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Knifemaking

Knifemaking is the building of a knife, which includes the blade, handle and other accouterments. Blades are made by either removing metal from a steel blank via a grinder – known as stock removal – and the forging to shape of hot steel into a blade in the process known as bladesmithing. Other parts, including bolsters, guards, pommels, etc., are needed to complete the finished knife.

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New BLADE® Salutes Military On 9/11

Steve Shackleford
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New BLADE® Salutes Military On 9/11
The 4th annual military issue of BLADE® salutes the military on the anniversary of 9/11.
New BLADE® salutes our military personnel and their favorite knives on the 12th anniversary of 9/11.

Military heroes past and present and their favorite knives are the focus of the new BLADE® (www.blademag.com) on the 12th anniversary of 9/11—on many newsstands NOW!

Featuring a Bob Dozier Freedom Fighter on the cover that stopped a bullet and likely saved U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Josh Clysdale’s life, the latest issue of BLADE (www.blademag.com) is our 4th annual military issue, and it covers the subject of military knives like no other.

The issue kicks off with a heart-rending story about Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, all save one of whom—Lance Corporal Travis Williams—were killed by an enemy IED in Iraq. Williams eventually returned home and began making knives part time under the tutelage of knifemaker James Behring Jr. Williams made a knife in honor of Lima Company that was auctioned to raise money to support the work of an artist who was painting life-size portraits of the Lima Company Marines killed by the IED. It’s must reading for military and knife aficionados alike.

There’s much more, including stories on the aforementioned Lance Corporal Clysdale and his “bullet-proof” knife; one on if a soldier had just one knife in a military emergency, what that knife would be; a knife collaboration between Andy Sharpe and Chuck Richards to honor the American GIs who fought off a furious Japanese Banzai attack in a little-known battle on Attu Island in Alaska during World War II; a ground-breaking new program to not only teach returning vets how to make knives but also to help equip them with the tools and equipment they need to do the job; a new “Arkansas Veterans” knife from A.G. Russell Knives, with $10 of the sales of each knife going toward an emergency fund for vets who are students at the University of Arkansas; a one-of-a-kind Bob Loveless Lawndale boot knife made specially for Pat R. Dailey, thought to have been a CIA operative; and much more.

    For your copy, check your newsstands. To subscribe to the digital version of BLADE, click on

www.shopblade.com/blade-1-yr-digital-subscription?lid=ssfbbl091013

What’s Your Favorite Knife Design?

Joe Kertzman
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With over 100 knife designs to choose from—101 to be exact—there’s plenty to mull over in coming up with an ultimate favorite blade design or pattern. Renowned knifemaker and heckuva nice guy, Murray Carter, known to stand behind his table at knife shows, including the BLADE Show, honing knife blades and demonstrating to attendees how to sharpen their own edges, reveals his favorite 101 Knife Designs. Carter_001Print

 

 

In his book, 101 Knife Designs, Carter displays not only gorgeous knife photography by none other than famed photographer Hiro Soga, but drawings, patterns, scaled designs and supportive text, allow aspiring bladesmiths to create their own knives using Carter’s popular, time-honored designs. Dazzling, full-color images of the completed knives provide inspiration and direction. 101 Knife Designs will show the reader why certain distinct blade designs have stood the test of time and remain popular even to this day. Practical blade patterns follow several rules of thumb. When these rules are applied to new knife designs, there is a greater chance the design will stand the test of time and use.

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About the Author: Murray Carter (cartercutlery.com), one of the most popular custom knifemakers at the annual BLADE Show, regularly conducts wildly popular seminars on shaving with a machete, and is known for standing at his booth sharpening knives while teaching the techniques to interested attendees.

 

Tracking Knife Trends

Joe Kertzman
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Tracking Knife Trends

dark earthThere aren’t many dull, boring or mundane trends, and for good reason.

Knifemakers embrace the old saying, “change is constant.” The “same old, same old” never catches on with a new generation. Knife craftsmen strive for fascinating and innovative ways of blade building, and collectors seek out the rare and unusual.

Eventually knifemakers find something modern that is not only aesthetic and utilitarian, but it also catches on with other artists. That’s the start of a trend. BPK

You get the idea—trends are born out of creative thinking and design capabilities, and not from copying old patterns without any tweaking, improving or thinking outside of the box.

Sure, some trends have staying power. There are many new trends to take in, like dimpled, sculpted, grooved and glass-beaded knives, for example. Britton_121118

It is a trend in knives that presented itself to me while I poured over 1,000s of images from knife photographers for possible inclusion in the Knives 2014 book, now available and a gorgeous book, if I may say so myself, but not because of anything I did. It’s the knives and images thereof that make it a handsome title, and the Trends, State Of The Art, Factory Trends and Feature articles therein.

Enjoy, and keep your eyes peeled for new knife trends in the industry, particularly if you’re a collector, investor or general enthusiast with a habit of accumulating custom or production pieces.

Video: Knifemaker Jay Hendrickson on Bill Moran

Steve Shackleford
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Video: Knifemaker Jay Hendrickson on Bill Moran

In this video from the American Bladesmith Society (ABS), master smith Jay Hendrickson gives some insight on ABS founder Bill Moran. His story offers a fascinating look at important pieces of knifemaking history.

Hendrickson is just one of the many knifemakers influenced by the legendary Bill Moran. Other than his highly-coveted originals, Moran’s work lives on through styles emulated by a number of other makers and companies, including this excellent Spyderco Bill Moran Drop Point Blade at ShopBlade.com.

Knifemaking Book a True Wonder

Steve Shackleford
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Knifemaking Book a True Wonder

Learning how to make knives from someone who has done it for over 60 years and written about it professionally for about 30 years is exactly what you get with Wayne Goddard’s The Wonder of Knifemaking.

 

Inducted into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame© during the 2013 BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo (www.bladeshow.com), Goddard is an ABS master smith and BLADE® (www.blademag.com) field editor who has taught as many people how to make knives via his columns in BLADE, through the Internet, and his many seminars and demos at venues throughout the country as just about anyone.

 

In The Wonder of Knifemaking he takes you on a fascinating journey explaining most everything every knife fan wants to know about knives and how they are made. From imparting his wisdom on how you should approach knifemaking in general, to getting started, insider tips, developing your own unique style, the pitfalls each maker must beware of and much more, Goddard guides you through the process in his measured, forthright writing style.

 

He tells you what steel is and how each of its constituent elements affects it; working with such old-fashioned materials as files, saw steel and horseshoe rasps; what you should know about heat treating, quenching, and selective hardening and tempering techniques; the best hardnesses for blades; clay back hardening; handles, guards and tangs, including narrow tang vs. full tang; grinding and finishing; material for pins; logo etching; tools for the knife shop; and more.

 

A huge proponent of knife testing, Wayne explains exactly what a testing program should consist of and what it should gauge: slicing cuts vs. pull cuts; the differences in the types of ropes to cut; tests for chopping ability and edge strength; and more. He also covers sharpening comprehensively, including methods and hones. Sharpening is a subject he knows extremely well, having taught it at many seminars over the years at the BLADE Show, BLADE Show West and many other events.

 

For more on how to get your copy, visit www.shopblade.com/the-wonder-of-knifemaking?lid=ssfbbl072413

 

Get Wayne Goddard's book and experience the true wonder of knifemaking.
Wayne Goddard’s book makes knifemaking a wonder to behold.

Fairbanks Knifemaker Gets Good, Solid Press!

Joe Kertzman
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Fairbanks, Alaska, knifemaker Mark Knapp not only built and reportedly patented a cool .1911 Combat Survivor Knife, but he recently received some well-deserved press on the piece. For more combat and survivor knives, click here.

If any of you are familiar with Mark and his work, he fashions some high-art, yet utilitarian fixed blades and folders with “mosaic” handles of exotic natural materials from Alaska and around the world. He forges his own damascus, is a full-time maker and built his first knife in 2000.

The article first ran at www.newsminer.com, a domain of the Fairbanks Daily News – Miner, on Monday, March 18, 2013. Click here to read the feature article. 

 

Conversation Overheard @ the BLADE Show

Joe Kertzman
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Conversation Overheard @ the BLADE Show

So I was working behind the table at the book booth during the BLADE Show this past weekend in Atlanta, a great show, by the way, best ever. And this gentleman was interested in buying the “First 25 years of BLADE Collection: 1973-1997” DVD. He said he already owned the DVD that came after it, “BLADE 1997-2007.”Y0602

The lady he was with asked, “Why don’t you just subscribe to BLADE®?”

He replied, “I can get 25 years worth of the magazine for $42.99, why would I want to pay $21.98 for one year?”

She said, “The subscription is new magazines, not old magazines, that’s why!”

It got me thinking that neither one of them was wrong. I prefer to get my magazine when it comes out, but to each their own. And I’m just glad they enjoy the magazine well enough to have the conversation.

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