Innehållsförteckning för May 2025 från Blade

Case XX Vault Program Case has set a new foundation for a reboot of its Case XX Vault program, an initiative aimed at preserving distinctive, time-honored patterns for future production and to further secure their place in Case history. Recently reestablished, the program calls for specially selected Case patterns and all related production tool works to be locked away inside the Case Vault for at least three years. During that time the vaulted patterns are evaluated for possible remanufacturing. The program helps to ensure that, when reintroduced, the returning knives will be made of the highest quality, using the company’s most current manufacturing methods, technologies, standards and practices. While some patterns will periodically be selected for retirement to the Case XX Vault, others will return to manufacturing based on several…

The recent passing of Carolyn Hughes (page 6), long-time editor of The ABS Journal and widow of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member B. R. Hughes, is a loss felt far and wide in the community of the American Bladesmith Society and the world of knives in general. Carolyn died just five months after B. R. (December BLADE®, page 6). Like her late husband, she was a tireless worker and champion of all things bladesmithing and ABS. More importantly, she was a caring, loving wife to B. R. and their children, and a friend to many. Through her union with B. R. and Journal editorship, Carolyn was the last living, married link to the ABS founders who had remained active in the ABS. (Along with B. R., Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Bill Moran,…

The Kephart-style knife features a spear-point blade and an oval cross-section handle. The blade is typically 4-to-5 inches long, 1095 carbon steel, and forged using techniques reminiscent of 18th-to-19th-century bladesmithing. The blade is typically aneighthinchatthethickest, supportinga sturdy and durable structure. A distinctive feature is the asymmetrical spear point with a full-length edge enhancing its utility in various cutting tasks. The scales are often walnut or maple. The overall design aims for simplicity, with attention to detail to ensure comfort and usability. In the words of Horace Kephart, “A camper has use for a commonsense sheath-knife, sometimes for dressing big game, but oftener for such homely work as cutting sticks, slicing bacon, and frying ‘spuds.’ For such purpose, a rather thin, broad-pointed blade is required … It is tempered hard enough…

CROSSOVERS P. 14 Condor Tool & Knife, condortk.com; ESEE Knives, www.eseeknives.com; KA-BAR, ka-bar.com; TOPS Knives, www.topsknives.com KNIVES ALIVE IN ’25! P. 26 A.G. Russell Knives, agrussell.com; Bear Ops, c/o Bear & Son Cutlery, www.bearandsoncutlery.com; Benchmade, benchmade.com; Bradford USA, brad@bradfordknives.com; Browning, www.browning.com; Coast, www.coastportland.com; CobraTec, cobratechknives.com; Condor Tool & Knife, condortk.com; CRKT, www.crkt.com; Defiant7, https://www.defiant7.com/; Demko Knives, demkoknives.com; Emerson Knives, Inc., www.emersonknives.com; Fallkniven, www.fallkniven.com; GiantMouse, giantmouse.com; Halfbreed Blades, halfbreedblades.com.au; Heretic Knives, hereticknives.com; Hogue Knives, hogueknives.com; Kansept, kanseptknives.com; Kershaw, kershaw.kaiusa.com; Knives Of Alaska, knivesofalaska.com; Krudo Knives, www.krudoknives.com; LionSteel, www.lionsteel.it; Maserin, maserin.com; McNees Knives, mcneesknives.com; Ocaso, tisa@ocasoknives.com; Puma GmbH IP Solingen, www.pumaknifecompanyusa.com; Queen Cutlery, c/o Smoky Mountain Knife Works, www.smkw.com; QSP Knife, qspknife.com; Reate, vanessa@reateknives.com; Rick Hinderer Knives, rickhindererknives.com; TOPS Knives, www.topsknives.com; Viper, info@tecnocut.com; WE Knife, weknife.com KEPHART COOL P. 36 Bear Forest…

Editor’s note: Beginning with this issue, “50 Years Ago in BLADE®” journeys back in time to recall what was happening in the early days of BLADE—formerly The American Blade—and the world of knives. This time: BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Bo Randall and Randall Made Knives. Apioneering writer and photographer, Sid Latham chronicled his visit to the Orlando, Florida, shop of Randall Made Knives in the May-June 1975 issue of The American Blade to detail how Bo Randall and his staff made knives. As Latham noted, Bo believed in the Cutlery Hall-of-Famer William Scagel theory that every blade shape should have a purpose and be practical—and the Randall utility, hunting, combat and survival patterns reflected the Scagel approach. The most popular Randall knife in ’75 was the Model 3 hunter.…

Among Jose Santiago-Cummings’ growing ranks of customers are those he describes as “foodies,” and he built his second BBQ Knife expressly for them. Not unlike a pirate boarding cutlass in appearance, the long, curved blade is designed for the rocking slices needed to cut meat and brisket. It’s similar to how a slicer is used as opposed to, for example, a nakiri for chop cuts. Jose, 62, used a cylindrical drum-sander-like attachment on a Ram tool to carve the grooves in the long, upswept handle. Jimmy Floyd forged the clip-point blade of damascus clad in wrought iron. MODEL: BBQ Knife MAKER: Jose Santiago-Cummings BLADE LENGTH: 8.5” BLADE STEEL: Damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels clad in wrought iron BLADE GRIND: Flat HANDLE: Black and orange G-10 resin OVERALL LENGTH:…

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.…

All-terrain has been used to describe the cross between a small machete and a large knife. It’s a tool that doubles as a machete for brush clearing, but, unlike a machete, can do fine cutting and, unlike even a large hunting knife, can build a shelter. It’s less than a kukri, bolo, parang or machete but more than “just” a big knife. My team and I compared four such crossover hard-use knives, each with blades roughly 10 inches long. All use 1095, 1095 Cro-Van or 1075 carbon blade steels—in other words, alloys that are survival oriented and field-sharpening friendly. All have some standard knife features such as integral guards and bowie-type blades, and some standard machete traits like serviceable blade bellies and large handles. Some have simple, subdued features while…

Editor’s note: The author is an avid practitioner of bushcraft and has written extensively on the subject, including for BLADE®. We asked him to write about the best ways to use bushcraft knives, discussing assorted cuts and procedures and the best ways to do them. He begins his discussion by describing exactly what a good bushcraft knife should be. A good bushcraft knife is characterized by its manageable size and weight, allowing for comfortable handling and easy resharpening. Typically, a knife designed for bushcraft and carving tasks lacks spine gimping for the thumb. The cutting edge should have a continuous curvature that extends the entire length of the blade. A general-purpose bushcraft knife should have a blade that matches the width of your palm, with the tip aligned closely to…

The H.U.T. 4 by Brian Goode of B. Goode Knives reminds me of my military days—it just needs the “2, 3” before the “4.” The acronym and number stand for Hunter, Utility, Trail, 4 inch. An allaround edged tool that can be used for multiple tasks, it’s the one knife you always grab for when cutting needs to be done. How well it cut I’ll let you know. I began with a simple yet effective test—the paper slice. I grabbed the H.U.T. 4 with my thumb and index finger and slid the edge into the paper. It kept slicing for the entire blade length. I could hear each slice, so it’s very aggressive in the 20-pound bond paper. You really have to watch closely so you don’t skin a flap…

“I bought these two Buck knives in 1969—a 110 Folding Hunter and a two-blade pocketknife—when I started working in the construction industry and was working part-time for a farmer. I carried one or another, sometimes both, every day for about 35 years. When not working, I was hunting, fishing or camping, and did some trapping. These knives served me well. I cleaned and skinned a lot of fish and game and did a lot of everyday chores. They never failed me. I really got my money’s worth out of these tools. I still have the original boxes and a sharpening device I purchased a few years later. I thank Buck for making great knives!” Steve Carver, Bloomington, Illinois For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s…

The puukko by ABS master smith Lin Rhea captures the classic Finnish design in a damascus blade and handle of desert ironwood, stacked Micarta® and antler. It includes a traditional leather pouch sheath with carry loop by Joshua Rhea. For more, see page 22. A titanium handle with a texture anodized blue highlights the Viper Alfa. Designed by Simone Tonolli, the backlock folder has a reversible wire pocket clip of sandblasted 420 stainless steel. For more, see page 26. The Twitch III from SOG is a slim, stylish assisted opener all in black, including the flat-ground spearpoint blade and aluminum handle. A deep-carry, bayonetstyle clip positions the folder as low as possible in the pocket for ultimate concealment. For more, see page 54. The image of the ML Knives Kephart…

SPEC CHART PATTERN: Puukko KNIFE TYPE: Fixed blade BLADE LENGTH: 4.5” BLADE MATERIAL: Damascus BLADE GRIND: Chisel SCALES: Desert ironwood, stacked Micarta®, antler OVERALL LENGTH: 9.5” SHEATH (not shown): By Joshua Rhea (Instagram, @rheas_leather), a Finnish traditional leather pouch model w/carry loop KNIFE TO KNOW: Lin Rhea is an ABS master smith MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE AND SHEATH: $1,200 MAKER: Lin Rhea, Prattsville, AR 870-942-6419 lwrhea2@windstream.net, rheaknives.com (Jocelyn Frasier image) SPEC CHART NAME: Vizsla EDC KNIFE TYPE: Fixed-blade EDC BLADE: 3”  BLADE STEEL: Nitro V stainless BLADE GRIND: Flat SCALES: TruStone, copper resin, Turkish walnut LINERS: G-10 OVERALL LENGTH: 7.25” SHEATH (not shown): Leather pouch KNIFE TO KNOW: Integral single guard MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE AND SHEATH: $400 MAKER: Chris Jones, Tomball, TX 832-217-7523 steeldogknives@gmail.com, steeldogknives.com (Jocelyn Frasier…

Horace Kephart (1862-1931) was a prominent figure known for his contributions as an author, librarian and outdoorsman. His extensive exploration of the Southern mountains led him to conduct valuable research on the region and its inhabitants. Among his many books, he is best known for Our Southern Highlanders and Camping and Woodcraft, with the latter serving as an enduring guide for outdoor living. Both works are still widely available and highly regarded. In the 1920s, Kephart was pivotal in advocating for establishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.…

The Try Stick, made famous by wilderness educator, survival instructor and author Mors Kochanski, is a tool designed for practicing and showcasing knife skills in wood carving. While some notches are functional and often used to create items such as tent pegs, pot hangers and digging sticks, many notches on a Try Stick are more decorative and less commonly utilized. You can incorporate around 17 different types of notches on a Try Stick, but including as many as possible is typical. There’s no required number of notches to create; a Try Stick focuses on knife handling and safe practice. Try Stick Notch types include: 1. Round Notch 2. Pot Hook 3. Saddle Notch 4. Square Notch 5. Mitred Lapped Notch 6. Jogged and Wedge Splice 7. Dovetail Pin and Socket…

The old cliché of the win-win holds a real grain of truth. Any successful partnership must be mutually beneficial, and in the knife industry the phenomenon of the collaboration has come to exemplify the upside of working together. Years ago, a veteran custom knifemaker described his relationship with a major manufacturer as serving as the company’s research and development department. Such a description is accurate in that the manufacturer often relies on the custom maker for new design inspiration, from good looks to materials and mechanics. The collaboration has emerged in the last 35 years or so as an outstanding means of bringing innovation to the public and putting first-rate knives in the hands of the mass market. The ins and outs, nuts and bolts, and give and take of…

Note: Entries with an asterisk (*) include knives and knife accessories as the main/sole focus. Entries with two asterisks (**) include knife seminars or symposiums, cutting or balisong competitions, auctions or other knife-related events. APRIL APRIL 3-6 MCCALLA, AL The 35th Annual Batson Bladesmithing Symposium & Knife Show, Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. Visit https://alaforge.org/batson-blade-symposium.html. * ** APRIL 4 HARRISONBURG, VA The 33rd Annual Shenandoah Valley Knife Show, Rockingham County Fairgrounds. Contact Steve Thomas srthomas@gmail.com 434-242-8470. APRIL 5-6 TULSA OK Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show, Expo Square (Tulsa Fairgrounds). Visit tulsaarmsshow.com. APRIL 5-6 BELLVILLE, TX Texas Select Custom Cutlery Event, Austin County Fair Convention & Expo Center. Visit TexasSelectEvent.com.* APRIL 11-13 EUGENE, OR The 47th Annual Oregon Knife Show, Lane Events Center. Contact the Oregon Knife Collectors Association, Dept. BL10, POB…

A.G. Russell Knives, Inc. www.agrussell.com ag@agrussell.com A.G. Russell The Cutting Edge® www.cuttingedge.com ce-asst@cuttingedge.com Admiral Steel www.admiralsteel.com sales@admiralsteel.com Widest Range of Stock for Blade Needs Adams International Knifeworks - AIK www.adamsknifeworks.com adamsknifeworks.com@gmail.com (618) 656-9868 Automatic & Customized Knife Specialists 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 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 Buckeye Engraving www.BuckeyeEngraving.com Make Your Mark Manufacturer of Custom Hand Stamps, Dies and Brands 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 Farina…