Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Blade

BLADE Show West This letter is to the powers that be that pick the city and the time for BLADE Show West. After the first BLADE Show West in 2019 in Portland, I called a friend and fellow knifemaker in Idaho and asked him about the show. I indicated that I would like to go/participate in the next one. The first words out of his mouth were “they are a different people in Portland. The show didn’t do as well as it was thought it would out West.” Shortly thereafter I had back surgery and a heart attack and was unable to participate for the next two years. Last year the show was scheduled late in the year where there is the chance of snow in the mountains and hazardous…

Anytime the subject of knife history is broached, the slip joint is always in the mix. From the classic pocketknife makers of 19th-century Sheffield, England, their 20th-century descendants in the American Northeast, today’s great custom and factory knifemakers and all points in-between, the slip joint takes a back seat to no knife. This issue BLADE® touches on but a small part of the slip joint mystique with stories on a “cartel” of some of today’s top custom makers of the genre in south Texas (page 12), the mystery of the half stop (page 28), and a rundown of some of the latest examples of the barlow (page 20), an old-time pocketknife favorite. Slip joint—the word itself raises the blood pressure of some old-timers who insist pocketknife is the proper name…

Probably no pocketknife pattern has as rich of an American history as the barlow. It is perhaps one of the most well-known patterns even among non-knife people, because their fathers or grandfathers carried and used one. What exactly is a barlow? It’s a simple pocketknife comprised of either one or two blades, a lengthened steel bolster, and a teardrop-shaped handle, usually of bone. There’s nothing fancy about the barlow. It was and still is a workhorse knife that gets the job done. If you trace the barlow’s U.S. lineage, it goes back at least as far as John Russell, an American entrepreneur who established Green River Works in 1834 in Greenfield, Massachusetts. One of the knives his company was famous for is the barlow. Green River Works manufactured barlows in…

Fine tune your knifemaking, sharpening, knife designing, sheath making, and other on-the-edge skills at BLADE University, the knife show world’s best lineup of cutlery classes anywhere. Sponsored by Work Sharp, BLADE University is held in conjunction with the 40th Annual BLADE Show June 4-6 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Classes begin Friday, June 4, and conclude Saturday, June 5. While most are held in the Cobb Galleria, some classes also are conducted under the tent in The Courtyard—the latter the parking lot of the show’s host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly. BLADE University assembles some of the world’s best knifemakers, bladesmiths, and other knife professionals to teach a wide range of subjects for the knife aficionado and novice alike. If you love knives, BLADE University has a related topic that…

A.G. Russell Knives, Inc. www.agrussell.com ag@agrussell.com Adams Intl Knifeworks - AIK www.adamsknifeworks.com adamsknifeworks.com@gmail.com Automatic & Customized Knife Specialists Admiral Steel www.admiralsteel.com terry@admiralsteel.com Widest Range of Stock for Blade Needs. Alaska - Northern Knives www.northernknives.com A Real Store & Working Knife Shop! American Edge www.americanedgeknives.com info@americanedgeknives.com 320-393-2792 We have A Knife For Every Life Artknives.com www.artknives.com fred@fredeisenleather.com Andre de Villiers www.advtactical.co.za Facebook - Andre de Villiers adv44sales@gmail.com Butcher SOB folders. Arizona Custom Knives www.arizonacustomknives.com sharptalk@arizonacustomknives.com Largest selection in the world of new and consigned knives on the internet. Let us help you find the perfect knife. Dozier Knives and Arkansas Made Dozier, Inc. www.dozierknives.com info@dozierknives.com BladeGallery.com www.bladegallery.com www.bladeconnection.com www.epicedge.com BladeOps, LLC www.bladeops.com sales@bladeops.com Bob Dozier Knives www.dozierknives.com info@dozierknives.com Buckeye Engraving www.BuckeyeEngraving.com Make Your Mark Manufacturer of Custom Hand Stamps, Dies and…

Knife enthusiasts always assess folders in part for how easy they are to access. Well, there is nothing as ready to use than a fixed blade. The fastest of automatics and even the Emerson Wave Shaped Feature—better known as the Emerson Wave Opener—can’t match a fixed blade on the draw. How important that is to you only you can decide. I have known a number of people who carry small fixed blades for EDC use, and instead of a utility knife even some tradespeople carry a small fixed blade. In Europe, it is much more common for tradespeople to carry fixed blades for their work.…

Robert Appleby’s custom-order reproduction of a dropped hunter by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bob Loveless in amber crown Sambar stag is Loveless in all the right places. A customer sent Robert an image of an original Loveless knife and Appleby went to town, reproducing the tapered full tang faithfully to the original. “It’s still a full tang, not a frame,” he explained, “one solid piece from the point to the back.” He tapered the tang, left the stub at the end and mortised it into the stag crown handle butt. He glued the spacers like a block, which fit over the stub. The stag is from Culpepper & Co., which amber dyed it as well. “I really enjoyed that knife,” Robert noted. He said the satisfaction he felt after…

VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.BLADEMAG.COM TO: • Sign up for our free newsletter.• Renew your magazine subscription. There’s a subscription link in the nav bar.• Comment on our site stories written by BLADE® staff members and others. LOOK FOR BLADE MAGAZINE ON: SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Visit us on the Web at www.blademag.com or call 877-485-6426. Outside USA: 386-246-3419. BOOK SALES: Visit us at www.gundigeststore.com or call 920-471-4522. BACK ISSUES FOR SALE: Subject to Availability. Call 920-471-4522. ADVERTISING: Contact Lori McDaniel at 715-498-3768 or lori@gundigest.com, or request a media kit by writing to: BLADE, 5600 W. Grande Market Dr., Appleton, WI 54913. LETTERS OR ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS: Steve Shackleford, Editor BLADE Magazine 5600 W. Grande Market Dr., Ste. 100 Appleton, WI 54913 or email steve@blademag.com.…

There’s a common thread that the members of the South Texas Cartel share. Sure, they’re all accomplished custom knifemakers. Of course, they excel in the craft of the multi-blade slip joint. But the greatest common factor is Bill Ruple, teacher, mentor and, well, godfather of the group. “The Cartel started off as a group of guys that I taught to make slip joint knives,” said Ruple (page 29), a renowned veteran of the multi-blade. “We get together as often as we can and share ideas and talk knives. It’s loosely modeled after the Montana Mafia* that includes Rick Dunkerley, Shane Taylor, Wade Coulter, and Barry Gallagher—all great friends of mine. We knew we couldn’t infringe on the ‘Mafia,’ so we became the Cartel.” According to Ruple, the Cartel started out…

THE CARTEL COMES CLEAN, PAGE 12 Tom Ploppert, Dept. BL5, 1407 2nd Ave. SW, Cullman, AL 35055 256-962-4251 Tomploppert3@bellsouth.net; Tim Robertson, Dept. BL5, 17392 Spruce Ln., Marietta, OK 73448 580-276-8296 robertsonknifeworks@gmail.com; Bill Ruple, Dept. BL5, 201 Brian Dr., Pleasonton, TX 78064 830-570-0056 rupleknives@live.com; Kendall Schorsch, Dept. BL5, 693 Deer Trail Dr., Jourdanton, TX 78026 830-570-9805 schorschknives@gmail.com; Tyler Turner, Dept. BL5, POB 307, Hopkins, MO 64461 660-562-7863 turnerknives@yahoo.com; Roan West, Dept. BL5, POB 454, Charlotte, TX 78011 210-262-2527 roanwest@yahoo.com; Pablo Daniel Quaglino, Dept. BL5, Yapeya 1107, Pueblo Esther, Santa Fe, Argentina 2126, +5493415832541 pabloquaglino@outlook.com.ar; Javan Roberts, Dept. BL5, 7465 Lake Side Dr., Milton, FL32583 763-370-3259 javan@grayscustom.com A HIGH BAR, PAGE 20 Bear & Son Cutlery, attn: M. Griffey, Dept. BL5, 1111 Bear Blvd. SW, Jacksonville, AL 36265 256-435-2227 800-844-3034; Boker USA,…

APRIL APRIL 10-11 TULSA, OK Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show, Tulsa Fairgrounds. Contact mail@tulsaarmsshow.com, 918-492-0401 mail@tulsaarmsshow.com, tulsaarmsshow.com, gunshowtrader.com/gun-shows/wanenmachers-tulsa-arms-show/. CANCELED! APRIL 10-11 EUGENE, OR The 46th Annual Oregon Knife Collectors Association Show, Exhibit Hall, Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds. Contact Dennis Ellingsen 541-484-5564 okca@oregonknifeclub.org.* APRIL 10-11 TEXARKANA, TX The ABS Spring Piney Woods Hammer-In, Moran School of Bladesmithing. Call Mike Williams 580-420-3051 americanbladesmith.com.** APRIL 17 ST. CLAIRSVILLE, OH National Pike Knife & Gun Show, St. Clairsville Football Field. Call John 740-757-2478 or Gary 304-425-4484. RESCHEDULED! APRIL 17-18 EASTON, PA The Lehigh Valley Knife Show, Charles Chrin Community Center of Palmer Township. Call Fred Eisen 215-262-9447 or visit paknifeshows.com.* MAY MAY 1-2 MYSTIC, CT The 39th Annual NCCA Extravaganza Knife Show, Mystic Marriott. Contact Larry Clifford 401-742-6779 lcliff1@verizon.net.* MAY 1-2 AUSTIN, TX Lost…

SPEC CHART PATTERN: Bowie BLADE LENGTH: 10” BLADE MATERIAL: Mosaic damascus of 1095 spring and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels HANDLE: Sambar stag BOLSTER: Mild steel and titanium OVERALL LENGTH: 15.5” SHEATH: Dangler model w/“pillowing technique,” all by Michael O’Machearley KNIFE TO KNOW: The blade is a 12-bar mosaic damascus and the fittings are a blackened mild steel MAKER’S LIST PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE (includes sheath): $1,600-$1,800 (depending on the complexity of the damascus pattern) MAKER: Andrew Takach, Dept. BL5, 644 Plummer School Rd., West Newton, PA 15089 412-980-4706 Takachforge@gmail.com, takachforge.net, Instagram/Facebook: Takach_forge/Takach forge custom knives (SharpByCoop image) SPEC CHART KNIFE NAME: F-35 Fighter KNIFE TYPE: Fixed blade BLADE LENGTH: 5.25” BLADE MATERIAL: A twist damascus of 1084 spring and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels HANDLE: Purple heart BOLSTER: 416 stainless steel and…

The sowbelly pocketknife is award-winning maker Bill Ruple’s first-ever six-blade slip joint. Blade steel is CPM 154 stainless, and the handle is amber-dyed Sambar stag. The integral bolster is 416 stainless, as is the handle frame. For more on the cover knife, see page 12 and/or contact Bill Ruple, Dept. BL5, 201 Brian Dr., Pleasonton, TX 78064 830-570-0056 rupleknives@live.com. The image of the sowbelly is by SharpByCoop. For more on Ruple and the balance of the makers who constitute the South Texas Cartel, see page 12 as well. The knife at top left is the MIK-05PS, a medium infantry knife from Halfbreed Blades (page 34). At top right photographed by BLADE® field editor Abe Elias is the Little Bugger by TOPS Knives (page 70). And, photographed at bottom left by…

“After many months of tracking the owner of this knife and then persuading him to sell it to me, I finally managed to acquire it. It’s a Rick Hinderer XM-18 3.5-inch spearpoint. What’s special about it is that it’s one of a very few pieces es that are part of his Containment Series, and is designated a CS-20. It has a special place in my collection because 2020 will forever be known as the COVID year, and this knife is very adequate for that time.” Marco Cano, Houston, Texas “Cutting is something I do at various times and places on a daily basis—and the knife I carry for the purpose is the Buck 110 Slim Pro.” Mitchell Palmer, a letter via e-mai “I carry a Colonial Model 2205 and have…

Accidentally cutting yourself with a knife—do you ever learn or is it just a fact of life? Can you ever become immune? Whether a knife novice or a knife aficionado, chances are you get a nick or cut every now and then, and have even gashed yourself more seriously a time or two. Does it ever end? Typically there are four times cutting yourself inadvertently happens: When handling, using or sharpening the knife, and engaging and/or stowing the knife’s blade(s). In other words, there are plenty of opportunities for an errant cut or gash to transpire. BLADE® explored the issue by asking a panel of authorities in the knife field this very question, and inquiring as to why they think such accidental cuts occur. FOCUS ON SHARP We started by…