Blade - January 2008
Blade - January 2008
PR ICE!
JANUARY 2008
JANUARY 2008
B
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A
Todd Begg’s Modular
D
E
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Blade
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FEATURES
12 Loveless Knife Sets Price Record
Engraved Delaware bowie fetches a reported $250,000. By Steve Shackleford
98 Sole Men
In the final analysis, sole-authorship knives are defined by the collector. By Don Guild
106
BLADE® (ISSN 1064-5853) is published monthly, including the
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the largest knife audience in the world? Mail your comments available.
Century-Mark Maker? into a box-like brass frame, which in turn age. It is always gratifying to see my work
slides into a hollow handle, being held by a in print. Secondly, I want to compliment the
Scagel, Gil Hibben, Buster Warenski, Blackie where can I find a design for the knife (with- Editor’s note: We have checked our sources
Collins, Frank Centofante, Ron Lake, Rudy out having to draw one myself)? and, unfortunately, have been unable to find
Ruana, D’Alton Holder, Michael Walker and I am an anthropology major at Penn State any information about Mr. Gold. If you can
this year’s inductee, Dan Dennehy. There are and my independent study is on humans and help, please send any information to BLADE,
a number of others in the hall as well. While the evolution of the knife. I am showing the 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990 BladeEditor@
several of them made or make knives in a evolution from simple sharp rocks to swords, fwpubs.com.
custom-shop-type setting, their induction was to what I would consider to be the most
based on reasons other than their custom “evolved” knife. The parameters are that I Brendan’s First Letter
knifemaking ability. cannot include information about knives
As for Mr. Marshall, we are well acquainted
with his work (see “Greatest Generation
Knifemakers,” July 2005 BLADE®). However,
that contain electric “gadgets and other bells
and whistles.” It has to be a knife that has all
the tools for survival worked into its design
Y ou probably will not get a lot of fan letters
from contributors to other magazines, but
I have always had an orientation to knives
to be nominated for the Cutlery Hall Of Fame, without adding extras such as a survival kit. and writing that was out of the mainstream. I
he must be nominated by a sitting Hall-Of- wanted to congratulate Brendan O’Brien on
Fame member. This is to keep the relatively Steve Carter, a letter via e-mail being added to the BLADE® editorial staff
small number (20) of living members from and compliment him on his “Crisp Weather,
being inundated with nominations from Editor’s note: The issue in question is the Cool Blades” article in the October issue.
outside sources, and to hold the nominations April 2003 BLADE. However, since Krause I had seen EKA’s game gutter in a Blue
to a manageable number. Publications, a division of F+W Publications, Ridge Knives catalog but it just had not
has well over 50 magazine and other titles, it made sense to me until I was reading Mr.
The Barrel Knife does not have the storage space to keep back O’Brien’s article, and the proverbial light
issues. As for the knife in question, contact bulb went on. Now I am going to get an EKA
Group Publisher
HUGH MCALOON
Publisher
BRAD RUCKS
Editor
STEVE SHACKLEFORD
Associate Editor
Distribution in USA. BRENDAN O’BRIEN
Blue Ridge Knives. Production Coordinators
E-mail:[email protected] MARK LILLA
TEL:(276)783-6143. FAX:(276)783-9298.
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By Steve Shackleford
ÌiÊ °
£Ó£xxä
Depending on the source, Al Williams bought the engraved Delaware bowie from
Gordon Pivonka in the early 1990s for either $25,000 or $30,000. Mr. Williams is
shown here receiving an award from the American Bladesmith Society during the
ABS banquet at a past BLADE Show.
volved don’t want to talk about them,” the to own it for a while.”
purveyor observed of the latter. Apparently, the current owner who
ÊÀi«À`ÕVÌÊ On the other hand, there have been paid the reported $250,000 decided he
vÊÌ
iÊ >Ãi>À`Ê antique bowies and swords that reportedly wanted to purchase the knife when he saw
`>}}iÀÊV>ÀÀi`Ê have fetched well over $250,000. the photograph of it by Hiro Soga on page
LÞÊÌ
iÊ£xÌ
ÊViÌÕÀÞÊ
Meanwhile, when told of the reported 56 in Don Guild’s story “Loveless Nation:
$100,000 jump in the Loveless knife’s sale United By Steel,” in the September BLADE.
-ÜÃÃÊ«i>Ê>`Ê
price in a span of 24 hours, Phil Lobred, Like the $150,000 sale, it, too, appears to
À}>ÞÊ>Õ producer of the Art Knife Invitational in have been pre-arranged.
v>VÌÕÀi`ÊLÞÊ iÀ]Ê San Diego and a collector in his own right, “It was more of a delivery than a
Ê-}i]Ê`ÕÀ}Ê seemed duly impressed. “Man, that’s a last-minute buy,” a purveyor/collector
Ì
iÊ£Îä¼Ã° pretty good one-day profit,” he under- of Loveless knives who was at the show
UÊÊ
iÀÀÞÊÜ`Ê
>`i stated. The collector who sold the knife noted. “Friday night, at the Tactical In-
UÊ-Ì>iÃÃÊÃÌiiÊ for $150,000 on Sept. 7 originally bought vitational [held in conjunction with the
«iÊ>`Ê}Õ>À` it for $50,000 seven years ago—not a bad Chicago Custom Knife Show], we talked
UÊ}
ÊV>ÀLÊÃÌiiÊL>`i return, either. about the [current owner] getting it. Be-
UÊVÕ`iÃÊiÌ>ÊÃ
i>Ì
tween Friday night and Saturday morning
Private Transactions they sealed the deal.
UÊ£{¥ºÊÛiÀ>Êi}Ì
Produced by Ed Wormser, the Chicago “We wanted to keep the knife in the
ÊUÊ,.)')) Custom Knife Show was held in Arlington USA, an important point to me and a lot of
Heights, Illinois, and though the show in- collectors. I know that the [current owner]
cluded an auction, the reported $250,000 appreciates the knife and its workmanship.
Loveless knife sale was not made during Plus, he’s grown to like Bob [Loveless] a
the auction. It was instead a private trans- lot. I would say it couldn’t be in a better
action negotiated and then fi nalized during home than it is now.”
iÀÊ1-]ÊV°]Ê£xxäÊ >Ã>Ê-ÌÀiiÌ the Friday and Saturday of the show.
>iÜ`]Ê
"ÊnäÓ£{x£Ç As for the previous $150,000 sale, it First Modern Art Knife?
*
i\Ênää®ÊÓÈxÎÇÊ
was arranged well before Sept. 7. Made in 1957, the engraved Delaware
>Ý\ÊÎäήÊ{ÈÓäÈÈn
>\ÊÃ>iÃJLiÀÕÃ>°V “We had the deal made before the show bowie is what Loveless calls “the fi rst
7iLÃÌi\ÊÜÜÜ°LiÀÕÃ>°V and consummated it there,” the initial modern art knife.” The handle is ivory
°ÊÊÀ°Ên\ääÊ>ÊÊ{\ÎäÊ«Ê-/® seller noted. “I thought the knife would with hidden-tang construction. The hilt is
bring more. I had turned down $100,000 3.75 inches wide and is sterling silver, as
and $125,000 for it because I liked brag- are the sub-hilt and pommel. The name-
ging about being able to pay $50,000 for plate is 28k gold and the parry strip atop
it, so I just hung onto it because I wanted the blade is brass.
Newwww.newgraham.com
Graham Knives
loy saw steel, the engraved blade bears
the words, “The Delaware Maid,” above
“Bowie Fighting Knife” in bold, above
“R.W. Loveless • Maker” above “”Clay-
mont, Del.” Francis Monoghan engraved
Over 70 brands of knives and accessories in stock everyday. the hilt, sub-hilt, pommel and blade, and
Including: Spyderco, Benchmade, Case, Chris Reeve, also carved the ivory handle.
Cold Steel, Buck, SOG, Fallkniven,
Columbia River, Kershaw,
Al Mar and many more!
“I sell them
Proud Sponsor of the
2006 and 2007 for whatever I
Blade Shows.
feel like.”
—Bob Loveless
“A few years ago, I broke my hip and the surgeon inserted stainless
steel pins and bolts into it. After I healed, I had further surgery to
remove all the hardware. The doctor asked if I wanted the hardware
and I said yes, not knowing what I would do with it at the time. I
subsequently met knifemaker Larry Mensch. We discussed a cus-
tom knife that would include the hardware. The screws and bolts
n
were incorporated into the handle, making it truly a one-of-a-kind
i
custom knife.”
WKnife!
David L. Getter, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
By Mike Haskew
speedsafe® assisted
opening technology
MSRP $299.95
www.kershawknives.com
8OO.325.2891
anodized in complementary colors. Each spiny oyster, malachite, turquoise and coco-
knife tips the scales at 3 ounces. bolo, the knives feature 3.5-inch blades and
HQFDVHGLQJODVVUHLQIRUFHG=\WHODQGDµWKLFN9*EODGH
VWUHQJWKRILWҋVFRQVWUXFWLRQ7DNHIRULQVWDQFHRXUSDWHQWHG$UF/RFNWKHIXOOVWHHOOLQHUV
DUPDPHQWRIPRGHUQÀJKWHUV2XU9XOFDQLVMXVWDVIRUPLGDEOHWKDQNVWRWKHSRZHUDQG
standard M50 ammunition at 6,000 rounds per minute and is integral part of the
7KH*HQHUDO'\QDPLFV9XOFDQLVDEDUUHOPPFDQQRQRIWKHJDWOLQJW\SH,WÀUHV
Also bolstering the Mcusta line is the are feather light at 1.5 ounces each.
MC-3 Classic Damascus Folder Series. The Ranging in manufacturer’s suggested
blades of six of the seven folders feature the retail prices from $70 to approximately
visually appealing layered steel wrapped $320 for the limited-edition knives,
around a VG-10 core, while the seventh, Mcusta is competitive on aesthetics, per-
the MC-37C Yoroi, encases the VG-10 core formance and cost.
with san mai. Each handle is solid damas- “These knives are aimed for higher-
cus, with the aforementioned locking-liner- end collectors, and I hate to use other
opening system and an anodized pivot pin. companies’ names but William Henry
comes to mind,” Sessions observed. “Al-
though they’re not to the price level or
the detail level of William Henry at this
“These knives are time, knives like those are targeting the
same market. The unique styling and the
aimed for higher- price point combined in Mcusta present
a very good value compared to some
end collectors.” of the other knives out there. They are
very well constructed, and I’ve seen very
—George Sessions good reports on their performance.”
One distinct advantage that Sessions
said he has noticed with Mcusta is the
The traditional Japanese motifs of eye-catching appeal of the pieces on the
the flower, bird, wind and moon grace table at a knife show. “I’ve worked with
the special-limited-edition designs of- different companies and seen how sales-
fered annually by the Mcusta Custom men work,” he commented. “They’re
Studio. Carrying on themes related to always busy selling, and when you work
the Japanese Bushido and Zen philoso- the Mcusta booth you stand there and
phies, these custom models feature ex- people come up and say, ‘Cool!’ You just
otic woods such as cocobolo and African help them. It’s a different reaction that
ebony inlaid with traditional images I’ve seen to these knives.”
such as butterfl ies and cherry blossoms. Mcusta Knives USA is operated pri-
Limited to 100 pieces, each annual edi- marily as a distributor for Mcusta Knives
tion comes with a Kiri wood display box of Japan and typically does not sell to in-
and the Nishijin pouch. dividuals. However, there is one notable
Mcusta also has moved into the fixed- exception. If you do not have a Mcusta
blade arena with its MC-6 Series, which in- dealer in your area, Sessions said he usu-
cludes slim, utilitarian knives designed for ally will be able accommodate you.
www.sogknives.com | 888-SOG-BEST
cleaning small game and other uses in the
field or kitchen. With attractive handles of
By Jerry Minor
Todd Begg
LADE® : How long have you been earning a living creating the very types of
making knives? knives I used to covet.
Todd Begg: Off and on since What prepared you for being a knife-
1994 as a hobbyist doing kit knives while maker?
in the Army. I went full time in 2003. When I got out of the military, I used
What brought you to knifemaking? my G.I. Bill to earn [a degree] in ma-
My brother and I spent quite a lot of chine shop technology. I was a knifemak-
time in the woods learning bush craft, wil- er who became a machinist to become a
derness survival and better knifemaker.
doing a lot of hunting. For the most part,
In these early years, I’m self-taught;
my appreciation for “My wife, Tanya, that’s not to say I
knives began. Later, have not learned
while serving in the
military in a recon
works very hard from many people
through books, con-
unit, I began to ap-
preciate edged weap-
on the forums.” versations and shop
visits. However, I
ons as a combat tool.
Since I was 15 I have
—Todd Begg have not tutored
under anyone or at-
been reading BLADE tended knifemaking
and such publications, schools.
drooling over the knives of my heroes and You seem to have received a lot of
knowing I couldn’t afford them. I deter- exposure on the Internet discussion fo-
mined I would have to make my own. rums, etc. How important has the In-
I made my fi rst knife at 17 out of a file ternet been in your development as a
in shop class. My love for cutlery grew knifemaker?
until my fascination led to my dream of It has been an invaluable tool for mar-
See Us At:
New York Custom Knife Show
New York, NY
November 16th-17th, 2007
Todd won the award for best tactical folder at the
Parker's Knife Show 2006 BLADE Show West for his second-generation
Pigeon Forge, TN “Glimpse” flipper model. The 3.75-inch blade is 154CM
December 6th-8th, 2007 stainless and the handle frame is black G-10 with
silver-twill G-10 inlay. The clip and jeweled liners are
Catalog send $5.00 or download from our titanium. (BladeGallery.com photo)
Web site to:
Culpepper & Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 445, Franklin, NC 28744 keting, research and sales. It has allowed us for getting current work exposed quickly
Phone (828) 524-6842
Fax (828) 369-7809 to reach a market worldwide. Shows can get and to a mass market with little outlay of
www.knifehandles.com expensive and Internet forums help expose expense. It’s also been a terrific tool in help-
www.stingrayproducts.com a larger collector base to my work. My wife, ing educate people on just what goes into
Terms: Tanya, works very hard on the forums to making my knives through work-in-prog-
C.O.D. • Prepayment • MC/VISA develop relationships with our collectors ress threads; we have several in our forum
and promote my knives. It’s a great venue on the USN [Usual Suspect Network].
Adam Unlimited FOR THE ULTIMATE IN QUALITY EXOTIC LEATHER AND ACCESSORIES
The “Mach
2” fixed blade
showcases
Todd’s “pseudo
trademark”
groove design
in the frame
above the koa
wood handle. The
3.25-inch blade is
154CM stainless. Over-
all length: 7.25 inches.
(Point Seven photo)
Begg Knives
attn: Todd or Tanya Begg
Dept. BL1, 420 169th St. S
Spanaway, WA 98387
253.531.2113
[email protected]
www.beggknives.com
By Dexter Ewing
BLADE ® field editor
all photos courtesy of the author
I
have used a Hewlett three-stage, 10-inch Jewelstik 1-
2-3 diamond-sharpening rod for about a decade now.
It has sharpened countless knives: kitchen, tactical,
utility and sporting. And after all these years, it still
performs like new!
Hewlett also has another neat sharpener in its Flip-
stik 1-2-3 model. It is a short diamond rod that is com-
pact enough to carry in a glove compartment, backpack
or suitcase. Its plastic protective cover also serves as
the sharpener’s handle when open. As with the Jewels-
tik, the Flipstik is three sided, too.
The three-sided sharpening surface of both models
offers coarse, medium and fi ne grits. The surface of
each grit has a curve to it. This means that the rods
can handle tricky blade shapes such as recurves, “S”
curves, hawkbills and karambits with relative ease. The
three-sided nature increases the sharpener’s versatility,
so you do not have to tote multiple hones to give you
the performance of either Hewlett model.
3 Axis Mill
$6800
plus shipping
Product information
and online ordering at Shown here with optional stand,
www.tormach.com LCD, keyboard arm, and keyboard
07
.66%/
/LPLWHG(GLWLRQ
5LSFRUG%ODFN+DQGOH
3ROLVKHG%ODGH3ODLQ Jewelstik Flipstik
The 10-inch length of the Jewelstik’s Because I was—and continue to be—very
sharpening surface provides plenty of satisfied with the performance and durability
room to work on big knives, such as the 8- of the Jewelstik, I decided to buy the Flipstik
and 10-inch blades of chef’s knives, bow- sharpener, too. It offers the same three-sided
&5 ies, chopper-style models and the like. The sharpening surfaces as the Jewelstik, but in
sharpener’s durable, molded plastic handle a much more compact package that is easy to
affords a secure and comfortable grip, and carry. The Flipstik is an ideal sharpener for
the integral guard prevents a knife blade hiking or a camping trip. It is lightweight and
from running up onto your hand. At the does not take up much room in a backpack.
rear of the handle is a hole for a lanyard A protective cover twist locks over the di-
to hang the Jewelstik for convenient access amond rod to protect the sharpening surfaces
and out-of-the-way storage. from damage. Unlock the protective cover
Through the years, whenever I have and twist lock it onto the end of the sharpen-
sharpened curved blades, the Jewelstik
0RVW,QQRYDWLYH has been my main go-to sharpener. Harder
,PSRUWHG'HVLJQ stainless steels such as 154CM, BG-42 Jewelstik 1-2-3 and
and CPM S30V respond very well to the Flipstik 1-2-3
.,667LPHU%ODGHV coarse grit, and the sharpener hones softer
-+DQGOH3ODLQ stainless steels such as AUS-8, 440A and Company Hewlett Mfg.
420HC in a jiffy. Since the Jewelstik is Hone Type 3-sided diamond rods
diamond coated, all you need for lubrica- Grits Coarse, medium and fi ne
tion is water, or simply wipe it down with a Miscellaneous Both sharpeners are
moist paper towel to remove the fi nes that well suited for sharpening curved
collect during sharpening. blades; of the two, the Jewelstik is
'($/(5621/<3/($6( As noted, I have had my Jewelstik better suited for longer blades, while
3DUNZD\&HQWUH'U3RZD\&$ model for about 10 years, and it has held up the Flipstik is more compact and
3KRU very well considering the amount of use it easier to carry; both require water or
)D[RU has seen. I have highly recommended the a damp wipe for lubrication
(PDLOLQIR#PRWHQJFRP Jewelstik to friends for the proper sharp- MSRPs Jewelstik: $49.95; Flipstik:
:::027(1*&20 ener to work on multiple sizes of curved $39.95
blades.
er’s base, and the cover doubles as a sizable eners that will serve very well in the kitch-
handle to firmly hold the Flipstik during use. en, workshop or campsite.
Since the Flipstik is considerably short-
er than the Jewelstik, it has its limitations, For more information, contact Hewlett Mfg.,
including not being suited for sharpening Dept. BL1, POB 446, Linesville, PA 16424
longer blades. Nonetheless, the Flipstik is 814.683.4762 fax 814.683.4091 sharpen@
ideal for putting an edge on any blade 5 jewelstik.com, www.jewelstik.com.
inches long or less.
The diamond rod’s bulbous base offers
full protection from accidental cuts dur-
ing sharpening. Use and care is the same
as with the Jewelstik, and water is recom-
mended only for lubrication. However, be
sure the diamond-coated steel rod is dry
prior to locking the protective cover/han-
dle or the rod may rust.
The Flipstik is suited for folders of all
sizes and some small-to-medium-size fixed
blades. I have resharpened a few of my fold-
ers with it and it is very effective, especially
for recurves and hook-shaped blades. The
major selling points of the Flipstik are its
compact nature and three sharpening grits
in one easy-to-carry package.
You might ask, “How do you tell which
side is which grit?” No matter which sharp-
ener you choose, Hewlett uses the same la-
beling method. Molded onto the plastic tips
of the sharpeners to correspond with each
side of the sharpening rod are “1 Coarse,”
“2 Medium” and “3 Fine.” Sharpening is
easy as 1-2-3! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
Since the molded-in numbers/letters can
be difficult to read, there is a simpler way
to identify each side. Take a metallic silver
Sharpie® and mark dots on the end of the
guard. On the coarse side put one dot, for
the medium side mark two dots, and on the
fine side, three dots. This provides an easy,
foolproof visual reference at a glance.
Final Word
Both the Jewelstik and Flipstik are well-
manufactured, professional-grade sharp-
By Les Robertson
I
have been involved in custom knives exists to make a profit. How does a busi- it is a custom knife. Now, here comes the
for over 23 years. I have never seen ness make a profit? It follows the most part to highlight: In order to sell it, the sell-
the custom knife market as competi- basic of business rules: Sell the product er has to have someone who will buy it.
tive as it is today. By now I suspect that for more than it cost to buy it. In this case, Too many small business people, espe-
many custom knifemakers out there
have noticed that there are many custom
knifemakers out there!
As custom knife enthusiasts them-
selves, most makers enjoy the camaraderie
of their fellow custom knife enthusiasts.
However, whether a maker is part or full
time, there is a hollow feeling on the last
day of a knife show when he or she still has
several knives left on the table. Inevitably
there are all the questions but really only
one that counts: Why? Believe it or not,
the answer is simple: The maker brought
the wrong knives for that show’s group of
buyers. Perhaps it was the style or the ma-
terials or the price—or maybe all three!
While it is simple to ask other makers
what they think or blame the show, the
economy, etc., the truth is that what is best
for the maker is to fi nd out what the buyers
want. Corporations around the world spend
billions of dollars to fi nd an answer to this
question. They understand that a business
INSURANCE
For The Knife Collector
—the author
The image of knifemakers as a bunch of happy-go-lucky guys who have a great time
at what they do is not always the case—though (from left) it would be hard to tell
that from the looks of Kim Breed, Roger “Mudbone” Jones, Gary Wheeler and James
Rodebaugh at the 2007 BLADE Show. All, though, will stress the need for a maker to
have a sound business approach.
We put customer
Shop on-line 24/7 at www.texasknife.
service first! Texas Knifemaker’s Supply 10649 Haddington, #180 Houston, TX 77043
Toll-Free 888-461-8632 Fax 713-461-8221 Tel. 713-461-8632
“SWOT Analysis is
the backbone of the When
marketing plan.” technology flipper opening technology
—the author
and
SWOT Analysis can be done by style of
knife, price of a style of knife, style of knife
nature NEW07
with particular materials used, geographic
region, the maker’s work time in the knife, share a GROOVE
Model 1730
Steel......Sandvik 13C26 stainless-steel
etc. Knife shows and websites are an excel-
lent place to start the process. I started do-
ing SWOT Analysis 14 years ago and have
common with 3-D machined grooves
Handle...410 stainless-steel
found it to be an invaluable tool for my busi-
ness as a purveyor of custom knives. goal. with Textured G-10 overlays
Lock......Frame lock
I cannot stress strongly enough that, Blade.....3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
for long-term success, it is imperative that Closed...4 1/2 in. (11.5 cm)
the maker determines his position in the Weight...5.2 oz.
market and prices his knives accordingly.
Too many makers seek the advice of other
knifemakers on pricing. While other mak-
ers will give the inquiring maker what they MSRP $84.95
feel is their best advice, the inquiring maker
must take their advice in the context of his
position in the market.
Remember, McDonald’s does not ask
its competitors for pricing advice—it does
SWOT Analysis on them instead!
M
elissa and I walked out the
door to enjoy a day off. We
were heading to the river to
break in her new fishing pole on some
bluegills when the mail came. I saw the
package and had to stop and open it.
It was a brand new Ringed Razel from
brothers Josh and Jon Graham. Cool!
I picked the Kydex ® sheath option
because it would be easier to clean if it
got nasty with mud or fish slime. I was
playing with the knife during the walk
down to the river, spinning it over in my
hand. This did not set to well with my
bride-to-be, as she was trying to hold
my hand. Needless to say, the knife went
back into the sheath after one look.
Test Time
Down at the river I used the Ringed
Razel to rid a tree of its bobber-eating
branches. The knife worked very well at
snicking through them.
I wanted to use it to clean some fish. I
figured that the Ringed Razel’s two differ-
ent cutting edges would come in handy for
filleting. I baited Melissa’s pole and tried a
few fishing holes, with no success. Finally A chisel-tip blade of CPM S30V stainless and
I caught a small bluegill—and I do mean a distinctive ring in the handle butt highlight
small—but I can fillet anything. the Ringed Razel from Graham Knives. Overall
length: 7.5 inches. The makers’ list price: $380.
While I was preparing to shoot some
photos, Melissa started to whoop and
holler. She had a nice bluegill dangling
from the end of her pole. (I suppose it will
take awhile for me to live this one down.)
Blue
Blue Ridge
Ridge Knives
Knives
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of
d r eds ords
Hun nt Sw
ere
Diff
Sheaths
The knife I received had both a leather
clip-on sheath for carry inside the pocket
and a variable-position Kydex sheath
with a Tek-Lok fastener. The leather
is my favorite for everyday carry but
the Kydex is better around water. Both
sheaths held the Ringed Razel securely.
Changes
I would like to see a little more depth to
the filework toward the center.
Overall
The Ringed Razel should work extremely
well processing deer. It takes a small amount
of time to get used to the ring but it is well
worth it. The Graham brothers’ knife makes
an excellent edged companion.
rights
R
andy Richards was the victim of knife that was concealed because it was cally concealed, saying:
an assault, but that turned out to deceptive in appearance.
be the least of his problems. This case does not present us with
The Lynchburg, Virginia, police of- The Appeal an opportunity to defi ne the limits of
ficer who investigated the crime noticed On appeal, the court considered four is- the phrase “hidden from common ob-
an object sticking one-half to three- sues: whether the knife was hidden from servation.”
fourths of an inch from Richards’ right common view, whether it was a switch-
back pants pocket. The officer said he blade or ballistic knife, whether it was The next two issues were interre-
did not know what the object was. When disguised, and whether it was of “like lated. The trial court had found that the
the officer asked about it, Richards re- kind” to one of the prohibited knives. knife was disguised because the handle
plied that it was a knife. At the officer’s was deceptive in appearance and hid the
request, Richards withdrew the knife fact that it was a spring knife. The appel-
and handed it over. late court felt that the term spring knife
The knife had a broken spring mecha- “Aren’t they could refer to either a ballistic knife or
nism and the blade was fi xed in the open a switchblade, and considered whether
position. At trial the officer identified all dirks or Richards’ knife was either.
the object as a spring knife. The Virginia criminal code defi nes
The Virginia concealed weapon stat- daggers under ballistic knife as “any knife with a de-
ute says, in part, that a person is prohib- tachable blade that is propelled by a
ited from carrying “about his person, these definitions?” spring-operated mechanism.” It defi nes
hidden from common observation ... (ii) switchblade as “a knife with a blade that
any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, —the author opens automatically by operation of in-
[or] ballistic knife ... or (v) any weap- ertia, gravity or both upon the release of
on of like kind ... [A] weapon shall be a spring mechanism.” (Author’s note: It
deemed to be hidden from common ob- The appellate court noted that Vir- is beyond the scope of this installment of
servation when it is observable but is of ginia law did not address the issue of “Your Knife Rights” to determine exactly
such deceptive appearance as to disguise whether a knife had to be completely what knives the defi nition describes, but
the weapon’s true nature.” hidden to be concealed. The court con- most switchblades operate on the energy
Richards was convicted of carrying a sidered the law of other states, and then stored in a spring. Richards’ knife would
concealed weapon. The trial court’s the- said that it would accept the ruling of the seem to fall outside the defi nition.)
ory of the crime was that it was a spring trial court that the knife was not physi- Observing that the knife, in this case,
46 / BLADE blademag.com JANUARY 2008
“‘Dirk’ and
‘bowie knife’
are not defined
by statute.”
—Virginia
appeals court
A
Terry Glassco, AR Ron Newton, AR Ricardo Vilar, Brazil Charles Turnage
13th Annual Show www.arkansasknifemakers.com —the author
RKANSAS
CUSTOM KNIFE SHOW
As poor as the defi nitions are, they are
not the most disturbing thing about this
case. The really disturbing part is the last
sentence: “The determination of whether
David Etchieson 501/ 554-2582 email: [email protected] a particular knife falls within the mean-
ittle knives with big blades are tak- you’re generally using the tip of the
ing their rightful place in the world [blade],” Bloch pointed out. “The front
of sharp. Like a small performance quarter of the blade is curved, and that’s
car, the knives pack a big punch in generally what you’re using in your skin-
a compact package. Whether short and ning stroke. With the [Game Skinner’s]
stout or in a seemingly out-of-proportion T-shaped handle, basically, without even
blade-to-handle design, the knives are using your wrist, you get a lot of blade
fi nding more and more fans throughout service in your skinning stroke. If you
the cutlery industry. add a little wrist action, you can pretty
The “little big knives” are not what much utilize the whole blade surface.”
this writer automatically thinks of when it The Game Skinner’s flat-ground AUS-
comes to skinners. I am used to the tradi- 8 blade is 3 inches long and hardened to
tional 4-inch-or-so blade with a like-size a Rockwell of 57-58 Rc. The knife’s over-
handle. But things are changing, and a big all length is 5 inches. Outdoor Edge uses
part of facilitating that change lies in the the rubber-like polymer Kraton for the
hands of David Bloch, owner of Outdoor handle material.
Edge. His pistol-grip-handle Game Skin- Bloch explained that another key ben-
ner (manufacturer’s suggested retail price efit of the “T” handle is that you can cradle
[MSRP]: $49.95) set the skinning world on it between your fi ngers and still use both
its ear when it debuted in 1988. It was that hands. “It gives you more leverage for
year’s Blade Magazine Imported Design pushing if you’re cutting through a [game
Of The Year® and is as utilitarian today as animal’s] ribcage,” he explained. For the
it was then. latter task, the Game Skinner is also of-
“With a traditional skinning knife fered with a partially serrated edge.
JANUARY 2008 blademag.com BLADE / 51
On the eve of its 20th birthday in 2008, the Outdoor Edge Game Skinner was the
Blade Magazine 1988 Imported Design Of The Year® and can make a strong case
as being the granddaddy of today’s little big knives. The combination of a relatively
short (3 inches) deep-bellied blade of AUS-8 stainless and a T-shaped pistol-grip
handle make for a small knife with large cutting power. MSRP: $49.95.
,
Ê
Ê
/" Another benefit of the handle design
is that you can fl ip it over and work in
enabling the user a grip that was secure
and precise.”
the other direction, tugging against the However, he added that his customers
Ê V«iÌiÊ V>Ì>}Ê vÊ ÛiÃÊ >`Ê ÃÜÀ`Ã]Ê conveniently located gut hook for pull typically buy the Hornet more for self-de-
VÕ`}Ê >>ÃVÕÃÊ ÛiÃ]Ê ViVÌÀÃÊ ÛiÃ]Ê cutting. “Plus,” Bloch added, “it’s safer. fense and as a compact, everyday beast of
Ì>VÌV>Ê>`ÊÜÀÊÛiÃ]Ê>`ÊÕV
ÊÀi° You’re not going to slip like with a tradi- a fi xed blade—thus the name, EDB (Ev-
tional handle.” ery Day Beast). With a hunky blade and
a minimalist, skeletal handle that screams
Hornet XL EDB “form follows function,” the EDB is a super-
The style of eliminating all the frills a la cool little big knife. “This design is a dras-
the Game Skinner is a legitimate one that tic departure from the norm, but some 300
has caught on again almost two decades customers says something about its place
later. The handle is fairly minimalist and in the knife industry,” Reiter said.
the blade is short, fat and all business. Like
-*, ÊÉÊ-1
,Ê
/"ÊÓääÇ
DDR2-MB (1) DDR2™ Modern Bowie (base parts kit) ..........36.95 KK529BL Classic Chef Knife Blade (no handles) Cryo-Treated
DDR2-MB5 (5 units) DDR2™ Modern Bowie .................34.95/ea. ..........................................................................................$17.45
KK529K Classic Chef Knife Kit (includes Cocobolo scales)
DDR2-CF (1) set of pre-machined Carbon Fiber scales. .......29.95 ..........................................................................................$24.95
DDR2-BOLO (1) set of pre-machined Cocobolo scales ........19.95 R125SS-6 1/8” 416 Stainless Pin Material (6”) (For handle con- KKSMP-12 Sheath Molding Press (12” x 8”) Bench Model
DDR2-BG (1) set of pre-machined Black G-10 scales ..........19.95 struction) .............................................................................$0.95 - Includes Foam...............................................................$84.95
DDR2-BLG (1) set of pre-machined Blue G-10 scales. ........19.95 R125B-6 1/8” Brass Pin Material (6”) (For handle construction) KKSMP-24 Sheath Molding Press (24” x 8”) Bench Model
............................................................................................$0.50 - Includes Foam - NEW! ................................................$159.95
DDR2-BBG (1) set of pre-machined Blue/Black G-10 scales.
............................................................................................19.95 DDR3 BUTTON LOCK
DDR2-RG (1) set of pre-machined Red G-10 scales. ...........19.95 KYNDEX SHEET MATERIAL!
DDR2-GG (1) set of pre-machined Green G-10 scales. .......19.95 Hot Design
DDR2-GBG (1) set of pre-machined Green/Black G-10 scales.
7 NEW COLORS!
............................................................................................19.95
DDR2-LAP (1) set of pre-machined Lapis scales..................19.95 ECONO ZIPPER POUCHES
PBWS532-1 (1) set of Phosphorous-Bronze Washers (5/32)
......................................................................................$1.79/set DDR3BL Base Parts Kit .........................................................$56.95
DDR3BL-CF Carbon Fiber scales .........................................$29.95
DR2 MODIFIED TANTO DDR3BL-TEAK Teak scales ...................................................$19.95
2nd Generation Design DDR3BL-BG Black G-10 scales ............................................$19.95
DDR3BL-Coco Cocobolo scales ...........................................$19.95
BL07
By Brendan O’Brien
Other Knifemaking
Supply Companies*
RE
Gotta have it.
www.crkt.com
Toll free 1-800-891-3100
RE
I
NO DULL KNIVES • NO UNINSP
saw blades in 64.5- and 93.5-inch lengths. Hawkins Knife Making Supplies can
“These are the best bandsaw blades I be found on the Internet at www.hawkin-
have ever used,” says Rade Hawkins of sknifemakingsupplies.com. SANDING BELTS FOR SHARPENING
Hawkins Knife Making Supplies. Add 10% to Zirc prices for Ceramic belts.
Other consistent sellers for Hawkins Standing the Test of Time SIZE A.O. ZIRCONIUM S.C.
BROWN BLUE BLACK
are stabilized wood, small stainless steel For over 15 years, the folks at Knife and
screws and automatic folder parts. Gun Finishing Supplies have been one of 1”x30” $.80 ea $1.50 ea $1.10 ea
1”x42” .85 1.65 1.40
Lately, however, the company has the knife industry’s top suppliers of sta- 2”x48”/2”x42” 1.20 2.75 2.20
noticed an increased popularity in toma- bilized woods. Therefore, it is no surprise 2”x60” 1.60 3.00 2.30
hawks and has stocked inventory to fi ll that it’s dyed stabilized woods, as well as 2”x72” 1.70 3.75 2.50
the demand. desert ironwood, that are the company’s 2”x132” 2.80 Sale 4.00 5.00
3”x132” 4.00 Sale 6.00 7.00
“[Tomahawks are] gaining popularity current hot sellers. 4”x36” 1.70 3.75 2.75
with both forgers and stock-removal mak- “We are the original company to do sta- 4”x132” 6.00 9.00 9.50
ers,” says Hawkins. “This includes pipe bilizing for the knife industry,” says Ken 6”x48” 3.70 7.00 4.50
hawks and smaller varieties called ‘mouse’ McFall of Knife and Gun Finishing Sup- BLACK SIL. CARBIDE WATERPROOF
or ‘lady’ hawks. We stock a supply of all plies. “We began in 1991 and while there
9”x11” Sheets $30.00/100 150-2500 Grit
of these with beautiful grained woods such are several imitators out there today, most 5 1/2”x9 1/2” Sheets $12.50/50 1000//2000 Grit
as curly maple in the extra fancy and fancy in the industry will agree that our process
grade, some curly ash, oak and hickory, or has been copied but never duplicated for CERAMIC BELTS - NORTON “SG”/CARBO “MEDALLIST®”
NORTON® BLUE “NORZON” ZIRCONIA, CORK BELTS
straight-grain ash or hickory.” quality and consistency.”
Hawkins also offers the drifts—both It’s an unswerving attention to detail COTTON BUFFING WHEELS & POLISHING COMPOUNDS
standard and mouse hawk—used to forge that brings Knife and Gun Finishing Sup- DISCS, FLAP WHEELS, SHOP ROLLS
the hole in the tomahawk head, as well as pliers its success. RED HILL CORP., P.O. BOX 4234, GETTYSBURG, PA 17325
fi nishing supplies such as Majestic maple “We dye many of these woods,” explains $8.00 S&H
(800) 822-4003 Free 48p.
stain and Tru-Oil. McFall. “We also custom stabilize wood, www.supergrit.com Catalog
Be An Edge Expert
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DPSKP
V-Lock Vice (Patent Pending)
Fabric Storage Pouch Holds Knife
at Perfect Angle
Texas Knifemaker’s also offers a va- belts will last from 50 to 200 percent longer grit.com) both offer a full inventory list-
riety of exotic handle materials, including on all types of steel [and metal], including ing on their websites.
sting-ray skins in three different sizes, Me- stainless, titanium, cobalt, etc., due to bet-
rino sheep horn dyed either black or brown, ter grain adhesion. The Blaze belt cuts 20 For the contact information for the
stabilized and dyed giraffe leg bone, stabi- percent faster than the current generation knifemaking supplies in the story, see
lized and dyed camel bone, axis horn, hippo of ceramic grinding belts and it also has “Where To Get ‘Em” on page 105.
tusk and wart-hog tusk. better edge-fraying resistance.”
Tru-Grit, located in Ontario, Cali- Texas Knifemaker’s Supply (www.
fornia, and long known for its extensive texasknife.com) and Tru-Grit (www.tru-
lineup of abrasives, belt grinders and Bal-
dor buffers, is offering the new ceramic
Blaze grinding belts from Norton.
“This belt will lower your grinding cost
and improve part quality,” Tru-Grit an-
TRU GRIT KNIFEMAKING SUPPLIES
nounced in a recent press release. “These The leading edge in high performance abrasives and knifemaking supplies. We
offer the highest quality products, because we work with the highest caliber
Here are just a few of the exotic toma- knifemakers. Home of the Blaze, Hoggers & Gators !
hawk handles offered by Hawkins Knife
Making Supplies. BELT GRINDERS BALDOR BUFFERS
Burr King, Hardcore,
Bader, Wilton,
Kalamazoo & Multitool
9" DISC GRINDER
By Wayne Goddard
BLADE ® field editor
M
y article “Has The ‘Old Favor-
ite’ D2 Been Reinvented?” in
the November BLADE ® gen-
erated a question about the pressure
involved in Friction Forging. I went to
Brigham Young University’s Tracy Nel-
son, Ph.D., for an answer. Following is
his reply.
“In regards to the pressure of [Friction
Forging]: once the tool is fully engaged
in the steel, we maintain a force of about
8,000-10,000 lbs. on the tool while it tra-
verses the blank. This is mostly applied
to the shoulder of the tool to produce the
forging pressure beneath it to consolidate
the stirred metal. This is critical to mak-
ing a defect-free processed zone. There is Multiple Tons of Friction-Forging Force
very little force/pressure generated by the
stirring action of the pin. The stirring ac-
tion of the cubic boron nitride pin creates
most of the heat in [Friction Forging].”
Mr. Nelson’s answer may satisfy Tool Rotates
some who do not see friction forging as Counterclockwise
a legitimate forging process. See the ac- PCBN Tool
companying drawing that shows a cross
section of the mechanics of the process Friction Forging Area
and watch the video at http://www.dia- D2 Steel Plasticizes Steel
mondbladeknives.com/f_video.aspx.
62 // BLADE
BLADE blademag.com MAY 2008
JANUARY 2002
Most makers, including this writer, to see if I have reached the centerline of
keep a fl at on the edge of the knife un- the edge. (The sharpening bevel is ap-
til it is completely fi nished. The width of proximately 12-15 degrees.) I keep up
the fl at is based on the intended use of the the light cuts, alternating from one side
blade. I grind my hunting knives to a fl at to the other until the two angles meet at
of .015 to .020 inch. I might grind a fi llet the middle of the edge.
knife to .005 inch or less, while I might From the belt I go to the Norton me-
give a bowie or camp knife a fl at of .030 dium Crystolon stone to set up for the
inch or more. In my case, keeping the fi nal edge, which I do with the fi ne In-
edge fl at has allowed me to make knives dia stone. The medium stone is 240-grit
for 44 years—and I still have all my fi n- silicon carbide; the fi ne is 320-grit alu-
gers! Once I have completely fi nished the minum oxide. Both of those grits and
knife, I remove the fl at by setting up a types of grit are available in one stone,
primary sharpening angle. the India/Crystolon. (Among others, the
Norton India/Crystolon is available from
Tru-Grit, Inc., attn: J. Mallett, Dept.
BL1, 750 E. Francis St., Suite N, Ontario,
“I do all grinding CA 91761 909.923.4116 [in California] or
800.532.3336 [outside California], www.
edge-up, as does truegrit.com.) If the cutting edge has
an inside curve, a slack belt or shaped
every maker platen will be necessary to establish the
I know.” primary sharpening angle.
Horse-Stall-Mat Rubber
A reader, who shall remain unnamed,
saw a picture of a knife in another maga-
zine that had handle slabs made of what
was described as horse-stall-mat rub-
ber. It was easier to ask me what it was
and where to get it than to look up the
maker.
At BLADE Show West I got to see
some of the knives used in the BladeS-
ports International cutting competition.
(For more on the results of that competi-
tion, see the upcoming February BLADE.)
FRESHSTEEL
I liked the look and feel of competition
contestant Warren Osborne’s knives with
the rubber handles. And, sure enough,
he appears to be the fi rst one to use the William Henry Fine Knives
horse-stall-mat rubber for knife handles.
The rubber is from the mat material used
20+ Alaskan Knifemakers
for the floor in horse stalls. It has a better Custom Kydex
feel to it than some of the softer rubber Rob Criswell Al Polkowski
materials used for handle material. John M. Smith Randall Knives
I found horse-stall-mat rubber in Neil Blackwood Steve Voorhis
Ruana Knives Trace Rinaldi
L.A. McConnell Stan Fujisaka
Allen Elishewitz Darrell Ralph 907-569-1800
“It appears to be Gaetan Beauchamp Joe Kious
northernknives.net
and many more!
somewhat porous,
which gives it a
nice ‘grip.’” GIRAFFEBONE INC.
—the author Damasteel Stainless Damascus
Mosaic Damascus
SEE US AT:
AKCA CUSTOM KNIFE SHOW Powder Steel & Nickel
3/8-inch thicknesses at our local Coastal
Farm and Supply store. I am told that it MESA, AZ South African Handle
NOV 17-18
is made from recycled rubber, and that Material
is a plus for using it. It appears to be
somewhat porous, which gives it a nice
“grip.” This rubber should take some of
the shock out of using a knife in extreme
cutting events.
www.giraffebone.com
I wanted to test the material by glu- 1-888-804-0683
ing two strips of it together. I cut strips
that were approximately 2x5/8 inch. I
then roughed up the matching surfaces
with 120-grit abrasive paper. I glued
them together with the gel-type Super
Glue ™ and clamped them together with
light pressure. After allowing an hour for
the glue to cure, I went to work to see if I
could pull the strips apart.
The slight porosity of the rubber,
combined with the gel-type Super Glue
(which is designed for porous materials),
gave a very good bond. I could not sepa-
rate the two pieces by hand, so I locked
one end in a vise and applied pressure on
the other end via a pair of locking pli-
ers. The glue bond did not fail, but under Check out what's new!
extreme pressure I got a tear started in
Reminds
you of your
best friend each
time you use
your knife!!
Plaza Cutlery
www.plazacutlery.com • E-mail: [email protected]
3333 S. Bristol St., Suite 2060, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-549-3932 • Ordering Toll Free 866-827-5292
Phone orders welcome and we accept all major credit cards!
~ ED FOWLER ~
Willow Bow Ranch
P.O. Box 1519 • Riverton, WY 82501
307-856-9815
[email protected]
www.edfowler.com
[email protected]. If you would
rather contact Joe by e-mail, his e-mail
address is [email protected]. If you
Talk about it at: www.knifetalkonline.com wish, BLADE will not print your name
with your question.
WHAT’S NEXT
THE WORLD’S #1 KNIFE PUBLICATION
® February 15-17, 2008
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Antiqued Sheath K
By
Jan Kiley
Magazine
FEB. ‘08 OCT. 17, 2007
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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
A Du-Star Knife ...................70 Korin Japanese Trading Co Rader, Michael ................64
A.G. Russell Knives Inc. 107 . ......................................29 Randall Made Knives ......70
E Koval Knives & Supplies
Adam Unlimited ...............28 Eaglestone.......................70 Red Hill Corporation ........59
Al Mar Knives ..................40 .......................................23 Reno ABS Show ..............30
Edgecraft Corporation .....47
American Bladesmith L Rocking K Knives ............71
Society ...........................72 F Lambert, Kirby .................65 Rummell, Hank ..............103
Arizona Custom Knives ...44 Faust, Dick.......................70 Lansky Sharpeners..........35
Arkansas Custom Knife Finer Points ......................94 Lightfoot Knives ...............65 S
Show ..............................48 Fowler, Ed ........................66 Lone Star Wholesale........64 Sheffield Knifemakers
Frost Cutlery ....................87 Lone Wolf Knives .............22 Supply. ...........................71
B Simonich Knives, LLC .....64
Beckwith’s Blades .........104 G M
G. L. Pearce Abrasive Co Smith’s Abrasives ............60
Beinfeld Productions ......19 Magnum USA ..................52 Smoky Mountain Knife
Blade Art .........................93 . ......................................71 Masecraft Supply ............54
Gary Levine Fine Knives Works Inc .......................67
Bladegallery.com.............84 Mastersmiths ...................69
.......................................47 SOG Specialty Knives Inc
Blade Show .....................89 Maxpedition Hard-Use Gear
Blue Ridge Knives .....44, 68 George Trout....................68 .......................................25
.......................................11
Bob Dozier Knives ...........45 Gerstner & Sons ..............45 McDonald, Rich .............103 Southern California Blades
Boker USA .......................14 Giraffebone.com..............65 Meyerco.............................3 .......................................67
Bond’s House of Cutlery Graham Knives ................69 MM Customs ...................29 Steel Addiction Custom
.....................................102 Guild, Don .......................54 Moki Knife Company .........8 Knives ............................87
Bowie Corporation ...........72 H Moteng International Inc Strider Knives ..................39
Bradley’s Blades............101 Halpern Titanium .............69 .......................................34 T
Britton, Tim ........................8 Hawkins Knife Making Myknifedealer.com ..........97 Texas Knifemakers Supply
Burger Knives ................105 Supplies .......................102
Burr King Mfg Co. Inc......58 Hayes, Wally ....................31
N .......................................40
National Knife Distributors Tool Logic ........................63
C J .......................................70 Tops ...........................69, 71
C. A. S. Iberia ............... 108 Jantz Supply ....................15 NC Tool Company ...........24 Tormach LLC ...................33
Canada’s Knife Zone .....103 JT’s Knife Shop ................69 New Graham Knives........16 Tru-Grit .............................61
Center Cross Video .........70 Nordic Knives ..................97 True North Knives
Chopra Deepak ...............82 K Northern Knives...............65
Kayne Custom Hardware .........................5, 7, 58, 83
Chris Reeve Knives .........17
Collectibles Insurance Inc. .................................71 O Truncali Custom Knives ...69
Kencrest/Hara/Mucsta Only Fine Knives..............49 Twin Blades .....................48
Agency...........................38
.................................51, 71 P
Columbia River Knife & Tool
Kershaw Knives .........24, 41
U
...........................35, 52, 59 Pacific Solution ..............104 Underhill Jewelers .........101
Condor Tool & Knife, Inc..16 Kitasho Company, Ltd .....21
Palacio Enterprises Inc....70 Utica Cutlery ...................27
Knife & Gun Finishing
Crawford, Pat.................105 Paragon Industries ..........93
Culpepper, Inc. ................28
Supplies .........................38
Paragon Sporting Goods V
Knife Center of the Internet Valiant Armory ...........30, 72
Custom Knife Company ..69 .....................................102
.....................................101
Parkers’ Knife Collector W
D Knife Depot....................103
Service .........................102
Davidson, Edmund ..........68 Knifekits.com ...................53 W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery
Plaza Cutlery ...................66 .........................................2
Denton, J W .....................68 Knives Plus ......................64
Diamondblade LLC .........84 Knivesshipfree.com .........68 R William Henry Knives .........5
The advertisers’ index is provided as a reader service. Occasional last-minute changes may result in ads appearing on pages
other than those listed here. The publisher assumes no liability for omissions or errors.
New DVD from CCIV Walnut Handle Tops Case Cheetah Comes
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TX 76180 817.281.5424 www.CCIn- 706.367.4916. wrcase.com.
structionalVideos.com.
showcase
“Knifemaker Showcase” spotlights the photographs of knives sent by any and all custom knifemakers to BLADE® for filing in the Knifemakers’ Archive. The Knife-
makers’ Archive is the most complete collection of photographs of knifemakers’ knives and information in the world. If you are a custom knifemaker and have
not sent us a photo (the better quality the photo, the better chance it has of getting in the magazine), write to: BLADE, c/o F+W/Krause Publications, 700 E. State,
Iola, WI 54990 [email protected]. Please include a close-up mug shot of yourself with your knife picture.
Don McIntosh
Don McIntosh says he has long had an interest in blacksmithing
and knifemaking. Luckily for him, it’s a pursuit encouraged by his
employer. “Texarkana College, in cooperation with the ABS, offers
the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing in Washington, Arkansas,” he
notes. “As an employee of the college, I’ve taken one or two classes a
year since I first started making knives in 2003. Since then I’ve taken
classes under Joe Keeslar, Jim Jackson, John Fitch, Mike Connor and
J.R. Cook.” McIntosh earned his ABS journeyman smith stamp in
2006. His frame-handle hunter (below) is 9 inches overall and is done
in 1084. His knives range in price from $300-$850. His address: 766
Southbend Rd., Dept. BL1, Texarkana, TX 75501 903.293.1530 www.
McIntoshknives.com.
Kathleen Tomey
“I’ve loved and collected knives since I
was very young,” says Kathleen Tomey.
“And, after meeting Wally Hayes nine or 10 years ago, I became
interested in making.” Tomey primarily uses O1 tool and ATS-34
stainless steels, and recently began using CPM S30V stainless. “It
always amazes me how steel and wood can become such a wonderful
work of art as well as a useful tool,” she observes. She is a founding
member of the Georgia Knifemakers Guild and used to be a member
of the North Carolina Knifemakers Guild as well. “I’ve met many
wonderful people through knifemaking, both makers and custom-
ers,” she adds. Her “Day Hiker” (above) is done in ATS-34 with a
thuya burl handle. Her list price for something similar: $300. Her
address: 146 Buford Pl., Dept. BL1, Macon, GA 31204 478.746.8454
[email protected], www.tomeycustomknives.com.
Ross Mitsuyuki
As friends with knifemaker Ken Onion, Ross
Mitsuyuki says it was difficult not to become wrapped
up in the world of knives during his frequent trips to
Onion’s shop. Before long, Mitsuyuki notes, Ken’s
consistent “badgering” finally led to a knifemaking
lesson. “Sure enough, after my first lesson I was
hooked,” Mitsuyuki says. A talented artist, he finds
that his drawing skills serve him well when it comes to engrav-
ing. He works with 440C, ATS-34, BG-42 and CPM S30V stain-
less steels for blades, and prefers G-10, giraffe bone and curly
koa for handles. His “Japanese Dragon” folder (right) is done in
ATS-34 with titanium liners. His address: 94-1071 Kepakepa St.
C-3, Dept. BL1, Waipahu, HI 96797 808.671.3335.
Eric Elson
Inspired by a copy of BLADE®, 25-year-old
Eric Elson made his first knife when he was
14. “In that same issue of BLADE, I found
out about a group of Canadian knifemakers.
As soon as I had made the required number
of knives, I joined the Canadian Knifemakers
Guild and I’ve never looked back,” Elson says. Specializing
in tactical and working knives, he makes between 100-150
models per year via stock removal. “I like to use CPM
S30V for most of my hard-use knives and 154CM for my
EDC knives,” he remarks. “I will use any steel a customer
requests as long as it is the proper steel for the design.”
Elson’s “Grappler HD” models (left) sport 154CM stainless
steel blades and G-10 handles. His contact information: Eric
Elson, 519.854.1253, www.elsonknives.com.
Jody Muller
Calling southwest Missouri home, Jody
Muller concentrates on making a vast
array of knives, many of which feature
individual hand engraving and carving.
“My college time studying art and design
has served me well,” Muller says, “in my
first job as a jeweler and watchmaker, and
since becoming a full-time knifemaker as well.” All of
his knives are sole authorship. He uses his own damascus
steel and also a variety of natural handle materials. His
“Corkscrew Knife” (right) features a damascus blade and
corkscrew, with titanium liners and a gold thumb stud. His
list price for a similar knife: around $2,000. His address:
3359 South 225th Rd., Dept. BL1, Goodson, MO 65663
417.752.3260 www.mullerforge.com.
Anders Hog-
strom made the
sheath for his
wakizashi from a
piece of what he
terms “AAA quality”
curly koa that he got Using a block of wood and sandpa-
from knifemaker Tom per, Anders Hogstrom sands and
Mayo years ago and was polishes the curly koa sheath
saving for just the right proj- in his shop in Tyreso,Sweden.
ect. Anders prides himself on (Hogstrom photo)
sheaths with a high-gloss finish
that makes the wood look wet at all
times, thus showing maximum grain
pattern and color. The clay-tempered
blade is 18 inches long, the fittings are
carved bronze and the handle is ancient
walrus ivory. The maker’s list price for
a similar piece (including a stand, not
shown here): $6,300. (Hogstrom photo)
By Mike Haskew
raftsmanship, visual appeal and per- Hogstrom, who learned much of his if someone fell off a horse or something
formance potential sell knives, and knifemaking skill as a cabinetmaker and while they were wearing a big bowie
attracting the attention of a customer then spent a great deal of time learning knife they wouldn’t jab themselves.”
is always about the presentation. If the from veteran knife-and-sword smith Scott Often for the sheath liners Hendrick-
knife is the driver, the sheath is the naviga- Slobodian, makes wooden belt and stock- son uses woods such as bass, tupelo or
tor. If the knife is the salt, the sheath is the ing/boot sheaths, and offers leather slip-on Southern pine. The leather is soaked and
pepper. Well, you get the idea. and fighter sheaths through an associ- stretched around the wood, then stitched
Too often, a fi ne knife is laid on a ta- ate. He terms the leather sheaths “works up and dyed in various colors to accent
ble and passed by because its companion of art” in their own right, and passes the the look of the damascus and other blade
sheath is sub-par. In the case of many arti- cost along to the buyer. Rarely does a col- steels he uses. Paired with a selection of
sans, though, the sheath may carry the day, lector ask to buy a knife without a sheath, curly maple, black walnut, curly ash, rose-
making the difference between the sale of but when the occasion arises, Hogstrom wood or stag handles, or sometimes done
the complementary package or someone simply does some subtraction to arrive at in combinations, the resulting package is
simply shuffling on their way. Actually, his sale price. He does not take orders for quite striking. Hendrickson also makes
the custom fashioning of a high-quality sheaths only and flatly says, “I’m a knife- Scandinavian puukko and leather sheaths,
sheath may indeed pose as great a chal- maker who supplies sheaths—not the other without the wood liners in some cases.
lenge as making the knife itself. For those way around!” One of his trademarks is a stunning style
who truly want to put their best cutlery foot of curly maple sheath with silver inlay.
forward, the quality of the accompanying Doing It All “Actually, I style the curly maple with
sheath cannot be an afterthought. When Jay Hendrickson, a serious knife- wire inlay from Bill Moran, and he got
“I make wooden sheaths in both sta- maker since 1974, makes one of his well- it from Kentucky rifles,” Jay explained.
bilized and non-stabilized woods,” re- known sheaths, it is virtually impossible “I’ve seen work like that in the Metropoli-
lated Sweden’s Anders Hogstrom. “Of- to do so without thoughts of the late, great tan Museum of Art and in museums over-
ten, these sheaths have a high-gloss Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer©, seas. It’s like everything else. The more
fi nish that makes the wood look wet at Bill Moran. you do it the quicker it gets, and I’m on
all times, thus showing maximum grain “Bill was a wonderful friend and he my feet in the shop so much it’s nice to
pattern and color. I sometimes cast hang- impressed me about the importance of go to the workbench and sit down and put
ers, buttons and tips in copper, bronze or doing it all,” Jay said in referring to his the silver in. It isn’t that difficult, but it’s
sterling silver. I make daggers, fighters, preference for sole authorship [see page important to get the layout and the scrolls
utility knives and some swords, even a 98] from knife to sheath and everything as right as you can.”
folder here and there these days, and my in between. “One thing for sure is that Jay is fairly adamant about making the
favorite material is ancient walrus ivory, Bill did a lot of wood sheaths with leath- knife and the sheath in combination.
which comes in so many different colors er wraps, and I found that to be quite “If I make the knife, it will have one of
that two pieces are rarely alike.” nice. We used to talk about safety so that my sheaths with it. I’ve had others ask me
Rowe Schooled
Randy Golden of Montgomery, Ala-
bama, retired from careers in the U.S. Air
Force and as a fi nancial planner and took
quickly to knifemaking, an interest he
had intended to pursue for years. Making
fi xed-blade bowies, hunters and fighters
that are gaining a growing following, he
also has become quite proficient at pro-
ducing his own sheaths. While attending
Jim Batson’s Alabama Forge Council Bla-
desmithing Symposium a few years back,
he not only became acquainted with forg-
ing techniques but also met well-known
sheathmaker Kenny Rowe.
“I love the leatherwork on the sheaths,”
Randy commented, “and most say that’s
obvious. At that hammer-in, Kenny, one
of the premier sheathmakers in the coun-
try, was there, and I actually learned to
make sheaths from Kenny before I learned
to make knives. Later that year, I went
to some knifemaker friends of mine and
“I’ve been testing the Friction Forged® blades for close to two
months now and they get sharper and stay sharp longer than
q'LDPRQG%ODGHnV3DWHQWHG)ULFWLRQ
anything I’ve tested. I’ve cut rope, leather, whittled on wood
)RUJLQJSURFHVVFUHDWHVWKHVKDUSHVW
WRXJKHVWORQJHVWODVWLQJNQLIHHGJHHYHU and skinned a wild boar and cut it up for the freezer with a
PDQXIDFWXUHG Friction Forged® knife. I’ve never had a knife go more than 80
cuts on a rope and still shave but the Friction Forged® blade
q& RUURVLRQSURRIHGJH]RQHHOLPLQDWHV went to over 300 cuts and was still shaving sharp.”
FKHPLFDOHWFKGXOOLQJ Wayne Goddard, Master Bladesmith, American Bladesmith Society
q'LIIHUHQWLDOO\KDUGHQHGDQGWHPSHUHGEODGH
KDVDQHGJH]RQHKDUGQHVVRI5RFNZHOO5+F “DiamondBlade’s Friction Forged blades are
DQGVSLQHKDUGQHVVRI5+F probably the biggest legitimate improvement in
the knife industry in over 40 years”
q&XVWRPIHDWXUHVLQFOXGHWDSHUHGWDQJ Dr.Tracy Nelson, Phd, Mechanical Engineering Dept.
SHUIHFWO\ILWWHGKDQGFUDIWHGKDQGOHV Brigham Young University
Most Successful?
The sheath brings another dimension to
the knife it protects, adding to the visual
appeal as well as performing its functional
role. The makers who pay as much atten-
tion to the quality of their sheaths as their
knives are likely to be the most successful.
By Ed Fowler
BLADE ® field editor
2008
May 30 – June 1, 2008
BLADE SHOW
In Atlanta’s Cobb Galleria Centre
SHOW OPENS TO THE PUBLIC
Friday, May 30: 2pm - 7pm Saturday, May 31: 9am - 6pm
Sunday, June 1: 9am - 4pm
Show Highlights
• American Bladesmith Society • 2008 BLADE Magazine Cutlery Industry
Annual Convention Hall-of-Fame Inductions
• Special Knifemakers Guild Section • The Nation’s Top Collections
• FREE “Super Seminars” • Over 600 Knifemaker and Antique Tables
• Blade Magazine’s 2008 Knives of the Year™ and Manufacturers’ Booths
and Handmade Awards™ • All Major Knifemaking Suppliers
Editor’s note: When the following story was Known simply as “Bad Bob’s Knife,”
scheduled for this issue in late summer of it is among Loveless’ most famous knives,
last year, little did anyone know that the one he used as his personal piece for many
“engraved Delaware bowie” that Blade years. It is a true one-of-a-kind custom
Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer© Bob knife, one he made for himself.
Loveless made in 1957 would fetch record In your writers’ humble opinions, “Bad
prices in back-to-back transactions this Bob’s Knife” is by far the most famous Blade Art Inc.
past September (see page 12). However, piece Loveless ever made. There is a larg- 14216 SW 136 Street Miami, FL 33186
rather than bump the authors’ story to a er-than-life photo of it on pages 40-41 of
later issue, we decided to print it. After all, the book Living on the Edge: Logos of the
if anyone deserves more than one story per Loveless Legend by Al Williams and Cut- Email [email protected]
issue of BLADE®, it is Bob Loveless. lery Hall-Of-Famer Jim Weyer, the text of Phone (305) 255-8684 Fax: (305) 233-6943
which is dedicated entirely to the Loveless
hen a knifemaker becomes fa- knives that were in Williams’ collection.
mous, a common question is In your writers’ opinions—and, no doubt,
whether or not he uses his own that of many others—it is inarguably the
knives. If the knifemaker is most important book on the topic, a true
Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer© “Loveless Bible.” Your writers also would
Bob Loveless, the question is not “wheth- submit that the late Mr. Williams must be
er” but “which one?” considered the greatest collector of Love-
In his catalogs, Loveless writes that no less knives.
one should expect to see much of him dur-
ing hunting season because, “You must ex- Origin of Bad Bob
cuse me but in that period I go hunting as The oft-told story about how Bad Bob’s
well.” But which knife did he use when he Knife came to be goes back to 1972 and
hunted? The question has more than one the Western film starring Paul Newman,
answer. (Editor’s note: Loveless said in a The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean.
recent interview that he hunts no more.) A good movie, though to Loveless it was
Some writers reportedly have seen him most defi nitely a great one.
pull a factory folder from his pocket. The Bob was so struck by the film’s villain,
knife was a tool for doing small jobs. It called “Bad Bob” and played by Stacy Ke-
was very sharp because every great maker ach, that he wanted to build a knife and
knows how to sharpen a knife, though dedicate it to the character. As soon as the Paragon heat treating
almost mundane for a great artist of his knife was completed, Bob liked it so much furnaces for knife makers
stature. In any case, the factory folder met that he used it for several years before sell- “I couldn’t achieve the control I now
Bob’s standards, though he kept using the ing it to a shopkeeper in Indiana, who then enjoy had I not had a Paragon furnace,”
knife he had created himself. passed it on to J.W. Denton, another great says Ed Fowler. “Owning a Paragon is
extremely beneficial to blade smithing.”
The KM-24D shown above features
The handle is extremely utilitarian. Loveless smoothed the the new Sentry digital controller and a
stag, leaving some rough parts to improve the grip. The larger, ¼” wide thermocouple. Ask
vantage point is from atop the handle spine. (photo courtesy about our optional gas injection flow
of the authors) meter.
Interiors of our knife maker fur-
naces: 14 ½” long KM-14D, 24” long
KM-24D, and 36” long KM-36D. (All
three models are 5 ½” wide x 4 ¼” high
inside.) Free brochure available.
BLADE’s Guide to Making Knives Bayonets: An Illustrated History Blade’s Guide to Knives
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POB 6168, Ft. Myers Beach, FL 33932 of the Pasadena Conference Center. Call
NOVEMBER 239.463.2840. 818.368.7110 scblades.com.*BH
NOV. 3-4 NASHVILLE, TN The NKCA
Nashville Knife Show in conjunction with DECEMBER FEB. 16 WYOMING, MI West Mich-
Goodman’s Gun Show, Tennessee State igan Edge Show, Knights of Columbus
Fairgrounds. Call NKCA 423.875.6009 DEC. 6-8 SEVIERVILLE, TN Park- Hall. Contact West Michigan Promotions
[email protected]. er’s Greatest Show on Earth, Sevier- 616.997.9555 [email protected].*
ville Events Center at Bridgemont (new
NOV. 3 - 4 OK LAHOMA CITY, OK location). Contact PKCS, 6715 Heritage FEB. 16-17 HUNTINGTON, WV Gun
Oklahoma Custom Knife Show, Holi- Business Ct., attn: B. Parker, Dept. BL1, & Knife Show, Veterans Memorial Field
d ay I n n Ba l l ro om. Ca l l R ay K i rk Chattanooga, TN 37422 423.892.0448.* House. Contact H.R. “Bear” McGinnis
918.456.1519 ray @ rakerk n ives.com, 423.255.3669 [email protected].
theknifegroup.com.* DEC. 8 EUGENE, OR Oregon Knife
Collectors Mini Show, Lane County FEB. 22-24 NEW YORK, NY East Coast
NOV. 3-4 FORT MYERS, FL The 7th Convention Center. Contact OKCA, Custom Knife Show, Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Annual Fort Myers Knife Club Show, Dept. BL1, POB 2091, Eugene, OR 97402 Contact Steve D’Lack 417.866.6660 hg_
Araba Shrine Temple. Contact Russ Smegal 541.484.5564 oregonknifeclub.org.* [email protected].*BH
239.283.7253 [email protected].*
DEC. 9 TIMONIUM, MD Chesapeake FEB. 23-24 LITTLE ROCK, AR Arkan-
NOV. 3-4 MOUNT VERNON, IL The Knife Show, Timonium Plaza Holiday sas Custom Knife Show, Robinson Center
25th Annual Mount Vernon Knife Show, Inn. Call Ted Merchant 410.252.7373 or Exhibit Hall. Contact David Etchieson
Roland Lewis Community Building, 410.343.0380.* 501.554.2582 [email protected], www.
Mount Vernon Veterans Park. Contact arkansasknifemakers.com.*BH
Nancy or Larry Hancock 618.242.4514 fax DEC. 28-30 KNOXVILLE, TN The
618.244.5536 [email protected].* NKCA Knoxville Show held in conjunc- FEB. 23-24 DAYTON, OH The NKCA
tion with RK Gun Show, Chilhowee Park. Dayton Knife Show in conjunction with
NOV. 16-17 NEW YORK, NY New York Contact the NKCA office 423.875.6009 Good man’s Gun Show, Hara A rena
Custom Knife Show, Park Central Hotel. [email protected]. Conference & Exhibition Center. Call
Contact Steve D’Lack 417.866.6688 fax 423.875.6009 [email protected].
417.866.6693 [email protected], nyck-
show.com.* JANUARY 2008 MARCH
JAN. 18-20 LAS VEGAS, NV The 46th MARCH 1-2 BETHALTO, IL The
NOV. 16-17 WOODMEAD, SANDTON, Annual Las Vegas Antique Arms, Interna-
SOUTH AFRICA The November Knife 24th Annual Bunker Hill Knife Show,
tional Sporting Arms & Invitational Knife- Knights of Columbus Hall. Contact Mike
Show, Liban Conference Centre. Contact makers Shows, Riviera Hotel. Contact
Melinda Rietveld +27 83 236 4860 riet- Pellegrin 618.667.6777 or Gene Winston
Beinfeld Productions, attn: W. Beinfeld, 618.288.6974.*
[email protected].* Dept. BL1, POB 2197, Cathedral City, CA
92235 760.202.4489 gunshowpro@aol. MARCH 28 -30 JANESVILLE, WI
NOV. 17 LAFAYETTE, TN Northern com, antiquearmsshow.com.
Middle Tennessee Knife Show spon- The 25th Annual Badger Knife Show,
sored by the Lafayette Lions Club, Macon Holiday Inn Express and Conference
JAN. 25-26 RENO, NV The 6th Annual Center. Contact Bob Schrap 414.479.9765
County Fairgrounds. Contact Mike Johnson American Bladesmith Society Knife Expo-
615.666.2428 or Joe Eden 615.666.4631.* [email protected].*BH
sition, Silver Legacy Casino. Contact Rick
Dunkerley 406.677.5496 www.absknife-
NOV. 17-18 WINDSOR, ONTARIO, expo.com.* APRIL
CANADA The 2nd Annual “Expressions
in Steel” Windsor Custom Knife Show, JAN. 26-27 ST. LOUIS, MO Gateway APRIL 4-6 BESSEMER, AL The 20th
Holiday Inn Select. Contact Jim Downie Area Knife Club Show, Carpenters Hall. Annual Batson Bladesmithing Sympo-
519.243.1488.* Contact Glenn 314.729.9592.* sium, Homecoming, Rendezvous and
Knife Show, Tannehill Ironworks. Admis-
NOV. 17-18 MESA, AZ Arizona Knife sion FREE in celebration of the 20th anni-
Collector’s Association Knife Show, Mesa FEBRUARY versary. Contact Judd Clem, Dept. BL1,
Community Center. Contact D’ Holder, 111 Yorkshire Dr., Athens, AL 35613 or
FEB. 1-3 LAKELAND, FL The 30th
Dept. BL1, 7148 W. Country Gables Dr., 256.232.2645 [email protected].* **
Annual Gator Cutlery Club Show, Lakeland
Peoria, AZ 85381 623.878.3064.*BH Center. Call Dan Piergallini 813.754.3908
APRIL 5-6 TULSA, OK Wanenmacher’s
or 813.967.1471.*
NOV. 17-18 FORT MYERS, FL Fort Tulsa Arms Show, Expo Square/Tulsa Fair-
Myers Florida, Gun, Knife & Civil War grounds. Contact Tulsa Gun Show, Inc.,
FEB. 15-17 PASADENA, CA Knife Expo
Show, Araba Shrine Temple. Contact POB 33201, Tulsa, OK 74153 918.492.0401
’08, Lower Level Conference Building
Lee County Gun Collectors, Dept. BL1, tulsaarmsshow.com.
MAY/JUNE
MAY 30-JUNE 1 ATLANTA, GA The
27th Annual BLADE Show & Interna-
tional Cutlery Fair, Cobb Galleria Centre,
I-285 & US 41, one exit off I-75 across
from the Cumberland Mall, adjacent
to the Renaissance Waverly Hotel. The To view our collection,
world’s largest combined show of hand- We buy, sell & consign
made, factory & antique knives. Over please visit our website at
675 tables and 135 factory booths. Join entire collections www.nordicknives.com
the world’s greatest national and inter-
national knifemakers, cutlery manufac- Your satisfaction is guaranteed by our return policy
turers, collectors, collections and knife
lovers. Site of the Blade Magazine 2008
Knife-Of-The-Year Awards ® for factory
knives, points for the 2008 BLADEhand-
made ™ Awards for custom knives, the
Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame ©
induction & much more. Site of the
annual ABS meeting and special Knife-
WWW.MYKNIFEDEALER.COM
makers’ Guild section. Seminars include
BLA DE Show World Championship FEATURING:
Cutting Competition, forging demo, how unique custom and production knives
to collect, how to make, the latest mate- OFFERING:
rials, etc. Contact BLADE ® , c/o F+W/
“Local dealer” service with
Krause Publications, 700 E. State, Iola,
WI 54945 715.445.2214 blademagazine@ “Internet dealer” pricing
krause.com, www.bladeshow.com.*BH
JULY/AUGUST
JULY 31-AUG. 3 ORLANDO, FL The
39th Annual Knifemakers’ Guild Show,
Buena Vist a Palace. Cont act Blade
Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer © Gil
Hibben, Dept. BL1, POB 13, La Grange,
KY 40031 502.222.1397 gil_hibben@
bellsouth.net.*
Coffey XL
T
o paraphrase the Blues Brothers and
Ken Steigerwalt shows his with a tip of the hat to Sam and Dave,
fixed-blade stuff integrally
here in 440C, 18k-gold
“Each and every day, you get it a little
inlays and Mike Norris more, and when you get it”—it being the def-
damascus. Is the fact that inition of a sole-authorship knife—“you’ve
Norris forged the damas- got something.”
cus and Steigerwalt did My odyssey on the road to the real
not disqualify this knife as meaning of sole authorship as it applies to
sole authorship? What do the world of custom knives led me to inter-
you think? (SharpByCoop. view 30 or so experienced makers, purvey-
com photo) ors and collectors. I found opinions as var-
ied and controversial as the ongoing debate
among members of the Knifemakers’ Guild
for the meaning of handmade.
Though a sole-authorship knife can be
simple or complex, generally it is a knife of
superior workmanship by one person.
Virtually every top maker’s first knife
was sole authorship—the blade most likely
made from a bastard file and the handle from
a hunk of wood—and not exactly of superior
workmanship. Consider the view of Mike
Donato of KnifePurveyor.com.
“I think there are various degrees of
sole-authorship knives. At the top are only
a handful of makers who have mastered the
many skills needed to do it all and do it well,
like Rick Eaton, Larry Fuegen and John W.
Smith. [John even machines his own screws.]
For one must be distinct,” Donato observed,
D ra
gonfly T u ba $98.00
s
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from a factory, because in both instances he
or she forms and grinds the finished blade.
Are we splitting hairs here? Is this like
UI4USFFUBOE#SPBEXBZ
/:$
Top Sole-Author-
ship Makers
~Parkers’ Knife Collector Service~ For a FREE copy
of our current catalog
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S o who are the top sole-authorship mak-
ers? The following artisans, listed in
alphabetical order, were mentioned most
~ Case Factory Distributor~ Email often in the author’s interviews with his
[email protected] sources: Harvey Dean; Steve Dunn; Rick
Eaton; Don Fogg; Henry Frank; Larry
With over 50 years experience in the Cutlery industry, Fuegen; Don Hanson; Blade Magazine
we strive to offer the best prices for authorized dealers. Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer® Ron Lake; Wolf-
We also sell antique knives and “out of production” knives too. gang Loerchner; Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer
Bill Moran; John W. Smith; Jim Schmidt;
Ken Steigerwalt; Jurgen Steinau; and Cut-
lery Hall-Of-Famer Buster Warenski.
Who else belongs? Let us know.
914-213-5977
Germany’s Jurgen
Steinau is an-
other who made the
author’s source list
of top sole-author
makers. “Unique” is
a word that is used
much too often in some
circles but, if it can be
applied to knives, Jurgen’s
models deserve the adjec-
tive as much as any. (Hoffman
photo)
10,000+ KNIVES
the bard’s “Much To Do About Nothing”?
It depends on the viewpoint of the maker,
purveyor or collector—but possibly most
Great prices and selection
importantly the collector, because until he
says “yes,” nothing moves through the sys-
tem. Makers, who master the variety of skills
needed to produce a complex knife, are firm
on the definition of sole authorship. Forging
one’s own damascus is 100 percent essential 4590 Kirk Rd.
from the viewpoint of an ABS member.
I have heard of several makers who dig
Rich McDonald Columbiana, OH 44408
Phone (330) 482-0007
their own ore, smelt it and form the steel. Custom Knives Web site:
(See page 20, October BLADE®.) And then & www.longknivesandleather.com
there is Donald TwoDeer, the American In- Tomahawks
dian who not only knaps obsidian to make
the blade, but also hunts a deer with bow
and arrow, tans the leather, and crafts the
sheath. Nice story. Recreating the past;
Does It Really Matter? for the future
Do collectors actually care or actively seek Color Brochure
out knives of sole-authorship makers? Vet- $3.00
eran collector Ed Wormser put it simply:
“Sole authorship doesn’t mean a thing to me. I asked Dave Ellis if sole authorship has years, I have had many collectors that value
It’s valueless, no influence on my buying a any effect on his buying or selling a knife, sole authorship to the point where they give
knife. Nobody cares about sole authorship. I and he emphatically said, “No!” it large value when deciding to buy a knife.
buy a knife based on how the finished knife Conversely, long-time purveyor Dave But, generally, sole authorship has little ef-
appeals to me.” Harvey of Nordic Knives said, “Over the fect on a knife’s salability.”
Recently, I talked with Don Hanson, one
of the few who is a member of both the ABS
and the Guild. Half his knives are folders,
the other half fixed blades. As we chatted
about sole-authorship knives, he observed,
“I’m quite sure Jim Schmidt originated the
term sole authorship. Of course, very early
on Jim exemplified just that by mastering so
many disciplines. Today, even though he’s
been gone for many years, his work brings
large sums of money due to the many talents
he expressed in his finished knives.”
Plunking It Down
Imagine you’re at the BLADE Show. Two
similar knives, offered at the same price, sit
side-by-side on a table. One is the work of
four artisans, the other the work of a sole
knifemaker. Ask yourself: Which one gets a
“yes”? Is sole authorship important?
In quantum mechanics, “the expectation
of the observer affects whether a photon is
seen as a wave or as a particle.” In custom
knives, the expectation of the “observer”
(buyer) affects whether a knife is seen as
sole authorship or not. The definition can be
debated from now to eternity, but the bottom
line is when a knife meets the expectation of
the buyer and he plunks down his cash.
Walking
SOLE MEN attn: M. Fuller, Dept. BL1, POB 2544, Idaho Falls, Stick
Arpad Bojtos, Dept. BL1, Dobsinskeho 10, ID 83403 208.542.0113 www.topsknives.com
Lucenec, Slovakia 98403 [email protected];
Harvey Dean, Dept. BL1, 3266 CR 232, Rockdale, KNIFEMAKING SUPPLIERS Baton
TX 76567 512.446.3111 [email protected]; Steve Blacksmiths Depot, Dept. BL1, 100 Daniel
Dunn, Dept. BL1, 376 Biggerstaff Rd., Smiths Ridge Rd., Chandler, NC 28715 828.667.8868;
Grove, KY 42171 270.563.9830 dunndeal@ Buckeye Engraving, Dept. BL1, 5305 McCartney Blow Gun
verizon.net; Rick Eaton, Dept. BL1, 313 Dailey Rd., Rd., Sandusky, OH 44870 419.357.5488 info@
Broadview, MT 59015 406.667.2405 eatonknives. buckeyeengraving.com; Burr King Manufacturing,
com; Don Fogg, Dept. BL1, 40 Alma Rd., Jasper, Dept. BL1, 1220 Tamar Lane, Warsaw, MO 65355 Lance
AL 35501-8813 205.483.0822 dfoggknives.com; 660.438.8998 [email protected]; Centaur
Henry Frank, Dept. BL1, 1147 SW Bryson St., Forge Wisconsin, Dept. BL1, 117 N. Spring
Dallas, TX 97338 503.831.1489; Larry Fuegen, St., Burlington, WI 53105 262.763.9175 info@ All in one package
Dept. BL1, 617 N. Coulter Cir., Prescott, AZ centaurforge.com; Culpepper & Co., Dept. BL1, Made from Hard Aircraft Aluminium
86303 928.776.8777 [email protected]; 1108 NW Frontage Rd., Troutdale. OR 97060
Don Hanson, Dept. BL1, POB 13, Success, MO 800.987.7781; G. L. Pearce Abrasive, 12771 Route $269.95 - Ready for delivery
65570 573.674.3045 [email protected]; 536, Punxsutawney, PA 15767 814.938.2379;
Ron Lake, Dept. BL1, 3360 Bendix Ave., Eugene,
OR 97401 541.484.2683; Wolfgang Loerchner,
Hawkins Knifemaking Supplies, Dept. BL1, 110
Buckeye Rd., Fayetteville, GA 30214 770.964.1023
CRAWFORD KNIVES, LLC.
Dept. BL1, POB 255, Bayfield, Ontario, Canada www.hawkinsknifemakingsupplies.com; Jantz 205 N. Center Drive
N0M 1G0 519.565.2196; John W. Smith, Dept. Supply, Dept. BL1, POB 584 BL, Davis, OK West Memphis, AR 72301
BL1, 1322 Cow Branch Rd., West Liberty, KY 73030 800.357.8900 www.knifemaking.com;
41472 606.743.3599 [email protected]; Knife and Gun Finishing Supplies, Dept. BL1, (870) 732-2452
Ken Steigerwalt, Dept. BL1, 507 Savagehill Rd., 1972 Forest Ave., Lakeside, AZ 85929 www. www.crawfordknives.com
Orangeville, PA 17859 570.683.5156 kasknives@ knifeandgun.com; Masecraft Supply, Dept. BL1, email: [email protected]
yahoo.com; Jurgen Steinau, Dept. BL1, Julius 254 Amity St., Meriden, CT 0654 203.238.3049;
Hart-Strasse 44, Berlin 0-1162 Germany phone/ NC Tool Co., Dept. BL1, 6133 Hunt Rd., Pleasant
fax 372-645-2512 Garden, NC 27313 336.674.6554; Paragon
Industries, Dept. BL1, 2011 South Town East
TOP KNIFEMAKER/SHEATHMAKERS Blvd., Mesquite, TX 75149 800.876.4328; Red
Randy Golden, Dept. BL1, 6492 Eastwood Glen Hill Corp., Dept. BL1, POB 4234, Gettysburg,
Dr., Montgomery, AL 36117 334.271.6429 PA 17325 800.822.4003; Sheffield Knifemakers
[email protected]; Jay Hendrickson, Supply, Dept. BL1, POB 741107, Orange City, FL
Dept. BL1, 4204 Ballenger Creek Pk., Frederick, 32774 386.775.6453; Texas Knifemakers Supply,
MD 21703 301.663.6923 ejhendrickson@ Dept. BL1, 10649 Haddington, #180, Houston, TX
adelphia.net; Anders Hogstrom, Dept. BL1, 77043 888.461.8632; Tormach, Dept. BL1, www.
Granvagen 2, Tyreso, Sweden andershogstrom@ tormach.com; Tru Grit Knifemaking Supplies,
rixmail.se; Joe Keeslar, Dept. BL1, 391 Radio Rd., Dept. BL1, 760 E. Francis St., Unit N, Ontario, CA
Almo, KY 42020 270.753.7919 [email protected]; 91761 909.923.4116; Universal Agencies, Dept.
Karen Shook, c/o Daniel Winkler, Dept. BL1, POB BL1, 4690 S. Old Peachtree Rd. Ste. C, Norcross,
2166, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828.295.9156 GA 30071 678.969.9147 www.knifesupplies.com
By BLADE ®staff
T
he knife immediately grabs you. The ever edged creation of Alaska’s Jeffrey
long, shapely leg extends south of the Cornwell. The blade is acid-etched, heat-
Spec Check swimsuit/handle, the latter boast- colored O1 tool steel and the handle is gold-
ing a wasp waist and comely figure. From lip mother-of-pearl.
there, the female-like lower extremities Makes quite a splash, doesn’t it?
Knife Pearl Diver
and torso give way to an alien-like “sting-
Maker Jeffrey Cornwell
er” of a head/extended arm/blade. The re- For more information contact Jeffrey
Blade Steel Acid-etched, heat
sult is an art knife in every sense of the Cornwell, Dept. BL1, POB 244014,
colored O1
word that is equal parts riveting, fascinat- Anchorage, AK 99524-4014 907.349.5210
Handle Gold-lip mother-of-pearl
ing and even somewhat disturbing—all at [email protected].
Overall Length 10.75”
the same time!
Maker’s List Price $500
Called the “Pearl Diver,” it is the fi rst-
VISIT US ONLINE AT
www.agrussell.com
Copyright 2007 AG Russell Knives
"ROWSE OUR ENTIRE LINE OF ARMS AND
ARMOUR AT WWWCASHANWEICOM
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6+.)(