See what the highlights, low lights and everything in between were for the knife world in the past year.
Like most years, 2024 had more than its share of ups, downs and continuations of the same. From the promising developments in American-made factory knives to the harmful effects of Hurricanes Milton and Helene on knifemakers and at least one knife show, there were the goods, the bads, gains, losses, victories, debuts, swan songs and more. Among them:
Original portions of the hull, deck and other parts of The Battleship Texas are distributed to artisans around the country, including bladesmiths and knifemakers such as Harvey Dean, Jason Fry, J. Neilsen, Jack Stottlemire, Greg Coker and many others, to make items they specialize in and donate them to raise money to restore the pre-World War I dreadnought (https://battleshiptxartisans.com/catalog/);
A boom in the number of international countries (35) with exhibitors at the BLADE Show, led by France (21 exhibitors), South Africa (18), Italy (14) and Brazil (13), reflect the continuing recovery from the devastating effect of the worldwide pandemic;
Spartan Blades headlines the BLADE Magazine Knife-of-the-Year® awards at the BLADE Show with the company’s first Overall Knife of the Year, the Bill Harsey designed Clandestina. It was company’s first ever win in the prestigious category;
Speaking of Harsey, he, along with Ted Dowell and Don Fogg, become the 72nd, 73rd and 74th members of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame®;
In what promises to be the first of several, Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Bill Ruple and Case debut their inaugural collaboration, the Bill Ruple X Case Axe Handle;
CPM MagnaCut stainless continues its run as the No. 1 blade steel among factory knives;
After almost 30 years with Spyderco, including stints in customer service and as marketing manager and coordinator of all things public relations, past BLADE Magazine Publisher’s Award winner Joyce Laituri calls it a career;
ABS master smith Kevin Cashen is named new chairman of the American Bladesmith Society, succeeding ABS master smith Steve Dunn, who passed away unexpectedly May 21;
After its original lawsuit was dismissed in June on “absurd standing grounds,” Knife Rights files a new federal lawsuit in September challenging the constitutionality of portions of the Federal Switchblade Act;
Hurricanes play havoc not only with the Southeast USA but knife industry members in the affected areas, with Milton postponing the Louisiana Knife Show and Helene flooding and/or temporarily shutting down at least two North Carolina knifemaking operations, including Winkler Knives and Dogwood Custom Knives, and no doubt others elsewhere;
Companies/knives celebrating anniversaries include: Boker (155th); Tru-Bal Knives, aka Tru-Balance Knife Co., (75th); Kershaw (50th); Fallkniven (40th); and the Emerson Knives, Inc. CQC-7 (25th);
Finally, a number of friends of the knife community pass away, including: scrimshander Gary “Garbo” Williams; bladesmith/mokume gane guru Phillip “Phil” Baldwin; knifemaker/past National Knife Collectors Association president Bob Cargill; ABS master smiths Steve Dunn and Hanford Miller; long-time custom knife collector Walter Hoffman; veteran knifemaker Dave Ricke; Mrs. Lori Buck (wife of Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Chuck Buck); Mrs. Sallie Bos (wife of Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Paul Bos ); Mrs. Betty Dowell (wife of Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Ted Dowell); Cutlery Hall-of-Famer B. R. Hughes; and past BLADE art director Jim Sasse. God rest their souls—and please forgive me if I’ve omitted anyone.
GSM Outdoor takes a larger stake in the knife industry with the purchase of Smith’s Products.
The outdoor industry is constantly shifting and the knife niche isn’t immune. One of the latest moves certain to touch a large swath of the edge tool market is GMS Outdoor acquiring Smith’s Products.
The deal, for an undisclosed amount, was completed in October. Already, GSM’s website has the company added to its 57-brand roster.
For those not well-versed in the industry, GMS is a large multi-brand conglomerate with a toehold in hunting, shooting and fishing. Smith’s was founded in 1886 as a small family operation, mining and selling raw sharpening stones. Over time, it grew into a multi-channel brand, supplying tools for everything from hunting and fishing to culinary and tactical use.
Interestingly, this is not the GSM’s first dalliance into the knife sphere. In 2020, the conglomerate purchased Cold Steel, and in 2021, it further ventured into the niche, buying SOG.
Up to this point, the company did not own a dedicated knife accessories business, which has always been Smith’s Products’ bread and butter. Even with these recent moves of the past five years, GSM’s main thrust remains in the hunting and fishing industry.
The overall effect of GSM’s purchase of Smith’s offerings and evolution remains to be seen. The Smith’s brand was fairly ubiquitous before the purchase, but likely will become more so under the multi-brand umbrella.
As to GSM’s angle on the purchase, its senior VP of sales, Chris Leonard, had this to say in a press release:
“Together, GSM Outdoors and Smith’s Products are poised to deliver greater value, drive meaningful growth, and continue building a more sustainable future for the industry in every facet.”
Jens Ansø to focus efforts on his personal brand, Ansø of Denmark.
It’s an end of an era.
After nearly a decade of collaboration, GiantMouse Knives and Jens Ansø are parting way. As of 2025, Ansø will step back from GiantMouse to focus on growing his personal brand, Ansø of Denmark.
The designer has been a cornerstone of GiantMouse since its founding in 2015. Alongside fellow Danish designer Jesper Voxnaes (Vox) and American entrepreneur Jim Wirth, Ansø co-founded the brand with a mission to create exceptional knives that combine innovative design, premium quality, and fair pricing. His contributions to GiantMouse, particularly his collaborative designs with Voxnaes, have shaped the brand’s identity and earned it a loyal following in the knife-making community.
“This is a natural evolution that allows both GiantMouse and Jens to focus entirely on growing our respective brands, and we’re all excited about what’s ahead,” said Jim Wirth, CEO of GiantMouse, in a press release. “We’re grateful for everything Jens has brought to GiantMouse over the past nine years. As we move forward, Jesper and I are focused on shaping the future of GiantMouse, while Jens will be able to dedicate himself fully to Ansø of Denmark. We’re confident this step will allow both brands to expand in new ways and achieve the unique goals we each hold for our respective visions.”
Jim Wirth, left, a businessman and angel investor, suggested that Danish designers Jesper Voxnaes, middle, and Jens Anso, right, start a new company to produce knives they collaborate on, sharing in profits rather than receiving a royalty percentage.
Ansø expressed similar sentiments, reflecting on his time with the company.
“Co-founding GiantMouse with Jim and Jesper, and collaborating with Jesper on knife designs has been an amazing experience,” he said. “I’m very proud of what we’ve built together over the years. GiantMouse has become a brand that represents quality, innovation, and a strong connection with its community, and I’m honored to have been part of its journey.”
To honor Ansø’s legacy, GiantMouse will continue to credit products co-designed by Voxnaes and Ansø with the “designed by Vox/Ansø” designation in their product descriptions. This decision underscores the importance of their collaborative work and the lasting impact Ansø has had on the company’s success.
“We’re proud of what we’ve built together and can’t wait to see what the future holds for both brands,” Wirth added. “This isn’t goodbye—it’s simply the next step forward for all of us.”
With a career spanning over three decades, Ansø has built a legacy of innovative knife designs influenced by his background in industrial design, his love for craftsmanship, and his dedication to learning through trial and error. His passion for the craft and commitment to excellence continue to inspire the knife-making community worldwide.
Get a gander at what’s on the slate for NSM in 2026.
According to a recent post by Niagara Specialty Metals (NSM) on BladeForums, NSM (nsm-ny.com) had several steels and materials available either now or that were “incoming” as BLADE was going to press.
The list includes: MagnaCut; CPM154; S30V; S35VN; S45VN; S90V; 3V; 4V; CruWear (aka NSM Wear); 154CM; 20CV; M4; CPM D2; D2; 440C ESR; 416; and 6-4 titanium. The new MagnaMax (page 66) should be available in 2026.
The post stated that all particle metallurgy grades are “coming in from Erasteel and Carpenter and the quality has been excellent.” All of NSM’s air-melt steels and 6-4 titanium are domestic.
The only grades off the list at press time were 15V, 110V and Rex 121. “They were Crucible exclusives,” the post noted of the three grades not on the list, “and we’re working with the mills to bring them back once production can be re-established.”
Hawaii has petitioned the Ninth Circut Court to overturn a recent decision making butterfly knives legal.
Knife Rights reported on September 22 that Hawaii had petitioned the Ninth Circuit Court for a rehearing en banc in an attempt to overturn a recent 3-0 panel decision that ruled the state’s balisong ban unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
The panel decision in favor of the appellants in Teter v. Lopez was a big win for Second Amendment (2A) supporters. However, the decision would be rendered moot if the Ninth Circuit grants Hawaii’s petition for the en banc rehearing and then the state is somehow able to have the decision overturned.
Among other unconstitutional assertions, Hawaii’s petition claims that only weapons “commonly used for self-defense” are 2A protected. As Knife Rights (KR) points out, such a claim was refuted by the U.S. Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, which established that arms usable for “any lawful purpose” are 2A protected and not just those used “commonly for self-defense.”
Hawaii’s petition includes the dishonest claim, “If left undisturbed, the panel’s analysis will govern challenges involving many highly dangerous weapons that States quite reasonably seek to regulate or ban: assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and more.”
The state’s insinuation that a balisong is “a highly dangerous weapon” is ludicrous and unsupported by the facts. Where are all the instances and facts and figures of balisongs being highly dangerous? I’ve watched 13-year-olds-and-up flip balisongs for the past seven years at Blade HQ’s Battle for Bali-Champion at the BLADE Show, not to mention the West Coast Flipping Championships conducted by Squid Industries at BLADE Show West, and I’ve yet to see any “highly dangerous weapon” activity in any of them. Besides, if such contests were full of activity involving “highly dangerous weapons”—especially when youngsters are actively involved—not only would show officials cancel them but the venues hosting the shows would forbid them as well, something none of them have done.
BLADE Show 2017 hosted its first-ever balling competition coordinated by Blade HQ.
Adding to the absurdity of the state’s petition is its not-so-veiled attempt to include balisongs in the ambiguous world of “assault weapons.” “Assault weapon” is one of those anti-2A boogeyman catchall terms that has never been adequately defined for legal or legislative purposes by anyone or anything at any time—in large part because millions of items, from human fists to automobiles, are used as assault weapons. As a result, any law-abiding judge should reject any petition containing the term “assault weapon” as legally null and void due to its use of indefinable, overly inclusive language.
At press time, KR indicated the next step was for the petition to be circulated to all active Ninth Circuit judges and any senior judge who chose to participate. As KR noted, it was likely that the appellants would be required to respond to the petition about why the court should not rehear the case, though the judges could just vote on it instead. “Odds are that sooner or later the court will vote to rehear the case,” KR noted on its website, kniferights.org, “but we’ll see.”
If you live in Hawaii, contact your state officials and tell them to pull all the strings they can to uphold the panel’s decision asserting that the bali ban is unconstitutional. Meanwhile, stay tuned to KR’s website for updates. Considering the left-leaning history of the Ninth Circuit Court, this decision has huge precedent-setting implications.
Vagueness of bill could have potentially banned the carry of all but a few knives.
Hawaii Knife Ban bill SB 433, which would have banned all carry of most knives and all knives in many public places in Hawaii, has been stopped. The stoppage occurred because the bill failed to receive a hearing by the stated deadline.
According to Knife Rights, one of the worst aspects of the bill was its vagueness. The bill added “bladed weapons” to the state’s sweeping firearms bans, which would have been expanded in SB 433.
“As written, nobody, not a resident, not a police officer, not a prosecutor, could possibly look at the proposed statute and know for sure what a ‘bladed weapon’ is that is being banned,” KR reported. “This is fundamentally unconstitutional and leaves the law open for law enforcement and prosecutorial abuse. Terms that capture everyday tools carried daily by the public for perfectly lawful uses should be defined crisply and clearly to provide fair notice as required by longstanding law.”
The bill banned all undefined “bladed weapons” everywhere in Hawaii except for switchblades and butterfly knives.
“So,” KR noted, “a not at all unreasonable interpretation of [‘bladed weapons’] would have banned carry of a common pocketknife in Hawaii, except for [switchblades and butterfly knives]! Who decides whether it’s a ‘bladed weapon’? Certainly not the average resident or visitor.”
In other examples, fillet knives used for recreational, subsistence and commercial fishing and hunting knives used for boar hunting—a popular means of reducing feral hog populations on the islands and a popular tourist business—could have been banned, as could a box cutter carried to work by a warehouse worker.
Stainless, high-carbon, super steels, see what 2025’s shakeups mean for knife steels in 2026.
Twenty-twenty-five saw radical change in the cutlery industry, but somehow the business of blades not only survived, in some ways, it also thrived. With new steels in the offing and despite a business environment made murky by the specter of tariffs, 2026 has several things going for it that could point to a year of continued resilience for knives.
Ironically, one of ’25’s biggest changes—the closing of Crucible Industries—did not turn out to be as debilitating as some thought it would be. While by mid-year there was no more Crucible, most of its coveted cutlery steels remained available, albeit under new manufacturer names (Knife After Crucible).
A steel processing company that came out quite well during the transition was Niagara Specialty Metals (NSM). Bob Shabala, NSM president, provided a look at the changes from an insider’s perspective.
Several sources say companies that manufacture their knives solely in the USA should experience little to no tariff-induced price increases in 2026. Case is such a company. The Crossroads Barlow features S35VN stainless blade steel and a black and tan Richlite handle. Closed length: 3.375 inches. MSRP: $118.99.
“Crucible’s decline didn’t happen overnight,” he notes. “Long before the shutdown, we saw signs of trouble: inconsistent allocations, slipping ship dates and growing uncertainty around future melts. As a steel processor that lives or dies by delivery reliability, we didn’t wait. We started to order more steel from Crucible to bolster our inventory in case something happened. We also reached out to Erasteel and Carpenter Technology to gauge their interest in supplying PM [powder metallurgy] steels. We have a long history with both companies and they were receptive to our requests. In September 2024, we started placing orders with both mills, not knowing that Erasteel would eventually buy the IP [intellectual property] and trademarks of Crucible in early 2025.
“In short, Crucible’s demise raised costs in the short term but also created an opportunity for us to buy high-quality steel from multiple suppliers. We diversified melt sources, invested in grinding/laser/ti capacity and kept steel flowing. The industry will come out of this with a more resilient supply chain, and makers will see faster builds and better consistency where it counts. If you’re a one-man shop or a major brand, you can get the material and the prep you need.”
Introduction MagnaMax Steel
Dr. Larrin Thomas, metallurgist.
Dr. Larrin Thomas is an acclaimed metallurgist whose web column knifesteelnerds.com is great reading if you want to stay current with knife steels. He sees the industry’s ability to bounce back over time as key to predicting events for the coming year.
“The huge changes in the ownership among steel manufacturers for cutlery consumers were minimal, mainly because the major players had a year to settle into their comfort zones,” states Thomas, whose portfolio as a steel designer includes the uber-popular MagnaCut. “Nothing changed as far as the king-of-the-hill steel. MagnaCut, which has been the most popular stainless steel among knife consumers for over two years, remains the top choice. That could change in 2026 because MagnaCut will be joined by a sibling dubbed MagnaMax.
“MagnaCut isn’t going away—its balance of edge retention, toughness and true ‘stainlessness’ keeps it the all-around benchmark. What’s new is MagnaMax: think MagnaCut-level corrosion resistance with meaningfully higher wear resistance, so edges hang on longer in abrasive cutting. That combination is why I expect MagnaMax to be one of 2026’s headline steels, especially in EDC folders, hunting/skinning knives, and pro kitchen blades that see lots of board or hide contact. MagnaMax complements MagnaCut rather than replacing it—pick MagnaMax when maximum edge life is the priority, MagnaCut when you want the ultimate do-everything balance.”
Knife Steels To Watch
AEB-L stainless will be one of the top blade steel choices for custom folders in 2026. Terry Jellison employs it on the blades of his Hobo Knife. Scales: mammoth ivory. Liners: brass. Closed length: 4 inches. The knife is not for sale. (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Despite or perhaps even because of the Crucible shakeup, manufacturers and custom makers have many steel options. Following is Larrin’s recap of the diversity of top-shelf options for 2026. First, the leading stainless steels for factory knives:
MagnaCut: Expanding across EDC folders, hunting knives and premium automatics as brands refresh the legacy of S30V/S35VN;
MagnaMax: Expect it to appear in the same knife types as MagnaCut and beyond. The appeal is simple: MagnaMax has the qualities of a stainless steel users already love (MagnaCut) but with more wear resistance for longer edge life, and;
LC200N and Vanax: Limited but visible in dive/fillet and salt-exposed knives where “no rust, period” is the spec.
Larrin’s top carbon steels for factory knives in ’26:
CPM 3V and CPM CruWear (aka NSM Wear): Factories use these steels selectively in choppers and survival/tactical fixed blades where warranty-safe toughness matters.
D2: The popular tool steel will persist in value lines, but you’ll see a gradual shift away from it toward tougher, easier-to-sharpen options. In the realm of carbon steels for custom knives, Larrin says Pop’s ProCut, a new blade material designed for use by bladesmiths, including in damascus, will shine. Its combination of nickel, tungsten and vanadium gives it high toughness and wear resistance while still being easy to forge and heat treat. It can be hardened in a 200°F window, which makes it extremely easy to heat treat. The high nickel content also makes it produce a bright layer in damascus. On the stainless custom side, Larrin says to watch these:
MagnaMax: Alongside MagnaCut and AEB-L, MagnaMax will be a go-to for customs where makers want a “set-and-forget” edge on EDC folders, hunting knives and chef’s knives. It delivers premium corrosion resistance plus a clear wear-resistance bump, which lets makers grind thin and still give customers long service intervals between sharpenings, and;
LC200N: It will fill a growing niche for dive knives, fillet knives, coastal EDC and pro kitchens where rust is the enemy.
Tariffs’ Affects On Knife Steel
Bear & Son is another company that manufactures its knives exclusively in the USA and that should experience little to no tariff-induced price increases in ’26. Its 11 7/8-inch White Smooth Bone Professional Fillet Knife features Sandvik 14C28N stainless blade steel. MSRP: $139.99.
Several sources say American consumers will see the effects of U.S. tariffs on both imported knives and/or the steel used in them in ’26—a double whammy in some cases. However, it’s too early to tell the overall impact tariffs will have on the prices American consumers will pay for imported knives. That said, enough has been done in the overall market to draw some conclusions as to what direction those numbers are heading in the knife market in general.
As for those who manufacture their knives in the USA, there will be little to no increase in prices, except for models that include some foreign-made parts. This is uncommon but a possibility, though for the most part, not a liability that cannot be overcome. Case, Bear & Son and others are among those that fall into this category.
The second group contains companies that do a large part of their manufacturing in the United States. Among those that fit into this group is Spyderco, which also has its “value line” of knives produced overseas. Sources say Spyderco can go with a bump in tariffs on its foreign-made knives, move all manufacturing in-house or ditch the value line entirely, though there was no indication at press time that the company will choose either of the latter two options.
Dr. Larrin Thomas says the new Pop’s ProCut blade material is designed for use by bladesmiths, including in damascus. Cliff Ivey combines it with 80CrV2 carbon steel for the damascus blade of his small hunter. Overall length: 6.25 inches. Cliff’s price for a similar knife: $450. (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Then there are American companies that produce the lion’s share of their knives overseas. CRKT is one such company. Sources indicate CRKT can work the tariff costs into existing pricing, move its manufacturing to a country that pays lower tariffs, or figure out a way to manufacture more of its knives domestically. Considering CRKT’s track record, it probably would be a mistake to underestimate the company’s ability to endure.
Bottom Line
While 2026 will have its challenges, barring any surprises, it should be relatively calmer than 2025 due to last year’s upheavals in the manufacturing sector and tariff-induced changes. Meanwhile, the cutlery industry remains healthy in both the budget, moderately priced and upscale sectors—and that is a very good sign.
