Continuing the knife construction.
Knife Of The Day: Bartlow Award Winner
Our Knife Of The Day for Feb. 22 is John Bartlow’s utility hunter in a 4-inch blade of ATS-34 stainless steel and a handle of bark elephant ivory.
Winner of “Judge’s Choice, Hunting/Utility Knife” at last year’s Professional Knifemakers Association Show in Denver, the knife is 8 5/8 inches overall and boasts Bartlow’s trademark line cutter/choil where the edge of the blade begins.
For more information e-mail John at [email protected].
For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb022212#BL1SU
Emerson Knives Opens New Factory by Mike Searson
The following was excerpted from examiner.com, and written by Mike Searson, Knife and Sword Examiner:
Emerson Knives held the grand opening of its new factory in Harbor City, California this past weekend, with more factory space, an in-house CQB-training area, visitor lobby and other amenities.
There were several charity raffles, door prizes, contests, a raffle to “Build your own knife,” a custom knife lottery, and a demonstration by martial arts aficionado and Emerson instructor, Richard Bustillo, with a number of his students from the IMB Academy. Additionally, tattoo artist Vance Foster was on hand to provide body art for any willing subjects.
Ernest Emerson set up a “virtual museum” with the timeline of Emerson Knives featuring photos and some rare and unique pieces from the vault. Emerson made his first knife, a butterfly knife, in 1979, while working as a machinist for an aerospace company in southern California because he could not afford to buy one for his martial arts class. He had been studying under Dan Inosanto and Richard Bustillo (both protégés of the late Bruce Lee) at the time, and soon received requests from other students to make knives for them. Emerson made these early knives in exchange for the cost of materials.
He branched out into more conventional designs of the time, fixed blade knives and lockback folders, but soon was intrigued by the LinerLock® design developed by Michael Walker. With Walker’s permission, he incorporated the lock into his own designs and used high-end materials such as mother-of-pearl, titanium and paua shell in his knives. Falling back on his martial arts background, he stripped these designs down to their essence and made a series of tactical knives. These knives featured bead-blasted titanium hardware and black-canvas-Micarta® scales.
In the 1980s he was contacted by a group of “underwater welders” to build a “hard use folding knife as strong as a fixed blade that could perform in extreme environments.” The “welders” turned out to be members of SEAL Team Six, for whom Emerson designed a knife from the ground up. The knife incorporated a unique chisel-ground blade, sharpened on only one side to eliminate parasitic drag and was named the CQC-6.
After profiles in knife magazines and being mentioned in the novels written by Richard Marcinko, the founder of SEAL Team Six, the CQC-6 took the knife community by storm in the 1990’s. Military and firearm aficionados purchased the knife as did legions of knife collectors. Emerson designed a slightly different version for Benchmade Knives in 1994, the CQC-7.
In 1997, Emerson launched his company as a full-time endeavor to produce knives on a larger scale for both his military and police contracts, and to supply the quickly growing collector base.
More than just a Knifemaker, Emerson is an accomplished martial artist. This new facility not only has more factory and warehouse space, but has a dedicated training area for Emerson’s CQB classes.
The highlight of the grand opening was the fabled “Emerson Lottery.” When the demand became overwhelming, Emerson stopped taking custom orders in 2000 and the only way to get a custom knife from him was at a show. To make it fair to the numerous collectors, dealers, and purveyors, this is done via lottery. Names are written on slips of paper and placed in a box. Whoever’s name is drawn gets a chance to buy a knife at the “table price.” Often the ratio of knives to consumers is more than 10-to-1, and with good reason. A custom knife may cost $650 at a show, but on the aftermarket can go for more than three times that amount.
As is always the case with Emerson Knives, the donations for the raffles were generous. According to Mary Emerson, over $3,000 had been raised to benefit the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, The Naval Special Warior Foundation and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
For more information on Emerson Knives, consult the company’s website: http://www.emersonknives.com.
Support Alaska’s “Knife Rights Bill”
In one of its latest e-mail newsletters, Knife Rights reports that Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs Todd Rathner testified at a hearing of the Alaska House Judiciary Committee on HB55 “Definitions of Gravity Knives and Switchblades” this past Wednesday. Referred to by sponsor Representative Mark Neuman as the “Knife Rights Bill,” the measure would clarify state law on the subject of assisted-opening and one-hand opening knives to ensure they are not considered gravity knives or switchblades, currently banned under Alaska statute. The bill was first introduced last year.
According to the newsletter, Rep. Neuman introduced an amendment at Knife Rights’ request that was adopted into the bill to include Knife Law Preemption. Preemption means the state laws are applied throughout the state, regardless of where you are. With preemption, other political jurisdictions such as cities, towns and the like cannot pass laws regarding knives that are more restrictive than the state law. Preemption is the keystone to eliminating the patchwork of local knife laws that can trap the unwary citizen who cannot possibly know the particulars of the laws for each and every municipality. Preemption is the basis for further efforts to ease irrational knife restrictions altogether and is the cornerstone of Knife Rights’ efforts to protect Americans’ right to own and use knives.
HB55 advanced out of committee with a unanimous vote.
If you live, work or travel in Alaska, please contact your Representative and ask him or her to vote in support of HB55. For more information, click on http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/commbr_info.asp?session=27
For more on Knife Rights, click on www.KnifeRights.org
For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb022012#BL1SU
Kansas Pro-Knife Bill Needs Your Support
According to the Knife Rights e-mail newsletter, HB2584, introduced by Kansas State Representative Gary Hayzlett at the request of Knife Rights, was heard Thursday before the Kansas House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice. Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs Todd Rathner testified in support of HB2584, which would repeal the existing Kansas ban on switchblades, dirks and daggers, and which also enacts knife law preemption.
The committee should act on the bill in the coming days. In the meantime it is important to contact the committee members and respectfully request that they support HB2584. For more information on how to contact those members, click on http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2011_12/committees/ctte_h_corr_juv_jus_1/
For more information on Knife Rights, click on www.KnifeRights.org.
For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb022112#BL1SU
A Special Knife for a President
On this Presidents Day, we are honored to show you a knife American Bladesmith Society master smith John Horrigan made for and presented to President George W. Bush on Dec. 4, 2009.
John’s twin brother Robert, also a knifemaker and a member of the U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group, was killed in action in Iraq on June 17, 2005. John met with President Bush a week after Robert’s death, and it was then he promised the knife to Mr. Bush.
A spectacular bowie with a mosaic damascus blade forged with images of Old Glory and engraved with the words “To the Fallen,” the knife remains a reminder of Robert Horrigan and others who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
For more information contact John Horrigan at www.eliteknives.com.
For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb022012#BL1SU
Andersen Forge Redwood Fighter
Redwood Burl and W2 Take-down Fighter with Hamon from Andersen Forge
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