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Knife Collecting

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.

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ALL Ivory Targeted By Proposed Law Change

Steve Shackleford
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ALL Ivory Targeted By Proposed Law Change

SandyEPA3RevisionLogoThe proposed change to the federal ivory laws proposed 13 months ago is finally out, and the news is as bad as expected. In essence, the change is designed to stop all trade in elephant ivory in the USA, no matter how old the ivory is.

According to the Elephant Protection Association, winner of the BLADE Magazine 2015 Publisher’s Award for its efforts to protect the legal ivory of all Americans, the new regulation is based on three false premises. Those are:

•Elephant poaching in Africa is escalating. This is false. CITES data indicate poaching numbers have fallen since 2011 due to enhanced enforcement of existing law;

•Large amounts of illegal ivory are being imported into the USA and this is driving the elephant poaching problems in Africa. Again, false. The truth is that both CITES and U.S. data indicate illicit ivory imports to the USA are insignificant;

•Since the law punishes Americans and their ivory, the Chinese consumers who are causing the poaching problems will abandon their cultural need for ivory. This is patently absurd. Chinese demand for illicit ivory is independent from U.S. trade in domestic legal ivory.

According to Sandra Brady of the Elephant Protection Association, one thing to remember is that for you to qualify for the small amount of elephant ivory that will be allowed under the new regs, you have to meet ALL the requirements and be able to PROVE it. She added that the association would be sending out letter suggestions to concerned citizens on how to defeat the new regs. The letters should go to Fish and Wildlife Service, your congress people and senators.

For more information on how you can fight this oppressive federal elephant ivory grab, visit elephantprotection.org.

 

KA-BAR Announces Its First Ek Knife

Steve Shackleford
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KA-BAR Announces Its First Ek Knife
The World War II vintage Ek Model 4 had a wider blade and a wooden handle.
The World War II vintage Ek Model 4 had a wider blade and a wooden handle.

KA-BAR has announced its long-awaited reintroduction of the Ek Commando Knife line with its update of the Ek Model 4.

The Model 4 sports a 6.625-inch double-edged blade of 1095 Cro-Van carbon steel, an “S” double guard, a textured glass-filled nylon handle and traditional X-head fasteners. It features a Celcon® sheath with a retaining strap, a self-locking function and multiple tie-down points. MSRP: $125.40.

With its modern materials, double guard and much-more-streamlined shape, the new Model 4 is a far cry from the World War II-vintage version, which had a wider blade and a wooden handle with an integral single guard and a bulbous pommel. The new Model 4’s handle shape with X-head fasteners is in keeping with later versions of Ek knives.

EK BACKGROUND

The new KA-BAR Ed Model 4 is streamlined and made of modern materials.
The new KA-BAR Ed Model 4 is streamlined and made of modern materials.

John Ek created Ek Knives in 1941. He contributed to the World War II effort by overseeing the production of knives for most all American service branches from his Hamden, Connecticut, shop. He employed disabled Americans to help build six knife models during the war.

He called the knives “Ek Commando Knives” for their intended purpose of close-quarter combat. He began registering each knife’s serial number to its original owner in 1943. The Ek Commando Knife became a hallmark of the U.S. Marine Raiders and other American special operation units during the war. At the peak of wartime production, he employed three shifts working seven days a week making knives, and is reported to have sold over 100,000 models by war’s end.

U.S. troops have carried Ek Commando Knives in every major American conflict since World War II.

Ek moved his shop to Miami, Florida, in 1949, and continued to make knives for private sale to military men, with thousands of his knives seeing service in Korea and Vietnam. He died in October 1972 and his son, Gary, took over the business. Robert A. Buerlein obtained the rights to Ek Knives in 1981 and resumed production in 1982. Blackjack Knives bought Ek in 1993 and sold it to Century International Arms in 1997. KA-BAR acquired the Ek knife brand last year.

For more on the new Model 4, visit Ekknives.com.

The latest issue of BLADE is on newsstands now!Recommended:

Stay abreast of the latest developments on this and many more knife rights issues with a subscription to BLADE.

Five Best Antique Knife Books?

Joe Kertzman
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Five Best Antique Knife Books?

Find out how author, knife collector, BLADE® Magazine field editor and antique knife authority Richard D. White ranked his favorite price and information guides to collectible knives.

DSCN4728White says he asks a series of questions, such as, “Does the book accurately document a brand history, its years of production, and have enough sidebar histories, distinctive specimens and interesting stories that provide ‘meat to the bone?'” Or, “Is the book a ‘quality publication’? Are the photographs professionally done? Are the line drawings clear, accurately scaled and detailed? Is the book well printed? What about the book’s organization? Does it have a glossary of commonly used terms? Does it include a value guide? Does it have widespread appeal?”

Using such guidelines, White names Levine’s Guide To Knives And Their Values, 4th Edition (click here for the newest, 7th Edition of BLADE’s Guide To Knives & Their Values) and American Premium Guide To Knives and Razors, 6th Edition (click here for the eBook version of the newest 7th Edition of American Premium Guide to Knives & Razors) by Jim Sargent as two of his Top Five Best Antique Knife Books.

See the August 2015 issue of BLADE for the other titles he names, as well as for the complete, detailed and fascinating story of how he finally came up with a final five.

SHOT: Edged Evolution of Change

Steve Shackleford
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SHOT: Edged Evolution of Change
Outdoor Edge Harpoon.
The Harpoon designed by Jerry Hossom is new from Outdoor Edge.

The factory knife industry is always evolving and the evolution of change exhibited by the latest and greatest sharp stuff at the 2015 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas was a case in point.

Automatics appeared in increasing numbers, both by companies known for them, such as Pro-Tech and Benchmade (CLA or Composite Lite Auto), and those not known for them as much, including Buck (Impact), Kershaw (Launch 1, 2 and 3), Hogue (EX-AO1, AO3 and AO2) and Timberline (18-Delta). Machetes were in abundance, including those by Outdoor Edge (Brush Demon), CRKT (Mah-Chete designed by Liong Mah), Timberline (Machete Survival System), Condor (Duku and Mini Duku) and the CHOP slated for a BLADE Show debut by DPx Gear. More in big fixed blades included a bolo (Jungle Bolo) and a bowie knife (Jungle Clip-Point) from Benchmade, the Camp 12 by Kershaw, a Steel Will bowie and also tactical fixed blades, the latter including a stretched-out-and flatter version of the Jerry Fisk Sendero in CPM S30V from White River, and Canal Street Cutlery’s Green River Tactical Knives in D2 tool steel with handle slabs by VZ Grips and model numbers based on special dates/battles of the Iraq and Persian Gulf Wars.

Also proliferating were models in a tomahawk, hatchet or hatchet configuration from 5.11 Tactical, Hogue, Spyderco (Szabohawk), Kershaw (Tinder), SOG Specialty Knives & Tools (Survival Hawk), Timberline (Tomahawk CBT/Combat Breaching Tool) and Puma (Tomahawk XP and Packable Hatchet). A design collaboration with Allen Elishewitz, the Hogue model is especially noteworthy with hammer poll and spike attachments to make it two hawks in one.

Chef'sChoice Hybrid.
The new Chef’s Choice Hybrid AngleSelect from Edgecraft combines electrice and manual sharpening stages and is desgined for sharpening traditional European/American at a 20° angle and Asian style knives at a 15° angle.

Knives designed by or dedicated to military heroes were highlighted by a Case V-42 based on vintage drawings of the original model made for World War II’s First Special Service Force, the father of today’s spec ops units, with two surviving FSSF members—93-year-old Eugene Gutierrez and Del Stonehouse, 90—on hand at the Case booth to visit with show attendees. Buck offered the 245 Matt Would Go Knife designed by Navy SEAL Matthew J. Leathers, who was lost at sea during open ocean training exercises in 2013. Camillus featured new tactical fixed-blade designs by retired Green Beret Grady Powell and retired Navy SEAL Jared Ogden of National Geographic TV’s Ultimate Survival Alaska. (Editor’s note: All of the preceding military knives will be featured in special stories in an upcoming BLADE®.)

Other knives with a celebrity influence include new Kutmaster fixed blades inspired by the Pigman TV series. Condor premiered the Primitive Bush Knife used by survivalist Matt Graham on the Discovery Channel’s Dual Survival reality show.

It’s not a knife event without new tactical folders. Emerson Knives, Inc., debuted four entries—the Sheepdog, Iron Dragon, Hattin and Combat Systems Fighter—and Kershaw a larger version of its most popular Emerson collaboration, the CQC-4KXL. Coast Cutlery presented three smooth-opening, economical tactical folders (models TX399, TX395 and TX360) with design input from Spec Ops personnel. Krudo had four new folder designs—three flippers and an Asian-influenced model with a modified tanto blade called the Dao.

Other introduced models and items of note include:

  • ESEE’s long-awaited Camp-Lore bushcraft series, the Ontario Bushcraft Woodsman chopper and the Saker, a bushcraft design by BLADE contributor Abe Elias for CRKT;
  • Zero Tolerance addressed the lower-end and smaller-knife industry segments with smaller folders (the 0450 and 0452CF) designed by Dmitry Sinkevich in the $200 MSRP range, and also introduced the model 0630 folder which includes Ernest Emerson’s wave-opening feature;
  • DPx is working on a new version of its pivoting-handle-and-blade-guard design, also set for a BLADE Show debut, that is easier to operate and will be in a skinning knife configuration;
  • White River’s hunting knife collaborations with Fisk, the Sendero Bush knife, with CPM S30V blade steel and an MSRP of $220;
  • Hogue and Benchmade (a river knife) fixed blades with lock-and-switch-release sheaths for both secure knife carry and easy deployment;
  • For the ladies, 5.11 Tactical’s black folders with assorted handle color inserts with matching anodized liners;
  • Traditional pocketknives by Queen that include Schatt & Morgan Anglo-Saxon patterns and those by Case in handles by Eagle Grips;
  • Timberline’s Trophy Drop-Point hunters designed by knifemaker/professional Alaskan hunting guide Russ Kommer;
  • Spartan Blades is developing a lapel dagger and a redo of an old Bill Harsey tactical folder design;
  • Smith’s and its new Edgesport outdoor specialty tools and product line includes a natural tinder maker w/fire starter ($8.99 MSRP); Pack Pal Sharpener and Fire Starter w/emergency whistle ($9.99 MSRP); Pocket Pal X2 Sharpener and Survival Tool (sharpener, LED light, compass, whistle and fire starter, $14.99 MSRP); Survival Knife (a folder w/sharpener, whistle and fire starter, $19.99 MSRP); Survival Knife and Kit (w/collapsible silicon cup, fishing kit, duct tape, safety pins, emergency blanket, zip ties and tinder, $39.99); and Ultimate Survival Kit and Multi Tool 10-N-1 Multi-tool w/basic survival and first-aid kit, $49.99 MSRP).

The latest issue of BLADE is on newsstands now!Recommended:

Stay abreast of the latest developments on this and many more knife rights issues with a subscription to BLADE.

Photo Gallery: Warm Up With 8 Hot New 2015 CRKT Knives!

Steve Shackleford
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Photo Gallery: Warm Up With 8 Hot New 2015 CRKT Knives!

The recent Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas introduced many new factory knives from many production companies, including several fresh models from CRKT. Here are eight of CRKT’s latest cutters.

CRKT Saker

Image 1 of 8

The CRKT Saker is a bushcraft knife designed by BLADE® Magazine contributor Abe Elias. It features a Scandi-ground blade of 1075 carbon steel, a walnut handle and leather sheath. It includes a special bushcraft tool for scraping, pitch harvesting, wedge splitting or prying.

Recommended for You:

S3400_2015_Blade_Knife2015 BLADE Show CRKT Tighe Rade™

This is a numbered Official BLADE Show Exclusive knife with limited quantity – only 300 available! Each custom Tighe Rade™ knife touts the Blade Show logo.

Designed by Brian Tighe, this knife is anything but understated. The textured and grooved aluminum handle complements the multi-purpose compound ground blade. The tip of the blade is reinforced, making it ideal for stronger cutting applications, while the area of the blade closer to the handle is optimal for finer cutting tasks and wire stripping. Keeping the blade secure is a button lock, allowing you to efficiently deploy the blade with a flipper or ambidextrous dual thumb studs. If you’re looking for a versatile blade with extreme style and sophistication, this is it. Learn more

Collecting Knives By One Maker

Joe Kertzman
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Collecting Knives By One Maker

In the April 2015 issue of BLADE® is a fascinating feature article about four knife collectors whose collections each consist overwhelmingly of the knives of one knifemaker only. The collectors and the makers they collect? The article, written by Stephen Garger, lists Chris Schluter, who enjoys accumulating the knives of Bob Terzuola; Tony Wang, who began collecting Bob Lum knives in the late 1980s; Tashi Bharucha, whose collection focuses on Tom Mayo knives; and Don Deckert who collects Ernest Emerson knives. attachment-2

Don Deckert’s collection of Ernest Emerson customs includes these seven (left) very early “garage make” pre-tac knives.

The feature starts:

You’ve heard of people collecting dozens, even hundreds of assorted genres of knives, but have you heard of collectors amassing up to 100 or more knives of a single maker? Chris Schluter knows of such collectors and suggested the phenomenon as a topic for a BLADE story.

Chris enjoys accumulating the knives of Bob Terzuola and is one of several who practice the one-maker approach to knife collecting. See the April 2015 issue of BLADE to read the rest of the article, or click here.MayoCollec

Tashi Bharucha’s Tom Mayo collection (left) features at least 55 of the popular maker’s knives, including one of Bharucha’s designs, the “Mayo Chopper,” though Mayo calls it “The Tashinator.”

Sharp Knives of the SHOT Show

Steve Shackleford
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Sharp Knives of the SHOT Show
Orange handle rocks Victorinox Hunter Pro.
The Hunter Pro from Victorinox is hard to miss in the new orange handle.
Kershaw booth, SHOT Show.
The Kershaw booth was abuzz with activity at the SHOT Show.

The latest in factory knives and accessories were among the surest of bets at the recent Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor, Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas.

New automatics—no doubt spurred in part by the recent repeal of antiquated switchblade bans in a number of states, a move led by pro-knife groups Knife Rights and the American Knife & Tool Institute—were introduced by such companies as Buck, Kershaw, Hogue, Timberline, Pro-Tech and Benchmade. Tomahawks/hatchets were also a hot item, with new versions offered by Spyderco, Puma, 5.11 Tactical, Hogue, Kershaw, SOG and Camillus. Big knives, including machetes, bowies, bolos and camp models, also sizzled, with DPx Gear, Benchmade, CRKT, HK, Steel Will, Outdoor Edge and Condor Tool & Knife  among those in the mix.

There were a number of other knives of note, including a new lightweight tactical fixed blade designed by ABS master smith Jerry Fisk based on a longer, flattened out version of his Sendero hunter for White River Knife & Tool. Canal Street Cutlery, in a departure for it, also offered a new tactical fixed blade with slabs provided by VZ Grips and models named after battles of the Iraq War.

Buck Knives, Impact
With its Impact model, Buck was among the companies introducing new automatics at the SHOT Show.

Smooth-operating folders abounded, including the reasonably priced Hootenanny designed by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Ken Onion for CRKT. Emerson Knives, Inc., had four new tactical folder models: the Iron Dragon, Sheepdog, Hattin and Combat Systems Fighter. Coast Cutlery featured a number of reasonably priced tactical folders, all designed with specific input from spec ops personnel. SOG presented a small utility folder in its SOG-light series with four brilliant LEDs and a thin, lightweight profile—notable in terms of incorporating lights, lightweight and slender ergonomics in a folding knife.

“Celebrity steel” also proliferated, including a new Utica/Kutmaster knife inspired by the Pigman TV series, tactical fixed blades designed for Camillus by retired Green Beret Grady Powell and retired Navy SEAL Jared Ogden of TV’s Ultimate Survival Alaska, and a chopper from Condor used by survivalist Matt Graham on TV’s Dual Survival.

Meanwhile, Buck presented the 245 Matt Would Go knife based on the design of Navy SEAL Matthew Leathers. Leathers gave his life for his country in 2013 when he was lost at sea during open ocean training exercises.

Smith's Edgesport 10-N-1 Suvival Multi-Tool offers 10 different survival tools in one.
Smith’s Edgesport 10-N-1 Suvival Multi-Tool offers 10 different survival tools in one.

Mora introduced what for it is a higher-end kitchen knife set—three models in birch handles and 14C28N Swedish Sandvik steel at an MSRP of $299. Zero Tolerance offered new, smaller folders in the $200 MSRP range, and Kershaw introduced a new, larger version of its CQC-4 Ernest Emerson collaboration. Spyderco presented a number of new models, including a Craig Douglas (aka “Southnarc”)/Michael Janich “two-way” fixed blade called the “Reverse” in which the handle slabs can be detached and the knife flipped/reversed and the handles reattached, resulting in mirror-image “edge-out” ergonomics, or two knives in one. Meanwhile, ESEE announced the debut of its long-awaited bushcraft line of fixed blades.

Case introduced its “reborn” version of the V-42 with a special hollow grind based on the original blueprint of the knife made famous by the First Special Service Force, the father of today’s spec ops units, of World War II. A special treat was two surviving members of the FSSF—90-year-old Del Stonehouse and 93-year-old Eugene Gutierrez—on hand at the Case booth. Look for a special story on them in a future issue of BLADE® magazine.

For the complete rundown on the knives from the SHOT Show, see the June BLADE in March.

GROUP-T1346-T1348Recommended for You:

KNIVES 2015

See the latest knives, swords, and edges of all types, and explore the latest trends in blades, steels, styles, and materials. Gaze upon a “State of the Art” section parading engraved, scrimshawed, jewel-inlaid, carved, etched, sculpted and forge-welded, and Damascus and mosaic-damascus knives. Click here.

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