox one-hand utility knife. Designed by Joe Maddox for a friend who had a broken arm, the Maddox is tailor-made for use by those who can use only one hand. However, my wife Susan—who has two healthy hands, by the way—uses it on a regular basis in the kitchen for any number of chopping/dicing chores. The ulu-style blade and handy wood handle combine to make a great tool for exerting downward pressure and a rocking-type cutting motion on a cutting board.

By the way, I got the idea for this short story from Spyderco’s Joyce Laituri, winner of the BLADE Magazine 2013 Publisher’s Award for her stellar career as Spyderco marketing manager and public relations guru.

What about you? What knife would you like to see make a comeback, or what knife or knives made long ago but are no longer would you like to see offered today? Or, is there a style or type of knife that’s rarely made that you’d like to see more of? It can be most anything—a special kind of folder, multi-blade, folding bowie, etc. Or, it can be a knife made from a vintage blade steel or handle material, an old style of embellishment no longer or rarely used, etc.

For more on the latest knives and knife news, stay tuned to www.blademag.com.

Hunter’s Edge: 2 Sharpeners and Sharpening eBook

Steve Shackleford

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September 24, 2012

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Keep your hunting knife sharp and ready to perform in the field with two great sharpeners and a sharpening eBook from ShopBlade.

One of the more unusual and ingenious sharpeners is the Spyderco Duckfoot diamond sharpening system. Sporting various shapes for sharpening different edges, the Duckfoot includes:

•A 1”x 5” flat diamond stone;

•A surface with a large radius for sharpening plain edges and a small radius for serrations;

•Three grooves, including a wide radius channel for de-burring and a narrow radius channel for honing fish hooks, etc.;

•Includes a suede leather carry case and an instructional DVD.

ShopBlade’s price: $43.96, a 20 percent savings. For more info click on http://www.shopblade.com/duckfoot-diamond-sharpening-system-w8563?lid=blss092412. (You had better hurry on this one because Spyderco has discontinued the Duckfoot.)

A great pocket sharpener for field touch-ups of plain-edge blades is GATCO’s Military Compact Sharpener (MCS). All it takes is a few strokes on the compact sharpener’s replaceable tungsten carbide blades set for a 40-degree angle and your knife is ready to cut. Size: 2.75” x 1.06” x .30”. Weight: 1.5 ounces.

ShopBlade’s price: $12, a 20 percent savings. For more info click on http://www.shopblade.com/gatco-mcs-military-compact-sharpener-40006?lid=blss092412.

If you need help on how to sharpen, check out our eBook, “Sharpen A Knife & Care For A Collection.” The digital guide outlines:

•Sharpening stones;

•Freehand sharpening;

•Sharpening systems;

•Sharpening oils/lubricants and other sharpening accessories;

•How to choose the right sharpener for your knife, and more.

ShopBlade’s price: $4.19. For more info click on http://www.shopblade.com/sharpen-a-knife-care-for-collection-download?lid=blss092412

Majority Opposes Ivory Ban At Meeting

Steve Shackleford

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March 24, 2014

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Anywhere from 50-to-60 people attended the March 20 public meeting held by the Advisory Council to the Presidential Task Force on combatting wildlife trafficking, with more than twice as many voicing opposition to the ivory ban as those supporting it.

Among those representing the knife industry at the meeting held in Washington, D.C., were scrimshander Sandra Brady, knifemaker Edmund Davidson and others.

“There were about 27 people who stood up to make statements and only about eight were in favor of the ban,” Brady noted. “Even though the words ‘ivory ban’ were not used at all by the committee, that is the ONLY thing that was talked about.

“We had statements from three antiques people, cane collectors, scrimshanders, musical instruments, a knifemaker and knife rights people, among others. So what I came away with is that the committee didn’t expect such a [pro-ivory] turnout. I can only imagine how many more statements were submitted via e-mail. We may have turned the tide at least a bit.”

On the other hand, the pro-ivory ban forces continued their full-court press, and there is much to be done to fight a number of punitive measures federal officials are considering, including making all illegal ivory sales felony violations. Committee members also talked about requiring violators to pay restitution and basically treat selling ivory as selling illegal drugs. “It was three hours of the ‘for-the-greater-good’ stuff, so that was the bad news,” one observer stated.

Several initiatives were mentioned by the knife industry group against the ivory ban, including finding a congress person to champion the anti-ivory ban cause and also the possibility of setting up an official fight-the-ban organization.

Craig Hoover of U.S. Fish & Wildlife said he expected someone on the advisory council to post more information, perhaps a summary video of the meeting, on its web page at some point. The link to the page is

http://www.fws.gov/international/advisory-council-wildlife-trafficking/

For further developments stay tuned to www.blademag.com.

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Zac Brown’s Southern Grind Headlines New BLADE®

Learn Knife Grinding at BLADE U.

Recommended for You:

Guild/ABS Will Hold Joint Knife Show

Gene Osborn Passes Away

Vacation Knives: Multi-Tool For Emergency Repairs

What’s Your “Comeback” Knife?

Hunter’s Edge: 2 Sharpeners and Sharpening eBook

Majority Opposes Ivory Ban At Meeting

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