Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2018 i Blade

Future Wall Hanger? BLADE® missed a great chance for a wall-hanging cover with Dave Rhea’s art knife story (“Where To Now, Art Knives?”) in the Fall issue. I enjoyed it and more. There are many more people with an appreciation for great art knives, it’s just that maybe not everyone is willing to or does not have the funds to lay down the money required. In order to keep this art form alive, the many potential buyers must be reached. When I started my long run with BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Buster Warenski, each knife got a little more upscale. In the late 1980s and ’90s, I took some of his pieces to a gun show in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a display. Many people walked by with no…

There are the people and things that get all the ink, the glitzy glamor shots and that otherwise are front and center in today’s what-are-you-going-to-do-for-me-next world—and then there are the “unknown” people who make all the publicity and glamor shots happen. Tom Ables was among the latter, and he wouldn’t have had it any other way. Born on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, 1926, Thomas E. Ables passed away on Oct. 16, 2017. He was 91. He spent almost three-quarters of a century creating groundbreaking advertising and marketing programs for a variety of customers. Yep, that’s right, nearly 75 years. In the cutlery industry his clients included Bear & Son and FirstEdge, among others, though in knife circles he is best remembered for his decades of work with Buck Knives. No…

“I recently gave away my long time EDC to a young lad we met on a camping trip. Consequently, I needed to select a new blade for my daily use. Though I have an extensive knife collection to draw from, which includes both handmade and production pieces, my choice was the Big Sable from Okapi. It’s long in the handle, extremely lightweight and easy to keep hair-popping sharp. When deployed it’s non-threatening to bystanders and sufficiently unusual that it often draws comments/questions. Best of all, at around $10 it does not matter if I lose it, break it or sharpen it away.” Steve Greenough, Reseda, California “I carry a TOPS Mil-SPIE 3.5 H-03 folder. ‘Mil-SPIE’ stands for ‘Military-Special Projects Individual Equipment.’ I like the narrow carry profile and the recurve…

A rare Roman cavalry short sword made before the time of Christ that has been preserved in its entirety and still cuts is one of several recent highlights of the Celtic Collection Program in Milner, Georgia. The ancient short sword is from the La Tène III (circa 2nd to the 1st century B.C.) timeline. It was in the H. Liebert private collection, Cologne, Germany, and was acquired during the 1960s and ’70s. The iron sword is completely intact and is 20.5 inches long. Over time it has become permanently attached to its iron scabbard, and the buckle remains from where it once hung from a belt. Its thin hilt, which terminates in a small pommel, would have once been encased in wood. According to a spokesperson, the sword has a…

The branches of the modern custom knifemaking family tree spread far and wide. Its sturdy roots, though, are found in the little town of Fruitport, Michigan. There BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame© member William Wales Scagel applied his steady hand and artisan’s eye to the first knives of the modern era that were truly exemplary examples of those classified today as “custom.” Scagel’s influence resonates across the decades as knives and knifemakers have taken their cue from his mastery of the curve and the spacer, his interpretation of the lines, fit and finish of a knife that stands the test of time, setting a standard for others to follow. Born in 1873, Scagel lived to the age of 90, and during his lifetime proved himself a master metalworker. His…

In a random poll of custom knives, BLADE® found that two types of blade steels are used by custom knifemakers today as much as any others: CPM-154 stainless and damascus. Granted, damascus consists of two or more different steel types with the common thread of being layered and welded together. However, for the purposes of this discussion, damascus is considered one steel. Based in Sheridan, Wyoming, by way of Tennessee, 30-year Knifemakers’ Guild member John Bartlow uses CPM-154 for his bird and trout and hunting knives. When Bartlow first started making knives, he was also a hunting outfitter. As a result, he gutted and skinned a lot of animals on a weekly basis. Having many of his guides use his knives, he got a lot of feedback over the years…

Bladesmithing and knife enthusiasts from far and wide will gather for BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Jim Batson’s 30th Annual Batson Bladesmithing Symposium and Knife Show April 6-8 at Tannehill State Park in McCalla, Alabama. Classes will include those on damascus steel, linerlocks, forging, grinding, heat treating, handles and guards, skeleton knives, hawk forging and more, instructed by the likes of Bill Burke, Rick Dunkerley, Jim Crowell, Joe Keeslar, Lin Rhea, Butch Sheely, Mel Pardue, Dr. Batson himself and others. This very likely will be Dr. Batson’s last symposium. If you’ve never been or simply want to salute the legend, don’t miss it. For more information contact Judd Clem 256-232-2645 clem.judd@att.net.…

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  Buckeye Engraving www.BuckeyeEngraving.comStamps@BuckeyeEngraving.com Manufacturer of Custom Hand Stamps, Dies and Brands Martin Butler Engraver martsart81@gmail.com  one-of-a-kind engraver CRKT www.crkt.com info@crkt.com Culpepper…

Which blade grind is best for a bushcraft knife and why? Much depends on your needs. However, I am going to focus on the actual function a knife has to play in executing bushcraft skills. It’s not the knife that’s the most important tool but what rests between your ears. I can give the best knife made to someone, and, if the person does not have the common sense to use it, he or she might as well have the worst knife made. Following are three of the most common grinds found on bushcraft knives, along with the pros and cons of each. It is important to note that in my list of the pros and cons, it is not necessarily true that a specific grind cannot perform a specified…

The Yakuza Flipper by Charles “Chuck” Gedraitis meshes classic styling with an unusual modern handle material in a folder that reflects both the traditional and the modern. The traditional is the Japanese-style instead of an American-style tanto blade. “The American style would have more of a straight cutting tip,” Gedraitis noted. “This one has a little curve to it.” The modern is the circuit board scales. Gedraitis highlights the copper of the circuit board with the bronze bolsters and a copper spacer, the latter two both in an orange-peel finish. He exposed the pattern of the circuit board by grinding into it, thus revealing the copper in the different layers of the scale material. For more information contact Chuck Gedraitis, Dept. BL4, 444 Shrewsbury St., Holden, MA 01520 508-963-1861…

Ready For His Close-up Just got my February BLADE®. Best one I’ve ever read! I don’t know just what makes it so great, but you outdid yourself on this one! LOL. I feel like a movie star! Thanks for telling my story in that issue (“Journey Down The Bowie Trail”). I hope more collectors will come forward and show off their collections. It doesn’t matter if it’s three or 1,000 knives, we love to look at knife collections! Maybe you should start a segment on knife collections—there are a lot better than mine out there. Thanks, and a special thanks for including the information on the Alamo (page 49, same issue). I don’t think many will notice, but there is a small mistake in the copy associated with the lower…

According to the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, bushcraft is 1. The skill gained by, or necessary for, living in bush country 2. Skill in anything pertaining to bush country, as in finding one’s way, hunting, finding water, etc. I’ve been a student and teacher of bushcraft for over five decades. In order of importance, my bushcraft priorities are: 1) Security 2) Fire 3) Shelter 4) Water 5) Food My adult son, Ash, who has practiced bushcraft since he was old enough to walk, worked with me on this field review, which was done in the Oregon Cascade Range and in Bulgaria’s Stara Planina Mountains. Here is how we addressed these needs with the review knives—no axes or chainsaws—as our only tools. 1: Security was a minor concern in Oregon’s Cascades. However, due…

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 May 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.…

“The mountains are calling and I must go ...” —John Muir You’re almost ready to follow the mountains’ call and embark on an epic adventure of your own. The finish line for completing your bowie sheath is just around the corner. All that’s left is some drilling and stitching and the job will be done. Now that you have the leather folded and can see how everything will lay out, mark the holes for stitching on the belt loop. Any way that you like will do. I chose sort of a shield pattern but a simple straight line would do just fine. Space your holes about 1/8 inch apart to allow enough leather between them for a strong stitch. A little glue to keep the flap from moving while drilling…

As James R. Lucie notes in his incomparable book, Scagel Handmade, William Scagel made folders, hunting knives—including bird, trout and fish models—camp knives, fighters (single and double edged), utility knives, carving sets (general kitchen and chef’s knives), miniature knives and axes. “Bill was most efficient at moving metal by hand forging,” Dr. Lucie wrote. “He had no power hammer, and had superior skill and ability to be able to forge [his] large axes. The steels he used were of the oil-quenching variety, and he would dip quench rather than edge quench. He used only coal-fired forges, never gas or propane forges, which gave him infinitely more control during the entire forging process.” Scagel did his initial grinding on wooden wheels, which varied in size from 8 to 14 inches. He…

BUSH WHACKERS P. 12 Condor Tool & Knife, attn: R. Jones, Dept. BL4, 7557 West Sand Lake Rd. #106, Orlando, FL 32819 407-905-0413 fax 407-905-0414 rtj@att.net; Fallkniven, attn: P. Hjortberger, Dept. BL4, POB 204, S-961 23 Boden, Sweden 46-921 544 22 fax 46-921 544 33 www.fallkniven.com; L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knife Co., attn.: L.T. Wright, Dept. BL4, 130B Warren Ln., Wintersville, OH 43953740-317-1404 info@ltwrightknives.com, LTWright-Knives.com ; Ontario, attn: P. Tsujimoto, Dept. BL4, 26 Empire St., Franklinville, NY 14737 716.676.5527/800.222.5233knifesales@ontarioknife.com, www.ontarioknife.com THE KNIFE I CARRY, P. 20 Coast, attn: D. Hutchens, Dept. BL4, 8033 NE Holman St., Portland, OR 97218 800-426-5858 and 503-234-4545 www.coastportland.com; Okapi, c/o CAS Iberia, attn: B. Pogue, Dept. BL4, 650 Industrial Blvd., Sale Creek, TN 37373 423.332.4700 www.casiberia.com; TOPS Knives, attn: Craig Powell, Dept. BL4, POB 2544, Idaho…

“THE ONTARIO BUSHCRAFT WOODSMAN IS A DECEPTIVELY SOPHISTICATED, LARGE OUTDOOR KNIFE.” The Ontario Bushcraft Woodsman is a deceptively sophisticated, large outdoor knife in Ontario’s Bushcraft Series and is designed by veteran bladesmith Dan Maragni. Featuring distal taper for enhanced balance, the Woodsman sports a 9.18-inch drop-point blade of brush-finished 5160 carbon steel with a Rockwell hardness of 53-55 HRC, and is well-suited for chopping and batonning. The contoured American walnut grip is equipped with an integral single guard and a bird’sbeak butt for handling safety and retention, respectively. The butt has a hole for a lanyard. Overall length: 14.97 inches. Sheath: Nylon DeSantis®. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: $164.95. For more information contact Ontario, attn: P. Tsujimoto, Dept. BL4, 26 Empire St., Franklinville, NY 14737 716.676.5527/800.222.5233 knifesales@ontarioknife.com, www.ontarioknife.com, or see the…

KNIFE NAME: Woods Wise COMPANY: Condor Tool & Knife DESIGNER: Joe Flowers BLADE LENGTH: 2.375” BLADE MATERIAL: 1075 carbon steel BLADE THICKNESS: .08” BLADE FINISH: Natural HANDLE MATERIAL: Walnut WEIGHT: 2.4 ozs. OVERALL LENGTH: 6.125” SHEATH: Handcrafted leather with paracord necklace MSRP: $54.98 KNIFE NAME: Bushcraft Woodsman KNIFE COMPANY: Ontario DESIGNER: Dan Maragni BLADE LENGTH: 9.18” BLADE STEEL: 5160 carbon HANDLE MATERIAL: American walnut OVERALL LENGTH: 14.97” SHEATH: Nylon DeSantis® MSRP: $164.95 KNIFE NAME: S1 Pro Forest COMPANY: Fallkniven BLADE LENGTH: 5.11” BLADE MATERIAL: Laminated cobalt steel ROCKWELL HARDNESS: 60 HRC BLADE THICKNESS: 0.23” BLADE STYLE: Drop point BLADE GRIND: Convex BLADE FINISH: Satin HANDLE MATERIAL: Zytel HANDLE THICKNESS: 0.8” WEIGHT: 8.5 ozs. OVERALL LENGTH: 9.72” SHEATH MATERIAL: Zytel MSRP: $465.95 KNIFE NAME: Gen6 Scandi COMPANY: L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knife…

Some knives have a “cool factor” that makes your eyes pop out. Whether sporting creative designs, spine-tingling handles and blade shapes or—in this case—ingenious mechanisms, such knives always have that special something which sets them apart. Boker’s sleek Tucan would be cool on its design alone, but designer Wilfried Gorski’s innovative blade-release mechanism puts the folder over the edge. A slide release just below the oversized pivot pops the blade out of the frame so it can be opened manually, and the release also serves to deploy the blade. Simply thumb it down and the blade is ready to fold into the frame. Everything about the Tucan is upscale, from its stealthy 3-inch Bohler N690 stainless steel clip-point blade to its beautifully sculpted 3.875-inch titanium frame with carbon-fiber inlays. There…

Drug company execs are nervous. That’s because the greatest health advance in decades has hit the streets. And analysts expect it to put a huge crimp in “Big Pharma” profits. So what’s all the fuss about? It’s about a new ingredient that’s changing the lives of people who use it. Some call it “the greatest discovery since penicillin”! The name of the product is the AloeCure. It’s not a drug. It’s something completely different. And the product is available to anyone who wants it, at a reasonable price. But demands may force future prices to rise. TOP DOC WARNS: DIGESTION DRUGS CAN CRIPPLE YOU! Company spokesperson, Dr. Liza Leal; a leading integrative health specialist recommends AloeCure before she decides to prescribe any digestion drug. Especially after the FDA’s stern warning…

Little Rock Arkansas Territory, November 1834: “One of the most respectable inhabitants told me, that he did not suppose there were twelve inhabitants of the place whoever went into the streets without—from some motive or other—being armed with pistols or large hunting-knives about a foot long and inch and a half broad, originally intended to skin and cut up animals, but which are now made and ornamented with great care, and kept exceedingly sharp for the purpose of slashing and sticking human beings. These portable instruments, with their sheaths mounted in silver, are the pride of an Arkansas blood, and got their name of Bowie knives from a conspicuous person of this fiery climate.”—from Excursions Through the Slave States of North America, by G.W. Featherstonhaugh…

Whether it’s the shape, a carving, the material or what have you, the handle can set a knife off if not downright dominate the entire package. Here are some examples. Don’t be surprised if they grab you and you want to grab them. For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more, visit blademag.com . 1 A handle of antique Westinghouse Micarta® with a flame-effect Mokuti bolster highlights the Axiom flipper folder by Richard Rogers. The 3.5-inch blade is Mike Norris core damascus. The frame is titanium. Contact Richard Rogers, Dept. BL4, POB 769, Magdalena, NM 87825 575-838-7237 r.s.rogersknives@gmail.com, richardrogersknives.com , Instagram @RichardRogersKnives. (SharpByCoop image) 2 A symmetrically carved handle of giraffe bone and a 3.15-inch blade of mosaic damask complete the Vendetta by Natalia…

MARCH MARCH 9-12 NURNBERG, GERMANY The IWA Outdoor Classics 2018. For trade visitors only. Contact NurnbergMesse North America Inc. +1.770.618.5842 bill.ingwersen@nuernbergmesse-north-america.com. MARCH 16-17 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL East Coast Custom Knife Show, the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. Contact 417-866-6688 info@fiftyfiftyproductions.net or visit fiftyfiftyproductions.net or ecckshow.com.* MARCH 23-24 HAMPTONVILLE, NC The 43rd Annual Tar Heel Cutlery Club Show, Yadkin VFW Building. Call Chris Groce 336-679-8817 chrisgroce@yardtel.net.* MARCH 23-25 CLYDE, NC The ABS Spring Great Smoky Mountain Hammer-In, Haywood Community College. Contact Ken Hall 828-627-2135 americanbladesmith.com.** MARCH 23-25 JANESVILLE, WI The 2018 Badger Knife Club Knife Show, Janesville Conference Center/Holiday Inn Express. Contact Bob Schrap 414-479-9765 Badgerknifeclub@aol.com.* MARCH 24-25 DALLAS, TX Lone Star Knife Expo, Dallas Market Hall. Contact Travis Payne 903-640-6484 lonestarknifeexpo on Facebook.* MARCH 30-APRIL 1 HARRISONBURG, VA The 27th…

Editor’s note: Few if any writers were better equipped to write about one of their peers than knife-throwing legend and BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Harry K. McEvoy. Join us in celebrating BLADE®’s 45th anniversary with a recap of Harry’s story “The Saga of Skeeter Vaughan” from the April 1982 issue of The American Blade . George E. “Skeeter” Vaughan holds the distinction of making the most fantastic knife throw in recorded history—and considering the circumstances surrounding his legendary feat, he most likely will maintain his grasp on that honor for a long time to come. An American Cherokee Indian whose given name was “Grey Otter,” Vaughan was a member of an elite Army unit called the U.S. Moccasin Rangers, all 15 members…