Knife collecting is an extremely rewarding experience for knife enthusiasts. There truly is a knife for everyone. Many increase or hold their value throughout the years, making collecting knives something to pass on to the next generation of knife collectors.
Not one of his everyday builds, the Taka v2s by Brian Brown features a notable blade, handle and lock.
Brian Brown likes a good, pointy tanto.
“It’s kind of a straight hollow grind all the way from the choil to the tip in a climbing grind,” he explained of the blade on his Taka v2s dress tactical folder. Grinding it that way helped him keep the blade extremely thin from the recurve edge to the tip. “You’ve got to be really careful [at the edge] because that’s gonna be the lowest spot where it gets thinnest the fastest—and I’ve burned through them before,” he noted.
Brian Brown said he had to be careful grinding/removing the top layer of the Black Top Timascus™ handle material by Alpha Knife Supply or he would expose too much of the titanium and change the color—somewhat visible here on the spine. The 3.125-inch blade is FireClone 2 forged by Mike Norris, which Brian lauded as some of the best stainless damascus anywhere. Closed length: 4.375 inches. (SharpByCoop knife image)
Only the second one he’s done, the folder’s linerlock-like inset lock enabled him to use the fancy handle material paired with a straight, solid piece of Grade 5 titanium for the lockbar. There are several more steps involved but the upshot is the scales are symmetrical as with a linerlock—a symmetry Brian prefers to that of a framelock. Plus, the inset lock results in a thinner handle than with a linerlock because the lock side must be relieved to make room for the lockbar.
The Art of the Knife, an exploration of the history of the handmade knife as a tool of value in both function and aesthetics, will run July 10 through Aug. 18 at the Guilford Art Center in Guilford, Connecticut.
Mace Vitale, a journeyman smith in the American Bladesmith Society and also a blacksmith and coppersmith, will jury the invitational event. An awarding-winning bladesmith and a regular exhibitor at the BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo (www.blademag.com), he also serves as an instructor at the Guilford Art Center.
Mace Vitale, maker of this damascus dagger, will jury the Art of the Knife exhibit beginning July 10.), Vitale also serves as an instructor at the Guilford Art Center.
Vitale started out working with his father in a pre-cast concrete business that specialized in architectural reproduction. Mace learned a lot from his dad, from how to use tools to “how to make something from nothing.”
Mace bounced from job to job after the family business closed in the 1990s until he found work as a coppersmith. “Its effect on me was less than subtle,” he writes on his website. “I was hooked!”
He attended a blacksmithing class at the Guilford Art Center and subsequently found out about the ABS. He took the ABS “Introduction fo Bladesmithing” class and has been making knives ever since, obtaining his ABS journeyman smith stamp in 2006.
“I pride myself on my attention to detail,” he observed. “The way I see things, the only way I’ll possibly be able to garner a customer’s satisfaction is through my own satisfaction. I fashion everything I make as if it will be my own.”
The opening reception for the exhibit will be Wednesday, July 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. It is free to the public, as is admission to the exhibit. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m.
New Alliance Foundation sponsors the exhibit in part.
For more information contact the Guilford Art Center 203-453-5947 or visit www.guilfordartcenter.org.
Bob Terzuola’s ATCF remains among the most iconic of tactical folders and is featured in the latest BLADE®.
The Gunny shares his ample knife knowledge in the special military issue of BLADE®.
What are the top 5 U.S. military knives of all time? What’s it like to be married to the military, each other and knives all at the same time? Can the modern knife age be divided into two eras—before and after tactical folders? The latest issue of BLADE®, our special annual military issue, answers these questions and more, and is on newsstands and/or available in the digital editionnow!
The top 5 U.S. military knives of all time–wow, that covers a lot of ground, don’t you think? BLADE polled such military veterans as USMC Staff Sgt. R. Lee “The Gunny” Ermey, Special Forces MSG/BLADE field editor Kim Breed, Navy EOD Chief Petty Officer Rob Cude, Special Forces/Green Beret Mark Carey, USMC Sgt. Les George and others to determine the elite knife grouping. Find out the results on page 42.
Michael Zieba’s Trench Cleaver includes a handle from the iconic World War I Trench Knife in the latest BLADE®.
Army SFC Michael “Rod” Rodriguez (retired) of the 7th Special Forces Group and SFC Kelly Rodriguez and also CW3 Jeremy Valdez (retired) and Sgt. Rachel Valdez (retired) are respective husband-and-wife teams who saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now design knives for CRKT in the company’s “Forged By War” series. Read how these military heroes served their country above and beyond the call and their connection to knives—including Rod, who forges knives and had his portrait painted by President George W. Bush for Bush’s book, Portraits of Courage: A Commander In Chief’s Tribute To America’s Warriors—and more in Erin Healy’s story, “On-Point With Love & War.”
Ever since tactical folders became the hottest knives of all in the 1990s, knife observers have predicted time and again that the folders had peaked and/or were on their way out. Now, about a quarter of a century later, tactical folders maintain their lofty position as being among the most popular knives anywhere. Get the complete story on the longest-lasting knife trend going in Mike Haskew’s “The Renaissance Knife.”
See how many of the Top 5 U.S. Military knives of all time you can pick in the latest BLADE®!
There’s much more in the latest issue but you’re going to have to buy it to find out what all that entails. Get your copy on newsstands or the digital edition, or subscribe to the domestic, Canadian or international print editions, or to the digital edition now!
Buy low while you still can, Canadian knife collectors.
New CBSA Rule to Drive Prices Up
If you live in Canada, expect the price of most folding knives to go up, especially in secondary markets. Collectors may want to start stock up while prices are still at par.
The culprit is a new rule by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), in effect now, that prohibits the import of assisted openers and any manual folder that opens with centrifugal force. (Automatics were already restricted, but the rule covers them, too.) This only applies to imports, not knives already legal to own in Canada. Both businesses and individuals are impacted.
As BLADE reported here and here, it’s that centrifugal force qualifier that will especially limit Canadian knife enthusiasts’ choices. An inspecting CBSA official may open a blade halfway, give a flick of the wrist and determine the knife is prohibited.
If a knife can open with one hand, it’s not going to make it into Canada.
Existing Stock Will Dry Up
This wide leeway effectively ends the flow of fresh folders imported into Canada. That includes popular brands from the United States.
Imported folders already in Canada will remain on shelves and are not banned from purchase or possession. However, retailers won’t be able to reorder them.
More Investment Options than Ever Before
If anyone will benefit from this new CBSA rule, it’s enthusiasts with assisted openers and manual folders already in their collections. Mundane assisted openers and folders not originally thought of as collectibles are now investment pieces.
Collectors have more, safer bets in categories never considered before. That $50 flipper doesn’t look so insignificant anymore.
How High Could Prices Go?
It’s hard to say, but prices will only go in one direction in 2018. Beyond that is less certain. Rising prices reflect a market adjustment. Expect that prices will find a ceiling, then drop to a new normal. The trick will be to catch prices in secondary markets on the upswing before the fall happens.
Caution
The CBSA, a federal agency in Canada, cannot make laws. However, it can issue rules based on interpretations of existing law.
The rise in prices may press some Canadian collectors to try their luck with the CBSA and order folders/assisteds from outside the country. However, authorities are already working to stay one step ahead.
“The way the Canadian government figured out all the tricks on how to get knives into Canada was reading blade forums and watching YouTube where all these people were bragging and giving instructions on how to get knives into Canada,” Neil Ostroff, owner of True North Knives, told BLADE in an e-mail. Ostroff is originally from Canada, but now resides in the U.S.
The Bottom Line: Buy Low Now, Sell High Later
If you’re a knife collector in Canada, it’s time to start buying new assisted openers and folders while you still can. Hold on to them and wait to see where prices go in secondary markets.
Knowing what not to ask a knifemaker is almost as important as knowing what to ask him. (Point Seven photo)
When you buy a knife from a knifemaker, it’s your money and you have the right to ask him or her any question—within reason—about the knife. However, there are certain questions we recommend you ask and others we recommend you don’t ask. For instance:
•Don’t ask how long it took to make the knife. Why? For one, depending on the maker’s expertise and equipment, some knifemaking operations may take some makers longer than others. Some makers may have equipment that performs a knifemaking operation faster, or some makers may simply be faster than others. Besides, how long it takes to make something doesn’t always translate into it being better or worse. It’s the quality of the end product that matters, not how long it took to make it. Besides, the question is usually one asked by people new to knives—and you don’t want to look like a knife newbie, right? Professional makers who have been around many years have heard the question umpteen times, and while some makers are patient and will answer it, it’s a good way to get off on the wrong foot with others. And it’s almost always good to get off on the right foot with anyone, including knifemakers.
•If a price for a knife seems high, don’t ask incredulously, “That knife cost HOW much?” Most knifemakers take their work seriously. They know how much talent and work goes into a knife or how much the knife brings on the market—and some knives bring four figures and higher. If the price seems too high, simply acknowledge it or nod your head, thank the maker for his time and move on.
•Things to ask the maker include how long he’s been making knives; how he tests his knives for cutting ability; why he outfits a knife with a certain feature or how he achieved it/made it that way, such as a flat grind vs. a hollow grind, blade temper line, etc.; whether he’s a full or part time maker; does he accept custom orders and how long his waiting list is; and what knifemaking training he’s had or knifemaking schools he’s attended. There are others but this is a start.
For the latest knives, knife news and more, keep your eyes on www.blademag.com (www.blademag.com).
You Know Your Knifemakers, but Do You Know Knife Laws?
Knife Laws of the U.S., by renowned knife rights attorney Evan Nappen, is an indispensable guide to the legal issues every knife enthusiast should understand. It’s not just a book of laws, though. Nappen expertly explains the history behind knife regulation, the state of mind to have when dealing with law enforcement and the legal traps that are all too easy to fall into.
Order Knife Laws of the U.S. direct from BLADE here to get the best price. A few bucks can save you a lifetime of hassle.
The Tuxedo Fighter is a takedown combat utility knife by Tim Steingass. The takedown tool at upper right fits into the two tiny holes in the piece at bottom center, which is the linchpin for disassembly and assembly. At press time, Tim said he had so many orders he had closed his books. (SharpByCoop knife image)
The Tuxedo Fighter by Tim Steingass is a takedown combat utility knife the maker quipped is for guys “who like Tinkertoys®”—those who enjoy taking their knives apart and putting them back together.
As for the Tuxedo name, Tim said he got the idea for it from one of his customers for whom he made repros of three Bob Loveless small fighters.
“He got one with an ivory Micarta® handle and liked it so much he wanted a black-handled one,” Tim recalled. “I imagined he was going to wear it under his tuxedo and that gave me the idea for the Tuxedo Fighter.”
The fact that the fighter is small and fancy also seemed to fit the Tuxedo moniker.
“It’s not tactical, it has a shiny blade and beautiful, shiny handle, and all the fittings are polished and pretty and it comes with a horizontal, ambidextrous sheath,” Steingass added.
Made to be broken down and maintained, “the takedown is a great way to take care of a knife. It just shows the craftsmanship of the knife, frankly.”
See More Incredible Custom Knives at BLADE Show West
If the knife is well made, it will always have value. Josh Fisher’s bowie features a damascus blade of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels, and a handle of curly Tasmanian black wood. (Caleb Royer image)
Thinking of dipping your toe into the exciting world of collecting custom knives? Read these tips first.
What for Look for in a Custom Knife
Don’t buy or collect trends. Buying what’s “hot” today may mean selling at a loss tomorrow. Buy a knife because you like it, not because you think it will increase in value. If the knife is well made, it will always have value.
Decide what the knife will be used for and choose accordingly. Is it pleasing to your eye? Hold it and see how it feels in your hand.
Is it easy to carry? Is the edge geometry correct and are the grind lines even? Are there gaps at joints between the blade and guard? On a folder is there too much blade play—up and down and/or side to side?
Does the knife walk and talk? What about fit and finish?
Is the edge geometry correct and are the grind lines even? Are there gaps at joints between the blade and guard? Don Hanson’s folders exhibit tight fit and finish from stem to stern. (SharpByCoop image)
On a linerlock or framelock does the lock engage too late or too early? Is lockup tight? Feel the knife all over for hot spots and evaluate it in terms of quality construction and materials, creativity, etc.
If the knife is a fixed blade, a sheath can add value. However, the knife needs a sheath only if it is important to you, though it may affect resale value. A good sheath can cost $75 to $150 to have one made, so this is a good benchmark of value detraction.
On the other hand, some sheaths can be distinctive works of art that can add significantly to the knife’s overall appeal and value.
If the knife is a fixed blade, a sheath can add value. However, the knife needs a sheath only if it is important to you, though it may affect resale value. Zac Camacho offers a sheath with his zesty fixed blade in damascus and a handle of stabilized ancient bog oak. Overall length: 13.875 inches. (Caleb Royer edited image)
Commissioning a Completely New Custom Knife
Be wary of custom orders, as many things can go wrong, including long wait times before delivery, and makers who shun lengthy dialogue over what might be a healthy monetary investment on your part. Moreover, the finished knife may not meet your expectations.
Custom orders may be best for makers early in their careers. Veteran makers may wind up making a custom order that doesn’t represent their style, so the knife may not increase in value.
Place an order with enough time to pick the knife up at a time that works for you, such as during BLADE Show.
Determining Price of a Custom Knife
If you pay a high price for a knife, see if the maker has been in business for a number of years, has a strong following and that the knife is something special. Such a knife should be made of materials of a higher quality/more in demand than a less expensive model. An art dagger by Dennis Friedly with engraving by Gil Rudolph would appear to qualify on most all of these counts. (SharpByCoop image)
Never be afraid to ask a maker, purveyor or any seller why a knife costs what it does. Ask him/her for some background and history on the knife, both of which can embellish a knife’s value, especially if the knife is a vintage one.
If you pay a high price for a knife, see if the maker has been in business for a number of years, has a strong following and that the knife is something special. Such a knife should be made of materials of a higher quality/more in demand than a less expensive model.
If the maker is just starting out, be sure his knives are priced reasonably.
If the knife appears to be underpriced, be sure there’s not a mistake in its construction.
For a guide, check the prices of like knives on the sites of purveyors who have been in the business for a long time. They wouldn’t still be in business if they didn’t offer reasonable pricing.
Are Deposits Necessary?
One purveyor said you should never pay an upfront deposit on a custom order. No exceptions. Watch out for makers who claim to need the deposit to buy materials, etc. You are not a finance company.
Besides, as one purveyor said, “It’s unfortunately very human that it’s hard to get work done that is already paid for.”
Warranties
Ask for a written guarantee regarding what the maker will and will not cover in terms of damage caused by use/abuse, flaws in workmanship or materials (excluding natural materials that chip and crack), etc.
The warranty should last for the remainder the maker’s career.
