CRKT’s first MagnaCut blade and Ken Onion’s first crossbar lock the maker looks to come up aces.
As always, Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) is innovating—and releasing its innovations—at a mind-boggling clip. The latest up for the Oregon-based company is a USA-made collaboration with another well-known knife concern, made with some top-notch material. It’s also a looker to boot.
Meet the Redemption, a sleek folder developed in conjunction with Hogue Knives and based on the legendary designer Ken Onion’s Deadman’s Hand custom. As a side note, the Onion’s custom takes its name from the cards Wild Bill Hickock supposedly held when shot—aces and eights. Living up to its inspiration and its own moniker, the Redemption has an Old-West gambler’s feel to its lines and profile.
Yet, made with cutting-edge steel—the first time CRKT has utilized CPM MagnaCut for a blade—it’s up on the times and offers contemporary performance. For those who might not know, MagnaCut is among the hottest blade steels, with exceptional toughness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. To boot, its microstructure also makes edge management easy.
Redemption Mechanics
Another inaugural of the Redemption is its locking mechanism—at least for Onion. Hard to believe, but this is the first time the prolific designer has incorporated a crossbar lock into one of his creations. But it does broaden the knife’s appeal, not only offering silky-smooth deployment of the spear-point blade and a strong lockup but also making it ambidextrous. For the nimble and quick of hand, it opens the potential of fast deployment with a flick of the wrist.
Blade Points
In addition to using top-shelf steel, the CRKT Redemption has an interesting blade design. Stiletto-like, the 4.06-inch blade should prove a piercing pro, particularly with its fine tip. Nevertheless, the knife has enough edge for general cutting tasks and at .15-inches thick should have enough backbone to handle semi-rugged jobs, if your opportunities for perforation are limited. Overall, it is very reminiscent of the Deadman’s Hand’s blade, however, the CRKT knife has a stonewashed finish, whereas the custom had a high polish.
Handle Design
Not dead nuts, but the shape of the Redemption’s handle suggests a coffin handle—more so with the stainless-steel bolsters setting off the dark scale. To this end, CRKT has opted for G10 with nice texturing to it, giving the knife a measure of all-weather aptitude. The pocket clip is engineered for deep carry and is reversible, furthering the knife’s appeal to righties and lefties.
Final Cut
Clocking in with a $225 MSRP, the CRKT Redemption teeters on the premium end of the production knife price scale. But given the name behind its design, the materials the company has chosen and the fact it’s domestically made, it is by no means out of bounds. And given the knife is based on an Onion classic and has a wicked throwback look, it’s more than likely to catch the attention of more than one knife aficionado.
They complement one another in an easy, seamless union—blade and handle. One without the other means the knife is incomplete, or it isn’t a knife at all.
Along with the search for proper blade steel, appropriate handle material is the second critical element in the presentation, form, and function of the knife itself. Natural and synthetic handles play their roles. They bring utility and aesthetics to the package, and the maker’s choice sets the tone. Availability, cost, and maker’s preference fit into the equation when choosing the right handle material. And then, of course, the intended knife use weighs heavily.
In the end, it’s the eye of the artist that drives the visual element, and the job to be done by the user that directs his or her choice. The handle makes the knife complete.
At Masecraft Supply Company, co-owner Chris Hartman sees the supplier’s role as the facilitator. Never interfering with the artist’s concept, he views Masecraft as a provider of the palette. “We don’t advise what to use,” he reasons. “We are not big fans of, ‘You know what you should do …’ or telling a customer what to use, but more in supplying a wide variety of options to choose from. We are always willing to answer questions about our materials a customer may have, but it’s just not a good idea to advise what is right for them. That’s the maker’s choice.”
Knife Handle Material Trends
With that said, where is the market headed today? What does the landscape look like in terms of availability, trends, and timing?
“The majority seem to be sticking with composite laminates like G-10, canvas and linen Micarta, and Richlite,” Hartman says. “Natural materials like bone and horn seem to be in a continuing decline. Exotic woods still do well, but availability and pricing have become issues over the last two years.”
John Cammenga, vice president of operations at White River Knife & Tool, Inc., deals primarily in synthetic knife handle materials. He indicates that knifemakers who build hard-use models often lean toward durable synthetic handles and that the laminate trend holds up there as well, particularly with material available in a variety of colors.
This Northfield UN-X-LD knife from Great Eastern Cutlery (GEC), which registered the trademark and uses it on premium GEC pocketknives, features ALVS (acrylic laminated veneer shell) handle scales from Masecraft Supply Company. The dazzling shell veneer consists of real shell and high-impact acrylic laminated together within the sheet.
“The majority of our handle materials are synthetic,” Cammenga says, “and this is primarily due to stability and longevity. But many look great as well. Multi-color layers of fabric bonded with phenolic or polyester resin can have the look of wood, yet last much longer. Additionally, many of these are tackier when wet, giving the user additional hand purchase in tough weather or when processing game. Carbon fiber and G-10 are available in an ever-expanding array of colors and patterns and almost bulletproof when it comes to wear and tear.”
Choosing Knife Handle Material
The choice of materials, Cammenga explains, comes directly down to the proposed use of the knife. For hunting, fishing, camping or bushcraft, White River almost always recommends synthetic handle material. However, John still gives a nod to personal preference. Some users simply must have a natural handle, and the aesthetic factor comes into play there.
“It’s hard to beat the beauty of a highly figured burl!” he comments. “Some, such as desert ironwood burl, are not only beautiful but also extremely tough.”
Tom Krein is an experienced custom knifemaker who worked for the great Bob Dozier and ran the custom shop for A.G. Russell Knives before embarking on his own venture during 30 years in the business. Making small utility and hunting knives primarily, he agrees that handle material choice relates to a few simple concepts.
Tom Krein’s “Mako” model features a Dion Damascus san mai steel blade with a copper-color stag handle.
“It comes down to the customer’s needs, willingness to care for the knife, aesthetics, and budget,” Krein relates. “Natural materials should hold up nicely with proper care assuming everything goes according to plan. Sometimes stuff happens—a knife falls into a sink of water, or it starts to rain while hunting, or your knife gets lost in the yard for a week. Synthetics hold up better when stuff goes south. For customers, I recommend getting what you like and learning how to take care of it. For knifemakers, I suggest picking the mind of another maker who uses the material you want so you can learn how to use it. Overall, we are a helpful bunch of people.”
Traditional handle materials and their innovative, eye-popping counterparts coexist at Santa Fe Stoneworks, a provider of materials to the art knife market since 1978. Santa Fe not only affixes those materials to its own knives, but also provides the service for Spyderco and Kershaw while doing private label work as well.
President Bill Wirtel leads the family business, and the company’s roster of natural handle materials includes the best of the best. “We work with factory knives and apply gemstones, exotic woods, shells like gold- and black-lip pearl, and fossils such as woolly mammoth tooth, tusk, bone, and petrified dinosaur bone,” he remarks.
As for Santa Fe’s synthetics, Fordite, a car paint overspray, Surfite surfboard overspray, and a cholla cactus-like material that is made in the shop have found favor with makers and buyers alike.
Material Mash Up
“We are looking for design and color, so we mix natural with manmade stone and epoxies,” Wirtel explains. “Our fossils are all stabilized so they work great for a handle material. We see hybrid materials gaining popularity as they provide the best of both natural and composite materials. Fordite and Surfite have been selling well. Our synthetic cholla cactus line that we make here, stabilizing it with different colored epoxies, is becoming a big seller as well. We also have mammoth tusk fusion. This is stabilized fragments of mammoth ivory that are fused together under immense pressure. The result is a beautiful and hard composite that is densely packed with mammoth ivory.”
Fordite car paint handle material adds a fun flair to this series of Santa Fe Stoneworks 3-inch lock-back folders with damascus blades.
Fordite is an interesting option that comes from a surprising source. Also known as Detroit agate or motor agate, the material consists of pre-1985 automobile paint that hardened sufficiently to be cut and polished. It formed from enamel paint slag, which built up over the years in layers on the tracks and skids where cars were hand spray-painted. The buildup hardened in ovens intended to cure the paint on car bodies. After so much of that buildup, the brightly colored and layered paint had to be removed. Its allure caught on with some autoworkers who brought pieces home with them. From there, the beautiful Fordite material, which can be cut and polished into a spectacular look, found its way onto knife handles.
The Masecraft perspective is somewhat dictated by availability. “Sambar stag is not coming back,” Hartman stresses. “It has been banned by India for export since sometime around 2005, I believe, so that’s almost 20 years now, and I see no chance of this ever-changing. What’s still available out there now is it. Game over!”
“Black-lip, gold, and white mother-of-pearl all are still available,” he adds, “just not in larger size pieces as they were 20-50 years ago. They are overharvested and not as healthy as before. Demand for shell is down overall. It is not very tactical, and we seem to be in a tactical and bushcraft market for the last two decades. Shell tended to be more of a gentleman’s pocketknife material, so it’s not exactly the big trend right now.”
This Santa Fe Stoneworks El Rey model is handled in a spectacular turquoise/abalone/bronze hybrid gemstone and includes a mother-of-pearl button inlay.
“Many of the companies that used a lot of shell on knives are gone or simply don’t have the people who know how to work with it anymore,” Hartman adds. “Shell is still one of the most beautiful materials ever, so much so that it seems to be the hardest to reproduce in any type of synthetic alternative that even comes close to its natural beauty. We can come close, but there is still nothing like the real thing.”
Krein sees a swing toward synthetics and higher-end natural materials as well. “Right now, there is a huge push to find and use vintage Micartas,” he relates. “I’ve also seen G-10 usage go up a ton over the years. G-10 holds up to use extremely well, is relatively inexpensive, and machines and grinds easily. I’ve also noticed quite a few new businesses that specialize in exotic stabilized woods. Stag has always been a desired and quality knifemaking material, and with exceptional stag being much harder to find, it is even more desirable, particularly when done [harvested and finished] properly.”
Watching the high-end polymer Ultem begin to trend as a new synthetic handle material has been interesting for Krein, and his affinity for giraffe bone has not waned. It’s something he calls the “latest real pickup in natural materials.”
White River Knife & Tool purchases synthetic material made in the USA, so supply chain issues have not been a problem. The one material the company imports, cork, has increased in price, but its supply has been uninterrupted. White River’s Traditional Fillet knife incorporates a handle of imported cork for easy cleanup and a tight grip in slippery conditions.
“I often see new makers using very exotic materials,” Krein concludes. “These materials are costly and often not used anywhere close to their potential. I recommend that new makers learn to use simpler materials like Micarta to their full potential. This leaves funds available for other materials and equipment while allowing a new maker to develop their skills. Just because a knife has expensive materials doesn’t make it better or more interesting to me. It’s developing the skills to make simple materials look elegant that I appreciate.”
Those Hybrid Moments
Hybrid handle material is on the rise, and Cammenga is pleased with the growing popularity of marbled synthetics. “Right now, there is strong demand,” he notes. “This is true in both cloth/resin laminates and carbon-fiber/resin laminates. For those who want natural wood, bone or antler, acrylic ‘stabilized’ scales have been popular for quite some time. They provide the user with a natural material, which has been made tougher by introducing acrylic resin into the fibers. Currently the marbled look is in with almost all materials, but we have made several knife models using G-10 and rubber combinations, as well as others from polyester cloth and resins.”
Masecraft is keeping a close eye on the development of new materials, but the course is charted by ingenuity rather than discovery. “As far as new natural materials, that’s going to be extremely rare,” Hartman observes. “The earth is not really producing anything new, so unless we have not discovered it yet, the odds are low. More likely, some natural materials will disappear and become endangered, banned, or extinct. Human history tells us the availability of natural material will decrease while prices increase. You will see more hybrids of natural and synthetic combinations, and all kinds of new synthetics will continue to be introduced.”
Knifemaker Tom Krein says there’s a huge push to find and use vintage Micarta, such as on the handle of his pocket bowie model.
Supply often dictates how well demand is satisfied, and the inherent scarcity of some handle materials has been exacerbated by supply chain concerns in areas. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic has eased, the resilience of the supply chain remains an open question. Some suppliers and makers have faced shortages of stock items, while others have adapted, moved on to other, more readily available options, or simply been patient.
“I have been sourcing materials for over 44 years, and most of our suppliers know us and what we want,” Wirtel relates. “Obviously, we’ve had supply chain issues, but we have been able to work around them. We make our product to order, so we range in delivery time from a few weeks to a few months.”
Krein is positive regarding availability, saying, “There have been slight wait times for some synthetics, particularly Micarta, during the pandemic, but it seems like everything is back on track here. There has and will continue to be more demand for quality stag than availability. I’ve seen a bit less of quality exotic stabilized woods like exhibition-grade ironwood and Koa.”
While the supply chain phenomenon has been universal, Hartman is pragmatic. Going with the flow makes the Masecraft operation run as smoothly as possible. “There are supply chain issues with everything globally,” he observes. “I can’t think of anything on the planet that hasn’t been affected in some way, shape or form and that doesn’t have a price increase or isn’t in short supply, and it’s all things, countries, and markets.”
Dozier Knives produced this fixed blade with a Richlite handle from Masecraft Supply Company composed of approximately 65% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)®-certified recycled paper and 35% phenolic resin.
“If you don’t have the chip, you can’t produce the car,” Hartman says. “If you don’t have OD Green dye, you can’t make OD Green G-10. If one key part is missing due to supply chain issues, the product simply cannot be made, and that is affecting all things.”
Staying domestic has been a problem solver for White River Knife & Tool, according to Cammenga. “Because White River purchases synthetic material made within the U.S., our supply chain has not been a problem. The one material we do import, cork, has increased in price, but our supply has been uninterrupted.”
Considering the handle-blade combination that makes the knife come together for the spectrum of customers and users, today’s material options appear more diverse than ever. Although some shortages in natural materials may never be plentiful again, fusions of natural and synthetic options open the door to creativity. And the imagination is always fertile ground for innovation.
If you spend time camping, you know the importance of proper tool selection for your excursions. The right kit makes a difference in how you enjoy your weekend woods getaway.
From batoning firewood to prepping dinner, these are the blades that will help you conquer the wild.
An important part of your gear should always include a camp knife of some sort. This multipurpose cutting tool takes on multiple roles in your camping trip and can handle the bulk of hard use when it comes to campsite tasks, campfire prep, processing food, and any other cutting task that comes up inside and outside of camp.
What Is A Camp Knife?
When you hear the word “camp knife”, what immediately comes to mind? Well, a rather larger fixed blade that has some heft to it. Which is partially true. Keep in mind not all camp knives are big, brawny choppers. And not all choppers can be camp knives either.
Blade: Camp knives have a proven blade shape. Nothing wild, but rather a design that can handle multiple tasks. Blade shapes like clip point, drop point, or even spear point.
Size: The knife also has to be of some length, around 7-8 inches is good. Such a blade length will facilitate tasks involving whittling, batoning firewood, chopping wood, or expediently slicing up food for cooking.
Handle: On the handle side, it’s important to have a handle shape that is very comfortable in your grip and incorporates design elements such as (but not limited to) finger grooves, palm swells, radiused edges, machined-in textures, and choils.
These features seat your hand better on the handle, making for a more comfortable user experience. Face it, if a handle isn’t comfortable you’re are not going to use the knife, regardless of how expensive it is or if it uses the best blade steel. Plus, as you are working, you want the handle to feel secure in your hand and not feel like it’s going to fly out. Therefore, such materials as G-10, micarta, and some molded thermoplastics are great choices for handle materials on camp knives.
Steel: What about blade steels? What about them? You have to remember the camp knife is a workhorse and you will probably have to sharpen the knife in camp. Carbon steel is still the steel of choice for this very reason of being easy to resharpen in the field.
1095 seems to be a factory favorite, found on outdoor knives, some fixed blade tactical, and EDC fixed blades. 1095 sharpens very easily but it’s not stainless so you will have to exercise extra care to make sure it’s dry as possible to prevent rust and stains.
Higher-end super stainless steels like S35VN are great and have the muscle to go the distance without frequent sharpening. Yet when it comes time to resharpen, you could end up investing a good deal of time.
To negate this, you can switch to a maintenance mode from resharpening mode, meaning, frequent honing will preserve the cutting edge. Something must be said for going old school, with carbon steel. There is a trade-off with frequent short-duration sharpening of blade steel that is softer and easier to manage, as opposed to spending a lot of time in the field sharpening a high-performance super stainless steel.
Now we have the basics out of the way, let’s dive further into some good examples of camp knives that might interest you.
TOPS Brakimo
Designed by noted survival/outdoor expert Joe Flowers of Bushcraft Global, the TOPS BRAKIMO is as close to a do-it-all knife that can handle all tasks from whittling to cutting to chopping and baton work.
Its blade is 5 2/4-inches long and 0.190 inches thick and is made from 1095 carbon steel. The drop point shape gives plenty of belly to facilitate a broad range of tasks including but not limited to food prep. The modified Scandi grind is there for cutting performance as well as a thicker cross-section of the blade to promote strength in the blade. The handle is of OD green canvas micarta and has been finished to leave a “grip you back” quality to it. The edges have been chamfered for ultimate comfort, and there’s a divot for use with a bow drill. An extra-large lanyard hole allows you to use any cord diameter for a lanyard and possibly even attach it to a carabiner. Finishing out the Brakimo is a nice Kydex sheath that carries the knife at your side securely. A spring metal clip is the means to attach the sheath to your belt.
The Kydex sheath is nice although basic. But really in the end as long as it works, that’s all that matters.
MSRP: $169 Origin: USA
ESEE Expat Darien Machete
I know. This is a machete, but this is an article on camp knives. Truth is that machetes can be used in conjunction with camp knives. More so with the ESEE Expat Darien machete, this is also part machete and part knife as well.
Measuring a little over 18 inches, the Darien has a reach like any other machete, but it also has excellent balance and feels so agile in the hand that you can use it as a knife for whittling, chopping, batoning, and maybe some heavier cutting of camp food prep tasks. The blade is made from 1075 carbon steel and is very easy to resharpen in the field. At 0.094-inches thick, the blade stock is thin enough to be nimble and is thinner than most camp knives, which are at least ⅛-inch thick (0.125 inches).
The blade itself is a little over 12 inches, which is enough length to get work done. The handle is made from black micarta, which is a great choice because it’s a synthetic material that is dimensionally stable and has an excellent grip you back quality. The sheath is sewn canvas and is well made. An integrated belt look allows the Darien to be at your side whenever it is needed. Pair the Darien with a favorite full-blown camp knife and you have the ultimate combo!
MSRP: $121 Origin: El Salvador.
Spartan Blades Hersey Nessmuk
Spartan Blades made a name for itself as a top producer of high-end tactical and outdoor knives. It recently came out with a USA-made mid-grade line of professional use knives that are OEM’d by Kabar Knives in the Kabar factory in upstate NY. This series is known as the Silver line and offers enhanced features and value pricing. These are a step up from the company’s Bronze line of entry-level knives and a step down from its Gold line of elite, high-end knives. The Harsey Nessmuk was designed by knifemaker Bill Harsey to be a heavy-duty field companion on the hunt or at the campsite.
The Nessmuk skinner-inspired blade shape flares at the tip and is great for, well… skinning and slicing tasks. The 5-inch blade is big enough to get work done but short enough to not get in the way. 1095 carbon steel is used for the blade, and the high flat grind tapers allows it to slice cleanly and effectively. A black powder coating reduces glare and adds a layer of protection against corrosion.
One look at the handle design and you can tell it’s pure Harsey. Multiple features are integrated such as the lower hand guard, the palm swell in the middle, the traction notches at the thumb rest on the blade spine. There’s 3D machined texture for grip retention, all built into the black injection molded handles. Wrap your hand around the handle and you feel how secure and comfortable it is to grip, lending a feeling you can use the Spartan Harsey Nessmuk for extended periods.
It is a very well-thought-out design overall and meant for hard use in the great outdoors. The Harsey Nessmuk comes with an injection molded sheath with a thick webbing belt loop. An innovative retention feature locks the knife into the sheath, preventing it from coming out unless you want it to. There is a thumb button on the sheath you push up on as you grip the handle naturally to release the blade from the sheath. Not too many fixed blades have a feature like this and just rely on locking the sheath up around some part of the handle. When you insert the knife into the sheath, you will hear an audible click, indicating that the blade is locked. Very cool!
MSRP: $190 Origin: USA
Buck Knives General Pro
Any article talking about outdoor knives isn’t complete without a mention of a Buck knife. The company has been synonymous with the great outdoors since its inception. Its model 120 General Pro is one such knife, built to take whatever the great outdoors can dish up.
Crafted with a blade made from premium CPM S35VN stainless steel, the General Pro is built for hard use in all environments. Measuring a little over 7 inches in length, the clip point blade has a hollow grind, pronounced swedge, and a milled-in fuller, giving the knife its aggressive look. The handle is made from OD green canvas micarta for the ultimate all-weather grip.
The signature aluminum guard and pommel, present on all Buck fixed blades, cap off the handle’s construction and appearance. The General Pro excels at camp food prep, whittling, some chopping, and baton work for wood splitting. At 12 inches overall, it’s the perfect large fixed blade to have when you hit the great outdoors. It is accompanied with a sewn leather sheath, as is common with all Bucks.
The General Pro is the tonier model, but if it’s out of your price range, the General model offers the same design only with 420HC stainless steel blade, black phenolic handle and lower price.
MSRP: $128
Ontario RAT 7
Ontario’s collaboration with Randall’s Adventure & Training has yielded a very highly successful series of folding and fixed-blade knives that are aimed solely at outdoor adventures. One such example is the RAT 7. The fixed blade is a larger knife that can handle all of your camp chores and some food prep. But tough work like chopping and batoning wood is what the RAT 7 is built for.
The 7-inch long, flat ground, drop point blade is ground from 1095 carbon steel and given an epoxy powder coating to keep rust and corrosion at bay. The handle is a tan canvas micarta, an excellent choice for outdoor knives because it is fully synthetic and is impervious to moisture, cracking, and gouging. The handle design itself incorporates an integral lower finger guard, an ergonomic curved gripping area, and an exposed pommel with a lanyard hole. There is also a forward choil at the tang so you can employ a choke grip for more control over the blade.
Each RAT 7 comes with a nylon belt sheath that features an exterior accessory pocket for storage of a sharpener, folding knife, or additional survival supplies.
MSRP: $135
CRKT Bugsy
Designed by custom knifemaker and Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid star Kaila Cummings, the Bugsy is CRKT’s first USA-made fixed blade in the lineup. The knife receives its moniker from Cummings’s first appearance on the TV show when she received numerous big bites in the jungle in Colombia.
Featuring a 1095 carbon steel harpoon-style blade and a micarta handle, the Bugsy is as at home in the outdoors as it is an EDC fixed blade. With a blade length of a hair under 4 inches, the Bugsy is sized appropriately to take on most tasks inside camp or at home. Again, like some of the fixed blades discussed here, 1095 is used due to its low cost-to-performance ratio. It’s easy to resharpen in the field and offers reasonably good edge holding, which makes it a favorite amongst outdoor users.
The highly ergonomic handle showcases multiple finger grooves and an expanded butt end capture your hand to provide a secure, non-slip grip. Micarta is used due to its dimensional stability and excellent all-weather qualities—necessary for an outdoor use knife.
A leather fob is tied to the handle and acts as a handle extension for those with larger hands.
Accompanying each Bugsy is a high-quality leather sheath that holds the knife securely and at your side. There’s also a tactical version of Bugsy that features a black-coated, part-serrated blade and black G-10 handle. It comes with a black Kydex rig for belt carry.
MSRP: $200 Origin: USA
Fallkniven F1 Pro
For those not familiar with Fallkniven, it is a Swedish knife manufacturer with among the best-kept secrets in the production knife industry—its fixed blades. These tools are elegantly refined and yet sport blade and handle designs geared towards the practical. Like anything European, Fallknivens are a bit costly but are very worth it. You get what you pay for and then some.
Fallkniven’s F1 Pro fixed blade is a straightforward utility done up to the next level. The drop point blade is 4 inches in length and is ground from premium high-end ELMAX stainless steel, ensuring edge longevity and durability.
The handle is made from a polymer called Thermorun, a molded material soft to the touch. It sports checkered texturing that grips your hand back regardless of weather conditions. Hot, cold, wet, or dry…the Thermorun handle ensures a sturdy, comfortable purchase.
With an overall length of 8 and ½ inches, the F1 Pro carries very well in its hybrid molded Zytel sheath with nylon webbing belt loop. A secondary button snap strap secures the handle in place.
MSRP: $408
Mora Garberg Carbon
One of the best values in high-quality fixed blades undoubtedly is Mora, another Swedish knife manufacturer. Mora’s knives are highly functional and well-designed, yet they sell at prices anyone can afford. They are what I recommend to folks who want a good quality knife without breaking the budget. Mora’s Garberg is one of the company’s larger knives and is designed and built for survival and camping.
Starting with the blade, the modified clip point is made from carbon steel for ease of sharpening and is given a Scandi grind for optimum cutting performance and blade strength. The blade measures a hair over 4-inches long, which is enough to take care of most cutting tasks while being easy to carry. The blade is given a black coating to help protect it from corrosion since it isn’t stainless steel. The handle sports a full tang construction, the Garberg is the first Mora model to feature a full tang. This means the knife can withstand harder use than the other Mora knives.
The handle has a dual molded construction with molded Polyamide and hard rubber, for a durable and weather-resistant grip. The handle has rounded contours, which makes it easy on your hand for extended use. This handle design and construction is typical across the Mora knife line and is proven to be durable and comfortable in the long run. The sheath that accompanies the carbon steel Garberg is a nice leather sheath that protects the knife and allows the user to carry it conveniently.
MSRP: $130
Cold Steel SRK
Those of you into knives for a while have heard of Cold Steel. It has been around for a long time and so have some of the company’s classic designs such as the SRK (Survival Rescue Knife). Don’t let the name fool you though, this knife also excels at camp chores as well as any cutting task indoors or out.
The 6-inch blade is ground from SK-5 carbon steel and given an epoxy coating to protect it from the elements. SK-5 is a Japanese steel that is roughly equal to 1080 carbon. The clip-point blade is straightforward, but pure utility all around. It can pierce, score, and slice its way through all your camp-cutting tasks.
The handle is a molded rubber-like material that Cold Steel calls Kray-Ex. It sports checkered texturing for the ultimate grip regardless of weather conditions. An integrated, lower hand guard prevents your hand from sliding forward. The handle color is available in black, tan, and OD green to suit your personal preferences and primary use environment. The overall length is a little over 10 inches, making this a larger fixed blade, and it’s ideal for hard-use applications. Each SRK comes with a molded Secure-Ex sheath which is very similar to Kydex, allowing the sheath to be form-fitting and securely carry the SRK without rattle.
MSRP: $62
Spyderco Bow River
The Bow River from Spyderco is an affordable fixed blade in the SPYDERCO lineup that has great potential. Its trailing point blade style is highly adaptive to hunting, bird and trout, as well as general food prep in camp.
The blade is 4.4-inches long and is ground from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel, which is the Chinese equivalent of Japanese AUS-8 stainless. 8Cr13MoV is easy to sharpen out in the field and offers reasonable stain resistance. It’s a good middle-of-the-road production stainless steel, favored by quite a few production brands. The full flat grind ensures optimum cutting performance through a variety of foods and meats. The trailing point blade design offers a continuous blade belly that works excellently with food prep, facilitating ease of slicing motions. At an overall length of 8.1 inches, the Bow River is an excellent choice for a fixed blade that carries easily and won’t break the bank.
The handle is black and gray G-10, with alternating color layers that produce an interesting wood grain visual effect when the handle is contoured. The handle is rounded and contoured to lay in your hand easily and very comfortably. You can get a good grip on this shape, even though it lacks any texturing. Each Bow River comes with a sewn leather belt sheath that carries the knife, ready at hand for any task.
A year’s worth of hot hammering results in top results at the 2023 ABS awards in Atlanta.
The American Bladesmith Society held its annual awards program during the 42nd Annual BLADE Show, the largest knife event in the world, and bladesmiths came from far and wide to salute the art of the forged blade.
ABS master smith and ABS president Steve Dunn acted as master of ceremonies for the awards ceremony Friday night, June 2, in the BLADE Show’s host hotel, the Atlanta Renaissance Waverly.
Don Hastings Award
The first presentation was the Don Hastings Award, named in honor of one of the four founders of the ABS who was only the third American smith to forge damascus steel. Don served as ABS treasurer from 1976 until he died of cancer in 1986. This year’s recipient is Jim Crowell, who received his ABS master smith stamp in 1986, has earned an enviable record for his artistry in steel, and has long been a fine bladesmithing teacher and an excellent judge of those applying for bladesmith ratings within the Society.
W. W. Scagel Award
ABS master smiths Heather and Kevin Harvey won the W. W. Scagel Award for running their highly successful Heavin Forge Studio & Bladesmithing School in Belfast, South Africa. It was an especially momentous evening for Heather as she won the Margaret Moran Silver Slipper Award as well.
Next was the W. W. Scagel Award, named for BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member William Scagel, the first great American bladesmith of the 20th century who taught many the art of the forged blade. The recipients are ABS master smiths Heather and Kevin Harvey in recognition of their contributions in the field of teaching all about bladesmithing at their Heavin Forge Bladesmithing Studio & School in Belfast, South Africa.
Paul Burke was a Baltimore attorney who served on the ABS board of directors for many years, who obtained the Society’s tax-exempt status and was devoted to the ABS. The Paul Burke Award is named in his honor and was presented to ABS master smith and past ABS president, Greg Neely.
ABS Gold-Medal Knives
B. R. Hughes Award
New ABS master smith Jackson Rumble won the B. R. Hughes Award for the top knife submitted by a successful ABS master smith applicant. The spectacular quillon dagger with an integral guard is from his set of five knives submitted for MS judging. The 9.5-inch blade and pommel are of a mosaic damascus of 1075 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels. Handle: African blackwood. Overall length: 15.5 inches. Jackson’s price for a similar knife: $10,000. (SharpByCoop knife image; image of Rumble and Neely by B. R. Hughes)
The B. R. Hughes Award for making the most outstanding knife submitted by an applicant attaining the rating of ABS master smith went to Australia’s Jackson Rumble. Erik McCright won the Joe Keeslar Award for making the top knife submitted by a new ABS journeyman smith.
Bill Moran Award
The Bill Moran Award is given for the best knife made in the Moran style and was presented to Matt Stagmer. Antique Bowie Knife Association Awards go to both an ABS master smith and ABS journeyman who make the finest bowie most representative of a 19th-century style. The MS award went to Josh Fisher and the JS to Mace Vitale.
Margaret Moran Silver Slipper Award
To augment her co-winning of the Scagel Award, Heather Harvey received the Margaret Moran Silver Slipper Award named in honor of Mrs. Margaret Moran, wife of Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bill Moran.
ABS Smith Ratings
One of the happier groups of new ABS journeyman smiths you’re likely to see proudly display their JS certificates. There were 19 new JS’s in all. Here are 12 of them. For the full list, see the story.
Jackson Rumble was the only applicant to successfully earn the ABS master smith rating. Head Judge Greg Neely presented Jackson his certificate and stamp.
Those who successfully earned ABS journeyman smith ratings at the show were: Ismael Biegelmeier; Kevin Burgess; Jeff Davidson; Caleb L. French; Jacob Gaetz; James Ingram; Mike Johnson; Andrea Lisch, wife of ABS master smith David Lisch; Francois Mazieres; Erik McCright; Vicente Molina; Trevor Morgan, Jr.; Jim Quick; Jeff Royer; Brian Sellers; Camile Senegon; Jayden Simisky; Bill Thorne; and Henning Wilkinson. ABS master smith and head ABS journeyman smith judge James Rodebaugh made the certificate presentations. In other honors, Distinguished Service Awards were presented to Amanda Davis, photographer Eric Eggly of PointSeven and Jacob Lutz. ABS Chairman’s Awards were presented to Shanna Maust, Shane Maust and ABS master smith Brion Tomberlin.
And so dropped the curtain on another ABS awards program on the largest stage of the knife world!
Editor’s note: Along with Bill Moran, Don Hastings and Bill Bagwell, the author is a founding member of the ABS, and is also the only surviving one. He has served on the ABS board of directors longer than anyone in the Society’s 47-year history, and written a number of books and countless magazine and other stories on knives and also guns for over six decades. He is a Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer and, at 91, is without a doubt the oldest knife writer/knife magazine editorial staff member extant. His wife Carolyn has been editor of the American Bladesmith, the ABS Journal, for 23 years. Both are knife industry treasures beyond comparison.
Every now and then I come across a folder that just feels right both in my hand and in my pocket, one that’s not too large nor too small, yet still has that sleek look to it. The Coast LX532 framelock does it all for me. I really love the blade shape. However, it still must be able to slice and dice to get a top place in my book.
Coast LX532 Edge Test
The good ol’ paper slice worked for starters. The LX532 sliced very smooth with no effort. The thin blade made for great control during the cuts. The only challenge was getting my fingers out of the way fast enough.
It was back to 20-pound bond copy paper for the final edge test. The LX532 didn’t miss a lick, slicing very smooth, aggressive cuts.
It was time for the single-walled cardboard. The knife was quite aggressive in cutting it. Again, control was great. The thinner handle takes some getting used to but that’s not a big deal. There was some twisting on the cut pieces but that was me getting accustomed to the handle.
Plastic board was next. The LX532 handled it with ease. The thumb notches on the handle spine really came in handy as more pressure was needed to make the cuts. They notches stopped the thin blade from twisting in my hand while cutting.
LX532 Meduim-Duty Cutting
I had some leftover dense foam from the Kydex press to change out, so I decided to slice it up. The folder went through the foam like butter. The thin blade is extraordinarily sharp to say the least. Control was great yet again and I had to continue slowing my slicing down to keep my fingers intact.
The knife went through the foam like butter. The thin blade is extremely sharp to say the least.
Eight-ounce leather, anyone? I did some normal up-and-down slicing, along with some skiving. The edge was quite forceful slicing leather. I could hear each and every cut. The knife is exceptionally smooth and controllable for straight cutting. I switched positions and laid the leather flat for some skiving. The LX532 was very loud and aggressive slicing the material. I cut through the leather more times than I want to say. (It makes a better picture if the leather is all together rather than a bunch of smaller pieces.)
LX532 Heavy-Duty Cutting
With camping season in full swing, I needed to stock up on firesticks to start the campfire. The LX532 worked perfectly. It made great thin curlicues in the pine. It also took deeper bites if needed. The blade zipped through the wood. Control was great with my thumb on top of the handle. It was a lot of fun to do.
The blade zipped through the pine and made great thin curlicues. It also took deeper bites if needed.
I had my doubts about cutting sisal rope with such a slim knife. However, the folder proved it could go the distance, providing 200 crunching cuts before I stopped. The knife was still going strong. I was impressed. The framelock stayed at 100 percent engagement the whole time and was still smooth upon closing. Hats off to the folks at Coast.
It was back to 20-pound bond copy paper for the final edge test. The LX532 didn’t miss a lick, making extra-smooth, uncompromising cuts.
Overall Take
The LX532 is one sweet framelock. The slim overall shape is right up my alley. Performance is in the top 10 percent. Excellent job, Coast. I wouldn’t change a thing. Maybe some texturing of the handle?
No doubt, these custom blades have icy good looks.
Many things are associated with the color blue. Depending on your preference or point of view, some of those things may be good, others bad. In the case of knives, blue comes in many hues and materials, and can serve different purposes. Here’s hoping these blue knives don’t give you the blues.
Michael West: Starry Night
A handle of blue sunstone set in a frame of argentium silver and at 2.83-inch blade of RWL-34 stainless steel headline Starry Night by Michael West. Blade grind: concave. Bolster: Argentium silver. Overall length: 7 inches. Sheath: all silver with blue sunstone inlay. Maker’s price for a similar knife: $3,500. (SharpByCoop image)
Shane Gagne: Chef’s Knife
The mammoth molar of the handle of Shane Gagne’s chef’s knife is dyed blue. The 8.75-inch blade is 180 layers of random damascus cladding go-mai with nickel shim and a core of 52100 ball bearing carbon steel. Total layers: 360. Bolster: carbon fiber. Overall length: 13.25 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Don Sylvest: Chef’s Knife
Curly maple dyed blue outfits the handle of Don Sylvest’s chef’s knife. The 6-inch blade is CTS-XHP stainless steel. Don offers the knife in tandem with a paring model in the same materials, only smaller with a 3.5-inch blade. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Tyler Turner: Toothpick
The 4.25-inch blade of Tyler Turner’s toothpick is blued Turkish Lace damascus forged by Doug Ponzio. The frame is zirconium and the liners are titanium. Embellishments include 24k-gold inlay by Jody Muller, an argentium silver shield and diamonds pavé set by Tyler. The pivot adjusts with a custom takedown tool. (SharpByCoop image)
Jim Sornberger: Dress Bowie
Blue adds contrast to the gold quartz handle of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Jim Sornberger’s mid-19th-century-style dress bowie. Bolster: 14k gold. The 2.25-inch blade is ATS-34 stainless steel. All engraving is by the maker. (SharpByCoop image)
Jose Santiago-Cummings: EDC Fixed Blade
The EDC fixed blade by Jose Santiago-Cummings has a bird’s-beak handle of black ebony, chestnut dyed green and contoured birch wood dyed blue. The 3.75-inch blade is Damasteel damascus in a Vinland pattern. The bolster is mokume. Overall length: 8 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Rob Logan: Fighter
Rob Logan’s fighter sports a blue mammoth molar handle with a mammoth ivory spacer, white vulcanized handle liners and brass liners. The 4.25-inch blade is mosaic damascus forged by Bill Poor, and the brass frame and guard are textured and patinaed. Overall length: 13 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Cutlery Hall Of Fame ushers in a Hall Of Fame class at the 2023 BLADE Show.
There was much joy tempered by a tear or three as Devin Thomas, Bob Terzuola and Steve Schwarzer took monumental steps in their monumental knife careers with their formal inductions into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® during BLADE Show ’23.
Celebrated with a combination breakfast/induction ceremony, the new inductees were saluted by an appreciative crowd of just over 100 that included family, friends, sitting Hall-Of-Famers, world-renowned knifemakers, knife collectors and various combinations thereof in the Kennesaw Room of the show’s host hotel, the Renaissance Waverly.
Providing induction speeches were those handpicked by the new inductees: Cutlery Hall-Of-Famers Bill Ruple and Ken Onion for Thomas and Terzuola, respectively, and award-winning bladesmith Neil Kamimura for Schwarzer. All, including the acceptance speeches, were genuine, entertaining and memorable.
Devin Thomas
While best known for his damascus steel, Devin’s first love was making knives. “The best kept secret about Devin is how good a knifemaker he is,” Bill Ruple said. “He’s known for his wonderful damascus steel, some of the best in the world, but he’s a heckuva knifemaker.”
A Devin Thomas blade of Devin’s stainless damascus. (image courtesy of Devin Thomas)
Using a set of instructions his uncle gave him, Devin made his first knife at 13. At 16 he worked the whole summer making knives with long-time maker Bob Lofgren in Arizona. Devin did so without pay but didn’t care because of his affinity for knives. At 18 he won most impressive knife by a new maker at the California Custom Knife Show. At 21 he married Jackie. “She knew me in high school and knew I made knives, so when we got married she knew about the knife thing, so I didn’t surprise her or anything,” he recalled. “And I told her at the time I’m going to be a world famous knifemaker one day.” Devin and Jackie recently celebrated their 37th anniversary.
One of Devin’s inspirations was Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Wayne Goddard. Devin read Wayne’s story on cable damascus in KNIVES ’86 and a career was born. “I thought I could forge-weld cable damascus, so I bought me some cable. I didn’t have any idea what I was doing, and I heated up the forge and got [the cable] to stick together,” Devin said. “That started my damascus career.”
His next great inspiration was Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Buster Warenski. “I kept trying to get him to try some of my steel,” Devin related. “Buster said, ‘I’m not trying any of your steel unless you try to make stainless damascus.’ I started making stainless damascus and Buster used a piece in one of his art pieces and I thought, ‘I can quit today!’”
On the contrary, Devin was on his way.
“At one time I think I was making more steel than the entire ABS put together, not certain, but I could really pump it out,” he said. “I was doing 50 bars of steel a day on a regular basis. That hammer was wide open all the time.”
Family, friends and customers—that’s what it’s all about for Devin. “My oldest son [Larrin] is developing new steel so fast the industry can’t keep up,” he noted. “He developed MagnaCut— which some like but a few don’t—but the industry can’t absorb his new developments fast enough.”
Better designs, better manufacturing, an upcoming generation of makers that has him very optimistic—Devin sees a rosy future for the industry.
“We have more talent than we’ve ever had before, and younger talent, and more excitement,” he opined. “We’ve got a lot of bad designs and bad knifemaking too, but we’ve got to tolerate the good and the bad. We need more domestic manufacturing and we need better abrasives—they’re not keeping up with the steel we’re producing. My only regret? I don’t know, maybe I shoulda bought a truckload of stag scales when they were only two or three dollars a pair.”
Devin Thomas at the helm. (image courtesy of Devin Thomas)
Ruple said he and Devin have a mutual respect based both on friendship and a shared desire to make the best the knife industry has to offer.
“Devin was always my go-to guy when it came to knowing anything about steel,” Bill said. “Anything I needed to know I’d call Devin. I learned a lot from the guy.”
Devin is nicknamed “Hoss” for his resemblance to the most endearing member of the Cartwright family on the long-running 1960s-’70s TV show, Bonanza. And, not unlike the TV Hoss, the new Hall-Of-Famer Hoss has never been beyond pulling a rabbit out of his 10-gallon hat. Bill recalled such a time at a long past BLADE Show.
“We were sitting at my table and this guy from Japan comes up and he’s trying to buy a knife from me and communication is not going well, and all of a sudden Devin’s talking Japanese to this guy and I’m thinking, ‘Hoss Cartwright speaks Japanese?’” Bill laughed at the memory.
Of course, the fact Devin is multilingual simply adds to his Hall-Of-Fame pedigree.
“Devin’s the guy who brought damascus steel to the masses,” Bill observed. “There were guys who made damascus steel but Devin aimed his steel at folder makers. He got it out there in dimensions that guys like me could use. There’s probably more of his steel in high-end collections around the world than anybody else’s. He’s been doing this a long time and he’s one of the best ever.”
Bob Terzuola
Bob Terzuola made his first knife in 1979, joined the Knifemakers’ Guild in 1981 and along the way served on the Guild’s board of directors for nine years. His relentless search for ways to improve his knives in terms of design, materials, mechanisms and more helped establish his place as one of the greatest knifemakers of his or any era, with his tactical folding knives at the summit.
BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® members Michael Walker and Bob Terzuola enjoy the 2019 Art Knife Invitational. (image courtesy of Bob Terzuola)
“In 1984 Bob moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and started making folding knives,” Ken Onion said. “Searching for a hard-use folder that could be used discreetly, Bob developed a model featuring Micarta® scales and bead-blasted titanium bolsters for which he coined the term tactical folding knife, which later evolved into his most popular model, the ATCF … which opened the market for the new category of folding knife, which arguably remains the largest and most popular category of knives in the industry.”
As Ken noted, Bob wanted to design a “robust knife as tough as he could,” so he set out to use G-10, carbon fiber, titanium and other advanced materials at a time when few if any were using them. He was a pioneer of the circular thumb disc for ambidextrous one-hand blade opening, multiple double grinds on folder blades, knives with laser-cut CNC parts and fine-tuned other areas that have molded the modern folding knife.
“Bob also focused a lot on the linerlock and did a lot of engineering advancements through a lot of trial and error, and then what does he do? He writes a book about it—The Tactical Folding Knife: A Study of the Anatomy and Construction of the Liner-Locked Folder—to teach the rest of us how to compete with him. How many of us have a copy of that book in their shop?” Ken asked the attentive audience. “How many have a dog-eared, highlighted copy, how many of us reference it regularly, and how many of us have read it more than once? It’s kind of like an important thing for all of us to have. All these contributions and advancements have earned him the affection of us all and title of the Godfather of the Tactical Knife.”
The Tactical Folding Knife is Bob Terzuola’s landmark book of which Ken Onion said to an audience of over 100, “How many have a dog-eared, highlighted copy, how many of us reference it regularly, and how many of us have read it more than once?”
Bob reiterated Devin Thomas’s comment about the importance of the human element. “I’ve seen a lot of changes and met a lot of people and made a lot of really good friends, and had to say goodbye to some of them,” he said. “There were friends who meant a lot to me over the years, people like Bob Loveless, Carolyn Tinker, Howard Viele, Frank Centofante, Wayne Goddard, Bob Lum, Alex Collins. A lot of these names don’t mean anything to a lot of younger makers, but they all helped build the structure that we all rely on to take care of our families.”
He also addressed some in the audience in particular, including Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Michael Walker. “He introduced me to the alchemy of the linerlock and working with titanium, which back in the mid-1980s was virtually unknown to knifemakers and now is so important not only to tactical folders but all sorts of pocketknives,” Bob noted of Michael. “And Ken Onion, who’s been a long-time friend and a guiding light … and I want to thank my children … but most of all I want to thank my wife, Susan, who has taken care of me over many years and … has been a powerhouse of the artistic critiquing of my knives, additions to design and so forth. And thanks to all of you for this honor and gathering here at the greatest knife show there is. Keep up the good work and let’s see where this winding, crazy, twisting road of surprises takes us in the craft of knifemaking.”
Steve Schwarzer
An ABS master smith, Steve Schwarzer and the ABS were meant for each other. The ABS is all about teaching and promoting the art of the forged blade, and so is Steve. “I want to say thank you to Billy Ray Hughes and the ABS that really helped me build a foundation,” he said. “They have a set of standards to follow and it really helped drive my business,” a business that includes a pioneering career in canister damascus, award-winning knives and teaching as many bladesmiths as he can how to forge blades
Steve Schwarzer speaks of “knife-shaped objects,” his teachers, students and other sharp things.
Like Devin Thomas, Steve got a taste of what would become his life’s work in junior high school when he forged his first hot steel. Not long after high school in the late 1960s, he went to work in the aircraft industry and started making “knife-shaped objects.” He called them knife-shaped objects “because we took a piece of stainless steel we found on the job somewhere with no idea how to heat treat it or what kind of steel it was, and we’d grind it to what looked like a knife and put a handle on it.”
In 1972, he moved to Florida and bought a book by Alex Bealer that had a page-and-a-half on forging knives. “When I turned that page and read it, it lit a fire that never went out,” Steve said. He made knives as a hobby and sold them to his fellow shop workers for $15 and $20 apiece. “They told me I was wonderful and I believed them,” Steve said to a chuckling audience. It was then he learned of Bobby Tyson. “He was my original teacher,” Steve said. “I loved the guy. He could make two beautiful pocketknives in a day that walked and talked. Tony Bose would’ve been proud of them.”
Tyson actually had books on making knives, a novel concept at the time. Steve visited Tyson and learned all he could. “He put me ahead five years in one weekend and that’s what I try to do with Neil Kamimura and these guys here,” Steve said, pointing to some of his students in the audience. “I surround myself with people doing great things.” It is an approach that inspires Neil.
“Steve says surround your yourself with people that know your value,” he observed. “He has helped a tremendous amount of people and everybody wants to know his tricks because he’s the wizard of steel. But for me it wasn’t his tricks of welding steel but it was the lessons I wanted to learn, such as how does he keep his passion for that many years? How did he keep his willingness to want to keep on wanting to learn?” To absorb those things from Steve, Neil noted, “is to listen to his struggles, his hardships and the balance he took to maintain such longevity in this industry.”
Meanwhile, Steve the teacher remains, and always has remained, Steve the student.
A Steve Schwarzer folding dagger sports a chevron damascus blade, canister damascus furniture and mother-of-pearl scales. (PointSeven image)
“At 75 I’m hurrying, I promise you,” he stressed. “I wake up in the morning and it’s, ‘Man, I’ve got another day. Let’s go do something!’ And that’s what I do and then [my students] explore and come back with information. So everyone you teach in this business doubles your life in the business is the way I look at it. And that’s why I love what I do.”
Neil brought it all into full focus.
“How many careers were started because of him and how many lives he’s touched, many in this room,” he mused.
“Steve Schwarzer has truly changed bladesmithing forever and I believe that … A lot of these young makers and a lot of these Instagram people, we’re nothing without people like Steve and people that have been inducted [today]. So if you don’t know Steve, you should get to know him, and if you do know Steve, you should treasure him like I do.”
