The Custom Knife Collectors Association (CKCA) announced it has raised $6,598.30 for the Jimmy V Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
The money was raised through the CKCA’s raffle of a special bowie made by ABS master smiths/CKCA members Larry Fuegen and Tim Hancock. The winner was knifemaker/CKCA member Joel Chamblin.
The CKCA’s contributions to date to cancer research projects totals $34,053.30.
According to Knife Rights, the California Court of Appeals last week reversed a lower court’s ruling that a knife that could be “wrist-flicked” open was a “switchblade.”
The lower court made the faulty ruling despite an explicit provision in California law that distinguishes and protects one-hand opening and assisted-opening knives with a bias towards closure and despite prior Appellate Court rulings upholding that exception. These common folding knives represent over 80 percent of the U.S. market and the California legislature clearly wanted them to be legal when they clarified the original switchblade law as follows:
“‘Switchblade knife’ does not include a knife that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade, provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism that provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade, or that biases the blade back toward its closed position.”
This is essentially the same exemption that was added to the Federal Switchblade Act as a result of the knife industry banning together to help clarify the federal definition in 2009.
“We laud the Appeals Court on its decision and a well-written opinion, but it is unfortunate that the defendant had to undergo the extreme harassment and stress to him and his family and friends that comes with such an experience due to the ignorance and apparent anti-knife bias of the law enforcement officer, prosecutors and the lower court involved,” Knife Rights indicated in a statement. “We’d also like to acknowledge the successful efforts of the defendant’s court appointed lawyer who presented a strong defense. Hopefully, this will be the end of this sordid travesty of justice by the state and there will be no further appeal.”
You can read the Appeals Court opinion here: www.kniferights.org/G045929.pdf
Honestly, it’s not difficult to choose the “Editor’s Favorites from the Knives 2013 Book,” not because there are only a couple dozen great knives in the publication, but instead they’re all incredible (at least to this humble editor), so how could one go wrong? Such is the case with a sea-worthy locking-liner folder from the hands and genius of Scott Sawby and his favorite engraver, wife Marian.
Before you can answer the question of what the most popular knives are among the U.S. military in Afghanistan, you must first answer such questions as: What are the knives used for? Which knives do the job and are the best buys for the money? Which knives are most available? There are other questions, but these are good starting points.
According to those interviewed, knives are used mostly for cutting boxes, tape, rope and 550 cord, small-gauge metal wire, prying things open, cutting the clothes of fellow soldiers to administer to wounds, and so on. “[I used a knife in combat] the last time I was deployed, but to cut open mortar ‘tootsie-roll’ cartridge carriers, not to disembowel the enemy,” one soldier observed. “The occasions where a knife is used to directly defend against or attack the enemy are notable in that they are the exception instead of the rule.”
“[Knives] are used literally every mission for combat-related tasks such as prepping vehicles, aircraft, fighting positions, flex cuffs, etc.,” one veteran said. Meanwhile, though it is not exactly a common occurrence, Curtis Iovito of Spartan Blades indicated knives are used in hand-to-hand combat more in Afghanistan than you might think.
Visit the Spartan Blades website to check out knives designed for military purposes.
Jesse Paul Fox Jr., long-time knifemaker known for his electric-motor-driven folder and winning the W.W. Cronk Award, died Nov. 19. He was 74.
Known to most by his middle name of Paul, Fox was a long-time member of the Knifemakers’ Guild and owner of Pioneer Woodcarving. As Fox’s friend and fellow maker Tim Britton noted on The Knife Network, “Paul may have been one of the most creative knifemakers of all time. He was perhaps best known for his electric-motor-driven folder and a series of very fancy knives that were a lot like sculpture. He won the W.W. Cronk Award at the Knifemakers’ Guild shows till they asked him to stop entering and let someone else win.
“Paul is the only maker I know who experimented with his own YAG laser and a trailing-wire EDM machine. The industry will miss him and so will his many friends throughout ‘knifedom.’ Paul and his wife Martha would appreciate our kind thoughts and prayers.”
According to Britton, Fox had a great sense of humor. “Paul had a Chevy Suburban that he bought at a North Carolina State Surplus auction for $700,” Tim recalled. “It was ugly, yellow and very beat up. He took it to Hendricks Motors of NASCAR fame and had them put a full race motor in it. Damned thing would fly and Paul loved nothing better than challenging redneck racers and usually beating them. Guess you have fugured out by now, that dude was a character!
“Paul was very much at home with locals—guys from the garage, bread-truck drivers, etc. He was one of a kind, like so many of us in knifemaking. I can still see Paul using the remote control boat to chase geese off his pond!”
A private service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Catawba Regional Hospice 3975 Robinson Rd. Newton, NC 28658. Bass-Smith Funeral Home is handling the services.
OK, take off the dirty shop apron, remove the safety glasses, and go to the workbench and pull out the notepad and pencil. Now, add Llannoite to the list of incredible knife handle materials available to honest, hardworking knifemakers across the land. While you’re at it, add the Bill Keller locking-liner folder to the list of “Editor’s Favorites from the Knives 2013 Book.”
Knifemaker Bill Keller not only saw the brown hues within the makeup of Llannoite, but the blue, as well, and brought it out nicely through the use of blue-anodized bolsters and liners. Each complements the Chris Marks “lizard-skin”-damascus blade, filework and inlaid blued-titanium thumb stud. (Johnny Stout photo)
There are knives and then there are presentation daggers that would look right at home in a general’s belt sheath, sash or shoulder sling. Larry Lunn’s interpretation of a Scottish officer’s dirk showcases a carved-ebony handle in a Scottish modified-knotwork-style motif, an engraved guard, silver dollar pommel (literally) and a foot-long damascus blade. It stands up, salutes and qualifies itself, volunteering actually, as an editor’s favorite from the Knives 2013 book.
