Innehållsförteckning för October 2023 från Blade

Blade|October 2023

[ SHORT CUTS ]

Bose Honored By Case Wall Of Fame BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Tony Bose added to his legacy of outstanding knives and knifemaking by being honored with a Wall Of Fame induction ceremony July 14 at W.R. Case & Sons in Bradford, Pennsylvania. According to Case’s Fred Feightner, Tony’s was the first such induction by Case in over 20 years. Many Case officials and fans were on hand to help celebrate, including such featured guests as Tony’s son Reese, an outstanding knifemaker in his own right, Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bill Ruple and others. The induction was one of several events in a two-day “Made in Bradford” event at the Case facility, including recognizing the 30th anniversary of Zippo buying Case in 1993. In noting that his dad’s Wall-Of-Fame induction was the…

2 min

Blade|October 2023

AMERICA’S FIRST

Damascus steel may be the most discussed, most controversial—pretty much the most of everything—topic in the custom knife community. As with the majority of intriguing topics, one question that always arises is “who was the first to do it?”—in this case, who was the first to forge damascus? The answer: nobody knows. In the foreword of Manfred Sachse’s Damascus Steel: Myth, History, Technology, Applications, Dr. Michael Dauskardt writes that damascus steelmaking was apparently already known around 500 B.C. Information in BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bill Moran’s early catalogs indicates Merovingian Franks and the Vikings made “pattern-welded” blades as early as the second century A.D., and the Japanese used a type of damascus in their early samurai swords. According to Damascus Steel, wootz, what some refer to as the “true”…

3 min

Blade|October 2023

FORGED PHENOMENON

When BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bill Moran reintroduced knives with damascus blades at the 1973 Knifemakers’ Guild Show (page 14), little did he know how much damascus would evolve, redefine itself, expand into new media, and no telling what other recreations and rebirthings it has experienced in the half century since that fateful weekend in the Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City. On this and the following pages are some of today’s reincarnations of the material in its various forms, methods, materials and more. What’s staggering to consider is there are so many more variations—not only now but also to come. It is a phenomenon that is truly unique to the custom knife industry and should be celebrated and promoted whenever possible. TEMPLARS MOSAIC Sporting a pattern ABS master…

7 min

Blade|October 2023

The Telltale KNIFE

The work of James Black is iconic. Once you’ve seen one of his knives, you’re not likely to forget it. While a casual observer sees a steel blade that’s well formed and a coffin-shaped handle with black walnut and silver trim nicely complementing each other, informed observers see much more. Consider yourself more than just a casual observer. You study the knife in every detail. A steady stream of questions begins to cross your mind. You may contemplate the time period, the location and the tools by which the knife came to be. Why did the knifemaker do this? What were his thoughts when doing that? What factors prompted the design? What subtleties of design did Mr. Black discern and were there any he learned along the way? I am…

9 min

Blade|October 2023

Phil, Buster and Tut

Phil Lobred commissioned Buster Warenski to make the reproduction of the King Tut Dagger in 1982. Through much trial and error, Buster finally finished the one-of-a-kind piece in 1987. It remains the single most famous modern custom knife of all time, and has been valued as high as $1 million and higher. Phil also was the headman behind the landmark Art Knife Invitational, a gathering of 25 elite custom knifemakers from around the world first held in 1983. It continues today under the direction of Barry Lee Hands (page 75). Phil passed away in 2016 and was inducted into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® in 2018, almost a quarter century after Buster’s induction in 1992. Warenski died in 2005.…

1 min

Blade|October 2023

THE MARSHALL PLAN

Some people call such fixed blades as the Marshall by ABS master smith Josh Smith’s new Montana Knife Co. a camp or bushcraft knife. I consider the latter two both the same style. Uses range from clearing a camp site to building shelters. The blades are usually 7 to 9 inches long. Weight can vary, though usually on the beefier side to handle larger chopping chores. SPEC CHART THE MARSHALL/MONTANA KNIFE CO. KNIFE STYLE: Bushcraft BLADE LENGTH: 7” BLADE MATERIAL: 52100 carbon steel BLADE GRIND: Full flat BLADE THICKNESS: .17” BLADE FINISH: Parkerized HANDLE: G-10 WEIGHT: 9.8 ozs. OVERALL LENGTH: 125⁄8” SHEATH: Kydex MSRP: $350 I was surprised at the thickness of the Marshall—.17 inch. Great design makes the blade wider, which adds weight for chopping, yet still keeps the…

4 min

Blade|October 2023

HOW TO REACH US!

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. 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, 5583 W. Waterford Ln., Suite D, Appleton, WI 54913. LETTERS OR ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS: Steve Shackleford, Editor BLADE Magazine 5583 W. Waterford Ln., Suite D Appleton, WI 54913 or email steve@blademag.com.…

1 min

Blade|October 2023

The Historic REVEAL

It’s been half a century since that day in 1973 when BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bill Moran placed eight of his damascus knives on his table at the Knifemakers’ Guild Show in Kansas City. Since then, the knife industry simply hasn’t been the same. In one historic reveal, Moran woke a sleeping giant. His knives brought not only damascus/pattern-welded but also forged steel to the forefront. While there were farriers and other craftsmen in the USA that worked in forged and welded steel at the time, they were more interested in the overall utility and quality of the finished product than the aesthetics of the steel itself. On the other hand, pattern-welded steel among American smiths who forged knives and swords was dormant. Moran’s big move was intended to…

10 min

Blade|October 2023

CAN’T GET ENOUGH HOT STUFF!

Forging damascus steel for knives and ancillary products on a broad scale makes the beautiful and highly popular knife material readily accessible to the marketplace, and drives the creativity of custom and factory knifemakers. The availability of the resulting damascus knives is reaching new levels while bringing on innovation at the same time. At Nichols Damascus, owner Chad Nichols touts his willingness to put together “laminates of any kind we can think of.” Nichols Damascus is busy with titanium and copper alloys, carbon and stainless steels. “We have a pattern called Boomerang, and any configuration we make it in sells very well,” Chad commented, adding that he believes the popularity of the material has increased dramatically due to the internet and social media. He asserts that his forging operation charts…

8 min

Blade|October 2023

SHARP EDGES Made Easy

Many of you probably learned to sharpen knives freestyle on a carbide, ceramic or diamond stone that required setting the proper angle by guesswork. The problem with sharpening a knife freehand is that no matter how good you are, the angle can vary with each stroke. Fortunately, knife sharpening systems these days are so advanced they can virtually eliminate human error. Among other features, the systems allow the user to preset the blade angle and lock it in so it never varies throughout the sharpening process. Of course, systems that “lock in” sharpening angles are nothing new. However, the ways today’s angle-guide models do it not only are especially creative and user friendly, the best of them offer many other highly useful functions as well. Before reviewing four of the…

9 min

Blade|October 2023

The Cutlers DID IT

In part one of our story last time, we featured seven of the 16 winners in the custom knife judging competition at BLADE Show 2023 conducted this past June at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. That means we have nine stellar studs of steel to tell you about this time. Did we save the best for last? You be the judge. M.A.C.K. Taking home the BLADE Show’s first-ever Best M.A.C.K. Award was Russian Sergey Shirogorov of Shirogorov Knives for the Hatium flipper folder. M.A.C.K. stands for Machine Assisted Custom Knife, in a nutshell, a hi-tech locking folder ideal for EDC that must have at least one handmade featured to go with any number of automated features such as CNC’d handles, waterjet-cut liners, etc. The Hatium boasts a 3.74-inch blade…

8 min

Blade|October 2023

[ THE KNIFE I CARRY ]

“I built the knife at Audra and Mike Draper’s knife class. I use it for hunting and everyday chores. Joe Cronk of Green River, Wyoming, made the sheath.”Charles Dea Cargile, Box Elder, South Dakota For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter. WIN A KNIFE 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 knife. The drawing will be November 15. Mail to: BLADE®, 5583 W.…

1 min

Blade|October 2023

WHERE TO NET 'EM

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 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. BladeGallery.com www.bladegallery.com www.bladeconnection.com www.epicedge.com Buckeye Engraving www.BuckeyeEngraving.com Make Your Mark Manufacturer of Custom Hand Stamps, Dies and Brands Culpepper & Co., Inc. www.knifehandles.com www.oldschoolknifeworks.com www.stingrayproducts.com info@culpepperco.com Farina Fine Arts www.farinafinearts.com studio@farinafinearts.com One of a kind, fine art, collectible knives Faneema Cutlery Knife Factory Manufacturer of hunting, pocket & kitchen knives Damascus, high carbon and stainless steel Classic Industries, Wazirabad, Pakistan Ph: +92 305 844 4536 info@classicindustries.com.pk…

1 min

Blade|October 2023

[ COVER STORY ]

The three featured cover knives are excellent examples of some of the most creative in today’s damascus steel. Winner of Best Folder at BLADE Show 2023, the Adastra (page 59) by Owen Wood has a blade of precision herring-bone and explosion pattern damascus. The handle is 416 stainless steel, copper, mosaic damascus, 14k gold and black-lip mother-of-pearl. The Serpent Chef’s Knife (page 22) by ABS journeyman smith Keith Barthelmes sports a blade of a Serpent pattern damascus forged from 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels. The handle is curly koa. Jocelyn Frasier photographed the Barthelmes and Wood knives. The mosaic damascus for the blade of Andrew Blomfield’s sub-hilt fighter (page 30) is a combo of two separate billets welded in an alternate pattern. The handle is ironwood. SharpByCoop photographed the knife.…

1 min

Blade|October 2023

Steel Synthesis

SPEC CHART KNIFE NAME: Flirt BLADE LENGTH: 7” BLADE MATERIAL: Nebula damascus BLADE GRIND: Hollow FRAME MATERIAL: Zirconium BOLSTER: Zirconium ENGRAVING: Of fine silver by Bertie Rietveld KNIFE TO KNOW: Stanhope lens in butt of handle OVERALL LENGTH: 12” MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $6,000 MAKER: Bertie Rietveld, Dept, BL10, POB 53, Magaliesburg 1791, South Africa bertie@rietveldknives.com, rietveldknives.com(SharpByCoop image) SPEC CHART KNIFE TYPE: Lockback folder BLADE LENGTH: 3.5” BLADE MATERIAL: Damascus forged by Jim Poor BLADE GRIND: Hollow HANDLE MATERIAL: Ancient ivory inlay, 24k-gold and fine silver inlay, 14k-gold and sterling silver chain FRAME MATERIAL: 4130 carbon steel ENGRAVING: By Matt Humphreys CLOSED LENGTH: 4.5” MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $5,500 MAKER: Matt Humphreys, Dept. BL10, 1119 CR 360, Spur, TX 79370 806-781-8025 matt@outlawwaterjetdesign.com, outlawwaterjetdesign.com (SharpBy-Coop image) SPEC CHART KNIFE…

4 min

Blade|October 2023

WHERE TO GET ’EM

FORGED PHENOMENON P. 26 Zane Dvorak, Dept. BL10, 75 Park Ave., New London, OH 44851 419-577-3146 zdblacksmithing@gmail.com, zdforge.com; Frank Edwards, Dept. BL10, 1102 W. Boone Ave., Nampa, ID 83651 208-880-9213 edwardsknives@gmail.com; Andrew Blomfield, Dept. BL10, 1298 Puddledock Rd., Armiddle, NSW, Australia 2350 +61427233255 andrew@andrewblomfieldknives.com, andrewblomfieldknives.com; David Lisch, Dept. BL10, 16948 Longmire Rd. SE, Yelm, WA 98597 206-919-5431 info@davidlisch.com, davidlisch.com; Jackson Rumble, Dept. BL10, 36 Alfred Rd., Sutton, NSW, Australia 2620 rumblejackson@gmail.com; Denis Tyrell, Dept. BL10, 1305 Boxwood Ct., Livermore, CA 94551 925-784-6915 tyrellknifeworks@gmail.com, tyrellknifeworks.com; Jeremy Yelle, Sherbroke, Quebec, Canada 819-238-5591 yellescutlery@gmail.com, yellescutlery.com CAN’T GET ENOUGH HOT STUFF! P. 34 Baker Forge & Tool, info@bakerforge.com; Herucus Blomerus, South Africa herucus.blomerus@gmail.com; Brian Brown, brianbrownknives@yahoo.com; Bubba Crouch, Dept. BL10, 402 West Oaklawn Rd., Pleasonton, TX 78064 bullhippie@gmail.com; Damasteel, Stallgaten 9, SE-815 76, Soderfors,…

2 min

Blade|October 2023

ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE

While in San Diego in summer 2015 for a work conference, I saw a flyer advertising a King Tut exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Natural History. The exhibit focused on recreating the experience of Howard Carter, the British archaeologist who found the lost tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamun in 1922. The promotional materials advertising the exhibit indicated it would feature recreations of many of the artifacts found in the original tomb. Having been exposed to custom knives all my life through my father, Rick Royster, and being familiar with BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Buster Warenski’s work, I wondered if Buster’s famous reproduction of the King Tut Dagger would be part of the exhibit. I called the museum and asked the young lady who answered if Buster’s reproduction…

3 min

Blade|October 2023

Tradition or CONVENIENCE?

SPEC CHECK 1. HOGUE EXPEL SCALPEL 2.5 OVERALL LENGTH: 7" CLOSED LENGTH: Not applicable BLADE LENGTH: 2.5" HANDLE MATERIAL: Orange G-10 MSRP: $114.95 2. COAST 1919 RESERVE SHIFT OVERALL LENGTH: 6.875" CLOSED LENGTH: 4.375" BLADE LENGTH: 2.5" HANDLE MATERIAL: Glass reinforced nylon w/textured rubber inlay MSRP: $39.99 3. HAVALON PIRANTA BOLT OVERALL LENGTH: 7.375" CLOSED LENGTH: 4.5" BLADE LENGTH: 2.75" HANDLE MATERIAL: ABS plastic w/rubber inlay MSRP: $54.99 4. KERSHAW LONEROCK RBK 2 OVERALL LENGTH: 7.2" CLOSED LENGTH: 4.4" BLADE LENGTH: 2.8" HANDLE MATERIAL: Glass filled nylon w/rubber overlay MSRP: $47.99 And now for a style of edged tool that brings its own brand of controversy most wherever it goes—the replaceableblade knife. No, not the utility knives you see in a ton of kitchen junk drawers, tradesman’s tool bags and…

9 min

Blade|October 2023

[ SHOW CALENDAR ]

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. SEPTEMBER SEPT. 9 GONZALES, LA The 4th Annual Louisiana Knife Show, Lamar-Dixon Expo Center. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/128360019955356/?ref=newsfeed.* SEPT. 9 COLUMBUS, KS Central States Hammer-In and Knife Show. Contact Phil Evans 620-249-0639 phil@glenviewforge.com, centralstateshammerinandknifeshow.com** SEPT. 15-16 WILLIAMSPORT, MD Mason-Dixon Knife Club Show, Williamsport Red Men Club. Contact William C. Crilley 717-217-9375 crill9@hotmail.com.* SEPT. 17 MARLBORO, MA The NCCA Marlboro Show, Marlboro Holiday Inn. Call 978-249-6070 or visit ncca.info.* SEPT. 23-24 EASTON, PA Lehigh Valley Knife Show. For info call 267-714-4441 or visit paknifeshows.com.* SEPT. 29-30 BLOOMINGTON, MN The 2nd Annual Twin Cities Knife Show, National Guard Armory. Contact David…

4 min

Blade|October 2023

3D Printed Damascus

It was ABS journeyman smith Peyton Ramm’s dream to make a knife themed after his favorite childhood TV show, Dragon Ball, and the new 3D printing process for canister patterns (pages 42 and 43 November BLADE®) provided him with the perfect vehicle to do so. “Before I heard about 3D printing, I dreaded the idea of paying someone to wire EDM every single dragon ball out, but my good friend Ron Hardman introduced the idea,” Peyton wrote. “I sent him pictures of Gohan [a prominent character in the Dragon Ball series] and the dragon balls, and asked him to recreate the image in the best way possible to forge down. His students at Kilroy’s Workshop got a rough draft for me and once I approved it, they printed and…

2 min