Table of contents for August 2022 in Blade

Blade|August 2022

READERS RESPOND

Too Much Greed? I would like to start by saying I’m a knife enthusiast and have been for some 20 years. I’ve been collecting for 14 of those years but I guess I’m done. Since I’m approaching 70, I’ll probably start selling my collection off soon. Here’s the thing that’s pushed me over the edge. There are now very few knives you can collect that cost under $100. I’m not cheap and I have plenty knives of my own. However, we’re all going to lose in the end when a kid of 12 or so wants to start collecting but can’t because he can’t afford it. He can’t afford it unless it’s a Rough Ryder or something comparable—which is OK. Rough Ryders are good knives and a great value, but…

4 min

Blade|August 2022

BULLETS, BOMBS AND BLADES

The ravages of war often have global impact—even when the fighting is half a world away and the devastation is seen through pictures and words rather than bullets and bombs. War, anywhere, tends to touch the lives and livelihoods of many. The knife industry, both factory and custom, is no different. The war in Ukraine has brought devastation to the country, and its end was nowhere in sight as BLADE® was going to press. Ukrainian resistance is robust, probably in sharp contrast to the results anticipated when Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to invade his sovereign neighbor. While the resilient Ukrainians defend against such aggression, where and how does the knife industry feel the long reach of war? Oleksii Nesterenko is a custom knifemaker He is also Ukrainian. “On February…

9 min

Blade|August 2022

A DAZZLER FOR KAZ

The hardest question for my son Zachary “Kaz” Kazmir to answer is “Where are you from?” His answer usually falls along the lines of, “Home is where the military takes your family.” Zach’s answer is true for just about any token “military brat.” Military families often move every two to three years—that’s a rate of 10 times more than average civilian families. Living this kind of life for a child requires tremendous resilience, exceptional adaptability, and an uncommonly high maturity level. Zach would repeatedly get settled in a routine, a school, a friend group and community activities, only to pick up, leave it all behind and start fresh again. Oh, and the trials of life do not stop there. He persevered through my frequent deployments, earthquakes, accidents and even a…

9 min

Blade|August 2022

FIX BAYONETS!

I constantly find the more I learn about knives, the more I have to learn. Each lesson simply tends to open the door for more lessons. One of my early lessons happened when I was on horseback moving some cows during antelope season. I heard a shot in the distance and rode toward the sound to see what the hunter had harvested. It took me awhile to reach him and I found him using a World War II bayonet to field dress a nice buck. He just kept sticking the buck in the belly with the bayonet. He acknowledged me approaching and said hi. I returned his greeting and asked him if he did not think he had killed the animal enough. He said it was his first hunt and…

8 min

Blade|August 2022

EAST BEASTS

There’s something about large blades with an Eastern flair, an exotic look and that offer devastating function. They generally are built stouter and able to complete multiple hard-use tasks beyond those of a machete. Such knives clear vines and weedy vegetation, take out small saplings and split wood for campfires. They are equal parts tool and, if necessary, weapon. Originating in the Malay Archipelago, the golok is used primarily in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Varying in size and weight, it is typically anywhere from 10 to 20 inches long. Often shorter and heavier than machetes, the golok is used for bush and branch cutting. Cutting edges tend to be convex, preventing the blade from being stuck in greenwood. Carbon steel is often the preferred blade material, usually with a…

9 min

Blade|August 2022

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. JULY JULY 8-9 BELLEVILLE, IL Belleville Knife Expo, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds. Visit https://bcfairgrounds.net.* JULY 23-24 WASHINGTON, MO The 6th Annual AIK Knife Show, Elks Lodge. Call 618-656-9868 adamsknifeworks.com@gmail.com. or visit aik-knifeshow.com.* AUGUST AUG. 6-7 ALBANY, OR Pacific Northwest Knife Show, Willamette Expo Hall, Linn County Fairgrounds. Email tacticalordnanceshow.com or call/text Julie at 253-381-6686.* AUG. 6-7 CROSSVILLE, TN Cumberland County Knife & Gun Show w/Col. Coon Collectors, Cumberland County Community Complex. Call Donnie 931-250-1981 or visit www.gkshow.org. AUG. 6-7 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Sydney Knife Show, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, Grand Pavilion Level 2. Visit www.sydneyknifeshow.com.au.* AUG. 13 MERIDIAN, ID Idaho Knife Association…

3 min

Blade|August 2022

COVER STORY

The featured cover knives should perform quite well in most military theaters. The Parang from Fox Knives Military Division is equal parts chopper, camp and kitchen knife and is easy to manipulate and carry. For more on it, see the story on page 54. The image of the Parang is courtesy of Fox. Knifemaker Joe Israel stated he has always loved the handle shape of the classic Fairbairn-Sykes combat knife and emulates it on his Commando Dagger. It and other custom combat-style knives are featured beginning on page 48. Sharp-By-Coop photographed Joe’s knife. Designed by Daniel Winkler and retired U.S. Navy SEAL Harold Bologna, the Case Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6 is, in the words of writer Josh Wayner, “large, beefy, well made and very, very sharp.” Get the poop…

1 min

Blade|August 2022

DEMONS OF THE PAST

Michael Zieba, an award-winning knifemaker based in Brooklyn, New York, constructs a wide range of custom knives, chef’s knives and accessories, and is involved in a variety of other enterprises. Born in Rzeszow, Poland, 156 miles from the Ukrainian border before later emigrating to the USA, Michael keeps clear of both principals in the war in Ukraine. “The war has nothing to do with my business,” he stated flatly, “and I have never done business with Ukrainians or Russians.” Meanwhile, he has a historical viewpoint of the war completely unlike what you see on network or cable news. “The war summoned demons of the past in the memory of my family,” Michael wrote, a family past that includes his grandfather surviving the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) executions of World War…

2 min

Blade|August 2022

ALLEN ELISHEWITZ

Editor’s note: In addition to being an award-winning knifemaker, Allen Elishewitz is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. A sergeant in 4th Recon Charlie Company, he and his company were eventually activated and deployed during Operation Desert Storm. However, by the time he got to Iraq, the war was over so fast he was out of there before he saw any action of real note. He was kind enough to write the following in-depth review of his top knifemaking equipment. To be a true “handmade” knifemaker, you need a quality saw. It must be rigid and precise for control and to cut precisely. A quality saw also will help the blade last longer. I add a coolant system to my saw which can almost double the life of…

5 min

Blade|August 2022

WHERE TO GET ’EM

BULLETS, BOMBS AND BLADES P. 12 Oleksii Nesterenko, c/o Steel Addiction Custom Knives, steeladdictioniknives.com; Spartan Blades, attn: C. Iovito, Dept. BL8, 625 S.E. Service Rd., Southern Pines, NC 28387 910-757-0035, contact@spartanblades.com, www.spartanbladesusa.com; Michael Zieba, Dept. BL8, 95 Commercial St. #4, Brooklyn, NY 11222 347-335-9944 ziebametal@gmail.com ziebaknives.com SHOP DUMP P. 32 Tim Britton, Dept. BL8, 5645 Murray Rd., Winston Salem, NC 27106 tim@timbritton.com/336-923-2062 timbritton.com; Allen Elishewitz, Dept. BL8, 1659 West State Hwy. 46, Ste. 115 #610, New Braunfels, TX 78132 830-885-3099 elishewitzknives.com BAD & BEAUTIFUL P. 48 Joe Israel, Flat Rock Forge: Web-www.flatrockforge.com. Ph-(828) 484-1892; Matt Roberts: Ph-(540) 808-6767. Instagram-@MattRobertsKnives. Email-Mbuswellroberts@yahoo.com; Julian Sacco Knives: Web-www.saccoknives.com. Instagram-@saccoknives; Sam Lurquin Knives: Instagram-@wardog2079. Dave Ellis: www.exquisiteknives.com EAST BEASTS P. 54 APOC Survival Tools, c/o CAS Iberia, attn: P. Shipley, Dept. BL8, 650 Industrial Blvd.,…

2 min

Blade|August 2022

READY AND DEPENDABLE

Serious work knives are going to be fixed blades. Strength is something that can’t be sacrificed, and while many folders are incredibly rigid, they have mechanisms and moving parts that can and do become worn or damaged with hard use. Modern folders are great knives. However, once mud, grit, sand and the unexpected rock an inch underground comes into play, they tend to fail. Few folders are strong enough long term for use as a trowel—fewer still can be safely batonned through wood. On the merit of ergonomics alone, the folder is usually slab-sided in profile and isn’t comfortable to hold for long periods, nor does it allow for easy cleaning. As such, the fixed blade is superior when the woodchips or dirt need to fly. Defining work knives is…

10 min

Blade|August 2022

FINGERPRINTS OF STEEL

Turkish twist, feather pattern, san-mai, low-layer twist and more, damascus steel caters to those in search of something that’s always a tad different. After all, as someone said, like fingerprints, no two damascus patterns are exactly alike. 1 A 4 15/16-inch blade of “non-stainless damascus” in a flat grind, a Sambar stag handle and a guard of colored O1 tool steel highlight Terry Schreiner’s small bowie. His list price for a similar knife: $750. Email him at rhino969@hotmail.com or call 580-251-0441. (SharpByCoop image)2 Damascus blade steel and a handle of ancient walrus tusk affixed with a mosaic pin complete a Phil Evans bowie. Email Phil at Phil@glenviewforge.com. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)3 ABS master smith Scott Gallagher opted for a damascus in a Turkish-twist pattern for the 9.5-inch blade of his…

2 min

Blade|August 2022

WHERE TO NET ’EM

A.G. Russell Knives, Inc. www.agrussell.com ag@agrussell.com Adams Intl Knifeworks - AIK www.adamsknifeworks.com adamsknifeworks.com@gmail.com Automatic & Customized Knife Specialists 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 Andre de Villiers www.advtactical.co.za Facebook - Andre de Villiers adv44sales@gmail.com Butcher SOB folders. 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. Dozier Knives and Arkansas Made Dozier, Inc. www.dozierknives.com info@dozierknives.com BladeGallery.com www.bladegallery.com www.bladeconnection.com www.epicedge.com Bob Dozier Knives www.dozierknives.com info@dozierknives.com Buckeye Engraving www.BuckeyeEngraving.com Make Your Mark Manufacturer of Custom Hand Stamps, Dies and Brands CRKT www.crkt.com info@crkt.com…

2 min

Blade|August 2022

Knives and Ukraine

As we were putting our annual military knife issue to bed, the War in Ukraine raged on with no end in sight. Meanwhile, amid all the death and destruction in Eastern Europe, the effect on the domestic knife industry seemed minimal. For instance, as KA-BAR’s Joe Bradley notes in the story beginning on page 12, the conflict was having no influence on KA-BAR’s sales or the types of knives it was making. Curtis Iovito of Spartan Blades said since Spartan made knives for war in Afghanistan and Iraq for the past two decades, the Ukraine war hasn’t affected the company that much, including knife prices, though that could change due to inflation and supply issues—as well as knife demand as the war evolves. According to Daniel Winkler (page 60), 25…

3 min

Blade|August 2022

Sharp in a Pinch

SPEC CHART MODEL NAME: Twisted Bowie BLADE LENGTH: 9” BLADE MATERIAL: Damascus of W1 tool and 15N20 nickel alloy steels BLADE GRIND: Flat BLADE PATTERN: Clip point HANDLE: Dyed box elder GUARD: Integral POMMEL: Stainless steel OVERALL LENGTH: 14” MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $1,900 MAKER: Derick Kemper, Dept. BL8, 28 Mill St., Stewartstown, PA 17363 410-937-4244 damselflyforge@gmail.com, damselflyforge.com (SharpByCoop image) SPEC CHART PATTERN: Push dagger BLADE LENGTH: 3.5” BLADE MATERIAL: Damascus BLADE GRIND: Double hollow HANDLE: Ancient walrus ivory OVERALL LENGTH: 6” SHEATH: Custom leather w/rattlesnake inlay MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $325 (also available in a double flat grind) MAKER: John Davis, jdavis6712@yahoo.com (Hannah Turner image) SPEC CHART PATTERN: Bowie BLADE LENGTH: 9.25” BLADE MATERIAL: 80CrV2 carbon steel BLADE PATTERN: Clip point HANDLE: Ivory paper Micarta®…

4 min

Blade|August 2022

TIM BRITTON

Long-time knifemaker Tim Britton joined the United States Marine Corps in 1959, serving in Force Recon and as one of a very few USMC combat divers. He survived one particularly harrowing assignment helping rescue Army Rangers from an airport under heavy enemy fire in the Dominican Republic. “We Marines came to their rescue in our Hueys. Insanity prevailed,” he recalled. “Kids were trying to sell us ‘tortas’ [sandwiches] while we were trying to avoid snipers. The smell of blood and other body fluids still gives me the shakes.” He caught the knifemaking bug in 1972 when he saw knives made by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-OfFame® member Blackie Collins at a Charleston, South Carolina, gun show. Other of Tim’s influences include Blackie’s brother, Michael, as well as Cutlery Hall-Of-Famers George Herron…

4 min

Blade|August 2022

BAD AND BEAUTIFUL

Knives with attitude always have been popular among many makers and cutlery enthusiasts, and, if you’ve ever been to a BLADE Show*, chances are you’ve seen some eyepopping examples. Many have in-your-face themes, with daggers and fighters getting lots of love among them. If Samuel Lurquin’s Wardog Fighter looks familiar, that’s because it is—it served as one of three cover knives for the June BLADE.. However, due to space requirements, we were unable to give the knife its just due in that issue, so we correct that oversight here. Sam is an ABS master smith from Belgium who makes bullet-proof tactical fixed blades ticketed for extreme “rough ’n tumble” use beyond the call of duty. Sam’s English is somewhat limited, so we turned to Dave Ellis, proprietor of Exquisite Knives,…

7 min

Blade|August 2022

IS ITS BITE WORSE THAN ITS BARK?

SPEC CHECK BEAGLE / OKNIFE BLADE LENGTH: 3.25” BLADE STEEL: 154CM stainless BLADE PATTERN: Harpoon HANDLE: G-10 LOCK: Linerlock LINERS: Stainless steel WEIGHT: 3.25 ozs. CLOSED LENGTH: 43/8” KNIFE TO KNOW: Includes a pouch w/fabric closure that contains a collector coin in a small pocket MSRP: $79.95 “THE BEAGLE EXHIBITS OUTSTANDING HANDLE CONTOURING.” The Beagle linerlock folder from Oknife feels good in the hand and rides quite well in a pants pocket. Action is very smooth with a positive lockup. When you close the knife, the detent ball grabs the harpoon-pattern blade securely. Balance is excellent. As for cutting performance, let’s see. First up: a check of the factory edge with a slice of 20-pound bond copy paper. Via a pull cut the Beagle sliced very clean with no snagging.…

3 min

Blade|August 2022

THE KNIFE I CARRY

“When I was a boy, my dad got me my first knife, a barlow. Ever since, I’ve had a love for cutlery. When I could afford it, I bought my first Benchmade, a Mini Griptilian.” Brandon Zaremba, a letter via e-mail For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter. WINE 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…

1 min

Blade|August 2022

Iraqi Tank Knife

When John Thunert learned an acquaintance had some spare steel from an Iraqi tank, he jumped at the chance to buy some of it and forge it in the damascus of his Capemaster skinner. Strips of steel 3x3 inches and 4x4 inches, each 3?16-inch thick, were torch cut from the armored vehicle, which was stored in a “tank graveyard” in Iraq. John cleaned the steel up, including removing some paint. He also got a copy of the form his friend had to fill out on the steel as a “war trophy,” which is how he was able to legally ship the steel stateside. “It kinda gives me some bona fides,” John noted. He said an analysis of the material identified it as a very pure form of mild steel containing…

2 min