Innehållsförteckning för October 2022 från Blade

Upward-Spiraling Cost I read Steve Arnone’s lament in the “Readers Respond” of the August BLADE® about the upward-spiraling cost of collector knives. I’m in his same age group (a little older), have also been collecting knives for decades and of course have noticed the same thing—who hasn’t? When he feels sorry for the 12-year-old kids who see today’s knives slipping out of reach of their budgets, I think some clarification is in order due to the difference between collectible custom and factory-made knives. I think Steve is talking mainly about custom knives by known knife-makers as opposed to quality factory-made knives that include, but are not limited to, the Rough Rider variety. My guess is that the majority of kids in the USA who start to collect knives are going…

A new wave of interest has brought the younger generation closer to the forge and to the welcoming classrooms of blade-smiths that are quite willing to share their time, talent and tips to help the youngsters develop their own skills. That interest comes not only from a growing awareness of the beauty of the finished forged blade, but also an appreciation of the time and dedication necessary. American Bladesmith Society (ABS) Master Smith Ray Kirk has been teaching kids bladesmithing for some time, and he sees the investment in the future as time well spent. “Most of the young students usually have a parent that will either make a blade with them or watch the total process,” he commented. “Besides understanding the phrase ‘Strike while the iron is hot,’ they…

SPEC CHECK M-1/MECHFORCE KNIFE STYLE: Flipper folder BLADE LENGTH: 3.5” BLADE STEEL: M390 stainless BLADE THICKNESS AT THICKEST: 1∕8” BLADE GRIND: Full flat BLADE FINISH: Matte BLADE PATTERN: Drop point HANDLE FRAME: 6Al4V titanium HANDLE INSERTS: Mars Valley carbon fiber  POCKET CLIP: Deep set LOCK: Framelock WEIGHT: 5 ozs. CLOSED LENGTH: 411∕16” KNIFE TO KNOW: Features hidden-screw design COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Partially made in the USA MSRP: $385 “THE M-1 BIT INTO 8-OUNCE LEATHER AND DID SO WITH GUSTO.” Most people don’t like carrying a thick knife. They already have enough stuff without a bulky folder blocking access to the other goodies in their pockets. I really like the blade thinness of the M-1 folder by MECHFORCE. Add a deep-set pocket clip and the M-1 is low profile when attached…

Isaiah Schroeder considers his gyuto the best knife he’s made, and the blade’s electrifying stainless damascus pattern and the ergonomic handle make it hard to argue the point. Of the blade Isaiah said, “It’s a pretty simple pattern, one I’ve done in carbon steel quite a bit. A lowlayer lazy twist is what I call it.” It consists of only 11 or so alternating layers that he twists three or four times. “That’s pretty much all it is,” he observed. “I love the way it turns out with the bold layer lines and everything. It looks kind of topographical and I always like that.” The darker steel is AEB-L stainless and the lighter parts are 154CM stainless. “IT LOOKS KIND OF TOPOGRAPHICAL AND I ALWAYS LIKE THAT.”—ISAIAH SCHROEDER He said…

Our annual Forged Knife Special Issue features cover images with a forged theme. Will Stelter’s Serpentine Multi-bar Santoku has a mosaic damascus blade with a most unusual wavy pattern and is one of the knives in the story on mosaic damascus (page 22). Mike Quesenberry’s Turkish Twist Fighter and Henning Wilkinson’s subhilt fighter each won awards at BLADE Show 2022— Quesenberry for Best Damascus and Wilkinson for Best Fighter (page 62). Neels Van Den Berg’s Leaf Dagger took home the American Bladesmith Society’s B. R. Hughes Award for the best knife submitted by an applicant for ABS master smith, a rating that Neels obtained as well during the ABS annual meeting (page 44) at the BLADE Show. All the images of the cover knives are by Eric Eggly/PointSeven. Finally, ABS…

SPEC CHART MODEL: Bowle BLADE LENGTH: 6.3” BLADE MATERIAL: 1095 carbon steel w/hamon BLADE THICKNESS AT RICASSO:.24” BLADE GRIND: Saber BLADE FINISH: Polished to bring out the hamon BLADE WIDTH AT WIDEST: 1.77” HANDLE MATERIAL: Antler BOLSTER: Buffalo horn GUARD & SPACER: Brass OVERALL LENGTH: 11” KNIFE TO KNOW: The maker is a member of the Australian Knifemakers Guild MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $500 and up MAKER: Gunny Forged, attn: Jake Krzenski, Dept. BL10, 27 Bultarra Cres, Kirwan, Queensland, Australia 4871 0475 888 255 gunnyforge@gmail.com (Rod Hoare image) SPEC CHART MODEL: Stowe KNIFE TYPE: Small utility fixed blade  BLADE LENGTH: 2.5” BLADE STEEL: 440A stainless BLADE FINISH: Stonewash HANDLE MATERIAL: Micarta®; hole in butt for a lanyard CONSTRUCTION: Full tang WEIGHT: 3.06 ozs. OVERALL LENGTH: 5.96” SHEATH: Leather belt…

“I read somewhere that a gentleman always carries a pocketknife, and that inspired my EDC habit. As an English teacher in a grade school I don’t need a big working knife, so I carry a Case Pocket Hunter. It serves me well, obviously is lightweight, and with Case it’s easy to find a knife in my school colors.” Jamie Paradise, St. Louis, Missouri For the latest knives, knife news. trends, and more, visit blademag.com. BLADE"’s popular Instagram page \Hblade_magazine. andon 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…

The many moods of mosaic damascus provide the bladesmith and custom knifemaker with an ever-changing form of artistic expression. The possibilities of a new pattern, a different look and yet another lasting impression are endless. For several makers, mosaic has become a signature steel in their presentations, and these imaginative artists are pushing the envelope in an already dazzling array of motifs for blades and knife fittings. In her Riptide pattern, American Bladesmith Society Journeyman Smith and past Forged in Fire champion Kelly Vermeer-Vella provides a great example of the new frontiers being explored with mosaic damascus. “It’s initially called that because it looks like calm waters,” she commented, “but also because the forging process is pretty brutal. So, now I call that process ‘ripping it!’ Sometimes I win and…

An all-time-record-high number of successful applicants for journeyman smith status and knives by domestic and international member makers judged best of the best were among the highlights of the American Bladesmith Society’s annual awards presentation at the BLADE Show June 3-5 in Atlanta. The ABS held its annual awards program show Friday night in the Chancellor Room of the host hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly. ABS President Steve Dunn served as master of ceremonies—and also won the Don Hastings Award by a unanimous vote of the ABS board of directors. But first the award-winning knives and bladesmiths. South Africa’s Neels Van Den Berg not only earned his ABS master smith stamp at the show, he also won the B. R. Hughes Award for the best knife by a master smith…

BEST SWORD MAKER: Vince Evans NAME OF SWORD: Roman Germanic Spatha BLADE LENGTH: 28.75” BLADE STEEL: Composite pattern welded, multifullered HANDLE MATERIAL: Ancient walrus ivory FITTINGS MATERIAL: Ancient walrus ivory and antiqued brass OVERALL LENGTH: 36” SCABBARD: Leather over wood w/antiqued brass mounts SPECIAL FEATURES: Inspired by finds from Illerup Ådal, Denmark, 3rd century A.D.; sole authorship SHARP STUFF: Vince also won Best Fixed Blade for his Italian Cinquedea (page 35, September BLADE®) Some of the world’s best custom knives by some of the best knifemakers extant were saluted in the Custom Knife Judging Competition of BLADE Show 2022 June 3-5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. The custom winners were honored along with the BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards (page 12, September BLADE®) before a packed throng in The Pit of…

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. 1-3 LAS VEGAS, NV The USN Gathering XIII, Planet Hollywood Hotel & Resort. For more information call 305-255-9176 or visit www.usngathering.com.* SEPT. 10 WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, MI Octagon House Knife Show in the Barn. Contact Pat Donovan 586-786-5549 or e-mail patrickjdonovan@wowway.com.* SEPT. 10 LAFAYETTE, LA The 3rd Annual Louisiana Knife Show, Le Beni Grand Event Venue. Contact Stprather.lcka@gmail.com 225-315-8818 lacustomknives.net.* SEPT. 10 BRANSON, MO Central States Hammer-In and Knife Show, Silver Anvil Metalcraft. Contact Paul Brown 417-209-2520 brimstoneknives@gmail.com.* ** SEPT. 17-24 TEXARKANA, TX Hybrid Intro to Bladesmithing Class, the ABS Moran School of Bladesmithing, Texarkana College. Call…