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Steve Randall’s frame-handled damascus hunter features an expressive 4.75-inch feather pattern blade and features the advanced handle construction techniques discussed in the article. (KSR Image)

Frame-Handled Hunters: High-End Hidden Gems

Les Robertson -
Hidden value of damascus frame-handle hunters.
Tony Docherty was inspired by Australia’s ancient dry riverbeds to create his River Series of knives. His chef’s knife is an impressive example of the mosaic pattern, with a thick layer of the meandering across the centerline of the blade, like a river.

Etched In The Outback: Tony Docherty’s River Series Chef’s Knife

BLADE Staff -
Australia’s ancient landscape gets set in steel.
Impeccably precise, Steve Johnson’s knives are a study in exactitude. This isn’t a fluke, as the meticulous maker has worked out precise procedures to ensure his creations reach the next level—from razor-sharp hollow grinds to spotless mirror finishes. (Ricardo Velarde image)

Secrets Of The Shop: Steve Johnson’s Tips On Hollow Grinds

Jim Hammond -
How the legend of Loveless-style fixed blades makes them sharp. Steve Johnson began his journey in 1966 under Gil Hibben and refined his knifemaking...
Shayne Carter Two-Bladed Trapper

Stag Party Sharps: Antler And Stag Handled Custom Knives

BLADE Staff -
These handles rack up wins.
Gabe Fletcher used the gradient element technique developed by Mareko Maumasi and Peter Burt to arrive at the award-winning pattern on his BLADE Show 2025 Best Damascus winner. (Gabe Fletcher knife image)

Blue Ribbon Damascus: What Makes The Best Pattern-Welded Steel

Steve Shackleford -
Cream of the custom crop rises to the top.
A mix of the artistic and innovative—Michael Walker has carved a lasting place among the modern knifemaking greats. (David Ellis image)

A Jeweler’s Eye: Michael Walker Re-engineers The Knife World

David Ellis -
The masterful and meticulous impact of the Hall of Famer.
Jim Batson mugshot

James Lucian Batson Jr.: Master Smith & Aerospace Engineer Passes

BLADE Staff -
Batson was an aerospace engineer, master bladesmith, author and educator. James Lucian Batson Jr., an aerospace engineer, master bladesmith, author and educator, passed away June...
Putting his sole-authorship philosophy on full display, Ethan Kolar's folding dagger not only boasts an impeccable feather damascus blade, but an ornate handle including engraving from the smith himself. The white-lipped mother of pearl ups the eye appeal of this eclectic build. (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Feather Damascus: Blades Forged Light And Airy

Mike Haskew -
The popular pattern offers a complex combination of materials and motif.
Vanuti Fiori Dagger

Brazilian Bonanza: A Bevy Of Brazilian-Made Custom Blades

BLADE Staff -
Hot custome knifes from Brazilian makers.
Jerry Fisk doesn’t simply see his shop has a place to create, but an arena where he leaves his mark on the world. As the columnist puts it, the master smith believes every hammer blow is a permanent record of the maker's skill and life. (Images courtesy of Jerry Fisk)

Secrets Of The Shop: Fisk and Sibert

Jim Hammond -
Mortised handles and excellent accidents.
Jon Christensen was commissioned to create the Guardian Sword, a project that retells the Greek myth of Perseus and Medusa in engraved iron panels and a bronze shield on the handle. The project took an estimated 4,000 hours to complete.

Cool Custom: Jon Christensen’s Mythical Undertaking

BLADE Staff -
Guardian Sword proves a painstaking quest.
Steve Schwarzer and Daryl Meier pioneered the sintering process of canister welding damascus. Aside from being effective, it is also affordable. (Steve Schwarzer image)

Secrets Of The Shop: Steve Schwarzer & Bob Terzuola

Jim Hammond -
Schwarzer’s blister busters and Terzuola’s effective efficiencies.
Robert Wayman quips that he packed a lot into his 14-inch pattern damascus cleaver, mainly in the handle. The grip features a damascus collar, stainless steel and G-10 spacers, cross-cut carbon fiber, green malachite and blue coral accents, stabilized amboyna burl, and a damascus butt cap with stainless mounting pins inset with blue coral, framed with green malachite. (SharpByCoop image)

Custom Cleavers That Have Culinary Chops

Mike Haskew -
Four custom makers push the boundaries of the tried-and-true cleaver. An inclination toward the kitchen and a desire to design and deliver cutlery used on...
Michael Deibert Wakizashi

Custom Gallery: Customs That Demonstrate Martial Mastery

BLADE Staff -
From historic clashes to modern conflict, these fierce custom blades prove there is still a profound amount of art in the tools of war.
Lead image of Harvey McBurnette article.

50 Years Ago In BLADE: Big Bucks Bowie

BLADE Staff -
Harvey McBurnette etched his name in high-dollar knife sales.
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