Table of contents for Complete Knife Guide Spring 2020 in Blade

Before you buy a knife or make one, knowing which blade and handle materials are hot aand/or best and what kind of sheath to store it in usually are among your chief considerations—though there’s a lot more to it than what’s “hot” and/or what some think is “the best.” In his story on today’s latest blade steels on page 28, Pat Covert delves into the subject from the standpoints of the supplier and the maker, viewpoints that are instructive to knife users and makers alike. There are some newer and exciting steels and combinations thereof to choose from, but the fact that they are newer and exciting doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best for your requirements. Much depends on your needs as well as the preferences and skills of…

The race for the greatest blade steel has been going on since the first blade was forged. However, in earnest the modern trend started in the late 1980s when ATS-34 stainless became the hottest thing since sliced bread for custom knifemakers. Newer, more exotic steels slowly picked up steam afterwards and today it is a multimillion-dollar market with scads of steels from which to choose. “MOST END UP GOING BACK TO THE STEELS THEY ARE USED TO WORKING WITH.”—TERRY SUMMERS Blade steels fall into three basic categories: stainless, non-stainless or carbon steel, and pattern-welded steel, commonly called damascus, which can be stainless or non-stainless. Why is it important to keep creating new steels for the cutlery market? “It depends on the user or application,” notes Bob Shabala, president of Niagara…

Rarely in any endeavor does a man’s name become synonymous with his craft, but say Loveless and the recognition is instant. BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Robert Waldorf “Bob” Loveless towers head and shoulders above just about anyone else who considers themselves a member of that small circle known as bench or custom knifemakers. When Loveless died of lung cancer at age 81 in 2010, The Wall Street Journal called his iconic drop-point hunter—Bob’s name for it was dropped hunter—“the apogee of the knifemaker’s art.” Loveless was a multifaceted man who could tell a story with tthe bbest of them and tell a man off in a heartbeat, his gruff manner a characteristic that at times was as recognizable as the varied maker’s marks that emblazoned his blades through more…

Joseph R. “Pete” Gerber Jr., longtime president of Gerber Legendary Blades, factory knife innovator and BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member, passed away in September. He was 90. The son of company founder Joseph Roman Gerber, Pete became company president of Portland, Oregon’s Gerber Legendary Blades in 1951, a position he held until 1987. During Pete’s reign the company enjoyed a golden era, transitioning from a leader in kitchen knives to a pacesetter in sporting and military knives, including such award-winning models as the Mark II military dagger, the revolutionary LST folder, Gator folding hunter and many more. Both the Ultralight LST and Gator Serrater won BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year Awards. Under Pete, Gerber also was a leader in collaborations with such knifemakers as Cutlery Hall-Of-Famers Bob Loveless (page 68), Blackie Collins…

The knife industry lost a genuine pioneer with the recent passing of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Pete Gerber of Gerber Legendary Blades (page 100). Not only did it lose a bona fide leader of the modern knife movement, it also lost a true original. Pete could be rough around the edges but his was the kind of saltiness that could inspire. I remember well the first time I met him at a late ’80s SHOT Show. I had not been working for BLADE® very long and it was my assignment to interview Pete about Gerber’s latest knives. It was the first time I had ever interviewed a knife company headman and I was somewhat nervous. No doubt sensing my anxiety, Pete welcomed me under the Gerber tent with open…

The Work Sharp Benchtop Angle Set Knife Sharpener and KABAR Wrench Knife offer the latest glimpses at the cutlery industry in terms of both maintenance and performance. Including the Angle Set, Work Sharp introduces five new manual sharpeners covering a range of skill levels, edged tools and price points. “There’s something for everybody, from neophytes looking to restore an edge to the experienced sharpener who wants precision geometry,” Work Sharp’s Kyle Crawford noted. KA-BAR, meanwhile, offers what for it, at least, is a different look—and production method—in the Wrench Knife. According to the company’s Joe Bradley, it is KABAR’s first-ever forged knife. “We’re always looking at tools in addition to knives,” he observed. “Many of us at KA-BAR have ties to the construction industry and have inherited old tools from…

A combination of an exquisite knife and watch isn’t exactly for everybody—though most would probably like to have one. So it is with the new T8 Colibri folding knife and UR-T8 Colibri watch combo by leading Italian knifemaker Emmanuel Esposito and Urwerk, respectively. When Urwerk, a leading watchmaker based in Geneva, Switzerland, approached Esposito with an offer to work together and showed him the UR-T8 Colibri watch, Emmanuel said yes without hesitation. “There was the ambition to do something really unique and the space to do it in,” he observed. The T-8’s 416 stainless steel handle frame encases a blade mechanism that runs on ceramic ball bearings. The handle, lock button and blade spine feature black-lip mother-of-pearl mosaic inlays designed with an alternating light technique, which creates a distinctive chromatic…

The Custom Knife Collectors Association (CKCA) has donated $15,000 to the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT) Foundation to help support the new James Black School of Bladesmithing and Historic Trades. The donation was made after CKCA officials toured the school’s newly renovated campus in historic Washington, Arkansas, this past October. UAHT will launch the bladesmithing school in the spring to “celebrate and preserve the bladesmithing art” and the “birth of the famous bowie knife in Arkansas.” The historic campus will offer state-of-the-art facilities and instruction in a setting steeped in the history and heritage of the artistic trade. The purpose of the CKCA is to recognize and promote the artistic significance of handmade knives in the 21st century, to advance their collection and conservation, and to support the craft and…

Folders with cleaver-shaped blades, assisted-opening sharpeners, added emphasis on hot newer steels and high-grade old ones, a Kit Carson reboot—these and many others are among the new factory knives and hones for 2020. Scan this and the following pages for the latest sharp blades and how to keep them that way. And stay tuned to BLADE® Magazine in 2020 for the latest in knife trends, designs, materials and much more. It’s going to be a very sharp year. For the contact information for the knives and sharpeners in the story, see “Sharp Sources” on page 108. For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page at @blade_ magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter. DEKA COMPANY: Hogue Knives BLADE LENGTH: 3.25” BLADE MATERIAL: CPM 20CV…

Moving a well-established 47-year-old business and 34-year-old knife show to another state is not without its risks, but that’s exactly what Nordic Knives did in November 2018 when it left Solvang, California, for Boise, Idaho. Now, after over a year at the new site, company owner and long-time knife purveyor Dave Harvey says the store has settled in and is enjoying healthy knife sales. According to Dave, California’s restrictive knife and handle legality issues made the move necessary. As many BLADE® readers know, California banned the sale of all types of ivory in 2016. “We no longer promote elephant-ivory-handled knives, but there are thousands of outstanding custom knives made with ancient ivories, and not being able to sell these knives was hurting our business to an intolerable extent,” he explained.…

Some of the world’s best custom knives are made in the good ol’ USA and Australia. Check all 14 examples herein and see if you can determine which ones come from which country. There are seven from each nation. Spoiler alert: all those shot by Jim Cooper are from Down Under and all those shot by Whetstone Studio are from Up Top, so don’t read the captions until you’re through choosing. 1 A san-mai blade of 1095 carbon steel clad in copper and nickel, a red gum handle, a guard of brass and copper, and a brass frame and liners help complete the Steampunk fixed blade by Adam Fromholtz. His list price for a similar piece: $1,500. (SharpByCoop image) 2 A 2.45-inch blade of CPM 154 stainless in a hollow…