Knives Illustrated May 2016

This year was a very special SHOT Show for me on a few levels. With a new knife design debuting with TOPS Knives and recently being named the new Editor of Knives Illustrated, this year held a profound level of excitement and responsibility unmatched by previous years. But the highlight this year was having my son with me. This was the first year that he was able to attend the show with me and I got to watch his expression and witness the amazement as he walked into the halls of the Sands Expo Center for the first time. It took me back to my first time attending the SHOT Show. Living vicariously through him, I was almost envious of the fresh perspective he brought with…

Starting 2016 on the right foot, the Knife Rights’ Wisconsin knife law reform bill passed this January. It repealed the state’s ban on switchblade (automatic) knives and removed knives from being a “weapon” or a “dangerous weapon” subject to concealed carry restrictions. It revised state preemption law to include knife law preemption, voiding local knife laws more restrictive than state law, and preventing local jurisdictions from passing future restrictions. Also precluded are criminal charges for “disorderly conduct or other inappropriate behavior” for carrying a knife unless carried with “criminal or malicious intent.” With knife law preemption, anyone traveling in Wisconsin can be assured that the law is enforced consistently throughout the state. Wisconsin is the tenth state where Knife Rights passed knife law preemption and the twelfth state where knife…

My name is Leo Espinoza, and I have been involved in the knife industry and specifically with TOPS Knives since 1999. I have always done my best to continue growing and learning all that I can to make sure that my knives are the best in the field. There are a lot of common questions people ask me, such as “Why did you use this grind instead of that grind?” “Why these handles?” “What is this feature for?” And so on. The most common question is, “Why did you use this type of steel?” With so many good blade steels to choose from these days, how do you pick the right one? Which is more important, hardness or durability? Which is the better steel, stainless or high carbon? How well…

Each January we get the opportunity to visit the Las Vegas strip and be a part of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show to see what the best in the industry have to offer. This year, with miles and miles of booths to visit, we achieved the daunting task of rooting out some of the finest new cutlery for 2016. From innovative designs, to new takes on old favorites, we did not leave disappointed. Condor Tool & Knife (407) 905-0413 www.CondorTK.com Condor continues to produce a steady stream of working tools for the outdoorsman with its 2016 line, making it hard to pick out just a few. With designers like Dual Survival’s Matt Graham and survival expert Joe Flowers, it isn’t hard to see what makes Condor Tool &…

“ONE DAY, WHILE LOOKING AT THE 60-OR-SO BAYONETS AND MILITARY KNIVES IN HIS POSSESSION, IT OCCURRED TO HIM THAT HE HAD A COLLECTION.” Nestled safely in Mid-Michigan, in the private military memorabilia collection of Curt Scott, lies a collection of old bayonets worthy of any museum. I recently had the opportunity to visit with Curt and peruse his expansive collection, which was a true pleasure experiencing the history and craftsmanship displayed within. Being a big fan of antiques and anything sharp and pointy, I felt like a kid in a candy store being left with only one regret — that I didn’t have the space in this article to cover his entire collection, just a small sample. Curt and I had been talking about this collection for some time but…

Dating back to the early 1600s, it is believed that the bayonet can attribute its beginnings to the region around the town of Bayonne, France — a small coastal town that was known for its cutlery. Originally designed for hunting, the “bayonnette” was “a kind of small, flat, pocket-dagger, furnished with knives; or a great knife to hang at the girdle, like a dagger,” according to Randle Cotgrave’s A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues. Due to the inaccuracy of the single-shot firearms of the day, hunters would carry both a dagger and spear with them when hunting large or dangerous prey. Becoming One with the Rifle While it is still unclear how the dagger first came to be inserted into the bore of the musket for use as…