BLADE Magazine

The new book, “Spirit of the Sword,” edited and written by yours truly, Steve Shackleford, is now available from Krause Books/F+W Media.

The book includes comprehensive stories on the capital of the sword world; how to produce a hamon, by ABS master smith Don Fogg; the most popular sword style ever; how an ABS master smith visits the museums of Europe to study closeup the ancient swords he reproduces, by Vince Evans; a profile of one of the world’s pre-eminent swordsmiths, Yoshindo Yoshihara, by Leon Kapp; a history of swords in the movie industry; and the swords they used and how they used them in combat in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, by John Clements. In addition, there is a dedication to the late Hank Reinhardt.

There is also a huge directory of today’s swordmakers in unprecedented form, including detailed information on the swords they make, how they make them, the materials used, pictures of the swords, where to get them, a sword dictionary and more.

For more information, click on “Shop” or visit http://www.shopblade.com/product/spirit-of-the-sword/1

As many of you know, Bob Neal was in a bad motorcycle wreck last week. Neal’s good friend, Les Robertson, visited him in the hospital and offered the following:

I visited Bob in the hospital today. I talked he listened—nothing unusual about that. I passed along everyone’s good wishes.
He is going to be in ICU for some time to come. If you would like to, please send cards to Bob at:
Grady Health System
80 Jesse Hill Jr Drive SE
ICU 7L – James Robert (Bob) Neal
Atlanta, GA 30303
For the time being I will be handling Bob’s knife business. I checked the in box on his computer today and it is completely full and there is a problem with memory. So it may be awhile before I can respond to those emails. Feel free to email me with regards to orders at [email protected]
If you are so inclined, please pray for my friend.

Long-time knifemaker Glenn Marshall has passed away after a knifemaking career that spanned eight decades. He was 92.

He was laid to rest today, Sept. 21, in his hometown of Mason, Texas.

Glenn started making knives in the 1930s only to have his knifemaking interrupted by World War II. He joined the Navy and served as a demolition man, including surviving an explosion on Okinawa that cost him an eye and an ear and his spleen and gall bladder.

He knew knifemakers from Harry Morseth to Joe Kious. He said Kious makes some of the finest knives anywhere, and that Joe’s shop is so clean, “You can eat off the floor.” Glenn also admired the work of Tom Overeynder. Glenn recalled how long, long ago, Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer© Bob Loveless approached him at his show table and asked him how to make knives. “I told him a few things and gave him a copy of one of my patterns,” Glenn recalled. (He passed away less than three weeks after Loveless.) Glenn was especially fond of Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer© Bill Moran. “Every time I saw him I wanted to hug his neck,” he noted. He said he liked D.E. Henry, too.

Glenn made fileworked lockback folders in a style reminiscent of the 1970s and ’80s—which should come as no surprise, of course—and fixed blades for hunting, camping and other uses. He said he liked native woods for handles, especially desert ironwood, mesquite burl and others. Since he had only the one eye—a 92-year-old one at that—he said some of his knives “might have an extra scratch or two.”

No matter how many scratches he or they may or may not have had, Glenn Marshall and his knives will be missed by many very, very much.

The 41st Annual Knifemakers’ Guild Show, held this past weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, was a great way to spend time with some of the world’s best makers and see some of the world’s best custom knives.

Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Gil Hibben displayed his knives from The Expendables, AKI member Steve Hoel exhibited an awesome pearl-handle folder with breathtaking gold-inlaid leaf engraving by Barry Lee Hands and there was much more. Leading the up-and-coming knifemaking contingent were Dwight Phillips with his impressive antique bowie repros and Jason Rabuck with his utilitarian fixed blades, among others. There was much more—impeccable screwless construction folders by Stan Wilson, Tom Overeynder’s incomparable doctor’s knives and others.

Knife giveaways, awards, lots of post-show things to do in and around the Seelbach–it was a great weekend for custom knife enthusiasts.

To read more, see a future issue of BLADE.