Table of contents for October 2020 in Blade

Golden Age of Knife Collecting? I have been collecting knives since 1972. Around that time I subscribed to your magazine. More than once it was mentioned that the 1970s and ’80s were the “Golden Age” of knife collecting. I believe this to be true. Many of the collectors of today do not know of the great makers of that time. This is truly a shame. There were so many great ones. For instance, I bought my first custom knife in 1972 from Ted Dowell. Ted was one of the founding members of The Knifemakers’ Guild. He made plain, simple, spectacularly well-executed knives. I have three of them. His guarantee was truly something special. It went: “This knife is guaranteed to be, in your opinion, the best knife you have ever…

When the word finally came down that we were going to cancel the BLADE Show (page 24), it was one of those classic love-hate moments. How could we do such a thing? How could we not do such a thing? How could we deprive knife- and BLADE Show-o-philes worldwide of their annual pilgrimage to Atlanta for their mega-dose of the best knifemakers, the latest knives, knife legends, The Pit, old and new knife friends alike, and on and on? Conversely, how could we expose them all to the great unknowns of the pandemic and the possibly dire, even fatal, repercussions from it, not to mention the topsy-turvy, unpredictable potential for unrest in any of today’s major metropolitan areas, including Atlanta? Add an unhealthy dose of conflicting directives from federal, state…

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. AUGUST AUG. 28-30 INDIANAPOLIS, IN Indy 1500 Gun & Knife Show, Indiana State Fairgrounds. Call 405-340-1333 and/orvisit igunshows.com. AUG. 29 SAN FRANCISCO Damasteel Chef Invitational San Francisco 2020, San Francisco Cooking School. For more information call +46 293 306 00, e-mail dci@damasteel.com, or visit damasteel.se/damasteel-chef-invitational/, Instagram: @damasteelab, Hashtags: #DCI2020, Facebook: Damasteel Chef Invitational.* SEPTEMBER CANCELLED! SEPT. 3-5 LAS VEGAS, NV The 12th Annual Gathering of the Usual Suspect Network, Traders’ Cove, Planet Hollywood. For more information contact The USN Gathering, Inc., Dept. BL9, 14216 SW 136th St., Miami, FL 33186 305-255-9176 ext. 215 thegathering@ usngathering.com, usngathering.com.* SEPT. 5-6…

We got snowed in one New Year’s in a rented cabin in the mountains. When I expressed concern about relying on electric heat in a remote cabin, the rental agent assured me that the electricity never went out. In any event, she said, “There was plenty of firewood for the fireplace and an axe. You’re an experienced outdoorsman. I’m sure you can cope.” Of course, the electricity went out. I found about a cord of unsplit logs, each log 6-to-8 inches in diameter and 3 feet long. No split wood. No kindling. No axe. I batonned my ever-present Randall Model 1 around the edges of the logs to make kindling, and split enough wood to keep the fire going until the electricity came back on. Three days. I coped but…

KUKRIS p. 12 APOC, c/o CAS Iberia, attn: B. Pogue, Dept. BL10, 650 Industrial Blvd., Sale Creek, TN 37373-9797 423.332.4700 bpogue@casiberia.com, www. casiberia.com; KA-BAR, attn: J. Bradley, Dept. BL10, 200 Homer St., Olean, NY 14760 800.282.0130 fax 716-790-7188 www.ka-bar.com, info@ka-bar. com; SOG, attn: Matt Crawford, Dept. BL10, 6521 212th St. SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036-7411 425.771.6230 sogsales@sogknives.com, www. sogknives.com; TOPS Knives, attn: Craig Powell, Dept. BL10, 3415 E. 109 N., Idaho Falls, ID 83401 208-542-0113 info@topsknives.com, www. topsknives.com COLLECTING CUSTOMS p. 26 John Denton, c/o Bad Bob’s Knives, Dept. BL10, 706-781-8479 john@boblovelessknives.com; Jerry Fisk, Dept. BL10, 10095 Hwy. 278 W., Nashville, AR 71852 870-845-4456 jerry@jerryfisk. com, jerryfisk.com, Facebook: Jerry Fisk MS Custom Knives HATCHETS p. 54 A.G. Russell Knives, attn: Debbie Myers, Dept. BL10, 2900 S. 26th St., Rogers, AR 72758…

Whatever the job, the camp knife combines both heft and finesse, brawn and precision. Crafting an innovative design takes each of these elements into account. The latest factory camp knives accomplish that goal and prove their worth when it’s time to do the simplest or most taxing of chores. “Our manufacturing processes are different from other production knives,” explained Daniel Winkler of Winkler Knives. “I not only made the design based on my earlier competition knives* that were proven performers, but we also are using high-performance 80CrV2 steel. This, along with a full skeletonized tang and fully ground blade bevels prior to the heat treat, produce a knife I would put up against any others in the field.” The Winkler Camp Knife includes a 9.5-inch blade with an 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. Outside USA: 386-246-3419. 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, 5600 W. Grande Market Dr., Appleton, WI 54913. LETTERS OR ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS: Steve Shackleford, Editor BLADE Magazine 5600 W. Grande Market Dr., Ste. 100 Appleton, WI 54913 or email steve@blademag.com.…

The way a kukri feels in your hand makes you want to obliterate thick foliage and saplings. The blade’s forward-weighted feel, the ultra-secure handle, and the reach the knife provides all work together in an efficient cutting and chopping tool that packs more punch than a machete for tackling the tough stuff. At 16.25 inches overall, the APOC Kukri is a formidable chopper.The 10.25-inch blade of this issue’s cover knife (page 7) is .22-inch-thick 9260 spring steel with a low-glare, rust-resistant black coating. According to CAS Iberia, which counts APOC among its imported brands, 9260 is a higher-silicon version of 5160. Though it doesn’t hold an edge as long as some other steels, expect it to be easy to maintain in the field. It also is a forgiving material, able…

In the first part of this three-part series last time, we discussed collectible users—knives that are primarily bought to be used on the next hunting or fishing trip. Whether the maker was well known or not did not matter, as the knives became part of the owner’s collection primarily because of their sentimental value. This time we will discuss knives that were users at one time. They were bought primarily for the same reasons the collectible users were purchased. It was only decades later that these makers became household names and their knives were sought the world over. LEGEND NEEDS KNIFE In December 1953 a merchant marine based out of New York was in search of a knife made by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bo Randall. The merchant marine’s…

A.G. Russell Knives, Inc. www.agrussell.comag@agrussell.com Adams Intl Knifeworks - AIK www.adamsknifeworks.comadamsknifeworks.com@gmail.com Automatic & Customized Knife Specialists Admiral Steel www.admiralsteel.comterry@admiralsteel.com Widest Range of Stock for Blade Needs. Alaska - Northern Knives www.northernknives.comA Real Store & Working Knife Shop! American Edge www.americanedgeknives.cominfo@americanedgeknives.com 320-393-2792 We have A Knife For Every Life Artknives.com www.artknives.comfred@fredeisenleather.com Andre de Villiers www.advtactical.co.zaFacebook - Andre de Villiers adv44sales@gmail.com Butcher SOB folders. Arizona Custom Knives www.arizonacustomknives.comsharptalk@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.cominfo@dozierknives.com BladeGallery.com www.bladegallery.com www.bladeconnection.com www.epicedge.com BladeOps, LLC www.bladeops.comtrevor@bladeops.com Bob Dozier Knives www.dozierknives.cominfo@dozierknives.com Buckeye Engraving www.BuckeyeEngraving.comMake Your Mark Manufacturer of Custom Hand Stamps, Dies and Brands CRKT www.crkt.cominfo@crkt.com Culpepper & Co., Inc. www.knifehandles.com www.oldschoolknifeworks.com www.stingrayproducts.cominfo@culpepperco.com Cutlery Specialties www.restorationproduct.comdennis13@aol.com…

No doubt you’ve heard the saying, “It’s not about the destination but about the journey.” For knifemakers passionate about their craft, that journey has many roads they can follow. One is the draw of the bowie, an incredible knife with a legendary past connected to the American West. In so many ways it is considered an American icon—so much so that worldwide the knife is tied to U.S. history. From great battles such as the Alamo to everyday defense on the frontier, the bowie has been there. This article focuses on four makers who heard the bowie’s call and answered it in style. Each put a bit of his heart and soul into the legendary design, with his choice of what makes a bowie to him. COLOR and INTRICACY Most…

Don’t be surprised when other camp knife options emerge in the near future. While Fällkniven keeps upcoming products close to the vest, Chris Brooks says Buck is working hard to present a smaller version of the Talon—same function, smaller package. Tony Aliffi adds that Boker USA already sports a strong lineup of camp knives in the Boker German, Arbolito and Boker Plus brands, but more will be coming soon. Daniel Winkler has recently designed a new survival knife for the U.S. Air Force with features that cross over readily into the camp knife role. Stay honed for more details.…

The APOC Kukri by APOC features a 10.25-inch blade of black-coated 9260 spring steel with the iconic bend about halfway that creates a change of angle at the spine and dip into a deep belly that helps create a kukri’s familiar weight-forward design for chopping, hacking and slashing. The blade is .21 inch thick where it meets the single guard. The steel’s Rockwell hardness of 56 HRC should be ideal for the malleability required to withstand high impact blows on wood and other similar materials. The blade sports a version of the classic kukri notch at the choil. The full-tang, humpbacked handle is milled G-10 and features a finger groove and a bird’sbeak butt. Weight: 1 pound, 7 ounces. Overall length: 16.25 inches. The sheath is MOLLE compatible. Country of…

“These two are always with me—a fixed-blade pocket knife by Guy Stainthorp and a slip joint by Shing. Both are respected UK makers.” Stephen Brook, Halifax, Yorkshire, United Kingdom “I recently discovered and now carry a CRKT Offbeat II. Designed by Pat Crawford, it locks as solidly as any knife I’ve ever had, and the front release truly makes it a one-hand knife. The blade is decent stainless steel, 8Cr13MoV, and is shaped almost like the A.G. Russell One Hand Knife. It’s truly a great EDC! I also usually have a Buck 112 on my belt.” Ed Little, Alvarado, Texas “Depending on what I’ll be using it for, I may carry any one of several knives, though my usual EDC is a Bear & Son Aluminum Slip Joint.” Jack R.…

“I’m an old-school machinist. I started on old overhead belt-drive machines.”— Murray Sterling Murray Sterling has seen a lot and done a lot in his 91 years on this earth. For the past 30, he’s made a name for himself as a custom knifemaker. When approached about doing a story for BLADE® that focuses in part on his age, he agreed without hesitation. “I’m proud that I’m still here to talk about it!” he grinned. “I love to go out to the shop and do this stuff. I don’t have any real physical ailments and I’m steady enough. I can do just about anything—and I just love doing it. It’s therapy!” In terms of making knives, Murray seems to be at his best these days. He attributes it all to…

SPEC CHART KNIFE PATTERN: Bowie BLADE LENGTH: 10” BLADE MATERIAL: Damascus of 1075 spring and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels DAMASCUS PATTERN: Phoenix Rising BLADE GRIND: Convex HANDLE: Desert ironwood GUARD: Integral construction OVERALL LENGTH: 15.5” KNIFE TO KNOW: Jackson Rumble is a journeyman smith in the American Bladesmith Society MAKER’S LIST PRICE FOR A SIMILAR PIECE: $3,000 MAKER: Jackson Rumble +61 0428754614 rumblejackson@gmail. com, Instagram: @ rumble_knives (Caleb Royer edited image) SPEC CHART KNIFE PATTERN: Tear-drop jack BLADE LENGTHS: 2.75” (wharncliffe) and 1.75” (pen) BLADE STEEL: CPM 154 stainless HANDLE: Antique shell BOLSTER: 416 stainless CLOSED LENGTH: 3 5/8” ENGRAVER: Joe Mason MAKER’S LIST PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $3,500 MAKER: Bill Ruple, Dept. BL10, 201 Brian Dr., Pleasanton, TX 78064 830-570-0056 rupleknives@live.com, Instagram/Facebook: @Bill Ruple/Bill Ruple (SharpByCoop image) SPEC CHART…