Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2024 i Blade

Kershaw Goes Golden Kershaw is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024 with a gala at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Oregon, July 16 that will include a 50th anniversary knife reveal, en-tertainment, a dinner with special guests, a Kershaw factory tour and more. Founded in 1974 by Pete Kershaw, Kershaw Knives became a wholly owned subsidiary of the KAI Group in 1977. Kershaw Knives opened a U.S. production facility in Wilsonville, Oregon, in 1997 and a larger production facility in Tualatin, Oregon, in 2003. In addition to Kershaw Knives, the company’s lineup also features Zero Tolerance Knives, which began in 2006, and Shun Cutlery, founded in 2002. Kershaw, Shun and Zero Tolerance have won many BLADE Magazine Knife-of-the-Year® awards and other honors over the years, and offer many…

Spyderco has been one of the most successful factory knife companies of the past half century, and a not-so-secret key to its success over almost 70 percent of that stretch has been Joyce Laituri. Joyce’s last day at Spyderco, June 1, will be only slightly in the rearview mirror when you read this, but that’s probably the way she likes it. That’s because she’s not into personal glorification and wouldn’t want anyone to make a big fuss over her departure—which is just one of her many admirable traits. Spyderco makes great knives. However, like all products, if not promoted correctly, the knives would not have sold like gangbusters the way they have over the decades. Such promotion has been Joyce’s bailiwick for most of the nearly 30 years she’s been…

The language of custom knifemaking and bladesmithing is universal, so it’s logical that the appeal of the industry would have global reach. Through the years, such has been proven in the work of gifted artisans around the world, and those from Latin America have gained increasing attention. The quality of their forged steel, the fine lines of their folders and fixed blades, and the attention to detail in their finished work have created a buzz. The impact of Brazil and Argentina especially has been noticeable at the BLADE Show and elsewhere in recent years. Argentine winners in the BLADE Show custom knife competition include Claudio, Ariel and Marcelo Sobral, Mauricio Daletzky and Javier Vogt, while Brazilian winners include Fabio Barros, Gustavo “Gus” Cecchini and Franco de Souza, the latter whom…

5 TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (RETIRED) SPEC CHART DOUG RITTER RSK MK1-G2 COMPANY: Hogue Knives KNIFE TYPE: Locking folder BLADE LENGTH: 3.44” BLADE STEEL: CPM 20CV stainless BLADE GRIND: Flat LOCK: ABLE Lock LINERS: 301 stainless steel HANDLE: Black G-10 WEIGHT: 5 ozs. CLOSED LENGTH: 413⁄16” COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA MSRP: $179.95 Afolder always comes in handy. It hides in your pocket until you need it. Most people won’t freak out if you cut your steak in a restaurant with it. It’s a handy item for everyday use. The Doug Ritter RSK MK1-G2 is a classic example. Let the cutting begin. Twenty-pound bond paper is my first choice for testing edge sharpness. The knife was aggressive and smooth slicing. The handle texture made control easy, so I didn’t dn’t lose any skin.…

ABS apprentice smith Josh Blount recently rewatched the 1992 version of The Last of the Mohicans, and the gunstock war club of the character of Chingachgook in the film inspired him to make his own stunning version. Josh patterned his reproduction after the movie piece* but with his own spin, including a low-layer-twist damascus blade and curly maple stock decorated with silver wire inlay in assorted mountain images: a daytime scene with hawks circling the sun, a nighthawk nighttime scene amid moon and stars, etc. “My background is wildlife biology, so I live birds and chasing wildlife,” he noted. “So, I put a little bit of that in there.” MODEL: Gunstock war club MAKER: Josh Blount BLADE LENGTH: 6.5” BLADE MATERIAL: 80CrV2 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels HANDLE/STOCK: Curly maple from…

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“SIX OF THE NINE TOTAL AMERICAN NIGHT FIGHTER ACES WERE IN THE 422ND.” Editor’s note: This year marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and other pivotal events of World War II. The Green Bats of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron flew fighter support for Allied troops after D-Day and played a crucial role doing the same during the Battle of the Bulge. They also loved their Randall knives. This is the story of some of those men and their Randalls. The Green Bats of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron carried Randall knives into battle from Normandy through V-E Day, in the process achieving more aerial victories than any other American night fighter squadron during World War II. Founded by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member W.…

Framelocks are popular with folks who put folding knives to rough use. They are built more robust than linerlocks simply because the lockbar is cut out and bent from the steel or titanium frame of the handle. The lockbar is the exact width of the handle scale, whatever thickness that may be. Consequently, compared to the spring of a standard linerlock, there is significantly more material locking the blade open and, thus, greater lock strength. Named for the specialized military vehicle with a tracked propulsion drive system, the Hinderer Knives Halftrack framelock folder is, like its namesake, practically unstoppable. Despite the knife’s compact size, it has the horsepower to muscle through tasks big and small. Hinderer Knives is known for high-end folding and fixed-blade knives aimed at the tactical market.…

Editor’s note: Last time in part one, the author discussed how her Dellana Dots opening system originally came about, along with the materials and tools needed to get started, and the first few steps of the process. In the conclusion, she covers the balance of the process—all done without a lathe. The author left off with Step 2 of finishing the blade last time. This time she resumes with Step 3 and the preparation of the pin stock. Step 3: Double check that the wire fits through the drilled holes. Step 4: Melt the ends of the wires to form spheres (Images 4 and 5). I use a Smith Little Torch with propane and oxygen. This takes a bit of practice to know the correct heat and timing needed to…

“MOST OF THE TIME I DRAW THE DESIGN DIRECTLY ON THE METAL, INCLUDING ON BRUCE’S BOWIE AND FOLDER.” For the past decade, my career has primarily focused on engraving firearms, mostly Colts, Winchesters and custom 1911’s. A brief tour of my website shows the extent of the commissioned projects over the years. However, the number of significant knife-engraving commissions have been few. In the summer of 2022, my wife, Jennifer, accepted a position with a Bechtel subsidiary located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area. Being no stranger to relocation, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to make a significant change in my career as an engraver. While still in Tennessee, ABS master smith Bruce Bump reached out to me to collaborate on one of his black powder percussion pistols.…

JUNE JUNE 7-9 ATLANTA, GA The 43rd Annual BLADE Show, Cobb Galleria Centre, I-285 & US 41, one exit off I-75 across from the Cumberland Mall, adjacent to the Renaissance 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 2024 Knife Of-The-Year® Awards for factory knives, the BLADE Show Custom Knife Judging Competition, the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© inductions and much more. Host to BLADE University, the annual ABS meeting and more. Seminars include the BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competitions, 8th Annual Battle for Bali Champion, how to use knives, how to make them, etc. Contact BLADE®,…

The Kershaw Helitack flipper folder features a clip-point blade of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel that opens via the SpeedSafe assisted mechanism. Slender and sleek, it makes a sexy grey cutter in a titanium-nitride finish. For more, see page 24. Sea Dream by Dellana captures her unmistakable “face” style in spades, including her Dellana Dots blade openers, damascus, natural handle material and more. For more on it and the conclusion of her Dellana Dot how-to, see page 42. The Sobral Brothers’ Ranger Bowie boasts a clip-point blade in a riveting mosaic damascus, stag handle and blued “S” guard. For more on it, the Sobrals and other top knifemakers and bladesmiths of Latin America, see page 36. The image of the World War II Randall Model 1 (page 12) is courtesy of Will Talbot.…

A long-time dealer of Randall knives, Gary Clinton is the son of the late Tom Clinton, who became a Randall dealer in 1970. Over the years Tom amassed one of if not the largest collections of Randall knives in the world and, after his passing in 2008, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Clinton took over the dealership. Gary was kind enough to answer a few questions about the Randall knives of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron. BLADE® : How unusual was it for a fighter squadron/group to acquire Randall knives during World War II? GARY CLINTON: The Orlando area was a major training and staging area for troops, and word got out throughout these camps that a Randall was the finest knife available. For this reason, you see more World War II…

Artistic impression, technical merit, fit and finish, walk and talk: What are the standards and where are the attributes that lead to a judge’s conclusion when awards are on the line at a custom knife show? It goes without saying that sometimes the difference between a winner and runner-up is as thin as the edge of a sharpened blade. Those who judge knife competitions are obviously obliged to employ their experience, skill, years of involvement with the industry and discerning subjectivity. As a result, looking at the criteria that some veteran judges employ helps observers develop a deeper perspective on the competition among the best custom makers in the business. Moreover, if you’re a collector, knowing what judges look for should help you improve your collection; if you’re a knifemaker,…

The author uses a knifemakers contour vise shown throughout the story from GRS Tools to hold subjects such as the Bruce Bump hideout bowie for engraving. “I find it extremely helpful for all the knives I work on due to the limitless ways to configure the height, width and shape of the jaws,” the author noted. “I would have a difficult time engraving knives without it. It is a tool I’ve had since before making engraving my full-time occupation over a decade ago while still working as a custom jeweler.” For more information on the knifemakers contour vise contact GRS Tools, Dept. BL7, 900 Overlander Rd., Emporia, KS 66801 620-343-1084 grstools.com.…

About a decade ago I read Raymond Thorp’s 1948 book, Bowie Knife. In discussing the kinds of knives available in the mid-1800s, he mentioned that Green River knives used to have a logo on the blade back near the handle. This gave rise to a grisly expression common at the time, “Up to the Green River!” I started looking for an old Green River knife that still had the original handle, and that hadn’t been sharpened down to a scalpel. “A buddy of mine had a good-condition, old Green River knife that I coveted until he told me they were still being made, and why didn’t I just go get a new one? So, I tracked down this Russell Green River Hunter with a 5-inch clipped blade and five…

Andre de Villiers www.advtactical.co.za Facebook - Andre de Villiers Facebook Group - ADV SOB BADNESS IG - advtactical adv44sales@gmail.com Butcher SOB folders and button lock flippers Adams Intl Knifeworks - AIK www.adamsknifeworks.com adamsknifeworks.com@gmail.com (618) 656-9868 Automatic & Customized Knife Specialists Admiral Steel www.admiralsteel.com sales@admiralsteel.com Widest Range of Stock for Blade Needs 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 Artknives.com www.artknives.com fred@fredeisenleather.com BladeGallery.com www.bladegallery.com www.bladeconnection.com www.epicedge.com Cutlery Specialties www.restorationproduct.com dennis13@aol.com Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax/Polish, Dennis Blaine Ed Fowler Knives www.edfowler.com eafwb@wyoming.com High Endurance Performance Knives Emerson Knives, Inc. 100% Made In The USA https://emersonknives.com 310-539-5633 Farina Fine Arts www.farinafinearts.com studio@farinafinearts.com One of a kind, fine art, collectible knives Knife Center www.knifecenter.com info@knifecenter.com New…