The hip kids know that the latest knife video craze involves rusty knives, knife maintenance tools and elbow grease. There’s something strangely satisfying about watching a beater knife that couldn’t fetch a quarter at a garage sale return to its former glory.
Here are the best “rusty knife rescue” videos from around the web.
Keep Your Knives Looking Their Best with This Guide
Bob Terzuola’s ATCF remains among the most iconic of tactical folders and is featured in the latest BLADE®.The Gunny shares his ample knife knowledge in the special military issue of BLADE®.
What are the top 5 U.S. military knives of all time? What’s it like to be married to the military, each other and knives all at the same time? Can the modern knife age be divided into two eras—before and after tactical folders? The latest issue of BLADE®, our special annual military issue, answers these questions and more, and is on newsstands and/or available in the digital editionnow!
The top 5 U.S. military knives of all time–wow, that covers a lot of ground, don’t you think? BLADE polled such military veterans as USMC Staff Sgt. R. Lee “The Gunny” Ermey, Special Forces MSG/BLADE field editor Kim Breed, Navy EOD Chief Petty Officer Rob Cude, Special Forces/Green Beret Mark Carey, USMC Sgt. Les George and others to determine the elite knife grouping. Find out the results on page 42.
Michael Zieba’s Trench Cleaver includes a handle from the iconic World War I Trench Knife in the latest BLADE®.
Army SFC Michael “Rod” Rodriguez (retired) of the 7th Special Forces Group and SFC Kelly Rodriguez and also CW3 Jeremy Valdez (retired) and Sgt. Rachel Valdez (retired) are respective husband-and-wife teams who saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now design knives for CRKT in the company’s “Forged By War” series. Read how these military heroes served their country above and beyond the call and their connection to knives—including Rod, who forges knives and had his portrait painted by President George W. Bush for Bush’s book, Portraits of Courage: A Commander In Chief’s Tribute To America’s Warriors—and more in Erin Healy’s story, “On-Point With Love & War.”
Ever since tactical folders became the hottest knives of all in the 1990s, knife observers have predicted time and again that the folders had peaked and/or were on their way out. Now, about a quarter of a century later, tactical folders maintain their lofty position as being among the most popular knives anywhere. Get the complete story on the longest-lasting knife trend going in Mike Haskew’s “The Renaissance Knife.”
See how many of the Top 5 U.S. Military knives of all time you can pick in the latest BLADE®!
There’s much more in the latest issue but you’re going to have to buy it to find out what all that entails. Get your copy on newsstands or the digital edition, or subscribe to the domestic, Canadian or international print editions, or to the digital edition now!
In BLADE®’s continuing series entitled Midweek Maker, we are in our third installment of Midweek Maker Military Style: Tracy LaRock of LaRock Knives.
Tracy LaRock grew up on a dairy farm and spent every spare moment hunting, trapping and fishing. He served as a mortarman in U.S. Marine Corps from 1990 to 1995, but he didn’t stay out for long. In 1997 he signed on with the Texas Army National Guard, in artillery and recruiting, and still serves today. “So knives have been a part of my daily life since the beginning,” he commented.
“In 2008 Atmar Lester was showing a knife he made to some folks at church. I asked him some questions and he pointed me in the direction I needed to go,” Tracy related. “To start off it was basic tools and head-scratching, then I discovered the forums and tutorials.” Thomas Rucker and Percy Richardson let Tracy visit their shops. In 2014 he started making slip joints. After completing a few he reached out for help and received helpful insights from knifemakers Luke Swenson, Jared Oser and Enrique Pena among others.
“I hope to become a full-time maker in a couple years when I hang this uniform up for the last time,” he noted. Tracy lives in Lufkin, Texas with his wife, Mia, and their three sons.
Best-selling knife patterns: TimberJack and TimberJack Jr., traditional slip joints
Favorite blade steels: W2, 1095, O1. “Most are W2 because I have long since fallen down the hamon hole,” Tracy quipped.
Blade grinds: flat
How he tests his knives: rope, cardboard
Favorite handle materials: green canvas Micarta and ironwood
Price range: $350-$850
Forums he participates in: Facebook Group like Making Slipjoints and Lockbacks
As Tracy LaRock retires from the military, he will be able to focus more time on making his TimberJack slip joints. His wife Mia LaRock does a terrific job running the Facebook Group at LaRock Knifes.
The above TimberJack has a 3-inch blade of W2 with hamon. The handle is fashioned from canvas Micarta scales. Overall length is 7.25 inches. Maker’s list price: $425.
This Tracy LaRock creation is also a TimberJack with a 3-inch blade of W2 steel with hamon. The handle is American flag Carv-X. Overall length is 7 3/4 inches. The screw construction is done with titanium screws from TiConnector. Maker’s list price: $750.
Contact Tracy or Mia LaRock at 936-238-9077, [email protected], on Facebook at LaRock Knives or on Instagram @tracylarock.
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An annual U.S. subscription to BLADE is $21.98. You can get your 13 issues sent to Canada for $39.98 and internationally for $49.98. Or go green and get your issues sent digitally for $17.98.
A one year’s subscription to BLADE® will ensure you’re the first to read all six Knifemaker Showcase stories. You’ll also get the latest knife news, knifemaking how-tos, knife reviews, plus knife history and articles that tap into the knowledge of both the legends and the up-and-comers. Don’t miss out. Subscribe.
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You can subscribe to your choice of the print, digital, Canadian and/or international editions. It will, quite honestly, be the best bang for your blade buck anywhere.
In the second of BLADE’s Midweek Makers series we continue with our armed forces active-duty members and veterans. This week: Midweek Makers Military-Style: Chris Rowley of Nomad Customs.
Chris Rowley was a farrier for 12 years or more before he joined the Army at age 34. During his seven years of service he deployed six times to Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 75 Ranger Regiment, winding up his service this year as a weapons squad leader with the rank of staff sergeant.
He always loved blacksmithing and found time after work and on weekends to keep his hand in it by making knives. “Pretty soon half of 2nd battalion had one of my knives,” he said.
When Chris entered blacksmithing competitions, his horseshoes were hammer-finished, essentially going from the forge to horse. He tries to carry those shaping skills over to his knives, completing as much work in the forge as possible. Although not applicable with all steels or designs, many of his knives maintain a richly textured hammered finish.
Chris lives with his wife in Rainier, Washington.
Best-selling knife patterns: small everyday carry knives and 4- to 10-inch bowie-fighters
Favorite blade steels: 1084, 1075 and 15N20 for ease in forge-welding and the contrast with 1084 and 15N20; also W2
Blade grinds: hollow and flat
How he tests his knives: cardboard and random materials for everyday carry knives; chopping kindling and prepping game for camp-oriented knives
Favorite handle materials: resin-and-burl-wood combinations by Voodoo Resins and J Hue Customs. “Both finish really well,” he added.
Price range: $275 and up
Forums he participate in: BladeForums.com
The diamond hole you see in Nomad Custom knives is representative of the U.S. Army unit in which knifemaker Chris Rowley served, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.
This knife has a 9-inch flat-ground forge-welded blade of 1084 and 15N20 steels. The handle is made of redwood burl with Voodoo Resins spacers and G10 liners. His maker’s mark is a diamond cutout to represent the Ranger Battalion emblem. Maker’s list price: $500 with sheath.
Watch Chris Rowley Cut Out His Maker’s Mark
The diamond-shaped insignia is used to represent the battalion within the Ranger Regiment. Often in comments, you will see it typed as < 2 > for 2nd Battalion, for example.
This sticker, offered by Scroll Factory, shows what the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment diamond looks like that bladesmith Chris Rowley of Nomad Custom Knives & Tools cuts out of his blades as his maker’s mark.
An annual U.S. subscription to BLADE is $21.98. You can get your 13 issues sent to Canada for $39.98 and internationally for $49.98. Or go green and get your issues sent digitally for $17.98.
A one year’s subscription to BLADE will ensure you’re the first to read all six Knifemaker Showcase stories. You’ll also get the latest knife news, knifemaking how-tos, knife reviews, plus knife history and articles that tap into the knowledge of both the legends and the up-and-comers. Don’t miss out. Subscribe.
Donate now to USA Knifemaker’s program to assist full-time makers’ shops flooded by Hurricane Harvey.
Help full-time knifemakers whose shops have been damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Harvey through a program initiated by the folks at USA Knifemaker.
A leading supplier of knifemaking equipment, materials, tools and other products used to make knives, USA Knifemaker’s assistance program is designed to help full-time knifemakers—and with floodwaters continuing to rage in and around Houston, Texas, the effort comes not one moment too soon.
“We would like to help our knifemaker brothers that have been wiped out to get back on their feet,” notes Tracy Mickley of USA Knifemaker. “This isn’t about advertising. This isn’t about making us look good. This is about doing the right thing and about helping people in need. If I could do this quietly I would, but I can’t. These guys need your help and I am going to bang the drum as loud as I can to get some help headed their way.”
USAknifemaker.com will match donations up to $2,000 in knifemaking supplies for full-time knifemakers that have lost their shops to the hurricane and flood. “If I can manage more I will but right now it’s the best I can do,” Mickley writes. “If public donations do not reach $2,000 for the match, we will still give out the full $2,000 in the form of gift certificates to USAknifemaker.com. I hope we can max this out to $4,000 plus.
“We will give $250 gift certificates to eight—at the minimum, we hope for at least 16 or more—full-time knifemakers that have had their shops destroyed by floods. It’s not enough to restock a shop. I get that. I also understand there are hundreds, maybe thousands of part-time makers that also have had tragic losses and I wish we could help everyone. Those makers that depend on knifemaking as their primary income can use our help as a community.”
If you know any full-time makers in the Houston area whose shops were damaged or destroyed by Harvey, you can help through USA Knifemaker’s assistance program.
Send a check, cash, use Paypal or a credit card. “We will cover the Paypal and credit card fees,” Mickley notes. “We will total up the donations and match up to $2,000 to be given out as gift certificates to eight full-time makers. If the total of public donations exceeds $2,000, we will compile the extra and give out as many $250 gift certificates as the funds allow. One-hundred percent of donations will be given out. We will recap all activity on Knifedogs.com for full transparency here.
“We are asking you to provide names and contact information of full-time knifemakers in and around the Houston area that you know who have lost their shop or had significant shop damage. We do not need a list of random names of makers in the area. We need to know who got hurt in this. We will have to filter out opportunists so we will require proof of loss in the form of pictures of their shop and a short description of damage. To be clear, we aren’t ‘covering’ any other losses. There are other agencies for that. We are trying to help those that lost their knifemaking shop.
“I am hoping for a lot of interest and support,” Mickley continues. “I will have a thread on Knifedogs.com to track donations, candidates and awards, and to keep this transparent. I welcome your input and suggestions on how the knifemaking community can step up and lend a hand. Post your comments and suggestions here.”
We’re kicking off a new series at BLADEmag.com called Midweek Maker. Each Wednesday we’ll feature a different knifemaker. The first six installments feature active-duty military or veterans. This week: Midweek Maker Military-Style: Dustin Driver of Driver Defense Knives.
Dustin Driver of Guntersville, Alabama served in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2010. He was a communications expert, deploying to Iraq, 2005-2006, and Kuwait, 2007-2009. He uses that training and experience in his current job as a system and network administrator for a government contractor.
In October 2015 he was looking for a hobby. “I have always been into knives and have always been creative and good at making things,” Dustin noted. Aside from some You Tube videos and Internet research, he is essentially self-taught. “I have a beautiful daughter who has cerebral palsy, so I try and do a few charity knives a year to benefit cerebral palsy and other special needs areas.”
Best-selling knife patterns: Belladonna, an EDC mini cleaver; Toxin, an everyday carry with several blade styles; Timber Rattler, a small neck knife
Favorite blade steels: 1095 for consistent heat-treat; S35VN as a good all-around steel; pattern-welded steel from Alabama Damascus Steel
Blade grinds: flat with plans to offer hollow. “I like thick blades with full or high flat grinds. The thick spine makes for a strong blade, and the high flat grinds make them nice slicers.”
How he tests his knives: chopping 2-by-4s, field use, slicing paper
Dustin Driver bought a mill and he’s experimenting with fullers. He likes the looks of them when they end in a bevel. His Toxin model comes in a variety of blade styles, including a drop-point with or without hamon.
The 7.5-inch Driver Defense Toxin is a tanto-bowie with fuller made out of S35VN steel. The flat-ground blade measures 3 inches. The scales are stabilized spalted maple with carbon fiber bolster and orange G10 liner and spacer. Maker’s list price: $350 with Kydex sheath.
Contact Dustin Driver, 256-975-9857, [email protected], on Facebook at Driver Defense and on Instagram @driverdefenseknives. His Facebook Group is Driver Defense EDC. You’ll want to ask to join that one. Dustin makes beef jerky, too, and he’s a big-hearted guy with frequently donates portions of proceeds to charity.
Subscribe To BLADE For More Stories Like This
An annual U.S. subscription to BLADE is $21.98. You can get your 13 issues sent to Canada for $39.98 and internationally for $49.98. Or go green and get your issues sent digitally for $17.98.
A one year’s subscription to BLADE will ensure you’re the first to read all six Knifemaker Showcase stories. You’ll also get the latest knife news, knifemaking how-tos, knife reviews, plus knife history and articles that tap into the knowledge of both the legends and the up-and-comers. Don’t miss out. Subscribe.
