Here are BLADE Magazine’s Featured Knives of the Week. Browse through these articles to find the best knives available from both custom knifemakers and factory knives.
This Beautiful Little Folder From Browning Is A Modern Take On A Classic Style, And It’s Done Well.
Browning is known around the world for their high-quality firearms, but they are also a fine maker of knives. The new Timber is a contemporary version of a classic folding pocketknife. Elegant and smooth to use, this knife is a perfect EDC and will satisfy a first-time knife buyer or a seasoned collector.
The Timber features a 2.75-inch modified drop point blade made from Sandvik 12C27 stainless with a satin finish and stainless steel bolsters. The handle scales are a rich, vibrant burled wood, and the whole thing secures via a lockback when deployed. The blade opens with a nail nick.
Classics are classics for a reason; they never go out of style and are always in demand. The Browning Timber is a new addition to the EDC world and a worthy addition at that.
The Navaja Is A Sleek, Svelte Folder Originating From Spain Hundreds Of Years Ago. Today It Remains Popular In Both The Real And Digital Worlds.
The Navaja is one of the most interesting knives in the world. Its history can be pinpointed to the Andalusia region of southern Spain, and its growth and evolution since its creation more than 400 years ago has been well-documented.
The History Of The Navaja
The first Navajas that resembled the modern version came to be in the 1600s. The name is derived from the Latin word “novacula” which means razor, and you can see the resemblance to a straight razor in its construction with the long, thin blade that folds away neatly into the handle.
The knife became popular during a period when, unless you were a nobleman, there were many restrictions on swords and other blades. This meant that the Navaja developed as a peasant’s knife and was used for all sorts of utility tasks. One thing that made using it a bit difficult was the fact that it didn’t lock when opened. Later Navajas would have locking mechanisms, but the first versions didn’t. Most notably the Navaja made a distinctive cracking/popping sound as the blade was opened, differentiating it from other knives.
Thanks to the steel innovations that allowed the knife to lock, the Navaja spread its wings and made its way out of Spain and to nearby countries like France. As the knife continued to evolve it was banned by rulers, then became a popular tool for rich and poor alike, and was used as a versatile combat knife. In fact, it became the knife of choice among muggers who would rob people in alleyways and other dark urban areas. Victims knew they were about to be robbed when they heard the unmistakable popping sound the Navaja made when a mugger opened it.
Roughly a century ago, the Navaja began to fall out of favor with knife lovers. However, it continues to endure thanks to a handful of makers crafting their versions, and, in an extremely modern twist, it has become a popular knife to use for players of the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Kings County Tools Navaja-Style Knife
A great modern representation of the Navaja is seen in this folder from Kings County Tools.
The blade is not just razor sharp but also razor thin. At three inches in length and just .25 inch wide, the stainless steel knife is excellent at precise, detailed tasks. The brass and steel handle is both handsome and provides an excellent grip while cutting.
Not quite a razor and not quite a penknife, this Navaja shows what the knife can be and how different it is from other folders on the market.
MSRP: $34.75
Castillo Knives Navaja
Castillo Knives Navaja – Olive Wood Handle
A different interpretation of the Navaja comes from Spain-based Castillo Knives. Their Navaja is similar to contemporary lockback knives in many ways and is an all-rounder in every sense of the term.
The blade is made from Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel and the handle comes in a variety of materials, from two types of Micarta® to four types of wood. Every version looks great, and the 3-inch straight-back blade has a small bit of deep jimping on the spine to aid in grip and force when cutting. Every knife comes with a leather pocket sheath and a 240-grit bonded ceramic sharpening stone.
High-Quality Folder Or Cheap Piece Of Metal? The Beagle From Oknife Gets Put Through Its Paces To Figure It Out.
The Beagle linerlock folder from Oknife feels good in the hand and rides quite well in a pants pocket. Action is very smooth with a positive lockup. When you close the knife, the detent ball grabs the harpoon-pattern blade securely. Balance is excellent. As for cutting performance, let’s see.
Edge Test
The Beagle whacked 22 times into the bone before breaking it. Afterward, the author detected a very small nick in the edge. Not bad at all!
First up: a check of the factory edge with a slice of 20-pound bond copy paper. Via a pull cut, the Beagle sliced very clean with no snagging. Cuts were controllable and smooth.
Double-walled cardboard provided the next test medium. The blade cut neat and fluidly with a minimum of grab by the cardboard. The Beagle worked better using a push rather than a pull cut. I felt no snagging in the process. Control was a tad wobbly as more pressure was needed to part the thick cardboard.
Heavy-Duty Cutting With The Oknife Beagle
The folder made very fine slices and emitted a nice crunching sound during the skiving. The author used the blade belly mostly to keep the leather together instead of in a pile of pieces.
Plastic board was next. The Beagle cut effortlessly with hardly any wobble. The folder was controllable during the test with only a few zigs in the plastic board. I exerted medium pressure with a push cut.
I used quick, short push cuts in a strip of 8-ounce leather. The Beagle made extremely fine slices and emitted a nice crunching sound. It was very manageable during the skiving. I skived with the belly of the blade mostly to keep the leather together instead of in a pile of pieces.
Beagle Takes On Wood And Sisal Rope
Working on 3/8-inch sisal rope for the final medium, the edge made it to 98 clean crunching cuts. The author suffered no hotspots or pinches of his hand during all 98 cuts.
Grabbing some pine leftover from my fencing, I commenced to whittle. The 154CM stainless steel blade made some very nice curly-cues. It was controllable for the thin curly-cues and for the deeper bites, too.
The handle felt good in my hand with no pinch spots during the heavier cuts. The Beagle finished four fire sticks with no issues. Whittling with it was a pleasure.
Next, the edge made it to 98 clean crunching cuts in 3/8-inch sisal rope. After that, the edge slowed down and crunching was not achieved throughout the full cut. My hand suffered no hotspots or pinches during all 98 cuts. The Beagle exhibits outstanding handle contouring.
Oknife Beagle Vs Bone
The 154CM stainless steel blade was manageable for the thin curly-cues and the deeper bites, too
For a possible destructive test, I clamped a piece of cow bone in the vise and slammed the edge into it repeatedly. The Beagle whacked 22 times into the bone before breaking it. I detected a very small nick by running a fingernail along the edge. Not bad at all!
Recommendations
I know that for production purposes the liners extend past the handle material. I prefer them to be flush. (Editor’s note: The action is very smooth and fast upon closing—so fast, in fact, take care when closing the blade one-handed that the edge does not nick the skin just below your thumbnail.)
Final Assessment Of The Oknife Beagle
The Beagle is a nice mid-size linerlock with a great handle and excellent edge retention. I would put this one in my pocket for daily carry anytime.
Oknife Beagle Knife Specs
BLADE LENGTH: 3.25 inches BLADE STEEL: 154CM stainless BLADE PATTERN: Harpoon HANDLE: G-10 LOCK: Linerlock LINERS: Stainless steel WEIGHT: 3.25 ounces CLOSED LENGTH: 4 ⅜ inches EXTRAS: Includes a pouch w/fabric closure that contains a collector coin in a small pocket MSRP: $79.95
The CRKT Compano Sheepsfoot Is The Next Evolution Of The Compano Line And Follows In The Original’s Footsteps While Also Standing On Its Own.
Designed by Mike Bond, the Compano Sheepsfoot builds off of the original CRKT Compano with a new style of blade and flashier design. The original knife featured a slipjoint with a carabiner to connect to your keychain or belt loop, and that’s carried over to the newer model. The Sheepsfoot blade on the newer version is excellent for precise cutting when needed.
Yes, it’s small at only 1.44 inches in length, but when you’re looking for a good keychain knife the name of the game is ease of use and being good in tight spaces. The Compano Sheepsfoot checks both of those boxes.
The blade is made from satin-finished high-carbon stainless steel, and the handle & carabiner clip is also made from stainless. The stonewashed black finished with blue titanium nitride accents make this model visually pop when you first see it.
The slipjoint ring doubles as a great place to rest your index finger to get leverage when manipulating the blade or opening & closing it. Overall, this is a fun piece that will look great on your keychain or belt loop.
MSRP: $44.
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Mike Ableson.
This New Release From CRKT Is Timed In Conjunction With National Knife Day. The Newest Entrant In the Squid Line Has New Features And High-Quality Steel
It’s National Knife Day, and CRKT has released a limited-edition knife to celebrate the day. The all new Squid II OD Green, which was made in Italy, debuts today and combines everything knife fans love about CRKT with the craftsmanship of a custom knife. Only 500 units of this model are being sold.
The blade is made from stonewashed Böhler M390 steel which merges excellent edge retention and wear resistance. Ground to a plain edge, the blade is 2.68 inches in length and has a 58-61 HRC.
In a first for the Squid line, the knife features a liner lock to secure the blade in place, and the IKBS ball bearing pivot system allows for fast, smooth deployment. The handle is made from green Micarta for a rugged look, and a lanyard hole allows you to take the knife anywhere you are.
“The Squid™ II is far and away one of the finest knives we’ve ever produced,” said Doug Flagg, VP of Marketing & Innovation for CRKT. “This knife combines decades of design experience with the aspirations of what we’re trying to achieve as a brand and we’re confident it’s a knife that will stand the test of time.”
The knife goes on sale today and has an MSRP of $185
The Wharncliffe Is An Interesting Blade Design With A Captivating History. Over The Years It’s Grown Into A Desirable EDC Blade. These Five Wharncliffes Stand Out From The Pack.
There aren’t many blade styles like the wharncliffe. The wharncliffe stands out from many other blade designs thanks to its long, straight cutting edge and spine that tapers to the point. This allows for a variety of shapes of wharncliffe blades, with some being more squared off with a sharp taper and others being more rounded with a more gentle taper.
Regardless of the taper or size of the blade, the wharncliffe has grown into a beloved blade that has evolved to meet the needs of knife lovers over the last 200 years.
Where Does The Name Wharncliffe Come From?
If you guessed that it was named for a person you’d be correct, or at least almost correct. The name for the blade dates back to the 1820s and British Colonel James Archibald Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, the first Lord of Wharncliffe.
One night, while having dinner with his cousin, Archdeacon Corbett, Wharncliffe was lamenting how staid and tired the cutlery industry in Britain had become. The two then worked on a new type of knife to present to the Joseph Rodgers & Sons cutlery company in Sheffield, the epicenter of the cutlery trade in the UK.
Rodgers liked the blade so much that the company put it into production and named it the wharncliffe in the Lord’s honor.
What Is The Wharncliffe Used For?
The wharncliffe initially was used mainly as a whittling knife. The long, straight edge made it perfect for long strokes on a piece of wood. Over time, the blade has evolved with the rest of the knife industry and is now a quality all-rounder EDC. The straight edge is excellent at transferring energy from the hand into the material being cut. Not great at puncturing, it’s very good at most other cutting tasks.
5 Wharncliffes You Should Look Into Buying
Today, the wharncliffe has become a standard blade design by makers around the world. These are five that you should take a look at.
Spyderco Salt 2
Few companies have dived deeper into wharncliffes than Spyderco. The Salt 2 is a prime example of how the company has smartly developed the blade style, although there are many knives on the company’s roster that utilize it as well.
The ergonomic green FRN handle makes this knife easy to use, especially considering how it was designed to be used near water. The H-1 steel is highly corrosion resistant, which makes this knife the perfect choice to use near water. You can choose between a plain edge and a serrated edge, and the lockback keeps everything secure even when drenched.
Spyderco is beloved because of the quality of its knives, and the Salt 2 shows many things the company can do.
MSRP: $124.25
CRKT Inara
A simple, elegant design from Richard Rogers, the CRKT Inara is a perfect example of a quality, affordable wharncliffe EDC.
The framelock is strong. The deployment is smooth. The G-10 stands firm even in extreme conditions. This little flipper really does it all and looks good while doing it. The stonewashed 8Cr14MoV stainless blade is 2.78 inches long and the whole construction weighs just 1.8 ounces.
A small, nimble knife, the Inara showcases why the wharncliffe has become a regular EDC blade.
MSRP: $56
Emerson Knives P-Sark
If the last knife was for day-to-day use, the Emerson Knives P-Sark is for the most extreme situations. This is the standard issue knife for U.S. Navy Rescue Teams, according to Emerson Knives. It’s a thick, beefy blade designed to extract people in severe situations.
The 3.5-inch blade is made from 154CM stainless steel with a chisel grind. The G-10 handle is waterproof and perfect for the type of intense moments this knife was built for. The blade comes in both black and stonewashed varieties.
Sure, this could be used as an EDC, but this knife is designed for much more than just opening boxes and stripping wires, and is priced accordingly. If you want a strong, physical knife, then this is the one for you, but you’ll be able to find good EDC wharncliffes at more affordable prices.
MSRP: $226.95
Kershaw Leek
Kershaw has them all, and it’s no surprise that it offers a solid EDC wharncliffe. The Leek line of knives runs 16 deep, but we are concentrating on the original.
The whole construction is stainless steel with a 3-inch blade made from 14C28N stainless steel. The Ken Onion-designed knife is a sleek, sturdy flipper held in place with a framelock. At 3 ounces it’s a bit heavier than some of the other knives on this list, which is good because it helps the piece feel better in the hand and more secure in use.
The assisted-opening flipper, the tip lock to keep it secure when closed, and the reversible pocket clip are all features on the knife that elevate it from just a good knife to a high-quality EDC.
MSRP: $79.99
Cold Steel Tuff Lite
Small. Tough. Durable. Three ways to describe the Tuff Lite from Cold Steel. This little wharncliffe is a rugged little beast. Made from Japanese AUS-8A stainless steel, the Tuff Lite’s blade is just 2.5 inches long with a relatively squared-off tip that makes it perfect for deep cutting tasks.
The handle is made from Griv-Ex which, when paired with Cold Steel’s Tri-Ad lock, provides a rock-hard construction when deployed. This is the most affordable knife on our list, but it may be the highest value thanks to how the knife was put together.
MSRP: $40.99
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Bowie Beauties: Three Quality Factory Bowie Knives
A Pair Of Gifted Knifemakers Show Off The Tools They Use To Turn Raw Steel Into Razor-Sharp Works Of Art.
Simply put, Salem Straub makes art and culinary knives of the highest order. He began forging in 2003 when a previous project introduced him to blacksmithing and, like so many knifemakers, once the bug bit there was no turning back.
Twenty years later Salem is at the top of his game and all his work is sole authorship. What’s more, he delighted many knife lovers by competing and winning in the second season of the History Channel’s popular reality show, Forged in Fire.
Award-winning bladesmith Salem Straub makes fine art folders, fixed blades and swords, and added culinary knives out of his passion for cooking.
Salem operates his custom cutlery business under the name Promethean Knives after a passage from noted British writer Zia Haider Rahman: “Is that not the Promethean fable, that the fire stolen from the gods will light men their way even while it burns their hands?”
Salem built his reputation for making fine art folders and fixed blades, including swords, but he added culinary knives out of his passion for cooking, which in turn led to his winning the Best Integral Award at the 2019 Damasteel Chef Invitational. His forging specialty is extremely fine patterned damascus.
Inside Salem Straub’s Shop
Salem leads off his list of top tools with his bandsaw.
“The Marvel Model 81 Hydraulic Vertical Bandsaw is the ideal saw for a dedicated pattern welder,” he begins. “It will easily handle all the normal operations that either a horizontal or vertical bandsaw can, but also affords the additional capability of ripping lengthwise with power feed, miter cuts, compound miter cuts and rips. Everything from the table vise to the saw feed and drive wheel is hydraulically powered, and a flood coolant system is integral to the design.”
Straub’s Marvel Model 81 Hydraulic Vertical Bandsaw easily handles anything a horizontal or vertical bandsaw can, and affords the additional capability of ripping lengthwise with power feed, miter cuts, compound miter cuts and rips.
His lathe of choice is his Pratt & Whitney Model C Toolroom model.
“It’s a bit larger than might be strictly necessary for knifemaking,” Salem notes, “but affords the ability to create parts for repair of, or modification to, other machines. It’s also very smooth, accurate and convenient for making and threading small knife parts to close tolerances. The P&W ‘C’ lathes are among the truly legendary lathes from the heyday of American machine tool manufacturing.”
His Abrasive Machine Tool Model 3B Surface Grinder features an 8×24-inch capacity automatic table with a magnetic chuck, a 2×72-inch-belt modification by Salem, and a 3-horsepower motor.
“The table feeds are mechanically powered and relatively quiet and very reliable in operation,” he explains. “This machine is MVP in the shop, especially on many damascus production days. The belt modification allows for much faster removal of stock, making billet and tiling work much faster and more precise.
“Another piece of equipment I can’t do without is my Beaudry Champion #9 300-pound power hammer. I bought it from the late Larry Langdon, who gave me quite a deal as it needed lots of work to restore, and some difficult parts had to be made. After I took seven months to overhaul and install it, this hammer has become the cornerstone of my operations in making composite damascus billets and blades. The large flat die surfaces and excellent control make it ideal for forge welding, and it has plenty of power to forge large cross sections efficiently.”
Straub’s chef’s knife sports a 9-inch blade of a stunning herringbone/mosaic composite damascus and a Japanese-style wa handle. (knife image by Abe Shaw of Eating Tools, Inc.)
Next up Straub extols the virtues of his rolling mill.
“My 10-horsepower rolling mill with 6×6-inch rollers is probably a tertiary forging machine for most hot shops to have—after a hammer and press—but it’s very handy indeed for cleanly drawing billets to bar stock, welding san-mai, and sizing pattern elements before tiling or four-way welds and the like. It was built to spec by a fab shop for my friend Mike Blue, whom I bought it from. I consider it a very good working design, and for production damascus it’s a huge help.”
Last but not least, Salem mentions his 1960s-era Deckel GK21 Pantograph.
“This is a machine quite unlike the others. Its use is quiet, contemplative, technical, and its mode of use is more artistic than one of brute force. The GK21 is a machine that pretty much defines its class—very smooth to operate and fascinating in its potential. I’ve been learning to use it for a few years and so far I’ve been mostly doing inlays for handle work, but I’m branching out into engraving designs onto handles with it, too. I look forward to decades of finding out new cool ways to use it.”
Andreas Kalani
Andreas Kalani specializes in mainstream and culinary fixed blades and also folders.
Andreas Kalani spent 30 years in the corporate world, but once he discovered knifemaking he knew he’d found his calling. Now, nearly 10 years after leaving his former occupation, the Iranian-American is a full-fledged U.S. citizen grinding steel and making the knives of his dreams.
Kalani is an American Bladesmith Society apprentice smith currently working on his journeyman smith designation on the way to his ultimate goal of master smith. The versatile maker builds fixed blades—both mainstream and culinary—and folders.
Among those pieces are some top-shelf art knives. Meanwhile, he also makes a point of offering affordable fare for his customers. He markets his cutlery under the AK Custom Knives label and also instructs budding makers with a separate division called AK University. Needless to say, Andreas keeps himself busy with a full plate of cutlery interests.
Inside Andreas Kalani’s Shop
He leads off his knifemaking go-to equipment with a lightweight wonder.
“One of the most valuable tools in my shop is my Dremel 4000 Rotary Tool,” he reveals. “I use Dremel for engraving, polishing, sanding, cutting and much more. Dremel was my shop’s first official tool before I became a knifemaker. I used to make small and miniature swords and knives for my wire sculpture, and I could grind and shape the blades and handles with my Dremel tool. You can use various tips and bits for multiple uses such as carbide tips for steel and alloys or diamond tips for clay, woods and other materials. The possibilities are endless and you can be super creative with this tool; you can either mount it on the table, make a stand for it, or get an extra pen cable to do much more.”
Next on his list is his Evenheat Kiln.
Andreas not only uses his Evenheat Kiln for heat treating his blades but also for lost-wax processing.
“It is generally used for the blade heat treatment to have better steel structure and accurate Rockwell hardness,” he states. “However, sometimes I use it for lost-wax processing as well. Before I got the kiln I had to send out all of my blades for professional heat treatment and it was time-consuming and costly, especially when I wanted to work on one custom project. Therefore, I had to get my own. With this kiln in the shop I can now heat treat various steels from high carbon to stainless, and know I have a good grain structure and a suitable heat treatment. An Evenheat kiln is one of the must-have tools for any knifemaker in the shop.”
According to Andreas, finishing tools play multiple roles in his operation.
“They are the most used on every project in my shop,” he observes. “From the finishing stones to G-10 sanding blocks, I use them for various sanding and polishing. Gesswein® EDM Blue Stones are made from premium aluminum oxide. EDM Blue is a more complex formulation of EDM stones specially designed to handle the high-speed back-and-forth motion of a profiler or ultrasonic machines, and are superior for polishing the most challenging scales. The stones are designed for use on hard surfaces at high speed and hold their shape very well.”
For the sanding blocks, Andreas created different G-10 paddles for such various uses as flat, concave or convex sanding.
“I add additional leather or plastic backing to each paddle to have more give on a harder surface when sanding,” he notes. “By combining these tools, I can achieve a beautiful finish on all of my blades.”
The Milwaukee Portable Bandsaw 6232-20 is another must-have machine in his shop.
“It’s precise when you want precision cuts or to create an intricate geometry—for example, when you want to make a guard for a knife, you can outline your guard on whatever [steel/alloy] you use and then quickly cut it to the shape. Afterward, you can go straight to the grinder to shape the final form,” he states. “You can purchase different types and styles of the blade for this machine to have a better cut and precision for other materials. It’s portable and I purchased a stand for it separately, which is made specifically for this machine by SWAG Off Road.”
Another invaluable tool in Kalani’s shop is the 25-gallon Sandblaster cabinet, which helps remove material, clean, and applies the final finish to blades.
Kalani’s14.5-inch Lagertha Middle-East chef’s knife features a blade of 1095 carbon steel with an electro-pattern mirror polish. The Natural Galaxy handle is a combo of Middle Eastern turquoise and flowers. (SharpByCoop knife image)
“You can achieve different results on other materials using various media types from the walnut shell, glass bead, aluminum oxide, steel bead and so on,” Andreas explains. “There’s a learning curve and trial and error at the beginning. For example, if you want to sandblast titanium and be able to anodize it, you cannot blast it with aluminum oxide or steel media. The pressure will infuse the titanium and prevent it from anodizing. Based on my trial and error I found out that glass beads not only give a good matte surface to titanium but also keep it clean—and I am able to anodize it.”
He calls the 2×72 TW90 Grinder “the mother of all the machines in the shop.” It has a multi-position setup and various speeds, giving him limitless capability for different styles and types of grinding.
“I own at least five other attachments for this machine, including an 8-inch wheel, a 4-inch wheel, a modular switchable small wheel, a surface grinding attachment, plus flat and slack-belt platen,” Andreas observes. “One best modification I applied to it was adding an earth magnet on my work rest to use for different sizes and styles of work. It’s helpful for a different kind of grinding. For example, if you want to grind a sword, you need a more extensive work rest to run your blade over it, and this is super helpful.”
