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.
The Elementum is the best-selling knife ever for Civivi, a special line from WE Knife. Simple, elegant, functional and utilitarian, the Elementum from Civivi is an exercise in minimalism, delivering everything that is essential to an everyday carry folder with nothing frivolous or impractical.
Boasting a drop point hollow ground blade in razor-sharp D2 or s35VN steel, caged ball bearing pivot, and a deep carry pocket clip the Elementum is a spec-heavy workhorse. With over 20 different styles available (including dealer exclusive models) there is an Elementum for everyone.
The “Plaza Cutlery Custom Knife Show” will be held on Saturday October 2nd and Sunday the 3rd, 2010
This show will be a return of the old “California Custom Knife Show” format and will be held at the Costa Mesa Hilton which hosted our show 2 years ago and also held the last “California Custom Knife Show”. We can get 75 tables in the show so that will be the maximum.
Shaped like a dragon, bat and lion, menuki (handle charms) are tucked under the cord-wrapped stingray skin handles of a trio of tanto knives by RJ Martin. (SharpByCoop image)
In Japanese sword culture, menuki are handle charms, often tucked under the silk wrappings of stingray skin grips. Like all aspects of Japanese swords, the charms are handmade—fashioned one at a time, sculpted, carved and engraved. They are for decorative purposes only, though one could argue that, if appropriately shaped, they’d add palpability, and perhaps, if lucky charms, good omens for sword wielders.
Along with “Agyo” and “Ungyo,” two Japanese temple guardians, engraved on the VG-10 blade of the “Yari” spear, this knife by Glenn Waters also sports an ebony handle and a silver dragon handle charm.
Knifemakers being knifemakers, whether American, German, Nordic, Australian, Indian or South African, these little handle charms have not gone unnoticed. They’ve been adopted by knifemakers wanting to add more elements of intrigue to their knives.
A knife’s ability to perform the cutting chores for which it was designed is the first priority, but ask any knifemaker, and he or she will tell you that form follows function. And sometimes it’s the aesthetics of a knife that catches the eye of a potential buyer.
So knifemakers pay attention to the details. They add amenities, embellish the pieces and fashion handle charms. And knife collectors are charmed, we’re sure.
For the first time, original Russian Spetsnaz knives are offered on American market. All these knives were handmade in Russia and passed rigorous tests by military Spetsnaz. Each knife has a unique identification number. Tough construction, great balance, and ability to stay sharp are just a few attributes of these special knives. The design and reliability make them very attractive to military personnel, hunters, and collectors.
Whether it’s because of knife restrictions, portability or preference, these little blades aren’t too cute to cut.
CRKT Snicker
Camillus Heater
KA-BAR Last Ditch
Hogue A01 MicroSwitch
CRKT Snicker
(CRKT image)
The CRKT Snicker debuted at BLADE Show 2017 and exemplifies the growing trend of blades measuring less than 2 inches.
“It serves a niche for those looking for a small blade that will tackle a variety of tasks and is a solid performer for CRKT,” explained company spokesperson Mike May. “Ease of use and ‘approachability’ are two key factors that make blades of this size popular. In areas with strict knife laws, the sub-2-inch blade can also help alleviate any concerns. In the case of the Snicker, its style and ergonomics make it an attractive small knife for consumer pockets as well.”
Blade Length: 1.846″ (46.89 mm)
Blade Edge: Plain
Blade Steel: 420J2, HRC 50-52
Blade Finish: Stonewash
Blade Thickness: 0.106″ (2.69 mm)
Closed Length: 2.938″ (74.63 mm)
Weight: 2.3 oz
Handle: Injection Molded Glass Reinforced Nylon
Style: Folding Knife w/Locking Liner
Overall Length: 4.688″ (119.08 mm)
Camillus Heater
(Camillus image)
When Camillus launched the Heater in 2015, the idea was much the same.
“It has and continues to be an extremely popular model since it debuted,” noted Sam Dodge, Camillus senior brand manager. “We can attribute this to two factors: function and convenience. We find that people are purchasing a knife for different jobs or tasks. The fact that the knife comes in a slightly smaller package makes it more convenient to [store].
“There are still purists that will have ‘one knife to rule them all,’ but more and more we see that people want a knife for each activity.”
Blade Treatment: Carbonitride Titanium
Blade Color: Black
Blade Edge: Smooth
Blade Grind: Hollow
Blade Style: Spear
Fixed Blade
Handle Color: Black
Hand Orientation: Left and Right
Includes: Chain, Molded Sheath, Clip
Handle material: Stainless Steel + Paracord
Main Blade Material: 440
Rockwell Hardness: HRC54
Lifetime Warranty
KA-BAR Last Ditch
(KA-BAR image)
The KA-BAR Last Ditch, commonly worn as a neck knife or laced into a boot, hit the shelves in 2008 and has been a top seller ever since.
“I think two of the biggest reasons why knives with blades under 2 inches are popular is due to concealability and ease of carry,” said Joe Bradley, KA-BAR sales and digital content manager. “Many folks don’t like to draw attention, and sometimes even an exposed pocket clips will do that. Small blades offer a tremendous blend of being lightweight with a small footprint.”
Overall Length: 3.625″
Blade Length: 1.625″
Blade Material: 9Cr18MoV
Hardness: 58-59 RC
Blade Style: Wharncliffe
Blade Grind: Flat
Finish: Black
Edge Type: Plain
Handle Length: 2.00″
Handle Material: Stainless Steel
Color: Black
Weight: 2.40 oz.
Sheath: Molded Polymer
Knife Type: Fixed Blade
Hogue A01 MicroSwitch
(Hogue Knives image)
The A01 MicroSwitch has been a hit since it was widely distributed in autumn 2017.
“It has been difficult to keep it in stock since its release,” he said. “It is the smallest knife in the Hogue Knives line, and there has been tremendous interest in it. It moves briskly at trade shows, through dealers and over our retail website.”
Crook considers many factors that weigh in on the wave of popularity in small knives. Among these is the company’s location in California, where he says anything larger in an automatic is illegal.
Blade Length: 1.95″
Overall Length: 5.8”
Closed Length: 3.85”
Weight: 2.7oz
Mechanism: Automatic Button Deployment with Manual Safety
Handle Material (Frame): 6061-T6 Anodized Aluminum
Pocket Clip: Stainless Steel Ambidextrous Tip Up Carry
Blade Style: Drop Point
Blade Thickness: 0.12”
Blade Material: CPM154 Stainless Steel
Blade Hardness: RC 57-59
Blade Treatment: Cryogenically Treated
Blade Finish: Tumbled Finish
The World’s Greatest Knife Book
The KNIVES annual book is back and better than ever. Here’s what you can expect:
320 pages
Beautiful, full-color photos of knives and accessories
Comprehensive directory of custom knifemakers
In-depth features about knife collecting and making knives
Examples of the latest trends in knife designs and knifemaking materials
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.
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.
No. 1 for knife enthusiast Nick Morgan is the Chris Reeve Sebenza. “The tolerances are so much better on Chris Reeve knives than any other production knives, and you’ll find just about perfect fit and finish on every model. I love the blade and handle shapes, and the plain, simple looks are beautiful,” he said.
The Spyderco Sage2 is second on Morgan’s list. “I love the deep-carry wire clip—for my money the best clip in the industry,” he stated. “The profile of the titanium Sage2 is thinner than the carbon fiber Sage1, so using and carrying it is noticeably nicer.”
Morgan said the Benchmade 940 is a blast to play with due to the AXIS lock. “It’s super easy to open and close, and it’s fast!” he emphasized. “The reverse tanto blade shape is my favorite. For cutting, whittling and stabbing, it’s strong, sharp and great looking. It’s the best knife to sit in front of the TV and flip open/closed hundreds of times.”
Next on Morgan’s list is the DPx HEST 2.0, “a knife that can survive heavy-duty use day after day. I love the functional blade shape and, at 3.25 inches, it’s big enough for 99 percent of my cutting tasks while not being too big that it scares people when I use it in public. It locks up solidly like the Sebenza and I love the extra features—bottle opener, wire stripper and glass breaker/skull crusher, the latter which is really nicely executed. My favorite feature is the bayonet clip—it buries so deep in the pocket that nobody suspects I’ve got a knife on me.”
Last on Morgan’s list is what he terms the “best-bang-for-the-buck” knife: the Large Buck Vantage Pro. “It has a great blade and handle shape, I love the flipper, it has top quality blade steel [CPM S30V] and handle material, an excellent deep-carry bayonet clip, it’s USA made and has a nice, slim profile. Best of all,” he added, “it’s less than half the cost of every other knife on my list.”
