Jurassic World, the reboot of the Jurassic Park movie franchise, debuted in 2015 to the delight of both dinosaur and knife enthusiasts. The lead protagonist, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), carried a custom knife made by Steve Auvenshine. Not only did the knife feature in a critical action scene, it sported a handsome leather sheath.
Here’s a look:
Carried scout-style, no less. (Universal Pictures)
Judging by the trailer released last week, Chris Pratt’s character will use something similar in Jurassic World 2: Fallen Kingdom, to be released June 22, 2018. Here’s a still:
Looks like it’s carried scout-style once again. (Universal Pictures)
Here’s a closer look:
Appears pretty similar to the knife used in the first Jurassic World. (Universal Pictures)
In a conversation over Facebook, Auvenshine confirmed that while he made the knife used in Jurassic World, he was not commissioned to make one for the sequel.
A request for more information from Universal Pictures went unanswered as of this writing.
It’s only speculative, but it’s possible this is the same knife made for the original Jurassic World.
John Gomes, the 51-year-old Cohoes, New York, resident and alleged “amateur knifemaker” who started a fire that damaged 32 buildings and displaced approximately 20 people, will not appear in court today as scheduled. He was charged with felony reckless endangerment and misdemeanor arson on Friday, Dec. 1 while the 200 block of Remsen Street smoldered, threatening to reignite. Gomes’ case has been waived to Albany County Court to be presented to a grand jury. In a report by the Times Union of Albany, New York—which has followed the story closely—Gomes lawyer has stated that his client is a hard-working plumber, the father of two children and this was a tragic accident, not a crime. Reaction from knifemakers on social media was swift and nearly unanimous: Gomes’ did not do his research, about forges or metal working, and his claim of trying to replicate something he saw on “Forged In Fire” was a deflection from his own lack of forethought. One maker from Upstate New York theorized that it could have been simply a trash fire to avoid disposal charges, but that claiming to be working steel was a better story than a flagrant violation of the law. Was Forged In Fire a scapegoat for the Cohoes fire?
John Gomes, a resident of Cohoes, New York, started a fire in an open barrel in his back yard. Reports say he was attempting to bend a knife, as he had seen done on “Forged In Fire.” But was “Forged In Fire” a scapegoat? (Times Union photo)
On Friday, December 1, knifemakers awoke to the cringeworthy news that Gomes had started an open barrel fire in his back yard to “bend” metal as he had seen done on “Forged In Fire.” It was a relief that nobody was killed in the fire. One fireman was treated for dehydration and heat-related issues and the fire chief received a burn from a flying ember, but other than that nobody was injured. By last count, 32 buildings were damaged by fire, smoke or water, resulting in millions of dollars’ worth of property damage. Approximately 20 to 25 people were displaced, but Red Cross representatives were on sight to meet the immediate needs of both emergency response personnel and to provide shelter, food and clothing to those whose houses had burned. Cohoes is a quiet commuter city about 18 miles north of Albany. The houses in the affected area are wooden and within inches of each other. The 30-mile-an-hour winds on November 30, made it challenging for the firefighters to stay ahead of the blaze.
Cohoes is an old mill town that is no stranger to fires. In 1978 a man and his seven children were killed in a fire suspected of being set by the sole survivor, the wife and mother. After new evidence surfaced in 2010 Virginia Grotto did sign a confession, but then claimed she was badgered to do so. Another Cohoes fire in 1988, destroyed nine buildings, including three businesses. That fire also affected Remsen Street. The cause remains a mystery with some neighbors claiming at the time it was a Hells Angels motorcycle gang act of revenge against someone living in the apartment building where the fire started and others claiming to have seen two boys playing with matches. All other causes were ruled out. In both cases, Cohoes rebuilt. One added note to the most recent fire was that this area of Cohoes was enjoying a resurgence. Both the current mayor and interviewed business owners commented on the city’s resilience and they would rebuild. A florist was able to resume work the next day despite building damage, and a pharmacy owner lost a storage garage that contained chair lifts that had been ordered for Christmas, backup inventory and old medical records, but his store was open for business.
The 30-mph winds made getting ahead of the fire a challenge. In the end 32 buildings were damaged and approximately 20 people displaced. (Times Union photo)
John Gomes’ son defended his father on social media, claiming that he never meant to burn down his own house or anyone else’s. Commenters offered words of encouragement for the boy and prayers for his family. On knifemaker Groups on Facebook like Forged In Fire TV Show Discussion Group!!!! and my own Erin at BLADE, it was unanimous that “Forged In Fire” was not to blame. There were jokes about the blade not making the cut, or the reverse, it being able to wipe out a city block. There was mention that “Forged In Fire” now does include a warning that forging is dangerous and not to be attempted without careful consideration of safety measures. Of course, one popular comment on Facebook was simply a picture of a fire extinguisher.
John Gomes, according to statements made by his lawyer to the media, never intended for his open barrel fire to cause damage to his own house or anyone else’s. He’s been charged with felony reckless endangerment and misdemeanor arson. (Times Union photo)
Concern was expressed, though, by more than one commenter on more than one thread that “Forged In Fire” seems to play up the fireball created during quenching. It is a television show and the quenching drama makes for good entertainment. However, the “Forged In Fire” set is actually fireproof. It is vented to prevent asphyxiation, but not in the way a home forger might vent his forge. This is why it is often unbearably hot on the set, causing heat exhaustion in some participants. And, of course, there are crewmembers standing by with extinguishers, ready to cut the electricity or provide medical attention as needed. There have been instances in the final round when participants are at their home forges of fireballs being too close to propane tanks and the like. Although show representatives expressed sadness over the fire in Cohoes, they reserved comment, according to Times Union reports.
One of the most intriguing comments was posted by a resident bladesmith of Upstate New York. “I think he was burning trash, which is illegal in most municipalities in New York State, so he would not have to pay for disposal,” theorized F. Page Steinhardt, of Sunshadow Design and “Forged In Fire” winner. He added, “In an open burn barrel, which is illegal in most municipalities in New York State in a 30-mile-per-hour wind, which is a dumb idea, and ‘Forged In Fire’ was a convenient scapegoat.” Page reiterated that he didn’t know for sure the exact motivation for the fire, and perhaps we will never know exactly what happened. “But that is just my opinion from reading the stories and living in Upstate New York,” he concluded.
Matthew Parkinson of Dragon’s Breath Forge in Connecticut and another “Forged In Fire” winner brought up another good point. “FIF isn’t responsible for someone who can’t think ahead. I mean, they show giant fireballs all the time, so it isn’t like you could even claim they make it look safe.” Matt also offered guidance to those just starting out. “As far as new smiths, take a class. Find a good school and take a class. It will be the best money you ever spend.”
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Greg Martin (left) of Michaan’s Auctions watches as host Jamie Colby admires a katana from Robert Marek’s collection on “Strange Inheritance.” The show is scheduled for tonight at 9 EST on the FOX Business Network. (FBN image)
The knife and edged-weapon collection of a man who once drew the FBI’s attention in the infamous Unabomber case will be the focus of the “Hatchet Man” episode of “Strange Inheritance” on the FOX Business Network tonight at 9 p.m. EST.
Robert Marek dedicated his life to making and collecting knives, swords and axes, including bowies, battle axes, broadswords and more. His collection grew to over 5,000 pieces in all—so many, in fact, that the FBI got wind of it when it was hunting for the-then unidentified domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber. Marek’s interests in weapons and his association with the University of California at Berkeley were enough to move the FBI to interview Marek, though the federal agency quickly ruled him out as a suspect.
Marek passed away in 2015 and left his collection, which lined the walls and rafters of Robert’s Berkeley home, to his brother Tom. Neighbor Sara Wolf remembered one night when Robert invited she and her husband to dinner.
“I was in shock because it was these beautiful wood walls, but floor to ceiling axes and knives,” she recalled. “After we got in and the door closed, I kind of felt like we were never coming home.”
It is just such inheritances that are the subjects of “Strange Inheritance,” which is hosted by Jamie Colby. In its third season, the program is the highest rated one on FOX Business.
In tonight’s program, Tom takes Robert’s collection to auction to determine the value of the vast trove of blades, and the collection winds up being worth in the thousands of dollars. For instance, an early Plains tomahawk fetches $250, a rare Civil War hospital knife brings $550 and a Japanese Gunto sword goes for $700.
According to swordsmith Francis Boyd, probably only about 40 or 50 makers in the world could produce the pieces like the ones in Marek’s collection. Greg Martin of Michaan’s Auctions adds Marek must have conducted extensive historical research into the design of the ancient weapons to reproduce them with such stunning accuracy.
Knifemaker Tony Bose, one of the world’s leading crafters of custom slip joints and a long-time knife collaborator with Case, will be the featured attraction of “Handcrafted America” at 9:30 EST tonight on the INSP Network.
Hosted by Jill Wagner, “Handcrafted America” travels the USA to find the very best of what is made domestically, “seeking out extraordinary American artisans dedicated to crafting fine products the traditional way … with their own two hands.”
Tonight’s episode will originate from the Bose “Wilfred Works” knife shop in Shelburn, Indiana, where Tony has made some of the top traditional single and multi-bladed custom folders for many years. Bose, who recently entertained Case fans in the Case booth at the annual Shooting,
Knifemaker Tony Bose, author of this stag Saddlehorn trapper for the annual National Knife Museum knife in 2012, will be the featured attraction of Handcrafted America tonight on the INSP Network. (Kerry Hampton image)
Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, was soft-spoken and humble as usual talking about tonight’s program. He said he thought the show would come out well, though he admitted he was not comfortable having to sit still for a makeup session and wear the makeup for the program’s filming.
It will be just the latest in the acclaim the talented maker has received over the years. He has been collaborating with Case on new factory knife designs and modifying old ones for over two decades and shows no signs of slowing down. His Case collaboration for 2017 is the Case Bose Tribal Lock, a single-blade lockback folder that comes in a choice of nine different handle materials. A regular exhibitor at the BLADE Show, Bose always sells out of knives at the show. His knives are so popular there, in fact, that his customers have to enter their names in a drawing for the right to buy one.
Both Hibben and Holder are Cutlery Hall Of Famers. Each served multiple terms as president of The Knifemakers’ Guild. Both have influenced many knifemakers through mentoring, teaching and their knives.
Hibben, of course, is probably best known for making the knife used by Sylvester Stallone in the third and fourth installments of the Rambo movie series. Holder is perhaps best know for his “My Knife” hunter with a handle of stacked spacers of beautiful natural materials, including amber and others.
Holder was one of the original board members of the American Knife & Tool Institute, the oldest existing organization that fights for common-sense knife laws. Hibben made some of the most spectacular fantasy knives ever, probably the most fantastic of which were designed by Paul Ehlers.
In addition to the Rambo movie knives, Hibben also made the knives for another Stallone action vehicle, The Expendables. Holder designed a number of factory/custom collaborations, including the Toad for Spyderco and a number of fixed-blade hunters for Canal Street Cutlery. Hibben has designed a number of factory/custom collaborations, too, including many for United Cutlery.
The above only touches on the outstanding careers of two invaluable members of the custom knifemaking community. Please join us in congratulating them on a combined 109 years making knives—and what we hope are many more such years to come.
Bladesmiths Ben Abbott (left) and Salem Straub (right) work on their kukris during the premiere third-season episode of Forged In Fire. (HISTORY image)
Four past champions will do bladesmithing battle under the watchful gaze of a panel of judges enhanced by the addition of yet another ABS master smith in the third-season premiere of HISTORY’s hottest competition series, Forged in Fire.
Scheduled for broadcast on HISTORY at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, the episode will pit former champs against each other. Those champs will include ABS journeyman smith Matthew Parkinson from season one and ABS master smith Burt Foster, bladesmith Ben Abbott and bladesmith Salem Straub from season two. All will put their skills on the line in forging a blade style under a strict time limit. They will compete over three rounds of elimination until only one remains. Rounds one and two occur in the Forged in Fire shop, while round three takes place in the home shops of the remaining two smiths. The work completed during each round is evaluated and tested to decide who will be eliminated from the competition, and who will advance. The final round winner is crowned champion for the episode and earns $10,000.
Joining the panel of judges that includes ABS master smith J. Neilson, antique weapons specialist David Baker and martial arts/weapons user Doug Marcaida is award-winning ABS master smith Jason Knight. Knight is a highly talented smith with a sharp wit who is sure to bring both keen insight and his own brand of South Carolina humor to Forged in FIre. Weapons authority and U.S. Army and Air Force veteran Wil Willis hosts the show.
Forged in Fire is the first television show about bladesmithing of its kind and attracted over 1.5 millions viewers last year. It was presented the BLADE Magazine 2016 Publisher’s Award at this year’s BLADE Show for demonstrating “not only how tough it can be to make a quality knife under a tight deadline but also to entertain”—and doing it before more people than ever before. For more on the latter honor and other BLADE Magazine 2016 Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards, see the November BLADE®, on newsstands now, subscribe to the digital and or print editions or buy the digital edition of the November BLADE.
Forged In Fire made a different kind of history when it won the BLADE Magazine 2016 Publisher’s Award. (Miller Mobley/HISTORY)
When Forged In Fire won the BLADE Magazine 2016 Publisher’s Award during this year’s BLADE Show, it was the first time a television program of any kind was recognized by BLADE® Magazine in such a manner. Selected by the BLADE staff, the Publisher’s Award honors a person or organization that has furthered the knife community in a fashion that bodes well for the future of that community, both inside and out. Forged In Fire on History answers that requirement—and then some.
It’s rare that knifemaking of any type is given the high-profile exposure of television coverage, much less a weekly program of its own. However, Forged in Fire has done just that and much more. Those who watch it are familiar with the group of bladesmiths it gathers each week, each group different from the last, with the bladesmith in each charged with forging a knife—often in a very exotic style—in a stated time limit under the watchful gaze of a panel of judges and millions of TV viewers. Meanwhile, the winner of each episode earns a grand prize of $10,000.
As with most high-profile endeavors, there are those who criticize the program for portraying knives in a so-called negative way and creating an atmosphere that is not conducive to making the best knife possible—but then making the best knife possible is not necessarily the goal. The goals include to demonstrate not only how tough it can be to make a quality knife under a short deadline but also to entertain—and Forged in Fire does that quite well. Meanwhile, bladesmiths, knifemakers and the knife industry in general are getting more exposure before more people than ever before. And that is a great thing.
Now on the cusp of entering its third season, Forged In Fire will have a different look with ABS master smith Jason Knight filling in for ABS master smith J. Neilson. We fully expect the show to enjoy yet another banner season, and for bladesmithing and the knife community in general to continue to benefit from the unprecedented exposure such a TV show brings to knives the world over.
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