A fillet knife that sharpens while you cut? That’s the bold promise Relentless Knives make with its Curved Fillet Knife.
In its pursuit of the elusive long-lasting edge, Relentless Knives called on titanium, carbide, crushed diamonds and nature. Using beaver teeth as a model, the company promotes blades that “sharpen as they cut.”
A “Power Strip” consisting of ultra-hard carbide and crushed diamonds is permanently bonded to one side of the titanium edge. The basic concept is that as you use the knife, the softer back side of the blade wears away, exposing more of the hard edge. The need for constant resharpening is eliminated, ergo Perpetual Edge Technology.
According to Relentless, you need not worry about your blade rusting or discoloring, even in saltwater, a dream for commercial operations or the fisherman who forgets to wipe his knife off after use. The base line is that the knife—in this case the Relentless 6-inch Fillet Fixed Blade—must cut. Let’s see if it does.
Relentless Knives Curved Fillet Knife Specs
A “Power Strip” consisting of ultra-hard carbide and crushed diamonds is permanently bonded to one side of the titanium edge. The basic concept is that as you use the knife, the softer back side of the blade wears away, exposing more of the hard edge.
Company: Relentless Knives Blade length: 6” Blade material: Grade 5 titanium Power Strip: Carbide/crushed diamond Blade grind: Flat Blade flex: Medium to stiff Handle material: True Grit glass-reinforced ABS Weight: 6 ozs. Overall length: 12” Sheath: Leather w/snap strap Country of origin: USA MSRP: $150
Pros
Innovative Perpetual Edge Technology
Rust and Corrosion Resistance
Exceptional Cutting Performance
Cons
Initial Roughness
Expensive
Curved Fillet Knife Cutting Tests
The paper slice is a quick way to check any edge. The fillet knife sliced strips of 20-pound copy paper without pressure, and I could feel the Power Strip grab the paper. Sharp, coarse cuts, the slices were not difficult to control and the handle felt comfortable.
The fillet knife crunched forcefully to 200 cuts very quickly. The author stated it cut great but it was weird feeling the flex. It seemed to slice smoother toward the last 50 cuts.
Single-walled cardboard was next. The first couple of slices were rough cuts, then it seemed to smooth out a bit making for faster slicing. The True Grit handle material really keeps the knife locked in your grip.
I started cutting scrap 8-ounce leather. At first the edge was still grippy while slicing, then seemed to find its groove and got smoother. The cutting action was very aggressive—I could hear every cut. Using the other end of the leather strip, I did some skiving. The slices were thin and I still heard every cut. Using a choke-up grip, control was very easy.
The knife produced nice curlicues. Note: use the edge close to the guard for stability. The Power Strip wanted to dig deeper into the scrap pine, so the author had to control cutting depth.
It was scrap-pine whittling time. The knife produced some nice curlicues. Note: use the edge close to the guard for stability. The Power Strip wanted to dig deeper into the wood, so I had to control cutting depth. It’s fun to try but watch out for your fingers!
It was on to half-inch sisal rope. The fillet knife crunched aggressively to 200 cuts very quickly. The challenge on my part was to watch for the blade flexing. It cut great but it was weird feeling the flex. It seemed to slice smoother toward the last 50 cuts. I was probably knocking the newness off the Power Strip.
Curved Fillet Knife Processing Game
Hunting season was in full swing where I live at press time, and I like cooking fresh venison backstrap. The fillet knife zipped through the meat quite smoothly and cleanly. With the temperature at 22°F, the handle stayed tight in my cold hand.
The knife zipped through the venison quite smoothly and cleanly. With the temperature at 22°F, the handle stayed tight in the author’s cold hand.
I found some whole tilapia to fillet. After thawing, it was ready for action. The knife excelled at preparing the fish. It glided along the bones in short order. Dang, I needed this blade when I was younger working for a commercial fish house in Wisconsin! I went back in to thaw out my fingers and fry some fish.
The final test was back to slicing the copy paper. What a difference from the first test. The edge was smooth slicing and a lot cleaner in the cuts. The more you use the knife the better it gets. Perpetual Edge all the way!
Final Cut
I’m impressed with the Relentless blade’s ability to stay sharp by itself. It’s very well suited for saltwater and freshwater use. Hats off to the Relentless crew. I would have to do a lot more testing to come up with any changes. I’m waiting for a Relentless hunting-style knife to come out soon. Stay tuned to the Relentless website (see below) for more details.
With a hybrid lock system and a unique aesthetic, Aaron’s Blacksmith Automatic Folder cuts a distinctive profile.
Matt Aaron got the idea for his Blacksmith’s Automatic Folder when he took a friction folder class taught by ABS master smith Nick Rossi.
Matt’s original intent was how to get a more complicated knife with a similar number of parts as a friction folder. He mulled it over with Rossi and others for two or three years and, inspired by Nick and his taco-style friction folder construction approach, arrived at the Blacksmith’s Auto.
The lock is a hybridization of a lockback auto mixed with a little bit of bolster release auto and some of Matt’s own design. The brass lever operates the opening, closing and locking mechanism. The knob at the pivot is not a push button but simply the pivot.
Matt Aaron
Matt forged, folded and cut the lock spring and launch spring out of the initial single, eighth-inch flat piece of mild steel that served as the base for the Rossi taco construction style. The latest batch Aaron’s doing is commercially pure titanium.
Blacksmith’s Automatic Folder Specs Maker: Matt Aaron Blade length: 3” Blade material: 52100 carbon steel Handle: Forged mild steel w/brass lever Pocket clip: Tapered scroll in a blacksmithing ironwork style Closed length: 4” Maker’s price for a similar knife: $500
Three critical aspects of creating or choosing a quality blade are steel selection, heat treatment and geometry. This feature focuses on the first of these, and the first any aspiring knifemaker or enthusiast will be tasked with—choosing the right blade steel for you and your knives.
To the casual observer, the steel selection process wouldn’t seem like such a big deal, but as in-depth as this article is, it barely scratches the surface of the topic.
Not all steels are created equal. Each varies as much as knife style and is designed for a specific application. So, matching the correct steel to the specific blade, intended use, and maker or user can be critical in creating a quality tool. Choosing the best alloy for your purpose can mean the difference between achieving the highest performance by effortlessly allowing the steel to do what it does best and struggling to pound a square peg into a round hole by forcing it to do something it was never designed to accomplish.
From my observations after a lifetime of providing metallurgical consulting services for various industrial clients and countless knifemakers, the latter rarely select steel with the same analytical vigor as the former. Rather than independent research to match steel chemistry to a process and product, knifemakers often choose whatever alloy everybody else is using.
American Bladesmith Society Journeyman Smith John Schultz chose well with 1075 steel for its natural toughness on his recurved chopper.
Be it a ubiquitous old favorite or the newest rage in the “steel of the month club,” no single alloy is the best fit for every knife, use or maker. On the other hand, the one area where knifemakers often exceed my industrial clients is letting frugality make the choice. The number of knifemakers who have told me they use a specific type of steel because of their access to a cheap or free supply is unfortunate.
The trouble with these approaches is needlessly steepening the learning curve for many a new maker or knife user. I can’t count the number of times I have heard a frustrated knifemaker state that an alloy they have tried is a bad steel. But there is no such thing as bad steel. Industry wouldn’t bother wasting time, effort or money on steel that wasn’t optimum for its intended purpose. There are poor application choices and bad heat treatments. Any fault lies with the knifemakers or bladesmiths and not the steel.
A36 is an excellent steel choice for use in buildings and bridges, but it is a bad reflection on knifemakers if they insist on making a blade with it. The steel properties of A36 are not conducive to knife blades. Alloys like 1095 or O-1 can make good hunting knife blades, but if the steels are heat treated like 5160, they won’t measure up in edge performance. I can’t tell you how often I’ve bitten my tongue when shown a blade fashioned from steel with barely enough carbon for adequate strength or an abrasion-resistant edge.
If knifemakers have to deviate from standard heat treatment practices with unorthodox extra steps, it is most likely the result of a steel choice that does not match their application or methods. You can under-soak or over-temper a 1% carbon steel sword or use an alloy better suited for such a blade. You can add several steps to heat-treating richly alloyed steel in your forge or choose a steel that readily responds to that heat source.
Intended Knife Use
Rather than using hard and soft layers for damascus, the author, Kevin Cashen, has always combined toughness with abrasion resistance, as in this O1/L6 skinner.
The problem is that we often proceed from the wrong direction. Whatever the reason, many knifemakers have already settled on their steel before determining what knife they will fashion, but how can you make the right choice in a material before you even know its intended use?
A better model for success is letting the primary tasks a knife is meant to perform determine needs and goals. Develop a plan to achieve those goals by designing a hand tool that will perform a specific task or even multiple tasks, keeping in mind that the intended uses of a single knife can be much more varied than people think. With the desired tasks for the edged tool in mind, choose the material based on the desired properties inherent to each steel’s specific chemistry. Equally important is recognizing the limits of a maker’s abilities to work with a given chemistry.
To explain how to choose the correct steel for you and your knives, the myriad of blade designs is distilled down to two primary categories. The first group—fine-cutting knives—is designed to perform keen slicing or aggressive slashing. They are most often used in a draw-type cut that is optimized like a saw at the microscopic level. Think of scalpels, skinning and hunting knives, and many kitchen knives. Their edges are thin, flat or hollow ground for cutting various soft, fibrous materials.
This group has a subcategory of blades, including some kitchen knives and razors, that will be identical in many design features and desired properties, but they are used more in a push cut. Regardless, impact toughness is not nearly as crucial as abrasion resistance for knives like this.
The effects of carbon content in a simple steel can be seen on the Iron-Carbon phase diagram.
In contrast, the second group—choppers—is used in straight-on, push-type motions, cleaving, or cutting that often involves impact. These knives cut more like a chisel than a blade drawn into a cut like a saw. Camp knives, some bowies, and many swords fall into this category. They benefit from polished, beefier, convex edge grinds that don’t require abrasion resistance as much as impact toughness.
By definition, a knife is a cutting tool. If we should ever find ourselves detracting from a blade’s ability to cut in any part of our plan or execution thereof, we may need to consider whether making a knife or another tool is the better option.
Thus, all the properties discussed herein are relevant to cutting. A fundamental condition for a blade to slice through material is that it must be stronger than the cutting medium. There is tremendous load pressure at the microscopic level, where the cut is initiated. So, almost by definition, strength must be a top priority in any knife edge.
For this article, strength is the ability to resist deformation under load. Opposing this prized quality of strength is ductility, or the ability to easily deform without edge or blade failure. Knifemakers heat treat steel to replace ductility with strength. For millennia, it was the job of the blade maker to find the most acceptable compromise between strength and ductility for their blades to cut while avoiding brittle failure.
Steel Strength
The graph shows the total hardness from proper solution in steels soaked for 1 minute and 10 minutes, respectively, illustrating the effects alloying can have on heating requirements.
There are many types of strength in steel. Examples are compressive strength and tensile strength. These and shear strength are not as apparent in general knife use, so knifemakers more easily conceptualize them as hardness.
The other quality prized in a blade is toughness, which should be viewed as the steel’s ability to withstand shock from sudden loads rather than bending in a ductile manner under gradual load. These are two entirely different behaviors, with one being more relevant to a blade used in chopping. Rather than the Faustian bargain of trading strength for ductility, the Holy Grail of blade making is maintaining high strength with impact toughness. In chopping-type blades, impact toughness is almost as valuable as strength.
The next property to consider in a knife blade is abrasion resistance. Microscopically, the knife edge is subjected to tremendous wear, even when cutting seemingly soft materials. It is this wear that results in the tool dulling when used. Abrasion resistance is the steel’s ability to withstand such friction effects. While this property does increase with overall hardness, steel’s unique makeup gives it abrasion resistance above and beyond hardness and even independently from it. Within the steel, there might also be carbide particles with a hardness that far exceeds the overall Rockwell measurement numbers of the blade. Fine cutting and slicing blades benefit more from abrasion resistance than impact toughness.
Although the possible steel choices for modern knifemakers are endless, for simplicity’s sake, this discussion is limited to non-stainless alloys commonly used by forgers and grinders alike. Although many knifemakers have become dependent on AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute) or SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) steel names, such titles as 1084, W-2 or 80CrV2 lack specificity and meaning compared to studying the individual steel’s chemistry in determining its potential properties.
The more alloying helps us in gentler quenches, the more attention must be paid to proper heating, making some steels a better match for a forge and others a digital oven.
I strongly encourage knifemakers to study the chemistry of any potential steel choices to decide which one to use and how to work it. A supplier that provides the chemistry for your steel understands this and is well worth doing business with rather than a source that omits the alloy’s makeup.
Carbon content is the first consideration within a steel’s chemistry and perhaps the most important. Carbon is the main element responsible for strength in steel. The more carbon a steel has, the greater strength can be achieved in hardening. However, this is only true to a certain point; maximum hardness in carbon steel is achieved at around .80% carbon, and beyond this, not much more is gained in that area. Putting more carbon than .80% into the solution during the hardening process can harm a bladesmith’s goals. However, carbon beyond this optimum level will add abrasion resistance if allowed to stay in carbide form.
This sweet spot in carbon levels around .80% is known as the eutectoid. It is the most efficient use of carbon in steel, with no leftover iron (ferrite) or any leftover carbide (cementite). Steels with less than .80% carbon content are inherently tougher and less brittle, while steels with more can have much greater abrasion resistance with a tendency to be less tough. This is important to consider when choosing steel for your intended blade purpose. Does a machete need abrasion resistance? Does a skinning knife need to be tough? Choosing 1075 for one or 1095 for the other could make all the difference in having a steel that will work for you or against you in creating that blade.
In centuries past, bladesmiths had no choice but to compromise between strength and ductility when working with simple iron-carbon material. But then, starting in the early 19th century, alloying changed everything. Finally, with the intentional addition of other elements to steel, bladesmiths could have their cake and eat it, too.
Steel Alloys
Combining it in one chart helps select the correct steel based on knife use and a knifemaker’s heat-treating equipment.
A sword in the 13th century that had to be kept in the low hardness ranges could now be just as tough at much higher hardness levels. Fine slicing cutters could have an abrasion-resistant carbide boost far exceeding simple cementite abilities. But with these gains in performance came greater demands for more precise controls in heat treating, atmosphere, and more refined blade quenches. Today, even the most basic carbon steels have enough alloys to radically differentiate them from the old steel. Anybody who thought they would water quench 1084, just like traditional tamahagane steel, can attest to this fact.
For this reason, another critical factor must be considered in proper steel selection beyond the type of knife being made. It is why the premise of this article is choosing the right steel for you and your knife. Our modern steel alchemists may have created the perfect high-tech steel for a knifemaker’s application. But if they’re learning the ropes, or all they own is a humble forge, it could still be a terrible choice for their knife.
If your shop is equipped with a digitally controlled oven, all the many modern alloy options are available if you learn the rules each steel choice requires. The same chemistry that makes one steel harden in almost any oil or air makes it much more finicky when heated before being quenched. An alloy steel may have the potential to outperform a simple carbon steel, but not if you lack the equipment necessary to unlock that potential.
Figure 1 shows the as-quenched hardness results of a series of tests involving simple heating versus a standard 10-minute soak on commonly used steels. Here, the effect of increased alloying is plain to see when looking at each steel’s time and temperature requirements, which many open-flame heat sources or forges may struggle to meet. Unless armed with an excellent understanding of the metallurgy, a smith desiring to stick with more traditional tools would be better served by more traditional steels. Simple carbon steels such as “W” or 10XX series are like what forges were initially made for and will allow the traditional smith to produce a fine blade effortlessly.
Knowing what each of the additional alloying elements brings to the table is valuable in knowing what to seek in steel. If you’re looking for impact toughness, consider chemistries that include nickel or silicon. These additions affect the iron’s atomic lattice, which acts like a shock absorber. For a knife needing abrasion resistance, a boost from the more powerful carbide formers can give you longer wear than simple cementite, with two of the most common examples being vanadium (above .25% of overall elements) or tungsten. Chromium will also help in this area to a lesser extent.
If you wish to achieve a fully hardened blade with minimal effort, manganese over 1% or relatively modest additions of chromium are just the ticket for leaving behind your stressful days of the water quench. And, of course, for applications where simple carbon steels would rust too quickly, chromium over 11% will also help resist corrosion. The chart in Figure 2 brings together all these considerations. On a final note, it must be conceded that a skilled bladesmith with a solid knowledge of heat treatment could push several of these alloys into adjacent categories. Still, here, we’ve focused on the path of least resistance.
By capitalizing on the characteristics of an alloy’s chemistry, a maker can spend less time getting it to behave in the desired manner and more time maximizing its performance.
See what the highlights, low lights and everything in between were for the knife world in the past year.
Like most years, 2024 had more than its share of ups, downs and continuations of the same. From the promising developments in American-made factory knives to the harmful effects of Hurricanes Milton and Helene on knifemakers and at least one knife show, there were the goods, the bads, gains, losses, victories, debuts, swan songs and more. Among them:
Original portions of the hull, deck and other parts of The Battleship Texas are distributed to artisans around the country, including bladesmiths and knifemakers such as Harvey Dean, Jason Fry, J. Neilsen, Jack Stottlemire, Greg Coker and many others, to make items they specialize in and donate them to raise money to restore the pre-World War I dreadnought (https://battleshiptxartisans.com/catalog/);
A boom in the number of international countries (35) with exhibitors at the BLADE Show, led by France (21 exhibitors), South Africa (18), Italy (14) and Brazil (13), reflect the continuing recovery from the devastating effect of the worldwide pandemic;
Spartan Blades headlines the BLADE Magazine Knife-of-the-Year® awards at the BLADE Show with the company’s first Overall Knife of the Year, the Bill Harsey designed Clandestina. It was company’s first ever win in the prestigious category;
Speaking of Harsey, he, along with Ted Dowell and Don Fogg, become the 72nd, 73rd and 74th members of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame®;
In what promises to be the first of several, Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Bill Ruple and Case debut their inaugural collaboration, the Bill Ruple X Case Axe Handle;
CPM MagnaCut stainless continues its run as the No. 1 blade steel among factory knives;
After almost 30 years with Spyderco, including stints in customer service and as marketing manager and coordinator of all things public relations, past BLADE Magazine Publisher’s Award winner Joyce Laituri calls it a career;
ABS master smith Kevin Cashen is named new chairman of the American Bladesmith Society, succeeding ABS master smith Steve Dunn, who passed away unexpectedly May 21;
After its original lawsuit was dismissed in June on “absurd standing grounds,” Knife Rights files a new federal lawsuit in September challenging the constitutionality of portions of the Federal Switchblade Act;
Hurricanes play havoc not only with the Southeast USA but knife industry members in the affected areas, with Milton postponing the Louisiana Knife Show and Helene flooding and/or temporarily shutting down at least two North Carolina knifemaking operations, including Winkler Knives and Dogwood Custom Knives, and no doubt others elsewhere;
Companies/knives celebrating anniversaries include: Boker (155th); Tru-Bal Knives, aka Tru-Balance Knife Co., (75th); Kershaw (50th); Fallkniven (40th); and the Emerson Knives, Inc. CQC-7 (25th);
Finally, a number of friends of the knife community pass away, including: scrimshander Gary “Garbo” Williams; bladesmith/mokume gane guru Phillip “Phil” Baldwin; knifemaker/past National Knife Collectors Association president Bob Cargill; ABS master smiths Steve Dunn and Hanford Miller; long-time custom knife collector Walter Hoffman; veteran knifemaker Dave Ricke; Mrs. Lori Buck (wife of Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Chuck Buck); Mrs. Sallie Bos (wife of Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Paul Bos ); Mrs. Betty Dowell (wife of Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Ted Dowell); Cutlery Hall-of-Famer B. R. Hughes; and past BLADE art director Jim Sasse. God rest their souls—and please forgive me if I’ve omitted anyone.
What the best way to bid adieu to the old year and ring in the new? New knife drops, of course!
The year is almost over, but knife debuts are just heating up. We found a slew of production and custom knives dropped to finish 2024 or slated for release in early 2025. Any way you cut it, these blades are more than enough to get you drooling!
Model: EDC fixed blade Blade length: 3” Blade steel: 440C stainless Rockwell hardness: 59 HRC Blade grind: The “Davis Grind” by the maker Handle material: Black Micarta® w/black and white Micarta spacers Handle pins: 1/16” 440C Overall length: 7” Sheath: Pouch type of tooled leather and rattlesnake inlay Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $400 Knife to know: Matt Davis is an ABS journeyman smith Maker: Matt Davis, daviswacoknives.com (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Adam Gray Micro Bushcrafter
Model: Micro Bushcrafter Blade length: 2.5” Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless Blade grind: Convex saber, what Adam Gray calls sabervex Handle material: Wenge w/yellow G-10 liners Overall length: 5.5” Sheath: By Badgerclaw Outfitters Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $305 Maker: Adam Gray, aaforge.com (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Bear & Son Cutlery D2 Rancher Sideliner
Model name: D2 Rancher Sideliner Knife type: Flipper folder Blade length: 3 3/8” Blade material: D2 tool steel Blade grind: Flat Handle material: India Stag Bone (also in G-10, cocobolo or titanium) Lock: Linerlock Pocket clip: Deep carry Weight: 3 ozs. Closed length: 4.25” Knife to know: Torx screw construction Country of origin: USA MSRP: $95.99-$125.49 Company: Bear & Son Cutlery, bearandsoncutlery.com
RMJ Tactical BUB (Back Up Blade)
Model name: BUB (Back Up Blade) Knife type: EDC push dagger Blade length: 2.5” Blade steel: Nitro-V stainless Rockwell hardness: 58-60 HRC Blade @thickest: .135” Blade finish: Tungsten Cerakote® Handle: G-10 (in three color options) w/Grade 5 titanium fasteners Weight: 3.1 ozs. Overall length: 4 13/16” Sheath: Kydex w/1.5” belt clip Knife to know: The scales remove to expose a skeletal handle Country of origin: USA MSRP: $185 Company: RMJ Tactical, Dept. BL1, rmjtactical.com
James Ingram Linerlock Folder
Knife type: Linerlock folder Blade length: 3” Blade steel: Feather damascus Blade grind: Flat Blade pattern: Harpoon Handle: Mammoth ivory w/titanium liners Frame: Engraved stainless steel Bolster: Stainless Closed length: 4 5/16” Maker’s price for a similar knife: In the $1,500 range Maker: James Ingram
Bobby House Swell-End ack
Pattern: Swell-end jack Knife type: Slipjoint Blade length: 2 5/8” Blade material: Ladder pattern damascus Blade grind: Hollow Blade pattern: Spear point w/long-pull nail nick Backspring material: CPM 154 stainless steel Handle material: Cracked mammoth ivory w/polished acorn shield Bolster: 416 stainless steel Liners: 410 stainless, jewel relieved and soda blasted Approximate closed length: 3 5/8” Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,650 Maker: Bobby House
Knife name: Bromen Knife type: Flipper folder Blade length: 3.13” Blade material: Mosaic damascus of 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels Blade grind: Flat Handle material: Emerald paper Micarta® Pocket clip: Yes Closed length: 4.39” Maker’s price for a similar knife: $3,500 Knife to know: The knife is also available in a more subdued mosaic damascus blade and a butterscotch paper Micarta® handle by Lucas Gumbiner Maker’s contact information: Will Stelter/Lucas Gumbiner, willstelterbladesmith.com (SharpByCoop image)
Bob Merz Lockback Folder
Knife type: Lockback folder Blade length: 2.5” Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless Blade grind: Flat Handle material: Mother-of-pearl Bolsters: 416 stainless w/24k-gold-inlaid scroll engraving by Wes Griffin Closed length: 3.5” Maker’s price for a similar knife: $2,300 Maker: Bob Merz, bobmerzknives.com (Jocelyn Fraiser image)
Brian Milinski Folder
Knife type: Folder Blade length: 2.75” Blade material: Damascus of Swedish and German stainless steels Handle material: Mammoth tusk w/anodized and jeweled titanium liners Bolster: Stainless steel scroll engraved by Tyler Poor Thumbstud: Damascus w/mammoth inlay Maker’s price for a similar knife: Contact maker for pricing Knife to know: Brian Milinski is an ABS apprentice smith Maker: Brian Milinski, mrknives.com (Jocelyn Frasier image)
The collaborations of Gil Hibben and Paul Ehlers speak volumes without using words.
When the great design prowess of Paul Ehlers and the incomparable shop skills of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Gil Hibben merged some 40 years ago, they produced a synergy seldom seen, elevating the knife industry to a new plane of creativity in the realm of the fantasy piece.
Following a trail blazed early by the likes of W.W. “Bud” Cronk, the pair brought vision and glimpses of other worlds from the realm of theory and the ephemeral to tangible, captivating and thoroughly gripping. During a custom knifemaking career that has spanned nearly seven decades, Hibben has been recognized as the author of extraordinary work, designing the first Browning hunting knives in 1968, earning a rightful place in the Cutlery Hall of Fame, and creating legendary knives for famed actor Sylvester Stallone in the Rambo film franchise, as well as the American Kenpo Knife for Gil’s martial arts sensei, Ed Parker.
Paul’s drawing of it and Gil wearing the gauntleted piece at an early ’90s Knifemakers’ Guild Show in Orlando. (Drawing courtesy of Paul Ehlers)
Ehlers is well known for his work in film, writing, voice, design and illustration. He was hired to produce a poster illustration for the 1981 cult classic film Madman and found himself cast as the title character, delivering an amazing performance. Versatility has been his hallmark through the years, expressing his artistic talent through a variety of media. His interests are literally boundless and his talents have been displayed across a broad spectrum of the arts.
It was Ehlers’ wide range of interests that led to a fortuitous conversation and brought about the most renowned collaboration in fantasy knife history—and one of the greatest industry wide in custom knives. “It arose from creativity on both parts,” attested Linda Hibben, Gil’s wife and a key individual through the years of the joint effort. “It was intended to create things that were never seen before in the knife industry, taking up the challenge to be true artists.”
Linda Hibben said Alien was the biggest Gil Hibben-Paul Ehlers showstopper and it’s easy to see why. (Image of Alien by Mike Carter)
Paul remembered, “Gil Hibben’s knives were featured in every martial arts magazine that I read. I was familiar with the Parker knife and wanted badly to buy one of Gil’s knives. So, by the mid-1980s I had saved enough money and placed an order with him.” Hibben produced a custom survival bowie with a 10-inch blade, characteristic sawteeth reminiscent of his Rambo knives, and a handle in the style of the Parker knife. Pleased with the finished product, Paul told Gil that he was a designer and illustrator with a particular love for fantasy characters. He commented that he had always wanted to see his characters with stylized knives and swords to complement their presentation.
Gil responded enthusiastically to Paul’s offer of sending an illustration for his review. “Love to see one!” was the reply. Game on.
Ehlers calls the initial brush with collaboration a “chance meeting of kindred souls.” The illustration led Gil to the shop with the goal of producing a knife named the Shark. A short time later, the designer asked about the maker’s progress. Hibben’s response was electrifying: “I already made it and sold it!”
Paul Ehlers conceived the Dragonfly, drew it on paper and mailed it to Gil Hibben, who took care of the rest. They exhibited the knife at the 1983 Knifemakers’ Guild Show, where it sold for $3,000—an unheard-of price in those days. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)
In a short time, the creative tandem gained momentum. Interestingly, their success may be linked to the fact that Paul does not make knives. “I admire, collect, use and draw them,” he commented. “But Gil Hibben makes knives.” By the time Gil and Paul brought their Dragonfly creation to the 1983 Knifemakers’ Guild Show, there was excitement but also some trepidation. “We were concerned about how to price it, whether it would sell and how it might be received,” Paul recalled. “Gil suggested that we put a price of $3,000 on it, and such a premium was almost unheard of in those days. But it sold!”
Ehlers had conceived the Dragonfly, drawn it on paper, rolled it up, and placed it in a mailing tube addressed to Hibben. When it reached him, Gil pursued the project with gusto even though the effort in itself was unprecedented. “Nothing like this had ever been made,” Paul advised. “But that didn’t stop him. He huffed and he puffed, he ground and he buffed and emerged from his shop holding the new Dragonfly.”
Unseen Realms
Gil Hibben made the Elf Dirk in 1984. The image for it sprang from Paul Ehlers’ fascination with gnomes, elves, giants and other mythical creatures. A spider dangles from its web, carefully crafted in a crevice of the handle. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)
Through the years the Hibben-Ehlers team flourished, one teammate with ideas and the other with the astonishing ability to grind steel and finish creations that brought visions of light, darkness, other worlds, and realms unseen as the tangible, real and dazzling works that are known the world over. Paul’s imagination effectively pushed Gil to new heights of creativity. The designer’s mind had remained fortuitously free to imagine the fantastic and the elements of the outer limits of innovation
“My mind was left open to create,” Paul explained. “If I knew then what I know now it is possible my concepts may have been restricted by the ‘impossible’ factor. I know now what other makers mean when they ask Gil, ‘How the hell did you make that?’”
Naja was completed in 1993. Norman Leigh’s sculpted bronze cast of a cobra rises above the grip, gazing with inset cat’s eye jewels for eyes and baring fangs. Paul Ehlers stated he considers Naja perhaps the finest art knife he and Gil Hibben have ever brought to life. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)
Hibben, on the other hand, has stood up to the challenge and then some, delivering time after time. As the collaboration aged like fine wine to more than 30 years, it had produced more than 40 pieces—knives that came to life, from the mist of imagination to the gleam of steel, sculpture and artistry. According to Linda, Gil once said, “I loved the challenges and making these pieces, each and every one of them. They made my creativity and skills set on fire! Paul’s dreams are my nightmares!”
Looking back, a turning point for the Hibben-Ehlers collaboration occurred in the 1990s when a representative of the Sultan of Brunei contacted Paul with the shocking pronouncement that his employer wished to purchase many knives produced by the pair, with the added kicker that “money is no object.” It was a compliment of the highest order and led to some remarkable achievements.
If it doesn’t have the signatures of both collaborators, it’s not a Hibben-Ehlers knife. Here’s how their signatures appear on Naja.
Throughout the collaborative years, Linda has been a tremendous contributor to the success of the enterprise. Gil is approaching his 90th birthday and suffered a stroke in the spring of 2016. However, he has been resilient and remains in touch with the custom knife community while Linda assists with his communications. Gil has stayed active in the shop and keeps up to date on the happenings in the knife community. “He still goes to his shop and even oversees knifemaking classes to this day,” Linda noted. “The only lingering effect from the stroke is he has trouble with words and numbers once in a while. He has no major lingering side effects other than that.” Ehlers, meanwhile, is quite busy with numerous endeavors, his creative energy as effervescent as ever.
St. George’s Axe is 22 inches long and features lost wax carvings by Richard Englers.
Linda captured the spirit of the great team’s aspirations, commenting, “They wanted knives to be taken to another level of art and imagination—to create and make sharpened shapes in steel that had not been done or seen before, and show that thinking ‘outside the box’ and making those creations into tangible works of edged art took a tremendous amount of skill. Just look at some of the grind lines Gil was able to accomplish.”
Showstoppers
Through the lens of knifemaking history and the gleaming facet of fantasy, those who see and admire the vision of Gil and Paul will continue to gaze with wide-eyed wonder at their works, including some of the most famous. The Alien, for example, was created in 1986 from a single piece of 440C stainless steel. “It burst from my mind in 1986,” Paul recalled. “There are a myriad of extra blades, spikes and projections Gil calls ‘long horns,’ plus hooks and a leather arm gauntlet.”
Gil Hibben and Paul Ehlers Exhibit their collaboration at the 1986 New York Custom Knife Show. (St. George’s Axe image by Eric Eggly/PointSeven; image of Hibben and Ehlers courtesy of Linda Hibben)
Linda noted, “The Alien was our biggest showstopper. This one got more attention at knife shows than any other. We allowed people to reach their arm into it and ‘wear’ the Alien, and in every instance the person’s entire demeanor changed. It was like they became powerful, and the smiles on their faces when posing for photos was and is priceless. Gil made a total of five of these Aliens, each one a bit different. Number five rests in our private collection, and to this day when people come over and actually hold or ‘wear’ it, the magic is still there. They become a ‘Master of the Universe’ for those few minutes.”
An early classic, the Elf Dirk was produced in 1984, and the image sprang from Ehlers’ fascination with gnomes, elves, giants and other mythical creatures. Hibben wrought its sleek lines in 440C with a reconstituted coral handle, 14-karat gold and garnets. A spider dangles from its web, carefully crafted in a crevice of the handle. Naja, completed in 1993, remains a favorite. The undulations of the cobra are almost physically felt as Norman Leigh’s sculpted bronze cast of the serpent rises above the grip, gazing with inset cat’s eye jewels for eyes and baring fangs. Gil’s expertise is on full display in this tour de force, and Paul considers Naja perhaps the finest art knife the two have ever brought to life.
Artists, innovators, visionaries and friends, Gil and Paul have created a body of work that speaks volumes without words, just towering interpretation and storytelling in thought and grind, idea and finish. Those who contemplate their many completed projects are often left speechless as well, awed by the intricacy, the timeless, tantalizing and touching renderings of their complementary experience.
On election eve, BLADE Show West fetes its cutlery constituents.
With a presidential election looming and parts of the USA still in a state of shock after the natural disasters of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, it was a BLADE Show West unlike any other. However, knife people are a hearty lot and many turned out to enjoy the knives and cutlery camaraderie this past October at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“The environment was good as usual, with lots of excitement,” wrote Jonathan McNees of McNees Knives.
Bladesmith Will Stelter displays his two-handed sword with a wildly undulating blade of mosaic damascus, and Francesca Ritchie holds the scabbard she made of deer hide overlaid with rayskin and hand-dyed American alligator. Francesca carved and underlaid the inside of the scabbard to form fit the curvature of the blade, the imprint of the latter you can see on the outside of the scabbard.
Eddie Johnson of CobraTec echoed Jonathan’s assessment. “As always, the environment was enthusiastic and filled with excitement to see and hold new merchandise,” he commented. “There is nothing like holding that knife you have seen pictures and videos of.”
There were custom and factory knife awards galore, the show’s popular “Let The Pros Critique Your Knife” seminar, the West Coast Flipping Championships conducted by Squid Industries, and much more.
As for those all-important knife and knife accessory sales, it was like most shows: some exhibitors did well, some didn’t and some did OK.
Families were a big part of the show.
“It was a great show,” Pro-Tech headman Dave Wattenberg exclaimed. “We did sell most everything that we brought, strong sales to both retail customers and dealers who attended. It’s very important to have both and this show did work well for retail and dealer dynamics.”
The Pro-Tech models that sold well were a mix.
“New models always do well—the Chaves collaboration did very well,” Dave noted. “Some oldie but goodie models—Godfathers, etc.—also did very well. Our TR-3 Integrity manual folder was a hot ticket for sure.
“We built an amazing group of show specials; they also did very well. It’s important to make some special pieces for the show, not just offer the same thing customers can buy anytime.”
Bladesmith Seth Lopez examines a show patron’s knife while custom knifemaker Shane Magnussen (left) and (from right) maker Jared Oeser and bladesmith Will Stelter look on in the popular show seminar, “Let The Pros Critique Your Knife.”
John Cammenga of another factory cutlery company, White River Knife & Tool, also was pleased with sales.
“We had a very good show,” he remarked. “We had great sales and a dealer took everything we didn’t sell. It’s nice to go home sold out!”
Ernest Emerson of Emerson Knives, Inc., was another who said it was a great show.
“We sold out, with the first day rivaling the BLADE Show in Atlanta,” he opined. Jonathan McNees said his company had a “really good show. We didn’t quite sell out but we brought a lot of knives, so I didn’t expect to. Our folders sold best, but again, that’s to be expected with our customer base.”
While CobraTec sold well, sales were off about 30 percent from their show average over the previous two years.
Gavin Hawk (center, behind the table) makes another sale at the Hawk Knife Designs booth.
“Everyone was concerned over the current economy and its uncertainty with the election approaching,” Eddie Johnson wrote. Nonetheless, he said several CobraTec knives were “good movers, from the Enforcer OTF to the Raptor to the OTF Utility Knife to our Koonsman fixed blade.”
Custom maker Tobin Hill agreed with Johnson’s economy/election observation.
“Talking with other exhibitors, the general consensus was tighter pocketbooks due to economy worries and pre-election jitters,” he wrote. Tobin brought eight knives and sold three—two of his Hill Locks with the rear bolster release and a lockback whittler.
Who Attended BLADE Show West
Like show sales, attendees ran the gamut, from young and old, novice to sophisticated buyers and more.
The top three finishers in the West Coast Flipping Championships celebrate, front row from left: Madi “oximityy” Thomas (3rd), Banks “banksqro” Tracy (1st), and Max “balisongnerd” Wenham (2nd).
“The crowd seemed like a bigger percentage of experienced buyers versus the BLADE Show in Atlanta and BLADE Show Texas,” McNees observed. “We really enjoyed the local crowd. They were extremely friendly and receptive. We got lots of appreciation for coming out.”
The fact that it was the third straight year at the Salt Palace Convention Center seemed to help, too.
“It was good to see repeat customers, so I’m glad we’ve been at the same venue for a few years,” Cammenga wrote.
“There was a nice mix in demographics,” Johnson pointed out. “As always, it is great to see the entire family out enjoying the show. I had several sales to the younger generation with the supervision and guidance of their parents.”
Banks “banksqro” Tracy shows his championship form.
“There was a very healthy mix of already established Pro-Tech enthusiasts as well as first time buyers,” Pro-Tech’s Wattenberg wrote. “It did feel like a smaller crowd than last year, but we did have customers to work with the entire time, so no complaints. I especially love the family atmosphere; there were so many nice people.”
“The crowd seemed an even mix of young and old, several families with kids,” Hill reported. “There were not many ‘sophisticated’ buyers or dealers.”
According to one industry professional, the fewer buyers and dealers than usual from the Eastern USA may have been due to the poor economy and also the aforementioned Hurricanes Helene and Milton that hit shortly before the show.
BLADE Show West Exhibitors
Shows are about contacts, not only among show attendees and exhibitors but among the exhibitors themselves, including factory knife companies and custom makers to broach possible collaborations and other knife deals.
Fixed blades and choppers were among the knives of the day.
“We made good contacts with other makers, including some prominent ones we had not previously met,” McNees wrote. “The size of the show was good for that.” Added Johnson, “The BLADE Show always gives us an opportunity to meet various designers and talk about collaborations.” Wattenberg agreed. “We had a few excellent conversations with makers,” he noted.
West Coast Flipping Championship
The 5th Annual West Coast Flipping Championships conducted by Squid Industries was another rousing packed-house event, with Squid providing cash prizes of $1,000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third.
Banks Tracy, aka banksqro, took home the title using a Squid Silver Krake Raken Tanto V3 balisong. Runnerup was Max Wenham, aka balisongnerd, who also used a Squid Silver Krake Raken Tanto V3 balisong. Madi Thomas, aka oximityy, took third with her Squid DT Red Krake Raken Tanto V3 balisong. The top three finishers also won prizes from the events’ gold sponsors.
Two Cutlery Hall of Famers enjoy each other’s company: BLADE® editor Steve Shackleford (left) and heat-treating legend Paul Bos (right).
BLADE SHOW WEST ’25
If you were there, you know; if you weren’t, you need to be. Make it so and plan now to attend next year’s BLADE Show West, Oct. 10-11, once again at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.
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