In the April 2015 issue of BLADE® is a fascinating feature article about four knife collectors whose collections each consist overwhelmingly of the knives of one knifemaker only. The collectors and the makers they collect? The article, written by Stephen Garger, lists Chris Schluter, who enjoys accumulating the knives of Bob Terzuola; Tony Wang, who began collecting Bob Lum knives in the late 1980s; Tashi Bharucha, whose collection focuses on Tom Mayo knives; and Don Deckert who collects Ernest Emerson knives.
Don Deckert’s collection of Ernest Emerson customs includes these seven (left) very early “garage make” pre-tac knives.
The feature starts:
You’ve heard of people collecting dozens, even hundreds of assorted genres of knives, but have you heard of collectors amassing up to 100 or more knives of a single maker? Chris Schluter knows of such collectors and suggested the phenomenon as a topic for a BLADEstory.
Chris enjoys accumulating the knives of Bob Terzuola and is one of several who practice the one-maker approach to knife collecting. See the April 2015 issue of BLADE to read the rest of the article, or click here.
Tashi Bharucha’s Tom Mayo collection (left) features at least 55 of the popular maker’s knives, including one of Bharucha’s designs, the “Mayo Chopper,” though Mayo calls it “The Tashinator.”
The Hunter Pro from Victorinox is hard to miss in the new orange handle.The Kershaw booth was abuzz with activity at the SHOT Show.
The latest in factory knives and accessories were among the surest of bets at the recent Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor, Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas.
New automatics—no doubt spurred in part by the recent repeal of antiquated switchblade bans in a number of states, a move led by pro-knife groups Knife Rights and the American Knife & Tool Institute—were introduced by such companies as Buck, Kershaw, Hogue, Timberline, Pro-Tech and Benchmade. Tomahawks/hatchets were also a hot item, with new versions offered by Spyderco, Puma, 5.11 Tactical, Hogue, Kershaw, SOG and Camillus. Big knives, including machetes, bowies, bolos and camp models, also sizzled, with DPx Gear, Benchmade, CRKT, HK, Steel Will, Outdoor Edge and Condor Tool & Knife among those in the mix.
There were a number of other knives of note, including a new lightweight tactical fixed blade designed by ABS master smith Jerry Fisk based on a longer, flattened out version of his Sendero hunter for White River Knife & Tool. Canal Street Cutlery, in a departure for it, also offered a new tactical fixed blade with slabs provided by VZ Grips and models named after battles of the Iraq War.
With its Impact model, Buck was among the companies introducing new automatics at the SHOT Show.
“Celebrity steel” also proliferated, including a new Utica/Kutmaster knife inspired by the Pigman TV series, tactical fixed blades designed for Camillus by retired Green Beret Grady Powell and retired Navy SEAL Jared Ogden of TV’s Ultimate Survival Alaska, and a chopper from Condor used by survivalist Matt Graham on TV’s Dual Survival.
Meanwhile, Buck presented the 245 Matt Would Go knife based on the design of Navy SEAL Matthew Leathers. Leathers gave his life for his country in 2013 when he was lost at sea during open ocean training exercises.
Smith’s Edgesport 10-N-1 Suvival Multi-Tool offers 10 different survival tools in one.
Mora introduced what for it is a higher-end kitchen knife set—three models in birch handles and 14C28N Swedish Sandvik steel at an MSRP of $299. Zero Tolerance offered new, smaller folders in the $200 MSRP range, and Kershaw introduced a new, larger version of its CQC-4 Ernest Emerson collaboration. Spyderco presented a number of new models, including a Craig Douglas (aka “Southnarc”)/Michael Janich “two-way” fixed blade called the “Reverse” in which the handle slabs can be detached and the knife flipped/reversed and the handles reattached, resulting in mirror-image “edge-out” ergonomics, or two knives in one. Meanwhile, ESEE announced the debut of its long-awaited bushcraft line of fixed blades.
Case introduced its “reborn” version of the V-42 with a special hollow grind based on the original blueprint of the knife made famous by the First Special Service Force, the father of today’s spec ops units, of World War II. A special treat was two surviving members of the FSSF—90-year-old Del Stonehouse and 93-year-old Eugene Gutierrez—on hand at the Case booth. Look for a special story on them in a future issue of BLADE® magazine.
For the complete rundown on the knives from the SHOT Show, see the June BLADE in March.
See the latest knives, swords, and edges of all types, and explore the latest trends in blades, steels, styles, and materials. Gaze upon a “State of the Art” section parading engraved, scrimshawed, jewel-inlaid, carved, etched, sculpted and forge-welded, and Damascus and mosaic-damascus knives. Click here.
Jerry Hossom/Outdoor Edge Brush Demon is the cover knife for the new BLADE, on newsstands TODAY!
The Jerry Hossom/Outdoor Edge Brush Demon is the cover knife for the latest issue of BLADE®, on newsstands TODAY! The Brush Demon is one of the latest examples of the many factory/custom knife collaborations that dot the cutlery landscape. The new BLADE highlights it and three other hot examples of a genre that showcases the great knives that can come of such joint projects. How do they come about? What problems do both the makers and the knife companies face in putting such knives together? Find out in the new BLADE.
Knife collecting comes in many approaches, from amassing scores of the same pocketknife pattern, to collecting specific brands such as Case and Buck, and many others. An approach BLADE focuses on this issue is the collecting of knives by one custom knifemaker—in some cases, as many as 100 knives or more by a single custom maker! Join Stephen Garger as he interviews several such collectors and the knives and the knifemakers they collect.
If your car were to flip and your loved ones were pinned by jammed seat belts, would you be prepared to cut those seat belts and save your loved ones’ lives? One way to be prepared for such an eventuality is to keep a “car blade” in your vehicle. Abe Elias examines some of the latest examples of the genre in his story “5 Sharp Car Blades.”
One of the most followed aspects of knives is the latest steels used for blades. Four of the newest steels to hit the cutlery scene are 80CrV2, CTS-PD1, CTS B75P and PSF-27. Find out from the manufacturers and the makers how well these steels perform, how easy they are to maintain and sharpen and much more in Mike Haskew’s “What’s Hot In Knife Steels.”
There’s much more in the latest issue, including Dexter Ewing’s review of the Work Sharp Ken Onion Knife & Tool Sharpener, tests of fixed blades by Sam Stoner Jr. and Darrin Sirois by Kim Breed, part two of Jim Hammond’s educational three-part series on the ivory ban, a comparison of four hot contemporary automatics, a recap of an exclusive new Italian knife show, the Art in Metal Show, an obituary of long-time knifemaker Joe Kious who lost his life tragically in a truck accident, and much more—all in the new BLADE, on newsstands TODAY!
Designed by custom knifemaker and big blade expert, Jerry Hossom, the Brush Demon is the ultimate outdoor and survival tool. Made of sturdy 65Mn carbon steel with a black powder coat finish, this is one aggressive high-speed chopping tool you’ll want on your side. Be prepared for extreme conditions with the non-slip grip provided by the rubberized ergonomic TPR handle. Learn more
A December 2014 feature article by staff writer Phil Perry online and in the Lincoln Times-News of Lincolnton, N.C., mentions BLADE® Magazine and KNIVES 2015. A knifemaking feature on ABS journeyman smith and commercial pilot Steve Randall, it starts:
Often, when a craftsman pursues the road to independence through a business venture, they are inspired by a lifetime of collecting or being exposed directly to the craft. That wasn’t necessarily the case for Lincoln County’s Steve Randall, who has made an international name for himself crafting custom hand-forged knives from his workshop on the eastern end of the county.
“As an avid survivalist, I have used knives all my life,” he said. “I never collected them or thought a whole lot about it. Once I was bitten with the bug I have been obsessed with it ever since.”
Things changed in 2009 when Randall started “KSR Blades” and built an extension onto his garage to house the vast amount of forging equipment needed to facilitate his burning passion to produce high-quality hand-forged knives.
“I made my first sale on eBay and I was pretty excited,” Randall said. The ABS journeyman smith doesn’t sell his product on auction sites these days. Having been featured in national magazines like “Knives Illustrated,” “BLADE® Magazine” and four of his creations featured in “KNIVES 2015,” Randall has a one-year backlog on special orders and also ships to Germany, Sweden, Australia and Canada.
When it comes to big flippers, one of Darrel Ralph’s Madd Maxx 5.5-inch MGB bearing models fills the bill. In this instance, Ralph outfits his big flipper with a blade of PD1-core san-mai damascus forged by Chad Nichols. The knife comes in a run of 25 numbered pieces.
Flipper folders are wildly popular. Aside from adding an interesting visual element to any knife, the flipper serves a few key roles, including as a one-hand opening device, and as a guard.
Just like innovation and technology drive any industry, the same can be said for the knife industry. What’s neat about knives is that they’re often designed by handmade knifemakers, craftsmen, really, and innovations often take the form of folder locks, assisted opening devices, and in this case, flipper folders.
While the Strife, a collaboration between Brous Blades and Dustin Turpin, is a big flipper, Jason Brous said size is not so important as design execution.
There are some monster flipper folders today. As Dexter Ewing writes in the March issue of BLADE®, “Flipper folders, aka flippers, continue to be wildly popular. Aside from adding an interesting visual dimension to the knife, the flipper—a simple protruding lobe at the bottom of the blade’s tang—serves a few roles. One is as a quick and convenient one-hand opening device. Clutch the closed knife’s handle, give the flipper a swift tug with your index finger and the blade has enough inertia to propel itself to the open and locked position. The flipper also serves as an integral hand guard when the knife is open, providing a physical obstruction to prevent your hand from sliding forward onto the blade.”
At 8.5 inches long open, the Camillus Jolt designed by Will Zermeno is a big flipper in every sense of the word. The 3.25-inch blade is hollow-ground D2 tool steel and the scales are a carbon fiber with a subtle pattern designed to enhance the frame’s curved shape.
Learn both basic and advanced knife making techniques with expert instruction from Allen Alishewitz in Tactical Fixed Blades. Allen demonstrates how to craft a double-edged tactical fixed blade knife from start to finish, and creates two knives in order to fully illustrate the knife building process. You’ll learn:
– Profiling and Drilling the Knife
– Tang Tapering on a Grinder
– Tang Tapering on a Mill
– And more!
Rick Hinderer will be among the leading names in knives serving as instructors at the 2nd Annual BLADE University.
Leading knifemakers Rick Hinderer, Ryan Johnson of RMJ Tactical, ABS master smiths Jerry Fisk, Joe Keeslar, Tim Potier and Lin Rhea, Lucas Burnley, Tom Krein, Jason Brous, Murray Carter, HEPK master smith Ed Fowler and many others will be among the instructors for the 2nd Annual BLADE University.
Held the Thursday prior to and through the Saturday of the BLADE Show—the latter which will be June 5-7 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta—BLADE University is a whole new concept in knife show instruction that covers knifemaking, knife collecting, engraving, Japanese swords, knife design, bushcraft, sharpening and much more.
The class schedule:
THURSDAY, JUNE 4
Knives The ABS Way, Room 104
10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Introduction to Bladesmithing—ABS master smith Tim Potier
12:30 p.m.-2 p.m.: How To Make a Knife From Meteorite, with ABS master smith Lin Rhea
2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m.: Part I of Handles and Guards, with ABS master smith Joe Keeslar
3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Part II of Handles and Guards, with ABS master smith Joe Keeslar
FRIDAY, JUNE 5
How To Grind a Knife Blade Part I, Room 109
8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.: Proper Tools and Safety Gear/Tips, with knifemakers Tom Krein and Lucas Burnley, and Chris Williams of Wilmont Grinders
-How To Grind a Knife Blade, The Courtyard
9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m.: How To Grind, Part I, with knifemakers Tom Krein and Lucas Burnley, and Chris Williams of Wilmont Grinders
-How To Grind a Knife Blade, The Courtyard
11 a.m.-12 p.m.: How To Grind, Part II, with knifemakers Tom Krein and Lucas Burnley, and Chris Williams of Wilmont Grinders
GRS Engraving Instruction, Room 107
8:30 a.m.-10 a.m.: Introduction and techniques, including drawing, transfer and graver sharpening
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.: Hands-on engraving, including hand engraving, finishing and Q&A
How To Sharpen Any Blade, Room 104
12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.: Big Knives, Axes/Tomahawks, Razors and More, with knifemaker Murray Carter
How To Choose Your Knife, Room 104
2 p.m.-3:15 p.m.: Choosing a Knife You Can Depend On For Survival, including Design Aspects, Construction and Questions to Ask The Maker, with Ed Fowler, HEPK Mastersmith
Collecting Wartime Randall Knives, Room 109
3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m.: What’s Hot In Wartime Randall Knives, with Randall knife purveyor Gary Clinton
Collecting & Maintaining Japanese Swords, Room 107
5 p.m.-6:15 p.m.: What To Look For When Buying a Japanese Sword and Proper Japanese Sword Care/Maintenance, with Wally Hostetter
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
From One-Man Shop To Semi-Production/Production: How The Pros Do It, Room 107
8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Jason Brous/Brous Blades
9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m.: Rick Hinderer/Rick Hinderer Knives
Bushcraft Knife Survival School, Room 109
9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m.: Knife Design & Function, with Abe Elias
11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Knife Skills: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Knife, Including Proper Grips and Cutting/Chopping Techniques, with Abe Elias
Using 3D CAD/CAM Software In Knife Design & Knifemaking, Room 107
11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Ryan M. Johnson, RMJ Tactical, LLC
Designing and Making a Combat Knife, Room TBD
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Design, Manufacture, Uses, Soldiers’ Needs, Peacetime Effects and More, with knifemaker Bill Harsey and Curtis Iovito and Mark Carey of Spartan Blades
How To Get Your Knife Design Put Into Production/Do A Factory/Custom Collaboration, Room 104
12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.: Knifemaker Brian Tighe and Rod Bremer of CRKT
3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m. ABS master smith Jerry Fisk & John Cammenga of White River Knife & Tool
For details on how you can enroll for BLADE University and/or to buy tickets for the BLADE Show, visit bladeshow.com or CLICK HERE. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
Recommended for You:
Knife Grinding Secrets (Download)
Author R.J. Martin, whose knives are some of the most popular and sought-after in the industry, instructs on flat- and double-hollow-grinding knife blades. Martin a frequent contributor to BLADE® Magazine, frequency, offers up his methods for blade grinding. You won’t be disappointed. Follow along as R.J. covers:
– Profiling a Chisel-Ground Blade
– Grinding the Bevel of the Kwaiken Model
– The Finesse of Grinding
– The Feared Flat Grind
– More!
Charles Houston Price, founder of Knife World, passed away Dec. 29.
Charles Houston Price, publisher of Knife World, passed away Monday, Dec. 29. He was 79.
Of New Market, Tennessee, the man known to many simply as Houston was a rock in the world of knives and knife publishing. Next to BLADE®, his Knife World monthly publication is the longest-running knife periodical. Knife World’s support of the knife business, including a long, successful relationship with the American Bladesmith Society (ABS), has been one of the constants in an industry that, like many, has had its share of attrition and turnover.
In addition to his role as publisher of Knife World, he wrote about knives for both it and other publications, authored six editions of The Official Price Guide to Collector Knives and, along with his fellow Cutlery and ABS Hall-Of-Fame compatriot B.R. Hughes, authored the quintessential book on Cutlery and ABS Hall-Of-Famer Bill Moran, Master of the Forge. Houston also was a recipient of what many consider the most prestigious of ABS honors, the Don Hastings Award, for selfless giving above and beyond the call to the ABS in a manner similar to the man for whom the honor is named.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Farrar Funeral Home (865-475-3892) with the Rev. Robin Lindsey officiating. Family will receive friends from 10 until 11 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, 3800 Fettler Park Dr., Ste. 104, Dumfries, VA 22025 or on line at marineheritage.org, or to American Bouvier Rescue League, ABRL, c/o Deborah Abeles, PO Box 689, Cheshire, MA 01225.
A December 2014 
