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.
BLADE magazine review: For an MSRP of $60, it’s tough to beat the Buck Inertia as an EDC knife. The locking blade keeps accidental opens at a minimum. (Mary Lou Ayres photo)
Why the Buck Inertia is a Great EDC Knife
The Buck 293 Inertia Assisted Folding Knife stands out with a mechanism to lock the blade closed. An open blade in a waistband or pocket could be a painful, bloody mess.
With the lock disengaged, pushing the hole in the blade opened the knife smoothly and strongly without it threatening to jump from my hand. The liner locked the blade open securely.
On all cutting materials the drop-point blade performed with predictable results—well. I mean, come on, it’s a Buck!
The skeletonized scales lightened the knife and gave it a nice balance right at the index finger. The clip was strong but a little too short to prevent the knife from moving when worn with elastic-waisted athletic pants. The tip-up position required a shift of grip to get to a cutting hold after withdrawing the knife.
Cutting strips of dried palm fronds with the Buck Inertia. (Mary Lou Ayres photo)
The Verdict
All in all, the Inertia is a good example of a contemporary assisted opener at a modest price from an old-line company known for decades of quality.
Top makers explain how they collaborate with knife companies.
The old cliché of the win-win holds a real grain of truth. Any successful partnership must be mutually beneficial, and in the knife industry the phenomenon of the collaboration has come to exemplify the upside of working together.
Years ago, a veteran custom knifemaker described his relationship with a major manufacturer as serving as the company’s research and development department. Such a description is accurate in that the manufacturer often relies on the custom maker for new design inspiration, from good looks to materials and mechanics. The collaboration has emerged in the last 35 years or so as an outstanding means of bringing innovation to the public and putting first-rate knives in the hands of the mass market.
The ins and outs, nuts and bolts, and give and take of the collaboration process raise questions for makers interested in striking deals of their own. A few comments from makers who have achieved great success on the collaboration frontier offer helpful insights.
“It goes both ways,” observed BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Bob Terzuola, who indicated he completed his firstfactory collaboration with fellow Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Sal Glesser and the design team at Spyderco in 1989. “You can go to the company or the company can come to you depending on your notoriety. If you are just starting out, you probably have to go to the company.”
On the business side of the ledger, Suzi Terzuola takes the lead and has demonstrated proficiency in making the deal work for everyone involved. Her flair for negotiation and finding the right blend of maker-manufacturer cooperation has been demonstrated through the years as Bob has worked not only with Spyderco but also the old Camillus, Boker, Fox, Pro-Tech, Tactile Knife Co. and others.
BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Bob Terzuola has done collaborations with many companies, including the Bob Terzuola ATCF Auto Ultimate from Pro-Tech, the BLADE Magazine 2022 Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year®. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven knife image)
“I was raised by parents with their own successful businesses,” Suzi observed, “and I saw Bob receiving passive income from Spyderco and Camillus, and of course passive income is how you survive after having only so many years to make knives. I began looking at the knife designs Bob had and tried to match the design to the company. Bob has patents lining the walls, and when he lends his name to a knife he should receive a signing bonus and a bonus against the royalties.”
In return for his design skill and the use of his name in promotions, Bob has certainly established himself as a leader among successful custom collaborators. His contribution to a company’s success has enhanced his reputation of excellence across the industry, while Suzi has forged a business posture that results in security for the future.
Knife Collaboration Contracts
The contract is the key component of a collaborative deal, and depending on the circumstances everything is negotiable. Although early agreements made among friends were sometimes done on a handshake, it has become a “best practice” to hammer out the terms of the collaboration on paper, invest in an attorney’s review, and formally memorialize the discussions. Standard royalties run roughly 5 percent of the price at which the company sells the knife.
The Terzuolas include a period of time in which the company is allowed to produce the knife; the period may be extended at maturity with the agreement of both parties. Further, there may be a requirement that the company produces a certain number of knives in a given time period, also renewable. Restrictions on wholesale pricing or discounts that affect royalties may also be negotiated.
For those considering a foray into collaborations, Bob and Suzi offer some advice: “If you’re a new maker, you shouldn’t just walk up to [the company’s] booth at a show. Make an appointment to see them because they are at the show to deal with customers. Approach a company with one or more finished designs. They want a package presented to them, a prototype or existing model, something they can hold in their hands, and in the case of a prototype it’s good to have as many innovations and design creations as you can—anything that will set the knife apart from other potential deals out there.”
Lucas Burnley has designed several iterations of his Kwaiken for Boker, including the Kwaiken Auto Frazetta.
Suzi added that a higher profile in the industry can drive success.
“We are the R&D for a knife company,” she noted, “and when you approach them for a collaboration your social media resumé is very important.”
Making custom knives since 1994, Darriel Caston has concluded collaborations with numerous companies, including CRKT, Spyderco, Boker, V Nives, Kansept Knives and more.
“I’m prolific when it comes to designs,” he affirmed. “There are probably about 300 that I will never get to making. I’m an engineer by trade and my 3D drawings are almost ready for production, and that helps with the deals. They ask for STEP files [standardized 3D model data files for CAD and 3D printing] that can go right into machining. Sometimes we work with a prototype, and sometimes we work with a knife that I have been doing for quite a while.”
According to Darriel, one significant element of the collaboration is the retention of the rights to the design.
“Anybody who wants to do a collaboration must put footprints in the sand, get their work out there and show a story,” custom knifemaker Darriel Caston observed. One of his latest designs for CRKT is the blacked-out MinimalX framelock folder, an evolution of a knife originally made for SpaceX to commemorate a rocket launch.
“You never want to give up your design,” he warned. “I would license the design to the company usually up to four or five years, and the average is three years. After that, you can discuss if you want to continue if the relationship has been good for both parties. License the design and never sell it. If a company buys the design, then they own it forever. If it became their best seller, I could never make the knife again, and I would have to stay away from anything that looks like it.”
For Caston, every deal starts with a friendly conversation. As progress is made, attorneys draw up the contract. He sees the process as straightforward, whether dealing with an American manufacturer or a company headquartered in a foreign country.
“I find the knife community for the most part to be very honorable,” he commented. “I haven’t run into any bad juju. When you want to do a collaboration, I tell people they need to have a name and a track record of good designs with people following them on social media and stuff.”
Since his first collaboration—with Spyderco in 2015—Darriel can speak with confidence regarding the potential for success.
“It would be rare for someone to take a design to a company without a history or a footprint there. They look for your story,” he noted. “Anybody who wants to do a collaboration must put footprints in the sand, get their work out there and show a story. Then it becomes easier.”
Getting A Collab Off The Ground
Darriel Caston has concluded collaborations with several companies. “I’m prolific when it comes to designs,” he affirmed. “There are probably about 300 that I will never get to making.” Now discontinued, the Squarehead was one of his early collaborations with Spyderco.
Custom maker/U.S. Marine Corps veteran Les George found early collaboration success at the SHOT Show some years back. He approached Pro-Tech a decade ago, and the association has continued since then.
“I had just finished my first batch of VECP [Value Engineering Change Proposal] mid-tech knives,” he remembered, “and I thought it would be cool to see Pro-Tech make the knife in an automatic. So, I did the CAD work to change the knife to an automatic and walked up to their booth at the SHOT Show. I asked to speak to the owner, and Dave Wattenberg came over and shook my hand. I drew a big breath and told him, ‘My name is Les George and I am a knifemaker and I have a design I think would be a great knife for you to make as an auto and I already have the CAD done would you like to see it?’ I said that all as one sentence in one breath!”
Still, a pragmatic view of the collaboration landscape demands preparation and planning. A so-called “cold call” may not meet with success.
“It depends on the company whether a direct approach will work or not,” George conceded. “Don’t walk up to a company at the BLADE Show and tell them you’re a hot maker and they should pay you to make one of your designs. Instead, walk up, introduce yourself, and show them with CAD pictures, a 3D printed model, or a real knife, and tell them why you think it would be awesome to work with them on a production project.”
When it comes to her husband Bob’s collaborations, Suzi Terzuola takes the lead and has demonstrated proficiency in making the deal work for everyone involved. An example of several overseas Terzuola collaborations is the Clap from Italy’s Maniago Knife Makers.
Les sees the components of a particular collaboration deal varying. Of course, some of the structure depends on the negotiating skills of the parties. Commonly, the compensation may revolve around a percentage of dealer or distributor pricing on each unit, and particular deals may extend as long as each party is pleased with the progress.
“Collaborations should run as long as they are profitable,” Les remarked. “Companies don’t generally kill a successful project unless there is a capacity constraint issue or something else outside hindering it. Both parties can end the deal at any time with some allowances for production to finish with the things they have in progress already. Every contract I have ever seen gives one company the rights to exclusively make a particular model. My contracts have a provision that I can make as many customs of my models as I want. In the end, it would be counterproductive to license the same model to multiple companies. The maker would be competing with himself at that point, and it’s not helping the companies.”
Priming The Pump
Award-winning maker Lucas Burnley appreciates the help of friends in establishing a firm footing for collaboration.
“In general, I’m a big fan of pulling on my network,” he said. “If you have someone you can reach out to for an introduction, that’s always a strong move. If you don’t have someone to make an introduction, you might be able to ask around and at least figure out who you need to talk to. Regardless of how you get your foot in the door, I highly recommend going to a knife show and trying to set up a meeting in person.
“A design is only one part of a collaboration,” he continued, “so bring your ‘A’ game and think about what other value you can provide for the company. I was introduced to Boker by Jens Anso and Jesper Voxnaes, and Ken Onion put in a good word for me with Columbia River Knife & Tool. I’ll be forever grateful for those introductions and the relationships behind them. I’ve been able to pay it forward a few times, and hopefully I’ll be able to do it many more times in the years to come.”
Les George’s V14 dagger design for Spartan Blades was the BLADE Magazine 2014 Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year®.
In Burnley’s experience, contracts provide compensation most often in the form of monthly or quarterly royalties based on a percentage of sales. One-time lump sum payments are also seen; however, the income generated depends on the goals of the two parties involved.
“I want my designs to run until my grandkids are old enough to thank me for my good decisions,” he laughed. “If a model is selling, I want it to keep selling. On the flip side, I will routinely ask what models we can kill if they aren’t pulling their weight.
“One caveat here is that if a design is still in production, I want to get paid for it,” he concluded. “Some companies will offer a contract for a set period of time but have the option of continuing to produce the model. I view this as somewhat akin to a one-time payout. If it works for you great; just make sure you are paying attention.”
George specifically limits the number of companies he works with in order to give the relationships the priority he believes they deserve. Consistency, he says, is huge. Real, solid collaborations are not “get-rich-quick schemes.” He remembers getting his first collaboration check in 2014 totaling a whopping $6.
“A design is only one part of a collaboration,” Lucas Burnley observed, “so bring your ‘A’ game and think about what other value you can provide for the company.” His Tuna Compact framelock design for CRKT is one of his latest collaborations. “A design is only one part of a collaboration,” Lucas Burnley observed, “so bring your ‘A’ game and think about what other value you can provide for the company.” His Tuna Compact framelock design for CRKT is one of his latest collaborations.
Times change—and checks change with good business practices, commitment, follow through, and most of all a process from contract to design and product that proves profitable for everyone.
ABS master smith Ron Newton calls the damascus on his bowie “Newt’s Wootz.” (Chuck Ward photo)
Damascus steel has fascinated blade enthusiasts since 11th-century Crusaders first brought tales of it home from the Crusades—and the steel lives in style today on many of the custom knife industry’s leading blades.
Moran named the ladder-pattern damascus, seen herein on the sub-hilt piece by Bill Behnke, after the Biblical Jacob’s Ladder. Note the “rungs” that run vertically on the blade from guard to tip, constituting the “ladder.” Steve Nolte’s wide skinner herein showcases the steel known as mosaic damascus, or also “canned steel.” There are any number of versions of it, and they are most all breathtaking.
Mosaic damascus lights up the blade of Steve Nolte’s wide skinner. (Chuck Ward photo)
Ron Newton’s “Newt’s Wootz” on his bowie herein is another of the maker’s astounding damascus steels. The damascus blade has a “Newt’s Wootz” core with 9mm handguns and AR-15 rifles plugged into the core and surrounded by tight Turkish twist bars of 1095 and 15N20 carbon steels. The two phrases in the core read “Right to keep and bear arms” and “Just try to take them.” The guard and finial knob are of a single twist damascus. The handle is six-bar Turkish twist damascus.
For the latest knives, knife news, trends, tips and more, stay tuned to www.blademag.com.
This show is a homecoming for us–we attended some great shows at this hotel back when it was the Hyatt-Regency, and Knoxville was home to several Blade Shows when we were producing that show. The Marriott is next door to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, and convenient to the National Knife Museum, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a convenient location with a 1 day drive of over 60% of the nation’s population.
Booths available or manufacturers. Handmade section. Door prizes.
Join Gary Blanchard, Gil Hibben, Great Eastern Knives, Blue Ridge Knives, the National Knife Collectors Association, J. Bruce Voyles, Auctioneers, Jim Sargent, Les Robertson, Bob Neal and hundreds more exhibitors at this New show in a long enjoyed location.
Also Usual Suspect Network members and NKCA members admitted with special discounts.
plus any Police, Fire, EMT, or U. S. Military FREE with valid ID.
A sushi knife that developed a taste for Texas brisket.
You might say Daniel O’Connor’s Black Widow leads a double life. It started as a sushi knife but when one of Daniel’s Texas pals said it looked like it would make a great brisket knife, O’Connor went with the flow, telling his friend, “It’s about whatever you want it to be.”
Based on a kiritsuke yanagi-ba sushi knife, Black Widow features a damascus of 150 layers of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels. Daniel forged the steels in a square and then forged them flat, perpendicular to the original stack. This resulted in the edges of the layers showing up in more or less straight lines, what Japanese swordsmiths call masame hada.
The accompanying image of the knife’s butt shows how the layers distorted when forged on edge. Daniel indicated he will use the pattern in the future.
Black Widow Specs Blade length: 12” Blade grind: A double urashi—double bevel w/a slight hollow on each side Handle: Bocote burl w/red fiber liners Bolster: Bog oak Overall length: 17” Sheath: Irish yew and bog oak Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $1,500
The best in blade and handle materials decorated some of the most creative folder designs anywhere at the recent New York Custom Knife Show. Enjoy seven of them in all their glory on this and the facing page.
Alan Hollerbach Flipper Folder
Alan Hollerbach’s flipper folder has a 4-inch hollow-ground blade of damascus forged by Baker Forge & Tool, and scales of Fatcarbon carbon fiber and carbon fiber inlays. All hardware is titanium. Closed length: 4.5 inches.
Eyal Landesman Mini Tritan Flipper
The Mini Tritan flipper folder by Eyal Landesman sports a 3.5-inch blade of mirror-polished RWL34 stainless steel. The mosaic “fish scale” inlay includes assorted “scales” of black-lip and white mother-of-pearl. Closed length: 4 inches.
Corrado Moro Vantage Framelock Flipper Folder
The Vantage framelock flipper folder by Corrado Moro features a 3.38-inch harpoon-pattern blade of RWL34 stainless steel with a tapered fuller in the flat. The frame and pocket clip are Grade 5 titanium and the handle and pivot inlays are a G-10 composite. Closed length: 4.62 inches.
Chris Richardson Lockback Folder
Panel and pivot inlays of fossilized coral and a 3.5-inch flat-ground blade of mosaic twist damascus top off Chris Richardson’s lockback folder. Frame: 416 stainless steel. Closed length: 4.5 inches.
Jeremy Krammes Helix Flipper Folder
Jeremy Krammes helps celebrates his 20th year of knifemaking with his Helix flipper folder in Chad Nichols damascus blade steel, a titanium frame, carbon fiber scales and a zirconium bolster and pocket clip. The 3.5-inch recurve blade is hollow ground.
Edison Barajas Waka Folder
Edison Barajas combines new school with old on his Waka folder, using titanium for the scales engraved by Wilfred Valtakis II and a thumb stud to open the 3.25-inch blade of premium stainless steel. Closed length: 4.5 inches.
Stefano Compostella Stria XL
Stria XL by Italy’s Stefano Compostella sports a 5-inch wharncliffe blade of premium stainless steel. The linerlock flipper folder features Damasteel handle overlay and titanium liners.
The father of modern sporting knives was busy making them a half century ago.
Editor’s Note: BLADE Magazine is celebrating more than 50 years of bringing the knife community sharp coverage of the knife world at large. Given a more comprehensive picture of where the industry comes from—thus, where it’s going—we’re running a series of vignettes on important articles marking milestones in the knife design, knife making and knifemakers from 50 years ago.
A pioneering writer and photographer, Sid Latham chronicled his visit to the Orlando, Florida, shop of Randall Made Knives in the May-June 1975 issue of The American Blade to detail how Bo Randall and his staff made knives.
As Latham noted, Bo believed in the Cutlery Hall-of-Famer William Scagel theory that every blade shape should have a purpose and be practical—and the Randall utility, hunting, combat and survival patterns reflected the Scagel approach. The most popular Randall knife in ’75 was the Model 3 hunter. It was a Model 3 that pilot Francis Gary Powers was carrying when his U-2 spy plane was famously shot down over Russia in 1960.
Bill Platts was closing out his career as Randall shop foreman.
Latham wrote of what Bo considered his proudest achievement of specially designing knives for the astronauts of the Project Mercury NASA space mission. The final design was worked out by Major Gordon Cooper, who took one along on his 22-orbit flight. The knife was subsequently offered as the Model 17.
Latham also covered most of the Randall staff, including shop foreman Bill Platts, who was in the process of retiring and being replaced by Pete Hamilton, to Bo’s son Gary and more. Bo Randall had already been making knives for 37 years at the time—and Randall Made Knives (randallknives.com) continues turning them out to this day.
Editor’s note: Beginning with this issue, “50 Years Ago in BLADE®” journeys back in time to recall what was happening in the early days of BLADE—formerly The American Blade—and the world of knives. This time: BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Bo Randall and Randall Made Knives.
The Buck 293 Inertia Assisted Folding Knife stands out with a mechanism to lock the blade closed. An open blade in a waistband or pocket could be a painful, bloody mess.
