See Who Took Home Awards For the Best Custom Knives At Blade Show In Atlanta.
An expert panel of judges determined the winner in 17 categories of custom knives that were as diverse as Best Miniature to Best Bowie. Best In Show went to Dionatam Franco.
The largest knife show in the world featured exhibitors and attendees from around the globe showing off the best in all things knives.
Below are this year’s custom knife award winners from this excellent event.
Hugh Bartrug Best In Show & Best Art Knife: Dionatam Franco
Best Art Knife: Dionatam Franco. Franco created this intricate dagger accompanied with a handmade stingray sheath.
Yvon Vachon Best Miniature: Grace Horne
Best Miniature went to Grace Horne for these full-functioning scissors. They were handmade by her with watchmaker tools underneath a microscope.
Best Tactical Folder: Dmitry Sinkevich
Best Tactical Folder: Dmitry Sinkevich
Most Innovative Design: Walt Halucha
Most Innovative Design: Walt Halucha for this unique locking mechanism on this folding blade.
Best Slip Joint: Luke Swenson
Best Slip Joint: Luke Swenson
Best Handle Design: Fabio Barros
Best Handle Design & Best New Maker: Fabio Barros
Best Utility Hunter: Ben Pittman
Best Utility Hunter: Ben Pittman
Best Fighter: Henning Wilkinson
Best Fighter: Henning Wilkinson
Best Sword: Vince Evans
Best Sword: Vince Evans
Best Bowie: Tommy Gann
Best Bowie: Tommy Gann
Best Fixed Blade: Vince Evans
Best Fixed Blade: Vince Evans
Best Collaboration: Seth Lopez & Leah Aripotch
Best Collaboration: Seth Lopez & Leah Aripotch. Lopez forged the knife while Aripotch created the stand.
Best Folder: Javier Vogt
Best Damascus: Mike Quesenberry
Best Damascus: Mike Quesenberry
Best New Maker: Fabio Barros
Best New Maker: Fabio Barros
Best Kitchen Knife: Will Stelter
Best Kitchen Knife: Will Stelter
Best Of The Rest: Dmitry Sinkevich
Best Of The Rest: Dmitry Sinkevich. Sinkevich said that the design was inspired by a combination of the ulu knife and watch rotor.
Editor’s Note: This article was written by Mike Ableson.
See who took home the hardware at from the BLADE Show Knife-Of-The Year® Awards.
Winners were determined in 11 categories at BLADE show in Atlanta, by an expert pannel of judges. Awards ranged from Knife Of The Year to Best Kitchen Knife and everything in between.
The 2022 Overall Knife of the Year® was the Pro-Tech Malibu Operator. Pro-Tech would go on to win in two other categories. The world’s largest knife show featured attendees and exhibitors from around the world showing off the best and newest in all things knives.
Below are this year’s factory award winners from this tremendous event.
Overall Knife of the Year®: Pro-Tech Malibu Operator
Pro-Tech Malibu Operator
American-Made Knife Of The Year®: Spyderco Military 2
Spyderco Military 2
Most Innovative American Design: Asheville Steel Warlock
Asheville Steel Warlock
Imported Knife Of The Year®: MKM – Maniago Knife Makers Miura
MKM – Maniago Knife Makers Miura
Most Innovative Import Design: Civivi Orthrus
Civivi Orthrus
Accessory Of The Year: Lionsteel Eggie
Lionsteel Eggie
Best Buy: Sencut Sachse
Sencut Sachse
Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year®: Pro-Tech Ultimate Collection Terzuole ATCF Auto
Pro-Tech Ultimate Collection Terzuole ATCF Auto
Collaboration Of The Year: Pro-Tech Terzuole ATCF Auto
Many Top Knifemakers Are Keeping Historic Styles And Methods Of Making Knives Alive Today.
Historical perspective is a relevant component in just about any undertaking. In the realm of cut, incorporating an appreciation of the past into the work of today brings another dimension to the custom knifemaker’s statement.
Interest in the knifemaking of a bygone era offers a window into the true artistry required to reproduce the knives of yesteryear, particularly with the absence of modern conveniences in the shop. Along with the interest in the historical knife, several custom makers bring famous designs, styles and patterns to life once again in tribute to those who have gone before.
The idea of the period piece blends old and new. “I’ve been making knives seriously since about 2002 when I took a class with the American Bladesmith Society in Washington, Arkansas,” related ABS master smith Lin Rhea. “Joe Keeslar and Greg Neely lit a fire under me and got me on my way. Since then the town of Washington has been like a second home, and I’ve even added to the personal connection between me and the area by interest in one of the town’s historical residents who was also a knifemaker. His name was James Black.”
A resident of Prattsville, Arkansas, Lin gained an appreciation for Black’s distinctive body of work*, using contrasting materials and techniques to create a bold, attractive look. “I’m grateful to get to know Mr. Black by studying his work,” Lin continued. “This intense study
Lin Rhea’s reproduction of the Carrigan Knife is based on a dress bowie James Black is thought to have made in the early 1830s in Washington, Arkansas. The original Carrigan includes a black walnut handle with coin silver pins and trim. The blade is about 6 inches long and the overall length is approximately 10.25 inches. (Whetstone Studio image)
led me to try to recreate one of his knives, the Carrigan Knife. The original knife, a guardless coffin-handled bowie, was made by Mr. Black in the early 1830s in Washington, Arkansas. I chose the Carrigan as my first attempt because of its less intimidating size; however, as is often the case I found it to be just as intimidating once I started into the project.”
The original Carrigan includes a black walnut handle providing a nice contrasting background to the coin silver pins and trim. The blade is about six inches long, and the overall length is approximately 10.25 inches. The full tang is virtually covered entirely by the walnut scales and the silver wrap.
When Rhea undertook his homage to Black and the Carrigan, he chose stabilized walnut, which he harvested himself several years ago, and trim in sterling silver. He forged the blade from 80CrV2 carbon steel and included at least 30 separate parts while attempting the same techniques used by Black nearly two centuries ago in fastening and assembling the finished knife.
“There is so much to be said about not only this knife but also Black’s work,” Lin concluded. “He was able to create a knife design utilizing only three materials yet impacting the knife world as few others could. His ability to arrange these materials into a functional, long-lasting, beautiful tool is only enhanced by the knowledge that he also built in other qualities like moisture resistance, logical assemblage and ergonomics. All of this was done in a historic setting without modern equipment and epoxies. In my opinion, his design is ingenious.”
Gold Rush Knives
Recently inducted into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame® knifemaker Jim Sornberger has assimilated his gold and silversmith skill sets into custom knifemaking while helping introduce the modern world to the classic design, luster, and embellishment of the Gold Rush era and boomtown San Francisco of the mid-19th century.
Jim Sornberger’s interpretations of the Michael Price San Francisco/small dress bowie have won awards at various venues, including Best of Show at the 2019 International Custom Cutlery Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas. Jim’s price for a similar knife: $3,500. (SharpByCoop image)
“I’ve been making knives since 1975 with the help of the late Les Berryman, an early Guild member, and with some guidance from Bob Loveless, Herman Schneider and Barry Wood,” Jim recalled. “The last three signed for me to join The Knifemakers’ Guild.”
For Sornberger, the style, embellishment and decoration of the canes, jewelry and knives of the Gold Rush era are most appealing. “San Francisco from 1850 to 1904, the Gold Rush period, was one of the wealthiest cities in the world, attracting some of the greatest artists, jewelers, carvers, and engravers to ply their trade to a wealthy clientele. The work done in that period,” he opined, “rivals the best ever done.”
In the knifemaking genre, Michael Price and Will & Finck were among the most successful and prolific of the Gold Rush. Their work remains emblematic of the great migration to settle the American West, and the riches and ruin that were found with the experience.
“Price was Irish, and both cutlery firms hired workers who were English, German and possibly Scottish,” Sornberger explained. “Their dress knives are probably the most embellished American knives made in the 1800s-1900s. The dress knives had two common handles: an interesting, modified coffin shape and a more rounded, subtle taper shape. The blade shapes are spear-point dagger and San Francisco clip spear point.”
Sornberger is recognized as an authority on original San Francisco knives, as well as the magnificent gold quartz that was used so well by Gold Rush artisans. His modern interpretations of the Michael Price San Francisco/small dress bowie have won awards at various venues, including Best of Show at the 2019 International Custom Cutlery Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas.
Jim’s dress fixed-blade bowie in the accompanying picture was made with Vegas Forge stainless barstock AEBL and 412 stainless steels, and san-mai damascus steel with a solid core. The guard and wrap handle are in Mike Sakmar mokumé barstock. Jim’s made such handles in gold and silver and nickel silver, also. The inlays are tortoise celluloid and California native gold/gold quartz.
According to Sornberger, the biggest challenge in his stunning creation was grinding the blade to show the distinctive pattern of the shell and the hardened core. The san-mai laminated blade was etched with ferric chloride, rinsed and color set with WD-40®.
The Frog Knife
“The style of Michael Price’s work is a really good canvas with flowing lines, and there is a lot you can do with it,” observed ABS master smith Jon Christensen, who is in his 22nd year of making knives. “I wouldn’t call my San Francisco-style knives replicas. I do like to keep to the original form and honor the style of the maker, though.”
The Frog Knife by Jon Christensen is a San Francisco-style dress bowie with a back story. “I had seen the Poppy Knife that Michael Price made and thought I would do my version,” he related. “I took the knife to the BLADE Show, and it didn’t find its owner. Then, the handle got ruined, and I just took the opportunity to rehandle it with the frogs and lily pads.” Overall length: 10 inches. (SharpByCoop image)
One of Christensen’s most evocative pieces to date is referred to simply as the Frog Knife. However, the piece is far from simple, and Jon manages to convey the spirit of the Michael Price style while also imprinting some of his own personality.
“I built the feathered damascus for the blade with 1080 and 15N20,” he advised. “It’s a canister damascus. I forged the bamboo leaves and placed them in the can, welded it up, reduced it, and feather cut it so it would produce feather-cutting smears and leaves, and form branches to look like a little grove of bamboo leaves.”
The 10-inch knife has a 5.5-inch blade and a frame and sheath incorporating 410 stainless steel. Christensen utilized the “canvas” of the handle to the fullest, carving the mammoth ivory into a pleasing vignette of frogs and lily pads.
“The handle has something of a back story,” he smiled. “I had seen the Poppy Knife that Michael Price made and thought I would do my version. I took the knife to the BLADE Show and it didn’t find its owner. Then, the handle got ruined, and I just took the opportunity to rehandle it with the frogs and lily pads.”
Christensen got his start making stock removal knives after a career as a horticulturist. He learned to forge while working with ABS master smith Ed Caffrey and visited with knifemaker Rick Eaton and ABS master smiths Shane Taylor and Wade Colter. Jon also makes San Francisco folding knives and enjoys swordmaking. Plans for the future include more period pieces.
Kimball Style
ABS master smith Josh Smith owes his little league baseball coach, ABS master smith Rick Dunkerley, credit with getting him started making knives about 30 years ago. From the beginning, Josh has appreciated the thought process and craftsmanship of custom makers from a bygone era.
“There’s something special about reproducing something that was built nearly 200 years ago,” he reasoned. “It’s easy to get lost in your thoughts while working on these knives, wondering what the makers were thinking about at the time. Was the knife going into battle? Was a rich man just wanting something unique? Was the maker just trying to be different and impress people? Were function and effectiveness of use the only factors that mattered? It’s really cool to think about.”
Josh Smith’s dog-bone-handle dagger is a reproduction of a knife owned by Loring Kimball of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the mid-1800s. The grip gets its name from its shape. Overall length: 14.25 inches. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)
Josh has found the opportunity to consider historical context with a dagger in the distinctive dog-bone handle, recalling the mid-1800s when a gentleman named Loring Kimball of Vicksburg, Mississippi, owned several similar original pieces that were probably made by at least two different knifemakers in the New Orleans area. Knives in what many refer to as the Kimball style have been reproduced by a number of modern makers, mostly bladesmiths.
“The distinctive characteristic of the dog bone is clearly the shape of the handle,” Smith said, “but to me it’s more than that. The large domed pins and the flat facets on the handle provide such a neat look. One of the original Kimball daggers from the 1830s had silver wrapped around the butt of the handle and a small, thin silver guard. I never pretend to exactly reproduce these knives. I always put my own spin on the knife, trying to bring some of my style into it.”
Smith’s dog-bone dagger is fashioned from his own ladder pattern “W’s” damascus blade, African blackwood handle and 18k-gold pins and liners. The 9.5-inch blade is forged from 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels, while a gold collar stretches over the back of the blade and bears the engraved name of the maker. Overall length: 14.25 inches.
“This particular knife was heavily influenced by Tim Hancock,” Josh said. “I feel Tim, Harvey Dean and James Batson are the three men who led the way in bringing these knives back to prominence, and Tim had the most influence on my construction of these knives. I love period pieces and definitely plan on doing more. There are so many incredible weapons from the past that would be fun to recreate.”
*While a number of top industry authorities attribute such original 19th-century pieces as the Carrigan Knife, Bowie No. 1 and others to Black, no knives with Black’s mark are known to exist.
Caping Knives, Or Capers, Are Necessary For The Finer Parts Of Creating Taxidermy. They’re Also Capable Carving Knives Or A Great EDC.
Caping knives, a.k.a. capers, aren’t mentioned very often in the grand scheme of all things cutlery—though don’t tell that to those who like to mount their trophy game. The caper is a huge part of skinning game in preparation for taxidermy where preserving the fine details is absolutely essential.
Tasks such as trimming around the animal’s eye sockets and mouth area are particularly critical, and the blade must be sharp and small enough to get down to the nitty gritty. That’s not to say a caper can’t handle other functions, such as fine carving and cutting cord. Heck, it can even be used as an EDC.
WEB Pocket Hunter-Caper
The A.G. Russell Knives Pocket Caper cut nice, tight circles in the suede thanks to the sharp tip and thin blade geometry. The two cutouts at lower right were made with the Russell blade, and the one on the lower left by another blade that didn’t fare as well.
The WEB Pocket Hunter-Caper is produced under the War Eagle Blades division of A.G. Russell Knives, hence the WEB in the name. We’ll just call it the Russell Pocket Caper for simplicity’s sake—and what a simply utilitarian knife it is! The hidden-tang fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle comes in black or bright orange. The blade is a straight-back style with a V-grind from edge to spine. The snap-lock FRN color-coordinated sheath has a tubed hole in the base to hold a lanyard or neck knife cord/chain.
Since one main function of a caper is precision cutting, I wanted to see which of our test knives could turn on a dime—or in this case, a nickel. Using spray adhesive, I tacked a square of suede to a smooth wood surface and drew a group of circles using the perimeter of a nickel as a guide. I then hand-cut each circle to see how precise I could be in removing it from the base. The Russell Pocket Caper, with its much thinner blade, allowed the tip to glide around the outline of the nickel with precision and cut the suede with very little effort. As you might guess, the thinner the blade, the less resistance I encountered.
Bear & Son Rosewood Caper
Two nice features of the Bear & Son Rosewood Caper handle are 1) the choil adds excellent purchase and 2) the gimped thumb rest on the spine enables you to choke up on the blade.
The Bear & Son Rosewood Caper is a modern take on the classic trailing-point knife many of us grew up with. The upswept blade is devoted to cutting chores. The knife’s weight is very manageable and a natural leather belt sheath is included.
The Bear & Son has the second thinnest blade of the test group and placed second to the Russell in cutting out suede circles. I also tested the knives on slicing graceful curves and upward pull-through cuts and found the Bear & Son to have its own advantages.
The generously gimped thumb rest enables you to choke up on the blade, which allows more precision and force to be placed on the task at hand, and, just as importantly, with great comfort. Similarly, the index finger has a nice place to land in the reverse grip while executing pull-throughs, which makes skinning—an equally important part of caping—easier.
Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper
The Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper slices like a house afire, cutting strips of tanned leather with ease. Drop-point blades are skinners at heart and this little gem does the job well.
The Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper is the smallest of the test subjects but makes up for anything it may lack in size with stylish good looks. The decked-out caper boasts a hollow-ground recurved blade in a drop-point pattern. Like most all of the more budget-friendly SGB models, the blade is made in Germany and the knife is assembled in Asia.
The handle is curvaceous, tapering upward from the base to a bolster that serves as a guard. A round Puma shield graces the scales and a hole in the base has a leather lanyard attached. (I removed the lanyard for photographic purposes.)
With its recurved drop point, the Puma SGB is a totally different blade design than the other test capers. Drop-point patterns are well known for their skinning ability, particularly riding under flesh without piercing organs. This is where the White Bone Caper is at home—slipping under skin and separating viscera from its meaty rewards. It wasn’t as agile cutting out tight circles of suede because where the blade is wide at the tip got in the way as I turned it. That said, it’s a superb slicer.
Utica Shoehorn Elk 1
The Utica Shoehorn Elk I is the bull of the woods among the test capers. The blade is 4 inches long, 3.75 of that in cutting edge. Though similar in blade configuration to the Bear & Son offering below it, the Shoehorn Elk I dwarfs it in size.
The Utica Shoehorn Elk 1 is by far the largest of the test knives. The drop-point blade has a healthy choil and a two-inch dip on the spine that serves as a thumb rest. The handle sports ample, curvaceous scales. The knife weighs over twice that of any of the other review capers. Considering the knife’s size, the price is very reasonable.
The Shoehorn Elk 1 is not billed as a caper but it has a blade configuration very similar to that of the Bear & Son test model. The Elk in the name is a dead giveaway that the knife is meant for caping and skinning large game.
I deviated from the suede leather in testing the blade and went to something tougher. I glued together three layers of tight-patterned, corrugated postal board—stout stuff—and gave the knife a go at slicing it the hard way: across the grain. It took some pressure but the blade severed 5.25-inch lengths in single strokes. I have no doubt the Shoehorn Elk 1 could take on tough hide—even alligator scute. While the tip mauled the circle in the nickel-size precision test, it would perform much better on game proportionate to its size.
Finding The Best Caper
All of the knives brought something to the table in the tests. For tight precision caping on small-to-medium game, the Russell and Bear & Son capers were virtually neck-and-neck—the former slightly more geared to precision, the latter a tad more versatile. The Puma SGB excelled more in slicing and a bit less in precision. The Utica can handle the tough hide of larger game the others can only dream of.
Bottom line, it’s really just a matter of choosing which caper fits your needs the best.
Counter-bending begins with the counter-bending jig. These are made by forging a steel bar .75-1 inch square and about five inches long into a “bottom swage” device. This looks something like a cradle. It can be placed into your anvil’s hardy hole or locked in a vise.
You don’t necessarily need to weld the hardy stud on the bottom, just lock it in the vise. A banana would fit nicely into this cradle. File a groove into the top-right edge to “catch” the point. I use railroad spikes to make this jig. As you make more knives you may choose to change that radius depending upon factors between you, your tools, and your steel.
Bending With The Railroad Spike Counter-Bending Jig
Place the counter-bending jig in the hardy hole or vise. Place the blade bar in the forge at the most convenient position for extraction and quick placement on the jig. Heat to orange. Place the bar on its spine, with the choil and cutting edge looking up and the point at the groove. Keep the bar at the center of the jig.
Note the “air” between the billet and the spike. The blade is almost resting at the bottom of the jig. The next blow will force it completely into the concavity of the railroad spike jig.
NOTE: Blacksmiths will refer to shaping tools like this railroad spike jig as a swage. Sometimes as a bottom swage. Swages (sometimes called ‘swedges’) are concave in shape. Fullers, on the other hand, which are also shaping tools, are convex.
With the round hammer face strike the bar in the center. This will take one to several heats and hits depending on how hot the bar is and how hard you hit it. Rarely will it take one heat and one hit. Usually it takes many. Do not hit it any more than necessary. We want the entire blade in the concavity of the jig. When it’s there, stop.
NOTE: Remember that straightening blows are much lighter than forging blows. Straightening blows are just hard enough to bring the blade back to straight and flat.
Then, put the blade back into the forge, take a heat, and do the swage business again. Steel, when hot, is extremely malleable (like soft clay) and can be told what shape to take.
You can purchase Paul White’s Forged: Making a Knife With Traditional Blacksmith Skills here.
TIP: The most important principle in this section is to overlap hammer blows. The right edge of your previous hammer blow becomes the center point of your next hammer blow.
Forge-beveling allows a consistent pushing of the hot steel in all directions at each blow. The physics are consistent, predictable, and reliable. At each strike, the force of the rounding hammerhead pushes the bottom half of the blade and the spine in opposite directions. The tip-to-choil forces are contained for the most part by the blade’s mass.
It’s much like when the smith makes breakfast sausage patties. Imagine pushing the center of that sausage patty down with the heel of your hand (hammer) against the counter (anvil). The patty spreads out in all directions with a dimple in the center, the same as the steel. With repeated overlapping blows the bevel thins and widens downward as the spine stretches upward. The resulting geometry is a thinning and reshaping of the blade between the cheek line and the cutting edge. A bevel is forged and formed with your rounding hammer, anvil and blacksmith’s eye.
Once forge-beveling is mastered you can actually form a hollow “grind” by hollow forging (another lesson, another book).
NOTE: Look at a knife with the pommel to the left and the point to the right, cutting edge down and spine up. For reference and description, this is the right side of the blade.
This is the right side (i.e. right-hand side) of the knife blade
Setting the Bevel
The forge-beveling procedure is advanced forging. Beveling with a hammer is a blacksmith secret used by few these days. Learn this method and you will certainly be connected to the smiths of old.
This forge-beveling procedure takes me six heats or more, at minimum; three on each side. Theoretically, one heat per line, three lines per side (explained below in Half, Fourth, Eighth). Make these passes down the bottom half of the blade traveling its full length. Because you might be a beginner it may take many more passes than six.
You may need more heats due to being hammer shy or because of rookie hesitation. You may start and stop frequently due to under-heating, overheating, dropped blades, re-positioning your piece or “Where’s my hammer?”. All of those are OK. We all do them.
Half, Fourth, Eighth
Let’s go through the forge-beveling principle. First think of cross-section geometry. Develop a visual in your brain of the relative distance from the center point of the hammer face to the bottom one-half of your blade as you travel along its length from ricasso to tip.
Do this by visualizing one-half, one-fourth, and one-eighth. If we were to saw a blade vertically in half and view its cross-section, we would see that its shape is thickest at the top, along its spine. It holds that dimension down to the cheek (about the halfway point) and then dramatically loses thickness as it approaches the cutting edge. This is the bevel. Your bevel. Think halfway from cheek line to cutting edge. This is the 1/2 line.
This traditional way to set this bevel can only be acquired with dozens of latitudinal hammer strikes passing from left to right at those three descending levels: 1/2, 1/4, 1/8. Remember one-half, one-fourth, one-eighth.
Note and maintain a mental image of the three all important forge lines.
NOTE: This 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 business does not mean fractional inches. The fractions refer to the position of your hammer’s center face on the horizontal bar (i.e. halfway, a quarter of the way, and an eighth of the way from the edge to the cheek).
Remember this is a theoretical thing becoming a real thing. The blade is 1-inch wide, and the face of a 2.5-pound rounding hammer is about 1.5 inches. Think exact center of a hammer face on those latitudinal forging lines.
TIP: See the author setting the bevel on YouTube. Search for: Paul White FORGED.
Try not to strike above the imaginary cheek line that runs about halfway between the spine and edge. Your hammer passes will form the cheek line. The final cheek line usually falls well above the halfway point because maintaining that line exactly in the center is almost impossible with a round hammer face, your billet bouncing around on the anvil, and you’re trying to hit on exact points. However, the primary objective is to maintain the original thickness in the spine (1/8-inch) as far down to that halfway line as possible.
Blade Tipping
Each pass will require a slight upward tipping of the spine to acquire about a 10° to 12° angle to be set in the bevel as you hammer. It takes a simple inward twisting of the wrist to keep the blade from resting flat on the anvil face. It must be done at each horizontal pass. This smartly places just the right amount of bevel angle. After a few passes, the blade will “find” that angle as you place it down.
After a complete pass from choil to tip on the right side of the blade, flip the piece over, tip to 10° to 12°, place at the top of the anvil, and do the left side. This is the place to use your indexing skills. It takes most smiths some time and practice to fully master this concept. I’ll go over this beveling thing a couple more times. Read this whole section and look at the drawings and photos several times before doing this.
TIP: Sometimes it takes fewer total passes than I indicate in this book. This is due to the individual smith’s power and/or heat control and/or blade position and/or hammer penetration and/or steel composition. There are lots of variables. If your blade is almost straight after fewer than the recommended strikes or passes, back off on the heat and/or reduce the power or reduce the passes. If you place blows beyond what is needed, the blade will curve upward. Usually, fewer strikes per pass will be necessary as the beveling chore proceeds. This happens because the smith usually increases his or her power and confidence as time at the anvil is increased. Also, the bevel becomes thinner with repeated heats requiring less steel to be moved.
The forging sequence is as follows. Take a heat. Place the blade at the bottom of the anvil. Tip to 12°. Place overlapping blows down the blade on the right side at the 1/2 line. Take a heat. Flip to the left side of the blade at the top of the anvil. Tip to 12°. Forge down the left side at the 1/2 line at the top of the anvil. Take a heat. Flip to bottom. Tip. Place blows down the right side of the blade at the 1/4 line. Heat. Flip. Tip, down the left side at the 1/4 line at the top. Take a heat. Flip. Tip and down the 1/8 line on the right side. Heat. Flip. Tip. Then down the left side at the 1/8 line. Your blade should be nearly straight after three or five passes and however many heats as needed.
By hammering in this 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 method you will “set the bevel” of your knife in the traditional way, FORGING! Ninety-three percent of all bladesmiths set their bevels at the grinder. I have met only a handful of smiths that do this the old way. You’ll be the only blacksmith in the surrounding ten counties that sets the bevel with your three-pound hammer!
Do not strike randomly up and down the blade or space-out (i.e. not overlap) your blows and expect anything good to happen.
BLACKSMITH SECRET: To gauge forging heat have a wooden box close by and away from any direct light. Hold your blade in the box to see the true forging heat. Even when hot the “red” is sometimes difficult to see in a lighted room. However, the red will show in the shade of your box. This means you are above forging heat and will thus avoid potential edge cracks. Remember this is high carbon steel and your working parameters are narrower. Iron can be worked over a greater temperature without damage. At the end of each forging and before you lose forging heat in your blade use the last few seconds to straighten and align your work. Make all lines right with the world.
The successful counter-bend is placed at the “bottom” of the anvil with the choil just at the anvil’s corner next to the table. Several hammer blows are placed at the halfway point/line and then the hammer travels down the blade to the smith’s right.
You can buy Forged: Making A Knife With Traditional Blacksmith Skills here
Keychain Knives Provide Utility And Protection In A Compact Package. There Are Many Quality Keychain Knives At An Affordable Price.
From a conversation piece to the handiest blade available, nothing adds to the everyday carry equation better than the right keychain knife. With little notice until needed, a keychain cutter is ready for action but doesn’t weigh down the pocket or take up too much space in a purse.
Coming in different sizes and blade types, keychain knives are as varied as any other type of everyday carry knife but is smaller and more nimble.
At Outdoor Edge, the MiniGrip, MiniBlaze, and MiniBabe are the same knife differentiated only by color in black, blaze—an orange shade—and pink, respectively. “They’re designed to meet the needs of anyone who needs a small lightweight blade that is always within reach,” Outdoor Edge marketing director William Morgan said. “We designed these knives in three colors to cater to all knife enthusiasts. When we developed this series of knives, we noticed a gap in the market for an affordable and mostly practical small knife that can be easily attached to a keychain or carried in one’s pocket.
The Outdoor Edge MiniGrip, MiniBlaze, and MiniBabe are the same keychain knife differentiated only by color in black, blaze—an orange shade—and pink, respectively. “They’re designed to meet the needs of anyone who needs a small lightweight blade that is always within reach,” related Outdoor Edge marketing director William Morgan.
“We opted to make three colors to accommodate a larger audience,” William continued. “Obviously, the orange is great for high visibility, reducing the chance of losing the knife, while the black is a little more inconspicuous, and the pink seems to be a hit with the female audience.”
Designed in Colorado and sporting a low MSRP, each knife in the Outdoor Edge series includes a 2.2-inch 8Cr13MoV stainless steel blade, rubber TPR handle, 1.4-ounce weight, and 2.9-inch closed length. Each model comes complete with a lanyard that makes attaching it to a keychain easy. Each has an ambidextrous thumb stud for easy one-hand opening as well.
“The razor-sharp blade is up to any task, from opening the latest round of Amazon Prime boxes to cutting rope or even performing field-dressing tasks,” Morgan said. “The rubberized TPR handle serves a few functions. First, this is a small knife, and we were concerned about creating a secure, non-slip grip to avoid accidents. Second, the handle does not jingle against the keys on your keychain, making it a perfect silent addition to anyone’s keys.”
MSRP: $23.95
The Bear Edge 71523
The Bear Edge 71523 from Bear & Son Cutlery complements a substantial line of knives, and company spokesperson Jacob Eaton says it’s a hit. “It’s affordable, compact and a functional tool,” he said. “Customers really like it because it’s lightweight, sharp and just the right size. Plus, you will always know where a knife is when it’s attached to your keys. We find both genders purchasing the Bear Edge 71523, and it fits everyone’s lifestyle.”
The Bear Edge 71523 is a framelock-folding keychain knife with a 2-inch blade of 440 stainless steel and a stainless handle. Weight: 2.3 ounces. Closed length:2.875 inches. The imported knife has an MSRP of $17.99.
The imported 71523 is complete with a two-inch blade of 440 stainless steel, stainless handle, and closed length of 2.875 inches. It’s almost lighter than air at just 2.3 ounces. According to Eaton, the blade length is ideal for typical cutting tasks encountered on a daily basis. “Cutting boxes open, adjusting cordage length and other similar chores are easy with the sturdy framelock design,” he said. “And one can cut confidently.” Another utilitarian feature is the built-in bottle opener.
The company chose the stainless components for durability, and the knife is sized for maximum versatility. “Stainless steel is a timeless design element and proven to stand against wear and tear,” Eaton said. “The finish looks natural on a keychain and doesn’t call attention. The frame pattern was developed to fit comfortably into both large and small hands. The blade is a drop point shape, allowing it to complete most tasks, and the 71523 attaches with a standard split key ring.”
MSRP: $21.49
Al Mar Knives Stinger
The Al Mar Knives (AMK) approach to keychain knives involves easy access and long-term performance, and the Stinger was developed to deliver classic AMK design and function.
Above: The Stinger fixed-blade keychain knife from Al Mar Knives features a 1.3-inch D-2 tool steel blade in a flat grind, a synthetic PP+TPR rubber handle, and dual-injected sheath of the same material. It weighs just .7 of an ounce. Overall length: 3.1 inches.
“This knife is designed to be great at slicing and fast cuts.” — Justin Rabon
“Our Stinger keychain knife is designed for anyone looking for a durable blade they can keep concealed and on hand, with or without pockets,” AMK representative Justin Rabon said. “Our users find creative ways to incorporate these on their bags, gear and keys. We feel this versatility can help reach a wide range of users across many different lifestyles. We want our keychain knives to be practical for the majority of our users. We want to find the needs in the industry and have our knives be the solution to those needs.”
The fixed-blade Stinger comes complete with a snug-fitting sheath and deploys with a push of a button. It features a 1.3-inch D-2 tool steel blade in a flat grind, a PP+TPR rubber handle, and dual-injected sheath of the same material. It weighs just .7 of an ounce. Overall length: 3.1 inches.
“This knife is designed to be great at slicing and fast cuts,” Rabon said. “It can be used for anything where a short, sharp knife is needed. To accomplish these tasks easily and repeatedly, we gave the knife a D-2 blade. D-2 is known for retaining a sharp edge after repeated use. We also designed the Stinger to have Al Mar’s Wedge-style blade. This provides a superior dagger point where needed.”
The AMK Stinger comes complete with a snug-fitting sheath and deploys with an easy push of a button. It comes in red, blue, black and green—and the green really stands out in a crowd.
The Stinger’s finer points add flair and good looks as well. “The four colors that were chosen for the four Stinger knives—red, blue, black and green—were picked to provide variety while staying true to the traditional red and black of Al Mar Knives. The plastics in the handle were chosen to add extra grip and durability.”
Integral to the Stinger design is an eyelet built into the sheath, and sturdy construction prevents failures. “This makes sure the sheath doesn’t detach from the eyelet,” Rabon said, “and also allows you to replace the smaller key loop with a smaller diameter cord if desired. The Al Mar Wedge provides a superior point if needed, and the finger groove at the base of the blade allows the Stinger to sit comfortably in most hands. This improves the fit, feel, and functionality of the knife.”
MSRP: $12-23
Gerber Key Note
Gerber spokesperson Josh Headley said the focus on the company’s Key Note keychain knife is compactness. “We also wanted to add some chisel/scraping capabilities for additional functionality,” he said. “Gender wasn’t a big consideration. We just wanted to make a tool that was worthy of a place in your pocket or purse.”
Also available in black as shown, the Gerber Key Note linerlock keychain knife has a 1-inch blade of satin-finished 5Cr stainless steel that is designed to scrape as well as cut. Handle: aluminum. Weight: 3.98 ounces. Closed length: 2 inches.
Features inherent in the Key Note design brought that idea from the drawing board to reality. “We added the wide clip so that you can also hang keys on your belt,” Headley said. “The knife was designed to not draw too much attention when worn on the clip, but still have a pleasing and almost symmetrical shape. We took a lot of inspiration from the history of Gerber. The overall profile is inspired by the shield logo, as well as Gerber’s past logos and heraldic-naming conventions with a modern twist.”
The Key Note combines function with a tip of the cap to Gerber tradition. With a 1-inch blade of satin-finished 5Cr stainless steel, the knife weighs just 3.98 ounces, and its aluminum handle scales are built to last.
“The primary function of the Key Note is to open packages,” Headley said. “The thought was you get home, grab a package off your porch and open your door. You have the tool set to open your door and open your package in hand.”
The Key Note’s tanto-style blade allows for scraping & chiseling along with cutting.
Available colors add to the Key Note’s appeal for those who look for discretion or want a bit of flash. “We set out to have a modern option and an old-school option for the EDC community,” Headley commented. “The matte-black anodize with the bright contrast from the orange is meant to look at home next to your key fob. The coyote and sage is designed to camouflage among a set of brass keys. We made the scales out of aluminum to increase the strength of the lockup, and so that the weight of the keys won’t knock the blade off balance. To improve longevity, the blade runs on brass washers and operates on a classic linerlock.”
The blade is in a compact tanto style to provide two flat edges that are easy to sharpen. A flat key ring gives an appropriate amount of flexibility between the ring and scales. Several different diameters of rings were tested to determine the best component. A kick-out tab is incorporated to assist in deploying the blade and allow easier opening rather than solely depending on the nail nick.
“The Key Note should be suited to light and medium opening and cutting tasks,” Josh said. “The flat edge on the front can be used to scrape everything from a label to that last bit of errant head gasket. In addition, the front of the scale can be leveraged so that the midpoint of the blade will puncture tape without damaging the contents of a box.”
MSRP: $21.60
Kershaw Cinder
Kershaw Cinder keychain knife.
If there was a knife out there that could be called adorable it’s the Kershaw Cinder, but don’t judge a book by its cover. This knife comes with a blade of 3Cr13 blade steel, and you know with the Kershaw name that it will be a quality knife from blade to handle. An excellent box cutter and utility knife or a protection piece for your keychain or purse, the Cinder plays far bigger than its size. Also, it has an integrated bottle opener and we could always use another of those.
Sypderco has made a nimble keychain knife that feels like it should cost more than it does. At less than three inches in total length, the Bug easily slides onto a keychain and works as an excellent low-profile EDC for protection and whatever else life throws at you.
A flat-ground blade made of 3Cr13MoV stainless steel, the Bug also features a flat, stainless steel handle great for engraving or personalizing for yourself or a friend as a gift. The smallest folding knife made by Spyderco, the Bug delivers in nearly every way.
MSRP: $24.50
SOG Centi II Knife
SOG Centi II Knife
Featuring a lockback design, and a blade coming in at 2.1 inches, the Centi II is a versatile knife fit for your pocket, keychain, or even on a necklace. Strong yet thin, it’s even thinner than your car key, the Centi II is robust enough to tackle any day-to-day tasks you’d expect from any other EDC. The hardcased black finish is gorgeous and adds a sleek design touch to the knife.
Victorinox Classic Swiss Army Knife
Victorinox Classic Swiss Army Knife
When it comes to keychain knives it’s impossible to make a list without the famous Swiss Army Knife. With seven tools and functions built into a body just 2.3 inches in length, the Swiss Army Knife is famous for its versatility and is still one of the gold standards of keychain knives.
With tools made of stainless steel that include a small blade, scissors, and a nail file with a screwdriver, the Swiss Army Knife can handle pretty much any situation life can throw at you where you’d need a quick tool. The classics become classics for a reason, and you can’t go wrong with a Swiss Army Knife on your keychain or in your pocket.
Best Miniature went to Grace Horne for these full-functioning scissors. They were handmade by her with watchmaker tools underneath a microscope.
Best Tactical Folder: Dmitry Sinkevich
Best Slip Joint: Luke Swenson
Best Handle Design & Best New Maker: Fabio Barros
Best Utility Hunter: Ben Pittman
Best Fighter: Henning Wilkinson
Best Sword: Vince Evans
Best Collaboration: Seth Lopez & Leah Aripotch. Lopez forged the knife while Aripotch created the stand.
Best Damascus: Mike Quesenberry
Best New Maker: Fabio Barros
Best Kitchen Knife: Will Stelter
Best Of The Rest: Dmitry Sinkevich. Sinkevich said that the design was inspired by a combination of the ulu knife and watch rotor. 
Spyderco Military 2
Asheville Steel Warlock
MKM – Maniago Knife Makers Miura
Civivi Orthrus
Lionsteel Eggie
Sencut Sachse
Pro-Tech Ultimate Collection Terzuole ATCF Auto
Pro-Tech Terzuole ATCF Auto
Heretic Wraith Auto
Bradford Paring Knife
![8 Affordable, Cool, And Compact Keychain Knives [2022]](https://blademag.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-03-18-at-1.21.33-PM-768x577.png "8 Affordable, Cool, And Compact Keychain Knives [2022]")
