Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i Blade

Mr. McEvoy Asks … Concerning part one of your article “The Sea of Mud Knife” in the March BLADE®: a) The last I heard there is no physical proof or complete province—only unverified stories—to show that James Black made any knives; b) Therefore, as a result of “a” above, unless I missed the latest news, there is no proof that Black made any Carrigantype bowie knives; c) If Black made such knives, is there proof he gave BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member James Bowie one?; d) If Bowie received such a knife from Black, is there proof Bowie carried it through time and space from Black’s knife shop to the Alamo?; e) If Bowie had a Black knife at the Alamo, is there any proof that a Mexican soldier picked…

On May 3 in Scotland, a man was arrested for carrying a potato peeler. That’s right, a potato peeler. He was charged for carrying “an article which had a blade or which was sharply pointed, namely a potato peeler.” Maximum penalty: four years imprisonment. Knife bans, like gun control, are not about saving lives but controlling them—including controlling the economically disadvantaged, people of color or others the state wants to keep “in their place.” (The potato peeler violator, by the way, was said to suffer “from significant learning difficulties.”) More to the point, knife bans are designed to keep the people down. For proof, consider the New York Police Department’s biased enforcement of New York State’s gravity knife statute involving the poor, black and Hispanic. According to The Legal Aid…

Tell us what knife you carry. Add a little history or an anecdote. Try to include a photograph—if digital, at least 600 KB but no larger than 2 MB—of you with your knife. We will publish your comments in an upcoming “The Knife I Carry.” Your name will then be entered in a drawing to win a free, high-quality, name-brand pocketknife. The drawing will be Nov. 15. Mail to: BLADE®, P.O. Box 789, Ooltewah, TN 37363-0789, or e-mail steve.shackleford@fwmedia.com. If you send your entry by e-mail, please include your physical mailing address in case you win the pocketknife.…

With apologies to Shakespeare, what’s past really is prologue—in others words, the past predicts the future. While the argument can be made for most knives, it applies particularly well tto ttoday’s ccustom tactical fixed blades. They are a culmination of decades of new materials, blade steels, guards, handle materials, coatings and finishes. For the most part, their designs are copies or modifications of knives that have been built for centuries. The knives feature both stainless as well as carbon steel. W While most are made through the stock removal method, makers who employ the forge method of creating blades are not excluded from this segment of the market. That said, additional maintenance is required on a carbon steel model—primarily cleaning and wiping down the blade with oil. No matter the…

Abraham Lincoln lived at a time when knives were carried by most everyone on a daily basis—not only as a convenient tool but because, quite simply, knives were indispensable for a wide variety of tasks and personal needs. And, back then at least, Lincoln apparently was no different than anyone else. One knife that reportedly belonged to Honest Abe was a silver folding fruit knife displayed at the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The knife was discovered in 1952 when a television executive producer found it in a legal wallet of Lincoln’s the producer bought at auction. The Lincoln National Corp. bought the wallet and knife from a dealer and the knife is now in the Lincoln Museum. Find out more about it at http://www.blademag.com/knife-history/ knifehistory-abraham-lincolns-fruit-knife. Collector George Morris…

Note: Events with an asterisk (*) have knives and knife accessories as the main/sole focus. Events with two asterisks (**) are knifemaking seminars or symposiums, cutting competitions, auctions or other knife-related events. JUNE JUNE 1-3 ATLANTA, GA The 37th Annual BLADE Show, Cobb Galleria Centre, I-285 & US 41, one exit off I-75 across from the Cumberland Mall, adjacent to the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel. World’s largest show of handmade, factory and antique knives. A combined total of nearly 1,000 exhibitor tables and booths. Join the world’s greatest national and international knifemakers, cutlery manufacturers, collectors, collections and knife lovers. Site of the BLADE Magazine 2018 Knife Of-The-Year® Awards for factory knives, the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® inductions and much more. Host to BLADE University, the annual ABS meeting and Knifemakers’…

Our comparison of two folders incorporates big differences in both the method and height of the grinding. The difference affects the cutting performance of the Busker from Olamic Cutlery and the CRKT HVAS. Those ways follow. Cutting 20-pound bond paper for the out-of-the-box sharpness test, the Busker was up first. It sliced the paper with nice, smooth cuts. I messed up a couple of slices by beginning the cut before where the edge starts. The knife’s light weight (3.25 ounces) made the slicing very controllable. The bigger of the two knives, the HVAS (pronounced VOSS) tore into the paper aggressively and was clean slicing. It, too, was very controllable. Cuts of single-walled cardboard were up. Using a push stroke only, I got long, clean cuts with the HVAS. The edge…

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Bottle openers continue to appear on an increasing number of knives. Sure, it adds another tool and increases the knife’s versatility, but there’s something else, too. When you think about it, it makes sense: Humankind’s oldest tool, meet beer, the drink beloved by the oldest of civilizations. It’s a pairing particularly suited for Saturday afternoons, summer picnics and backyard bouts of cornhole, when friends and family gather and the cap on the cold one needs cracking. In a way, the CRKT Largo celebrates what Portland, Oregon, is about. While the city is home to many of America’s best-known knife companies, thanks to the area’s hop production it’s also known as the craft-beer capital of the world. The assisted-opening Largo is designed by custom knifemaker Eric Ochs, who lives just a…

Recurve blades throw some folks off when it comes to edge maintenance because the lines of the curving edges do not fit those of more common blade patterns. Truth is, with the proper sharpener, re-sharpening re-curve blades is just as easy as any more common blade pattern—and here are some sharpening rods well suited for the job. FEATURE FRIENDLY The LCD02 Diamond Carbide Sharpening Rod from Lansky marries the effectiveness of a diamond abrasive with the convenience of a retractable sharpening rod and the expediency of a pull-through carbide sharpener all in one package. “The Lansky tactical sharpening rod is a must-have tool for any trip into the field,” says Barbara Worden, Lansky national sales manager. “It makes short work of dressing and honing knives, machetes, hatchets and axes.” The…

A.G. Russell Knives, Inc. www.agrussell.com ag@agrussell.com Adams International Knifeworks - AIK www.adamsknifeworks.com Customized Automatic Knife Specialist 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! Andre de Villiers - Facebook email - adv44sales@gmail.com  www.advtactical.co.zaButcher SOB folders. Arizona Custom Knives www.arizonacustomknives.com sharptalk@arizonacustomknives.com Arkansas Made Dozier, Inc. www.dozierknives.com info@dozierknives.com Artknives.com  www.artknives.comfred@fredeisenleather.com BladeGallery.com  www.bladegallery.com www.bladeconnection.com www.epicedge.com BladeJunkee www.bladejunkee.com bladejunkee73@gmail.com BladeOps, LLC www.bladeops.com trevor@bladeops.com Bocki Custom Knives www.bockiknives.com eshword@aol.com Buckeye Engraving www.BuckeyeEngraving.com Stamps@BuckeyeEngraving.com  Manufacturer of Custom Hand Stamps, Dies and Brands Martin…

Tomahawks are the lighter, faster members of the axe family. At one point, instead of a hatchet I carried a hawk for my large camp tool and loved it. It did its fair share of work in preparing the nightly campfire and took up very little space. In fact, on some canoe trips I took the head off the haft and stored them both neatly in a waterproof bag. Tomahawks are both a good tool and formidable weapon. There are many myths on how a brave would never use a tomahawk for chores, but I find it hard to believe a semi-nomadic people would carry the weight and only use it for one thing. Modern tomahawks certainly have their tactical leanings and are loads of fun to throw, but in…

The Hammer Hawk and Backup designed by Leo Espinoza for TOPS Knives make a versatile outdoor set for cutting and chopping tasks. Though touted as a tomahawk, the Hammer Hawk’s heavy-duty nature makes it more of a hawk/axe hybrid. Blade steel, thickness and edge length: 1075 carbon, a broad 3/8 inch and 4.5 inches. Weight: 36.3 ounces. Overall length: 14.5 inches. The poll is hardened for smashing in case cutting does not suffi ce. The green canvas Micarta® haft is rounded and extends most of the way up the tang. A clever two-piece leather sheath features a blade cover separate from the belt frog for belt/pack carry. The frog allows you to insert and remove the belt from your hip without removing the belt clip. MSRP: $350. The Backup is…

“I’ve been collecting knives for around 70 years, and custom knives for around 45 years. I’ve used various knives for various purposes over time, but my everyday carry knife for the last 20 years or so is a trapper pattern custom made by Wally Watts of Gatesville, Texas. It has dressed a few big game animals and many trout, but it has a nice, thin handle, so is just as comfortable riding in my pocket and handling everyday chores.” Charlie Battle, Hayesville, North Carolina “I carry a Case doctor’s knife. I love the ‘pillbuster’ design, especially the butt end pharmacists originally used to crush pills and such to make medicine.” M.F. Callahan, Jr., a letter via e-mail “My EDC is the Zing by Kershaw. I like the assisted opening and…

Social media has become an ever-growing presence in the daily lives of just about everyone. Its impact on opinion and the free exchange of information is undeniable, and one of its most forceful components today is the phenomenon of Instagram. Knife enthusiasts have come to know Instagram in huge numbers, and its simplicity and immediacy are serving as powerful tools in the sales process. Simply put, said Curtis Iovito, along with Mark Carey co-owner of Spartan Blades, “Instagram is a mobile, desktop and internet-based photo-sharing application and service that allows users to share pictures and videos either publicly or privately to preapproved followers. It’s a way to very quickly share information and ideas in a flash!” Combining the horsepower of such a social media platform and the o opportunity to…

Editor’s note: A long-time vintage knife enthusiast originally from England, Jim Taylor wrote a number of stories on antique knives for BLADE® , including this one on a knife that belonged to Abraham Lincoln and fetched almost $100,000 at auction in 1989. Help us celebrate BLADE’ s 45th anniversary with his story from the July/ August 1989 issue. The hammer fell. The auctioneer at Sotheby’s January 1989 auction in New York couldn’t get another cent. The buyer, an anonymous American collector, had bought a 4.25-inch pearl-handled pocketknife. The facts reported above are true. The sums of money mentioned are certifiable. Add the 10 percent buyer’s premium and the knife’s new owner got back $175 change out of 100 grand! Yep, the net price was…

MODEL: LCD02 Diamond Carbide Sharpening Rod COMPANY: Lansky LENGTH CLOSED: 6 1/8” LENGTH OPEN: 9.5” MATERIALS: Aluminum, steel rod with diamond coating SPECIAL FEATURES: Carbide sharpener for quick sharpening; unit can double as a kubaton MSRP: $19.99 MODEL: Diamond Sharpening Rod COMPANY: AccuSharp LENGTH CLOSED: 4.75” LENGTH OPEN: 7.25” MATERIALS: Aluminum; steel rod with diamond coating SPECIAL FEATURES: Steel rod tapered on one end for sharpening serrations, sharpening groove for pointed objects and pocket clip for ease of carry MSRP: $10.99 MODEL: Retractable Diamond Sharpening Rod COMPANY: EZE-Lap LENGTH CLOSED: 4.5” LENGTH OPEN: 7 5/8” MATERIALS: Brass; steel rod with diamond coating SPECIAL FEATURES: Brass handle; O-rings provide secure fit with the handle screwed on; comes with belt sheath MSRP: $22.95…

FACTORY TACTICAL FIXED BLADES p. 12  DoubleStar 888-736-7725 or 859-745-1757 star15.com; KA-BAR, attn: J. Bradley, Dept. BL7, 1125 E. State, Olean, NY 14760 800.282.0130 www.ka-bar.com; Gingrich Tactical Innovations, attn: J. Gingrich, Dept. BL7, 5329 Anna Belle Ln., Wade, NC 28395 507-230-0398 justin@gingrichtactical.com, gingrichtactical.com; Hogue Knives, attn: Bill Crook, Dept. BL7, POB 1138, Paso Robles, CA 93447-1138 805-239-1440 800-438-4747 hoguestore.com and hogueinc.com; Lionsteel di Pauletta Gino & C., Via dei Fabbri, 32-33085, Maniago, Italy (+39) 0427/71984 www.lionsteel.it, info@lionsteel. it; Puma SGB, attn: T. Guthrie, Dept. BL7, 13934 West 108th St., Lenexa, KS 66215 913.888.5524 www.pumaknifecompanyusa.com; White River Knife & Tool, attn: John Cammenga, Sr., Dept. BL7, 130 Mason Dr., Coopersville, MI 49404 616-997-0026 john@thewhiteriver.com, www.whiteriverknives.com; Winkler Knives II, attn: Daniel Winkler, Dept. BL7, POB 2166, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-9156 danielwinkler@bellsouth.net,…

SPEC CHART MODEL: Morphing Karambit PATTERN: Locking folder BLADE LENGTH: 2.5” BLADE MATERIAL: CPM 3V carbon steel BLADE FINISH: Tungsten DLC HANDLE MATERIAL: 7075 T6 aluminum w/Type 3 hard anodize POCKET CLIP: 6Al-4V titanium in a “zero profile” for deep carry COMPONENTS: 17-4 PH (H900), Ion Bond/tungsten DLC finish APPROXIMATE CLOSED LENGTH: 4.625” WEIGHT: 6 ozs. SPECIAL STUFF: A collaboration between Caswell Knives and Millit Knives MSRP: $650 COMPANY: Caswell Knives, attn.: Joe Caswell 805-499-0707 joe@caswellusa.com , caswellknives.com MODEL: SDN 002 Sgian Dubh Neck Knife BLADE STEEL: 80CrV2 carbon EDGE LENGTH: 2.8” BLADE THICKNESS: 3/16” BLADE FINISH: Matte black oxidized (Caswell) WEIGHT: 1.8 ozs. OVERALL LENGTH: 5.5” SHEATH: Kydex; neck, belt or inside waistband carry QUANTITY: 50 MADE BY: Winkler Knives II MSRP: $130 COMPANY:…

This issue’s cover, the Hammer Hawk from TOPS Knives is designed to be much more than a standard tomahawk—call it a hawk/axe, if you will. Designed by Leo Espinoza, it is a full-tang, 3/8-inch-thick piece of 1075 carbon steel. The 4.5-inch edge is larger than most hawks and designed to tackle heartier chopping tasks as a result. The hammer pole is burly as well and a bear for jobs that require hammering instead of hacking. The accompanying TOPS Backup knife makes the perfect add on for smaller cutting chores. For more on the cover combo see page 7.…

KNIFE NAME: Gemini NGA BK Coyote COMPANY: Boker Plus BLADE LENGTH: 3.5” BLADE MATERIAL: VG-10 stainless BLADE PATTERN: Drop point HANDLE MATERIAL: Synthetic LOCK: LinerLock WEIGHT: 3.9 ozs. CLOSED LENGTH: 5” MSRP: $99.95 KNIFE NAME: Black Label Decoded Assisted Open COMPANY: Browning BLADE LENGTH: 3 1/8” BLADE STEEL: 440 stainless BLADE PATTERN: Modified tanto HANDLE MATERIAL: G-10 LOCK: Linerlock WEIGHT: 3 ozs. CLOSED LENGTH: 4.5” MSRP: $69.99 KNIFE NAME: 293 Inertia Assisted Folding Knife COMPANY: Buck BLADE LENGTH: 3.125” BLADE STEEL: 420HC stainless BLADE THICKNESS: .12” BLADE PATTERN: Drop point HANDLE MATERIAL: Nylon LOCK: Linerlock WEIGHT: 3.8 ozs. CLOSED LENGTH: 4.5” MSRP: $60 KNIFE NAME: Knockout COMPANY: Kershaw BLADE LENGTH: 3.25” BLADE STEEL: Sandvik 14C28N stainless BLADE THICKNESS: 0.12” BLADE PATTERN: Drop point HANDLE MATERIAL: Aluminum LOCK: Sub-frame lock WEIGHT:…

Landon Robbins combines his explosion-pattern damascus and a piece of broken-off ancient walrus ivory that looks like the break could have happened in—you guessed it—an explosion for his fancy dagger. The knife is a companion piece to go with a hunter sporting a keyhole handle of the same material that the ABS journeyman smith made for a customer a couple of years ago. “He wanted this knife to go with the hunter,” Robbins explained. The hunter had the same blade and handle material, though the latter was not broken like on the dagger. “I like the handle where it broke off. I like the natural edge of it,” he opined. “The handle is a little short but I wanted it to fit up in the customer’s hand.” For more information…