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CUSTOM MADE FOR OUTDOOR KNIVES

OCTOBER 2021

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Ontario Keene Valley Hunter

US $5.95 CAN $6.95 10

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DISPLAY UNTIL 11/2/2021

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OCTOBER 2021

CONTENTS

Travis Payne’s Gal Leg knife.

(Caleb Royer image)

82

42

Marlin/Swordfish auto by Charles Gedraitis.

(Whetstone Studio image)

E BEACH! Choose one of these fresh fixed blades for your fall hunts.

Hot new venue and hotter knives foreshadow BLADE Show West.

By Dexter Ewing

By BLADE staff

22 CONSTANT COMPANION

54 RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

By Mike Haskew

By Les Robertson

30 HALL-OF-FRAME HANDLES

58 DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY

By Jason Fry

By Pat Covert

36 HEIRLOOMS OF TIME

64 TO THE POINT

By Mike Haskew

By Ed Fowler

42 BLADE SHOW CUSTOM KINGS PART II

68 INSPIRED BY A PIONEER

By Steve Shackleford

By David H. Ellis and Co.

44 CARBON FIBER SPRING

82 THE GAL LEG KNIFE

By BLADE® staff

By BLADE staff

The correct sheath completes a proper hunting knife package.

Are you up to the challenges of a frame-handle knife project?

Stunning custom period pieces link the past to the present.

The balance of the winners epitomizes awesome talent.

D.R. Davis makes a slip-joint spring out of carbon fiber.

[4 ]

Know the features of today’s top custom utility hunters.

Contemporary factory capers are crucial to skinning fall game.

German U-boats, bat guano, ball-bearing steel and tip strength.

Sam Lurquin makes the Bill Bagwell Tribute Bowie.

Payne piece has all the right curves in all the right places.

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Order at chrisreeve.com

SPOTLIGHT 6 | READERS RESPOND 7 | COVER STORY 10 | UNSHEATHED 20 | THE KNIFE I CARRY 47 | WHERE TO GET ’EM 72 | SHOW CALENDAR 74 | BLADE SHOPPE 76 | WHERE TO NET ’EM 78 | WHAT’S NEW 81 | NEXT IN BLADE®

SEBENZA 31 UNIQUE GRAPHIC

58

Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper.

(Pat Covert image)

48 Enrique Pena South Texas Trapper.

(SharpByCoop image)

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[ READERS RESPOND ] A Commander and Not A 41 I received the August BLADE® and read with great interest the excellent article about the chute knife and its designer, Harry Archer.

However, on page 14 the caption for the photo of the chute knife and the pistol has a bit of misinformation. The gun is not a Smith & Wesson Model 41 but pretty much looks to me to be a Colt 1911 Commander.

The article is excellent, especially the information about Archer.

“THE GUN IS AN ACTUAL LOVELESS MODIFIED.” —JOHN DENTON

Wayne Dengler, a letter via email Editor’s note: The knife and gun in the image belong to John Denton of Bad Bob’s Knives (BobLovelessKnives.com), who served as a key source for the chute knife story. Here is John’s reply: Mr. Dengler has a sharp eye. It is a Colt Commander. The gun in the photo used to belong to Steve Johnson. Steve wrote the following information about the gun headlined “SR Johnson .45 Colt Commander” on Nov. 24, 1997: “Serial # 70M 02380. Steve and Bob Loveless ordered two identical Colt NM .45 in the early 1970s. They ordered (2) Colt Commander slides and King Gun Works in Pasadena did the hard chroming on both guns. Bob Loveless machined the front sight and did the insert work. The rear sights were also added by Bob. Bob drilled the slides and machined two set screws which were a ‘Gustine’ accurizing technique. The recoil rods are even different and have a piston built in to aid in accuracy. Only two were made by Loveless and both he and Steve got one pistol.”

The gun is an actual Loveless modified. Most of the work went on inside it. I had photographer Hiro Soga examine the gun, as he wrote an article on it 10 years ago. Hiro is a pro shooter. He took it apart and his eyes got wide and said, “Bob was 20 years beyond the factory.” The trigger pressure is so light and smooth. In fact, I just took a look at the gun and it is a

super smooth action.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @ blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

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Call 920-471-4522.

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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.

ADVERTISING: Contact Lori McDaniel at 715-498-3768 or lori@gundigest.com, or

[6 ]

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]

his issue’s four featured cover knives are all utility hunters, each representing some of the finest of their genre in the factory realm. From top they are the Kizlyar Supreme Caspian, Case Winkler Kyle Lamb Hunter, Spyderco Bow River and Ontario Keene Valley Hunter. To see how they fair in testing, all their vital specifications and more, read Dexter Ewing’s story on page 12.

The floral handcarved strap pouch sheath at top left is by Kenny Rowe of Rowe’s Leather. Check out it and other of today’s top hunter sheaths in Mike Haskew’s story on page 22.

The Eastern-style fixed blade at top right is a pesh-kabz by ABS master smith Jordan LaMothe, winner of Best Fighter and Hugh Bartrug Best Of Show at BLADE Show 2021. For more on it and the balance of the winners in the BLADE Show’s knife judging competition, see part two of Steve Shackleford’s story on page 42.

Whetstone Studio photographed LaMothe’s knife, Rowe supplied the image of the sheath, and the participating knife companies supplied the images of the four hunters. The knife at bottom photographed

by SharpByCoop is Keith Johnson’s Side

By Side Tail Lock Trapper. For more on it, see page 79.

T

For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE WORLD’S #1 KNIFE PUBLICATION Vol. XLVII, No. 13, October 2021

Publishers Of

Editorial/Advertising Office: 5600 W. Grande Market Drive, Suite 100, Appleton, WI 54913 920.471.4522 • blademag.com steve@blademag.com

Caribou Media Group Publisher

JIM SCHLENDER Editor

STEVE SHACKLEFORD Managing Editor

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ELWOOD SHELTON Sr. Art Director

GENE COO Art Director

NADIA SVERDLOVA Field Editors

MSG KIM BREED, ABE ELIAS, DEXTER EWING, ED FOWLER, MIKE HASKEW, B.R. HUGHES, LES ROBERTSON, JOE SZILASKI, RICHARD D. WHITE ADVERTISING SALES Associate Publisher

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SUBSCRIPTIONS/CUSTOMER SERVICE U.S.: 877.485.6426 Canada & Foreign: 760.407.2304 Email: blade@pcspublink.com P.O. Box 460220, Escondido, CA 92046-0220

BLADE ® Magazine, (ISSN 1064-5853) is published monthly plus one extra issue in November, by Caribou Media Group, LLC dba Gun Digest Media LLC. Corporate headquarters is 5600 W. Grande Market Dr., Suite 100, Appleton, WI 54913. Periodicals postage paid at Appleton, WI 54913, and at additional mailing offices. Canadian Agreement No. 40665675. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BLADE® Magazine, P.O. Box 460220, Escondido, CA 92046-0220. BLADE® and its logo are registered trademarks. Other names and logos referred to or displayed in editorial or advertising content may be trademarked or copyrighted.

BLADE assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials sent to it.

Publisher and advertisers are not liable for typographical errors that may appear in prices or descriptions in advertisements. The possession, transportation and sale of certain types of knives is restricted or prohibited by federal, state and local laws. BLADE® and Caribou Media rely upon the fact that collectors, purveyors/dealers, exhibitors, advertisers and manufacturers are expected to know and comply with these regulations.

[8 ]

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UNSHEATHED ]

BY STEVE SHACKLEFORD

t was a late ’80s SHOT Show. I had been with BLADE® for only a short while and was still wet behind the ears. BLADE Magazine Cutlery HallOf-Fame® member Bruce Voyles—at the time, BLADE editor and publisher and my boss—and I were eating lunch in a sandwich shop that adjoined the show when he espied two older gentlemen doing the same.

“See those guys?” Bruce asked. “That’s Ken Warner and Jack Lewis. They’re legends, the ones most outdoor writers want to be like.”

What went unspoken was that Bruce saw them as mentors. Warner, of course, created the KNIVES annual and went on to be inducted into the Cutlery Hall Of Fame and no telling how many other halls of fame. Somehow, Lewis, the driving force behind the old Gun Digest Book of Knives, an early go-to industry publication, has never made it into the Cutlery Hall Of Fame, though he no doubt is in several others. Maybe one day that oversight will be corrected.

Anyhow, the point here is we all have mentors. If you don’t, look for those that you admire in your chosen field of endeavor. Study what they do and how they do it, and figure out how to emulate it, or, if you can’t emulate it, how you can best adapt it to your vocation or avocation.

Mentors come in all sizes, ages, sexes and colors. For example, even though I’m almost four months older than Bruce, he was and, in a number of ways, remains one of my mentors. Many of the things he taught me, not only about knives but about writing and editing in general, I continue to use today. I have other mentors but I don’t want to start naming names because I no doubt would forget and omit some.

In fact, mentors don’t have to be highly experienced or steeped in knowledge.

They can even be young children who remind you of how to enjoy life, people or events in ways new to you or in ways you

I

[ 10 ]

Jack Lewis was the driving force behind the old Gun Digest Book of Knives, an early go-to industry publication.

may have forgotten over the years.

Knifemakers are famous for having mentors. Talk to the makers you admire and ask them who their mentors are.

You might be surprised by some of the answers they give. Whichever mentors’ names they provide, take note for future reference. At some point you may need to contact them for advice.

Cultivating mentors is an art. You don’t want to just go up to someone you’ve never met and blurt out a question. Introduce yourself, maybe tell the person you have admired his/her work over the years, etc.

Treat them with dignity and respect and, when you have established a decent rapport, then ask them for advice.

One of the best things about mentors is they won’t be toppled like statues or monuments. They are living, breathing sources of information and history that teach until their time on this earth is done. And if they have passed their wis-

dom on to you, their legacy and knowledge remains alive. Then, you become a mentor and pass on that information, history, knowledge and wisdom.

All things considered, it is a circle that remains unbroken—or at least unbroken for a very long time. And that can be a very good thing.

Who is your mentor? Email or write us to the applicable address at bottom right of page 6 and tell us who your mentor is and why. Include a high resolution image or print image of you with your mentor or the mentor alone, and we will share it with BLADE readers.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @ blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter

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FIELD HUNTERS ]

BY DEXTER EWING BLADE® FIELD EDITOR

Cruising for a Using

s the fall outdoor season approaches, it’s important to assess your gear and decide if you need to purchase new equipment—hunting knives included. It’s time to maintain what you have or buy brand new models that will assist in camp chores and/or dressing game.

Fixed-blade hunters play an important role on the hunt as they do a lot more than just field dress. They also help prepare meals, prep firewood for cooking, and any other cutting chores that crop up.

An example of one of the latest such edged tools is the ADK Keene Valley Hunter from Ontario Knife Co. The wide drop-point blade of 420HC stainless steel adapts to cutting or camp tasks easily. It offers plenty of belly to do the aforementioned chores and field dressing, too. Full-tang construction provide plenty of strength and balance. Interesting multicolor Micarta® scales supply a great grip in all weather conditions, and are highly resistant to cracking, chipping and peeling. The material’s highly stable nature and purchase qualities make it

A

The hollow grind of the Kizlyar Supreme Caspian helps give the blade plenty of bite suitable for finer tasks such as whittling and food prep. The blade is D2 tool steel, a material widely known for its toughness.

[ 12 ]

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tip along with a prominent swedge. The bowie shape does equally well in the tactical and outdoor genres, a great overall pattern for both a tool and weapon. The hollow grind thins out the edge and gives the blade an extremely good bite.

D2 has respectable edge-holding ability and is widely used in the production knife industry as an upgrade to lowergrade steels. It is well known for toughness and high impact resistance, which makes it an ideal inexpensive steel for outdoor knives.

The ergonomic handle features multiple finger recesses, and the butt turns

“THE KNIFE RESTS IN YOUR HAND COMFORTABLY AND HAS NO HOT SPOTS OR CRISP EDGES.” —THE AUTHOR The four review cover hunters, from left (with the manufacturers’ suggested retail prices in parentheses): Ontario ADK Keene Valley Hunter ($132.95), Case Winkler Kyle Lamb Hunter ($353.99), Kizlyar Supreme Caspian ($125) and Spyderco Bow River ($60).

a favorite among users. The scales are tapered from the handle spine, allowing the knife to rest in your hand comfortably. The integral single guard and distinctive choil work in harmony to enable you to choke up on the handle for ever-greater cutting control and user confidence.

While 420HC is not my blade material of choice on such a knife, it has a good combination of both edge holding and ease of sharpening. Rounding out the package is a nicely sewn and riveted leather sheath that sports button-snap retention to hold the knife. Sheaths are often an area some manufacturers cut corners on to save money and hit the targeted price point, but not the ADK Keene Valley. The sheath is very nice in quality and holds the knife quite securely.

The handle feels a bit blocky but there

are no crisp edges or anything to create hot spots. Micarta is one of my favorite handle materials due to its strength, light weight and color selection. It also has a nice grip-you-back quality. At 11.2 ounces the knife has a noticeable heft. The blade at its thickest is around .2 inch, which also contributes to the heavier weight but also plenty of thickness to withstand tough, unforgiving use. The flat grind thins it out nicely yet remains thick enough for strength. With its wide blade and generous belly, the knife slices really well—one of the traits to look for in a hunter.

FROM Russia WITH cut Ten inches overall, the Kizlyar Supreme Caspian features a hollow-ground blade of D2 tool steel and a handle of hornbeam wood. The classic clip-point-bowie blade never gets old and has a defined

Heavy-duty built in the USA, the Ontario ADK Keene Valley Hunter shrugs off hard-use tasks such as batonning. Overall length: 9.4 inches.

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[ FIELD HUNTERS ] down to form a pinky catch to prevent your hand from sliding rearward. The tang helps form an integral single guard, resulting in a comfortable, smart, secure handle design. Largely flat, the scales are secured via two hex-head screws. The handle edges are contoured for comfort.

The leather sheath is a riveted, sewn fold-over design. As a nice visual touch, contrasting thread is used for the stitching. The belt loop is a dangler type, allowing the knife to ride a bit lower when affixed to the belt, as well as promoting greater freedom of movement to accommodate you in a seated position. Not every fixed blade has this sheath design and it is a plus in my book. To top things off, the sheath is stamped with the Kizlyar Supreme logo and website address.

The knife performs very well. It has the power to slice through various media with ease. It’s somewhat large for a hunter but does multiple cutting jobs, including camp chores and some food processing. The hornbeam scales are not stabilized so extra care might be required, such as but not limited to drying off the handle immediately after you wash the knife.

Avid outdoorsman/custom knifemaker Phil Wilson designed the Spyderco Bow River. The trailing-point blade has a gentle sweeping belly that slices with abandon, along with a mirror-like finish that cleans up quickly and easily. Overall length: 8.1 inches.

When batonned on the blade spine, the high flat grind of the Case Winkler Kyle Lamb Hunter acts as a wedge to split wood.

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[ FIELD HUNTERS ] The 5.4-inch clip-point blade of the Kizlyar Supreme Caspian provides plenty of sharpened real estate to process camp tasks. Overall length: 10 inches.

“IT’S SOMEWHAT LARGE FOR A HUNTER BUT DOES MULTIPLE CUTTING JOBS.” —THE AUTHOR to sail through media easily.

The handle is rounded, contoured black-and-gray G-10. The alternating colored layers form a wood-grain-type pattern that is very eye catching. The knife rests in your hand comfortably and has no hot spots or crisp edges. The way the end of the handle is rounded off tucks into your palm snugly. Some with larger hands might find the handle a bit lacking but for me it’s just right. The surface finish is slick and devoid of texturing, though with the way the handle is shaped you can always get a secure hold no matter what. There is a large hole in the butt for a lanyard. The leather sheath is a sewn and riveted fold-over design with belt loop. It’s simple and executed very well, just like the Bow River. The knife fits in-

ALL the RIGHT moves The FB46G Bow River is one of Spyderco's latest fixed blades. The design by custom knifemaker Phil Wilson is based on his experience as an avid hunter and fisherman. Spyderco has produced several of Wilson’s fixed-blade designs but those were always higher-end knives in terms of materials and price—until now.

The Bow River is designed for the budget-minded outdoor enthusiast who demands performance and superior design in an edged field companion. Starting with the blade, 8Cr13MoV stainless steel is used for a good balance of edge holding and ease of resharpening in the field. The 4.36-inch blade is big enough to tackle most hunting chores but small enough to easily manipulate, as well as carry comfortably in a belt sheath. Wilson selected a trailing point blade design due to its generous sweeping belly that tackles slicing chores with ease. The full flat grind and distal taper enable the blade

[ 16 ]

The deep-bellied blade of the Ontario ADK Keene Valley Hunter slices large cutting jobs down to size. ADK is short for the Adirondack Mountains, a range in Ontario’s home state of New York.

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[ FIELD HUNTERS ]

“THE FLAT GRIND THINS IT OUT NICELY YET REMAINS THICK ENOUGH FOR STRENGTH.” —THE AUTHOR

side the sheath well.

As for performance, it is definitely one efficient cutting tool. It is a well-designed fixed blade regardless of price. It is tailored for fine precision work such as field dressing and camp food prep. It would make a great kitchen knife as well.

SUBSTANTIAL TOOL The Case Winkler Kyle Lamb Hunter salutes the design expertise of Daniel Winkler and military service of retired U.S. Army Sergeant Kyle Lamb. The 5-inch spear-point blade’s saber grind leaves enough material for strength—the full .195-inch thickness runs to the tip—but removes enough to thin the blade out for effective cutting. The choil and pronounced thumb rest help exert extra control when choking up on the blade. The 80CrV2 carbon steel is extremely tough and sharpens easily.

The black canvas Micarta® handle offers a great grip in most all weather conditions. It is rounded for comfort and has no hot spots. Two thong-tube pins secure the slabs, and there’s an extra-large oblong hole in the butt for a lanyard.

The knife is a substantial tool. It has a good heft that conveys a solid feel and instills user confidence. It is equally at home as a tactical or outdoor knife because it has the features of both: great user blade shape, ergonomic handle and superior-grade materials. The blade is scary sharp out of the box. It dispatches large cutting jobs easily and quickly. Because the handle accommodates most hands very well, you can easily bear down and power through media. And when finesse is needed, you can choke up on the choil and thumb rest. The spear-

[ 18 ]

The Spyderco Bow River is tailored for fine precision work such as field dressing and food prep in camp. It would make a great kitchen knife as well. (Spyderco image)

point blade adapts to a wide range of tasks.

One word of note: some might find the gimping on the thumb rest and choil a bit harsh. It does bite into flesh just a bit but that can be a good thing, especially when your hands are wet, covered in animal blood or freezing. The gimping also works well if you wear gloves. They do a great job of biting into the glove material to keep the knife positioned in your grip.

The Kydex sheath is top notch. Instead of a typical fold-over design it is a riveted one that incorporates a phenolic spacer material. The interior is lined with a felttype material to reduce clatter. The exterior sports a laser cutout of Lamb’s Vi-

king Tactics logo, a very nice touch. On the reverse side is a heavy-duty metal clip that affixes the knife to belts up to 2 inches wide. The knife fits firmly inside the sheath with absolutely no play and no fear of falling out whatsoever.

For the contact information for the makers of the pictured knives, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @ blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

The Case Winkler Kyle Lamb Hunter serves well in outdoor or tactical settings. The 80CrV2 carbon steel blade provides the horsepower to tackle a variety of cuts. Overall length: 9.5 inches.

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THE KNIFE I CARRY ]

My wife took this picture while I was waiting for her car to be serviced. I was fully engrossed in the article about the chute knives. Love your magazine. My normal everyday carry is a CRKT Piet and I primarily collect Case teardrops.”

Jim Grimes, Greencastle, Indiana

The knife I carry is a Benchmade Lum. It has a 3.25-inch blade and is 4.75 inches closed. It is smooth opening and locks tight. Its size and pocket clip make it comfortable to carry. I also keep an unused one in my collection.”

I carry the all-black Scoria folder

by Artisan Cutlery. The handle fits my hand great and cuts like a good knife should.”

Emory Livingston, a letter via e-mail

Frank Ricco, Shoreline, Washington

!

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 November 15. Mail to: BLADE , 5600 W. Grande Market Dr., Ste. 100, Appleton, WI 54913, or e-mail steve@blademag.com. If you send your entry by e-mail, please include your physical mailing address in case you win the knife.

[ 20 ]

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2021

[ HUNTER SHEATHS ]

BY MIKE HASKEW BLADE® FIELD EDITOR

Constant Companion The correct sheath is pivotal to the complete hunting knife package or the hunter in the field, a dependable and durable hunting knife is indispensable equipment, and it follows that the sheath that holds the knife must be equally up to the task.

Secure carry, protection for the blade and handle, easy access, and the ability to stand up to the elements and hard use are essential.

While there is a variety of sheaths available and each one contributes something to the equation, the sheathmakers themselves have come to eye-opening conclusions as to the

F

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making and deployment of the correct sheath for the hunting knife. Personal preference is still a prime mover, but the basics make the difference between cooperation and catastrophe in the field.

“The best style for a hunting knife sheath is whatever the hunter wants,” explained veteran sheath-

maker Paul Long. “Personal preference is very important. However, the knife that would best be described as a hunter would be best suited in a deep seat pouch with a loop that would carry relatively high on the belt. In most cases the deep pouch would preclude the need for a retention strap. For a double-guard

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hunter, a drop-loop belt sheath would probably be best with a snap strap for secure retention.”

Depending on the style of the knife, the guard often dictates the best pouch configuration. “I favor the pouch-type sheath, and the hunting knife generally has a single guard as opposed to a double guard,” related sheathmaker Paul Lebatard, who also has found success with his custom knives through the years. “I make a lot of doubles, too. You would have to make a snap-type sheath with a keeper strap, but on hunting knives with single guards the pouch type is always best.”

A sheathmaker for over 50 years, Chris Kravitt zeroes in on the personal preference perspective. “First and foremost, it’s a matter of the configuration of the knife, and then if more than one style will work

it becomes a matter of personal preference,” he observed. “My preference is to go with the pouch because it is easier to draw and resheathe the knife without worrying about straps.”

At the same time, Kravitt acknowledges varying hunting knife construction and its influence in sheath form and function. “If a knife has a double guard, it isn’t going to work on a pouch sheath, and if you have a knife with an integral handle, possibly,” he said. “Certain things don’t lend themselves to the traditional style, like when the blade is the widest part of the knife or there is no bolster or ricasso extending beyond the edge.”

Kenny Rowe, owner of Rowe’s Leather in Hope, Arkansas, adds another option on the hunting knife sheath. “Ninety percent of these sheaths would be the pouch

Knifemaker Paul Lebatard shows off one of his custom hunting-knife-and-sheath packages.

type because they cover most of the knife, and with the guard you can make a welt where the knife has some resistance coming in and out,” he noted. “Some sheaths will have a lid that has a snap on it, and that is as secure as you can get with the flap snapping over the front of the sheath.”

The consensus with the pouch sheath makes sense for all the reasons that the hunter encounters in the field. For its toughness and the ability to shape and mold the sheath as desired during the construction process, cowhide reigns supreme among sheath materials. Most sheathmakers use 7-to-9-ounce* vegetable-tanned cowhide.

STYLE POINTS The use of exotics such as ostrich, stingray, alligator, crocodile or other hides is a continuing option, though for the most part they are used as accents, often in the form of inlays, rather than adding any performance-related component to the sheath.

“Exotics are very useful in sheathmaking but primarily for aesthetics,” Long explained. “Elephant and shark are two that are tough enough to withstand very hard use and are usually built as an overlay on a vegetable-tanned base sheath. I work with various snakes, lizard, ostrich and many others.”

As Kravitt noted, “The basic sheath is going to be cowhide 99 percent of the time, but for overlays and inlays my favorite is stingray, which is near bulletproof but more expensive and harder to work with—but great stuff. Ostrich leg or shin is very nice, and Malaysian horned frog has a very nice texture to it. Snakeskin is not very durable, but it’s fine when the knife and sheath are for show since it won’t hold up with regular use.”

Tooling and carving also provide style points and may be pleasing to the eye.

“ON HUNTING KNIVES WITH SINGLE GUARDS, THE POUCH TYPE IS ALWAYS BEST.” —PAUL LEBATARD

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Sheathmaker Chris Kravitt prefers a pouch sheath “because it is easier to draw and resheathe the knife without worrying about straps.” His belt model includes some fancy carving. (Chris Kravitt image)

However, neither actually contributes to the performance of the sheath in field use. “I occasionally do some tooling with stamps, but carving is a talent I don’t have,” Lebatard remarked. “Still, on almost every sheath I’ll put something in keeping with the theme of the knife, like a small deer. Someone might place an order and specify that they just want a bare, plain sheath, or they may want just their initials on it. That’s a good thing about leather. When it is wet it can be molded and stamped, and when it dries it will hold that impression.”

TANNING and STEEL Vegetable tanning is essential when the blade meets the sheath leather for an extended period. In contrast to chrometanned leather, a vegetable-tanned leather is not known to corrode or stain a blade left in the sheath for any length of time.

That old admonition to store the knife itself separately from the sheath will then

get a longer look.

“A lot of people say not to store knives in the sheaths, but as long as the sheath is made of good vegetable-tanned leather, I’ve never had a problem,” Lebatard noted. “I made a knife for a friend a few years ago and he didn’t want a sheath. He was going to get someone else to make the sheath for him. Several years later, he brought the knife to me and he had had it in a chrome-tanned leather sheath. It was nearly rusted through. The chrometanned leather is very corrosive.”

Kravitt has had similar experiences.

“I hear so many people say not to store knives in leather sheaths, but I have kept knives in sheaths for years and never had a problem,” he recalled. “My sheaths are all vegetable tanned as opposed to chrome tanned. Chrome-tanned leather may have salts and other things in it.”

DRAINAGE and INSERTS Waterproofing is another essential element, and in the construction itself there are questions surrounding drain-

age holes and inserts as well.

Most sheathmakers shy away from inserts since contact with the blade may dull the edge. After all, the welt and/or strap should suffice for a snug fit. Inserts in and of themselves may be judged to provide some measure of redundancy, but contribute little to the overall stability of the lockup or in protecting the knife itself. Long says, “Even the best inserts, being rigid, will do more harm to a blade than top grain leather.”

“THE BEST STYLE FOR A HUNTING KNIFE SHEATH IS WHATEVER THE HUNTER WANTS.” —PAUL LONG

Exotic leathers make great inlay materials, and Paul Long uses various animal skins, including snake, lizard, ostrich and others. He employs ostrich for the red inlay on the sheath of a fixed-blade utility knife by Julian Antunes.

(SharpByCoop images)

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HUNTER SHEATHS

]

At first glance it might appear that a drainage hole is a good idea to help maintain cleanliness and prevent the buildup of moisture or debris within the sheath. Not so fast!

“I do not ordinarily put a drain hole in my sheaths,” Long asserted. “Nor do I do any waterproofing of the interior of the

sheath. Rather, I depend on the normal intelligence of my client to not go swimming with their sheath, and to at least try to clean the blood and guts off the blade before reinsertion.” Rowe agrees.

“I don’t see any sense in it,” he commented. “I can count on one

“A HUNTER WOULD BE BEST SUITED IN A DEEP SEAT POUCH WITH A LOOP THAT WOULD CARRY RELATIVELY HIGH ON THE BELT.”—PAUL LONG

The different decorations Kenny Rowe offers with his sheaths include, from left: smooth; border tooled; basket weave; acorn and oak leaf hand carving; exotic skin overlay (gator); exotic skin inlay (beaver tail); and exotic skin full coverage (ostrich leg). (Kenny Rowe image)

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Paul Long offers up cool basket-weave tooling on a leather sheath for a field knife by Nathan Carothers.

(SharpByCoop image)

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Ultimately, Chris Kravitt—here working on a sheath in his shop—stands by the individual perspective. “First and foremost,” he begins, “it’s a matter of the configuration of the knife, and then if more than one style will work it becomes a matter of personal preference.” (Chris Kravitt image)

hand the number of sheaths I’ve made with drain holes in them, and I’ve been making sheaths for 35 years at least. The only time I would expect someone to have their sheath in really wet conditions would be if they accidentally rolled into a deep river or their boat sank. I wouldn’t expect someone to haul off into neck deep water with their hunting gear on.

For debris, it’s easy enough to take a wire with a little hook in the end and just rake the sheath out, or blow it out with air, or stand it upside down and shake it or tap it on a table.”

Kravitt, on the other hand, will utilize a drain hole and an insert from time to time. Often, the insert itself is fashioned from leather to avoid additional friction against the knife edge. The employment of the drain hole is in direct response to the future use of the gear in the field.

“If I know the sheath will be used in harsher conditions, I think it should have a drain hole,” he remarked, “not just for draining moisture, but also removing debris—especially when the user has spent a lot of time in the woods.”

Sheathmakers do tend to rely on the owner of the product and of the hunting knife to exercise responsibility in the field. “Explain to the client, if they are a novice, about the ‘care and feeding of a leather sheath,’” Long smiled.

BEST PRACTICES The well-crafted sheath is the constant companion of the hunting knife, either in the field or a collector’s cabinet, and the best measure of the sheath’s contribution is its role in that partnership. For the sheath to function properly, owners must remember the fundamentals of hunting

æ³Ã hÍæÛÞ XC h ä ĊĊĊļ Û «ÍÛ Áɳĉ¡Þļ ÍÈ Kenny Rowe’s different options for sheath attachment include, from left: integral fold-over belt loop, Hi-Ride Cross Draw, Hi-Ride Strong Side and Severe Cross Draw (horizontal). (Kenny Rowe image) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

www.blacksmithsdepot.com Kayne and Son

100 Daniel Ridge Rd Candler NC 28715 USA PHONE: 828-667-8868 On almost every sheath, Paul Lebatard puts something in keeping with the theme of the knife, such as a small deer. “That’s a good thing about leather,” he observed. “When it is wet it can be molded and stamped, and when it dries it will hold that impression.” (Paul Lebatard image)

knife care. Keep both the knife and sheath clean. Wipe away moisture and other fluids. Maintain the surfaces as needed. Don’t put the knife away wet and expect the sheath to do more than expected.

Adhering to best practices will ensure long life for both the hunting knife and its all-important sheath. *According to the Montana Leather Co. website (montanaleather.com), leather thickness is typically measured in ounces.

For instance, an ounce of leather is equal to 1⁄64 inch. As a result, 7-to-9 ounce leather will be in the ⅛ inch range, give or take a few millimeters.

For the contact information for the makers of the pictured sheaths and knives, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

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[ KNIFE SHOP ]

BY JASON FRY

Image 1: In his version of frame handle construction, bladesmith Salem Straub used a threaded fastener in an internal slot in the frame to mechanically lock all the parts together tightly. The handle material is relieved on the inside to accommodate the fastener.

(Salem Straub image)

HallOf-Frame Handles

Are you up to the challenge of frame handle construction?

rame handle construction for knives has been around for centuries. Historical examples of many Eastern styles like the kard, khyber and yataghan often feature ornamented frame handles. Nineteenth-century knives attributed to James Black and some of the early American bowies also had frame handle construction. Though it’s been around a long time, the frame handle remains a viable modern construction method for today’s custom knifemakers.

There are many ways to crack the nut/ skin the cat on frame handle construction. This article will walk through the frame handle process and point out par-

F

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ticular problems and potential solutions for those who wish to pursue building a frame handled knife.

3 REASONS WHY Frame handle construction is best defined as using a wrap-around “frame” to conceal the tang of a hidden tang knife.

The first question many people ask regarding a frame handle construction is, “Why would you want to do it that way?”

My first thought goes back to the earlier days of the internet when forums were at their peak, and fine makers like ABS master smith Bruce Bump took the time to document “work in progress” (WIP) threads. Bruce had a fine frame

handle WIP on the KnifeDogs.com forum in 2013, and the consensus at the time was that you build a frame handle for quite a few reasons, though the first one is “because you can!”

A frame handle is a much more complex build process than your standard full- or stick-tang knife. However, in addition to the show of skill by the maker, frame handle construction has a few distinct advantages that make the complexity worth the effort: 1. A frame handle allows for the look of a full tang, but with the guard-fitting techniques of a stick tang. For a forged stick-tang-knife design that needs a guard, a frame handle allows the use of

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full-tang-style handle construction; 2. A frame handle is a good way to use scales or slabs on a stick-tang knife.

If you have a good set of stag or mammoth slabs, or if you have stabilized wood slabs that might be too fragile for through-tang construction, the frame handle allows you to use the materials on a stick-tang knife; and; 3. The use of a frame handle gives the maker another area to embellish the knife. Some frames are great for engraving, while others may highlight a damascus pattern. Either way, the frame makes the embellishment stand out in ways that are harder to accomplish on a fulltang knife.

HOW to DO it At a basic level, the frame of a frame handle is a piece of material, usually metal, that wraps around a stick tang and mimics the look of a full-tang knife. This presents some challenges that have resulted in a few different creative solutions.

•Challenge 1: The tang must fit inside the frame. Some makers insist on precision so there are no gaps and the fit is tight. Others concede that the handle will be held together with mechanical fasteners and sealed with epoxy, so a precise fit between the frame and the tang is not necessary.

•Challenge 2: All parts of the handle must be securely fastened together. I sat through a class with ABS master smith

Mike Williams in which he admonished the students, “Don’t trust in the magic of chemistry” by putting your faith only in the strength of glue. Likewise, veteran bladesmith Jerry Fisk challenges makers to think ahead to what their knives might be like in 100 or 1,000 years, and recommends a mechanical connection that won’t fail over time.

One way to address this challenge is to use pins. If you pin the scales to the frame, pin the completed handle assembly to the tang and follow up with glue, there’s no opportunity for failure. Some choose to make all the pins visible as an artistic element, while others take advantage of hidden pins for all but the one through the tang. Another way is to use a threaded fastener. Bladesmith Salem Straub recently illustrated the technique on a frame handle WIP on his Instagram feed. Salem used a threaded fastener in an internal slot in the frame to mechanically lock all the parts together tightly (Image 1). The handle material is relieved on the inside to accommodate the fastener.

Another way to use a threaded connection is to thread the end of the tang and use a fastener on the handle butt. An advantage of this approach is that the fastener itself can become part of the embellishment.

•Challenge 3 is the complex fit-up between all of the knife’s elements. Frame handle construction naturally doesn’t excuse a poor guard fit, but it also provides

The author (inset) used frame handle construction for his hunter in a blade of 33-layer damascus, a wrought iron guard and scales taken from a fence post made in 1912 from bois d’arc wood, a.k.a. osage orange. The spacers are World War II practice bomb material. (Cory Martin knife image)

“THE TANG MUST FIT INSIDE THE FRAME.” —THE AUTHOR O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B L A D E

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[ KNIFE SHOP ] An exploded view shows an ABS journeyman smith Karl Andersen frame handle construction knife before assembly. (Karl Andersen image)

other places for gaps and misalignment.

Once again, there are several potential solutions to alignment problems.

One is the use of alignment pins to make sure everything is secure. Pins on the end of the frame go through any spacers and into holes in the back of the guard so that each part indexes the same during assembly. Some makers, including Bruce Bump in the aforementioned epic WIP, advocate for leaving metal tabs on the end of the frame and fitting the tabs into similar holes on the back of the guard (Images 2 and 3). In both cases, there’s a mechanical connection that prevents the guard, spacers and frame from rotating out of alignment around the center axis of the handle. Either way, when you build a frame handle, the construction will require you to assemble and disassemble the knife repeatedly, so you’ll need some mechanical way to keep things lined up.

Another fit-up challenge is the overall requirement for clean-fitting joints with no gaps. It sounds simpler than it is, but two surfaces that are dead flat will join together without a gap. The challenge of a multi-piece frame handle with a guard and a few spacers is that you are creating a multitude of surface joints, and every single surface must be dead flat. At a minimum, you’ll have a joint between the guard and frame, and also between the frame sides and the handle material.

Any bump or wiggle on any surface and you’ll have a gap in the final product. Flatness comes in degrees. You can get a fairly flat surface on a platen, flatter on a disk, and still flatter on a surface plate or sur-

[ 32 ]

face grinder. You have to make the joints as flat as you can with the tools you have available if you want a gap-free fit.

I tend to prefer the look of a tapered tang on a full-tang knife, so I’ve started tapering the frame of my frame handles as well. Others stick with a full thickness frame, where the thickness closely matches that of the blade at the ricasso. Some add spacers between the tang and handle material, while others choose to go with the frame and handle slabs only.

Another fit challenge is presented by

the frame itself. In order to adequately finish the visible surface of the frame, whether by simple polishing, bluing or etching, or by engraving, the frame must be 100 percent at final-grit finish prior to final glue up. Many makers learned to make a full-tang knife by finishing the front edge of the scales, gluing the knife together, shaping the scales down to the exposed tang, and then polishing the handle and the tang at the same time.

That method will not work for a frame handle that needs to be blued or etched.

Personally, I tend to use dummy pins to fit the entire handle assembly together, then grind the scales down to the frame. In his recent Instagram example, Salem Straub used small screws to hold the handle material to the frame.

With regard to the relationship between the handle material and the frame itself, some choose to leave the material slightly proud of the frame for a “museum” or “heirloom” fit. Others prefer the material to fit flush to the tang. Less commonly, some makers round the frame and leave it slightly proud of the material.

Whichever you choose, it is important

“A FRAME HANDLE ALLOWS FOR THE LOOK OF A FULL TANG, BUT WITH THE GUARD-FITTING TECHNIQUES OF A STICK TANG.”—THE AUTHOR

Images 2 and 3: Some makers advocate for leaving metal tabs on the end of the frame and fitting the tabs snugly into holes on the back of the guard. In both cases, there’s a mechanical connection that prevents the guard, spacers and frame from rotating out of alignment around the center axis of the handle. (Karl Andersen images)

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[ KNIFE SHOP ]

“ANOTHER FIT-UP CHALLENGE IS THE OVERALL REQUIREMENT FOR CLEAN-FITTING JOINTS WITH NO GAPS.”—THE AUTHOR WHEN to DO it

Mike Williams

that the fit be maintained consistently all the way around the frame, from the joint at the guard on the top all the way down to the joint at the guard on the bottom.

Once the profile is set, I polish the handle and the frame together down to final grit, and then apply any surface finish to the frame itself. Once all parts are 100 percent complete, they can be glued together as a final step.

So when should you try making a frame handle? In my mind, if you can make clean full- and stick-tang knives, you could be up to the challenge. If you have slabs of exceptional handle material that deserve more than a simple full-tang knife, a frame handle is a way to step up and put the materials on full display. If you have a knife in mind where the frame and guard need to be blued, damascus or engraved, a frame handle is the way to go.

A frame handle knife has its advantages, but the complexity of the construction presents plenty of challenges. As a skilled maker, you may choose to rise to the challenge of a frame handle just to show that you can.

A voting member of The Knifemakers’ Guild and president of the Texas Knifemakers’ Guild, Jason Fry also is the author of the most entertaining new book, Knifemaking Hacks: 384 Tips To Make Knives Like The Pros. For information on how to buy your copy visit https:// www.gundigeststore.com/product/knifemaking-hacks-384-tips-to-make-kniveslike-the-pros/.

For the contact information for the makers of the knives pictured, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information on frame handle construction contact the author at frycustomknives@gmail.com.

With regard to the relationship between the handle material and the frame itself, whichever method you choose, it is important that the fit be maintained consistently all the way around the frame. (Jason Fry image) Left: ABS master smith Mike Quesenberry used frame-handle construction on his dogbone bowie. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)

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[ PERIOD PIECES ]

BY MIKE HASKEW BLADE® FIELD EDITOR

Heirlooms of Time H Stunning period pieces link the past to the present

istorical perspective is a relevant component in just about any undertaking. In the realm of cut, incorporating an appreciation of the past into the work of today brings another dimension to the custom knifemaker’s statement.

Interest in the knifemaking of a bygone era offers a window into the true artistry required to reproduce the knives of yesteryear, particularly with the absence of modern conveniences in the shop. Along with the interest in the historical knife, several custom makers bring famous designs, styles and patterns to life once again in tribute to those who have gone before.

The idea of the period piece blends old and new. “I’ve been making knives seriously since about 2002 when I took a class with the American Bladesmith

Lin Rhea’s reproduction of the Carrigan Knife is based on a dress bowie James Black is thought to have made in the early 1830s in Washington, Arkansas. The original Carrigan includes a black walnut handle with coin silver pins and trim. The blade is about 6 inches long and the overall length is approximately 10.25 inches. (Whetstone Studio image)

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Lin Rhea instructs his BLADE University class on how to make the X-Rhea dagger at BLADE Show 2021.

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The Frog Knife by Jon Christensen is a San Francisco-style dress bowie with a back story. “I had seen the Poppy Knife that Michael Price made and thought I would do my version,” he related. “I took the knife to the BLADE Show, and it didn’t find its owner. Then, the handle got ruined, and I just took the opportunity to rehandle it with the frogs and lily pads.” Overall length: 10 inches. (SharpByCoop image)

Josh Smith’s dog-bone-handle dagger is a reproduction of a knife owned by Loring Kimball of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the mid-1800s. The grip gets its name from its shape. “I never pretend to exactly reproduce these knives,” Josh noted. “I always put my own spin on the knife, trying to bring some of my style into it.” Overall length: 14.25 inches. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)

Society in Washington, Arkansas,” related ABS master smith Lin Rhea. “Joe Keeslar and Greg Neely lit a fire under me and got me on my way. Since then the town of Washington has been like a second home, and I’ve even added to the personal connection between me and the area by interest in one of the town’s historical residents who was also a knifemaker. His name was James Black.”

A resident of Prattsville, Arkansas, Lin gained an appreciation for Black’s distinctive body of work*, using contrasting materials and techniques to create a bold, attractive look. “I’m grateful to get to know Mr. Black by studying his work,” Lin continued. “This intense study led me to try to recreate one of his knives, the Carrigan Knife. The original knife, a guardless coffin-handled bowie, was made by Mr. Black in the early 1830s in Washington, Arkansas. I chose the Carrigan as my first attempt because of its less intimidating size; however, BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Jim Sornberger’s interpretations of the Michael Price San Francisco/small dress bowie have won awards at various venues, including Best of Show at the 2019 International Custom Cutlery Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas.

This one features a blade in Vegas Forge stainless barstock AEBL and 412 stainless steels and san-mai damascus with a solid core. The guard and wrap handle are in Mike Sakmar mokumé barstock. Jim’s price for a similar knife: $3,500. (SharpByCoop image) O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B L A D E

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PERIOD PIECES

]

This original 19th-century dress bowie and sheath by Will & Finck was in the collection of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-OfFame® member Phil Lobred (inset). Note the period scroll engraving and abalone inlay of the tear-drop-shaped handle. (knife image courtesy of Phil Lobred)

as is often the case I found it to be just as intimidating once I started into the project.”

The original Carrigan includes a black walnut handle providing a nice contrasting background to the coin silver pins and trim. The blade is about 6 inches long, and the overall length is approximately 10.25 inches. The full tang is virtually covered entirely by the walnut scales and the silver wrap.

When Rhea undertook his homage to Black and the Carrigan, he chose stabilized walnut, which he harvested himself several years ago, and trim in sterling silver. He forged the blade from 80CrV2 carbon steel and included at least 30 separate parts while attempting the same techniques used by Black nearly two centuries ago in fastening and assembling the finished knife.

“There is so much to be said about not only this knife but also Black’s work,” Lin concluded. “He was able to create a knife design utilizing only three materials yet impacting the knife world as few others could. His ability to arrange these materials into a functional, long lasting, beautiful tool is only enhanced by the knowledge that he also built in other qualities like moisture resistance, logical assemblage and ergonomics. All of this was done in a historic setting without modern equipment and epoxies. In my

opinion, his design is ingenious.”

GOLD RUSH KNIVES Recently inducted into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame® (September BLADE®, page 52), knifemaker Jim Sornberger has assimilated his gold and silversmith skill sets into custom knifemaking while helping introduce the modern world to the classic design, luster and embellishment of the Gold Rush era and boomtown San Francisco of the mid-19th century.

“I’ve been making knives since 1975 with the help of the late Les Berryman, an early Guild member, and with some guidance from Bob Loveless, Herman Schneider and Barry Wood,” Jim recalled. “The last three signed for me to join The Knifemakers’ Guild.”

For Sornberger, the style, embellishment and decoration of the canes, jewelry and knives of the Gold Rush era are most appealing. “San Francisco from 1850 to 1904, the Gold Rush period, was one of the wealthiest cities in the world, attracting some of the greatest artists, jewelers, carvers and engravers to ply their trade to a wealthy clientele. The work done in that period,” he opined,

“rivals the best ever done.”

In the knifemaking genre, Michael Price and Will & Finck were among the most successful and prolific of the Gold Rush. Their work remains emblematic of the great migration to settle the American West, and the riches and ruin that were found with the experience.

“Price was Irish, and both cutlery firms hired workers who were English, German and possibly Scottish,” Sornberger explained. “Their dress knives are probably the most embellished

Butch Sheely’s reproduction of the Edwin Forrest bowie features a 12.25-inch blade of 1095 carbon steel, a Cuban mahogany handle and sterling silver fittings. Overall length: 17 inches.

Forrest (inset) was a 19th-century Shakespearean actor who claimed the original on which Sheely’s knife is based was given him by James Bowie.

(Whetstone Studio image)

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American knives made in the 1800s1900s. The dress knives had two common handles: an interesting, modified coffin shape and a more rounded, subtle taper shape. The blade shapes are spearpoint dagger and San Francisco clip spear point.”

Sornberger is recognized as an authority on original San Francisco knives, as well as the magnificent gold quartz that was used so well by Gold Rush artisans. His modern interpretations of the Michael Price San Francisco/small dress bowie have won awards at various venues, including Best of Show at the 2019 International Custom Cutlery Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jim’s dress fixed-blade bowie in the accompanying picture was made with Vegas Forge stainless barstock AEBL

“THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT REPRODUCING SOMETHING THAT WAS BUILT NEARLY 200 YEARS AGO.” —JOSH SMITH

Tim Hancock holds his reproduction of a Loring Kimball bowie, winner of Makers’ Choice Award Best of Show at the 2012 American Bladesmith Society’s All-Forged Knife Expo at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.

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PERIOD PIECES

] Jon Christensen’s San Francisco-style folder includes a blade of feathered leaf damascus steel and a handle of carved mammoth ivory with inlay of 4,500-year-old bog oak. (ChantryLeePhotography. com image)

feather-cutting smears and leaves, and form branches to look like a little grove of bamboo leaves.”

The 10-inch knife has a 5.5-inch blade and a frame and sheath incorporating 410 stainless steel. Christensen utilized the “canvas” of the handle to the fullest, carving the mammoth ivory into a pleasing vignette of frogs and lily pads.

“The handle has something of a back story,” he smiled. “I had seen the Poppy Knife that Michael Price made and thought I would do my version. I took the knife to the BLADE Show and it didn’t find its owner. Then, the handle got ruined, and I just took the opportunity to rehandle it with the frogs and lily pads.” and 412 stainless steels, and san-mai damascus steel with a solid core. The guard and wrap handle are in Mike Sakmar mokumé barstock. Jim’s made such handles in gold and silver and nickel silver, also. The inlays are tortoise celluloid and California native gold/gold quartz.

According to Sornberger, the biggest challenge in his stunning creation was grinding the blade to show the distinctive pattern of the shell and the hardened core. The san-mai laminated blade was etched with ferric chloride, rinsed and color set with WD-40®.

FROG KNIFE

honor the style of the maker, though.”

One of Christensen’s most evocative pieces to date is referred to simply as the Frog Knife. However, the piece is far from simple, and Jon manages to convey the spirit of the Michael Price style while also imprinting some of his own personality.

“I built the feathered damascus for the blade with 1080 and 15N20,” he advised. “It’s a canister damascus. I forged the bamboo leaves and placed them in the can, welded it up, reduced it, and feather cut it so it would produce

A reproduction of the I*XL George Washington Hunting Knife by Doug Noren gets the full treatment in a 13.5-inch blade of 5160 carbon steel, a mother-of-pearl handle and 18k plated nickel silver. Overall length: 21.5 inches. (Whetstone Studio image)

“The style of Michael Price’s work is a really good canvas with flowing lines, and there is a lot you can do with it,” observed ABS master smith Jon Christensen, who is in his 22nd year of making knives. “I wouldn’t call my San Francisco-style knives replicas. I do like to keep to the original form and Jim Sornberger is recognized as an authority on original San Francisco knives, as well as the magnificent gold quartz that was used so well by Gold Rush artisans. His reproduction folder includes a damascus blade, copious engraving and some of the aforementioned gold quartz. (Jim Sornberger image)

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[ PERIOD PIECES ]

KIMBALL STYLE ABS master smith Josh Smith owes his little league baseball coach, ABS master smith Rick Dunkerley, credit with getting him started making knives about 30 years ago. From the beginning, Josh has appreciated the thought process and craftsmanship of custom makers from a bygone era.

“There’s something special about reproducing something that was built nearly 200 years ago,” he reasoned. “It’s easy to get lost in your thoughts while working on these knives, wondering what the makers were thinking about at the time. Was the knife going into battle? Was a rich man just wanting something unique? Was the maker just trying to be different and impress people? Were function and effectiveness of use the only factors that mattered? It’s really cool to think about.”

Josh has found the opportunity to consider historical context with a dagger in the distinctive dog-bone handle, recalling the mid-1800s when a gentleman named Loring Kimball of Vicksburg, Mississippi, owned several similar original pieces that were probably made by at least two different knifemakers in the New Orleans area.

Knives in what many refer to as the Kimball style have been reproduced by a number of modern makers, mostly bladesmiths.

“The distinctive characteristic of the dog bone is clearly the shape of the handle,” Smith said, “but to me it’s more than that. The large domed pins

and the flat facets on the handle provide such a neat look. One of the original Kimball daggers from the 1830s had silver wrapped around the butt of the handle and a small, thin silver guard. I never pretend to exactly reproduce these knives. I always put my own spin on the knife, trying to bring some of my style into it.”

Smith’s dog-bone dagger is fashioned from his own ladder pattern “W’s” damascus blade, African blackwood handle and 18k-gold pins and liners.

The 9.5-inch blade is forged from 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels, while a gold collar stretches over the back of the blade and bears the engraved name of the maker. Overall length: 14.25 inches.

“This particular knife was heavily influenced by Tim Hancock,” Josh said. “I feel Tim, Harvey Dean and James Batson are the three men who led the way in bringing these knives back to prominence, and Tim had the most influence on my construction of these knives. I love period pieces and definitely plan on doing more. There are so many incredible weapons from the past that would be fun to recreate.” *While a number of top industry authorities attribute such original 19thcentury pieces as the Carrigan Knife, Bowie No. 1 and others to Black, no knives with Black’s mark are known to exist.

For the contact information for the makers of the pictured sheaths, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @ blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

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Christensen got his start making stock removal knives after a career as a horticulturist. He learned to forge while working with ABS master smith Ed Caffrey and visited with knifemaker Rick Eaton and ABS master smiths Shane Taylor and Wade Colter. Jon also makes San Francisco folding knives and enjoys swordmaking. Plans for the future include more period pieces.

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A Gent’s Bowie by ABS master smith Shayne Carter (inset) in a 7 5/8-inch blade of a Fourth of July pattern won Best Damascus.

Blade grind and material: Flat and 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickelalloy steels. Handle: mother-of-pearl. Fittings: damascus and nickel silver. Overall length: 12.25 inches. Maker’s list price for a similar knife: $3,000.

Saturday night. It was the first time the awards were made in The Pit, and those there seemed to enjoy it immensely.

BEST of SHOW ABS master smith Jordan LaMothe won both Best Fighter and the Hugh Bartrug Best In Show for his reproduction of an Eastern design known as the peshkabz. It was an unforgettable weekend for LaMothe, who also earned his master smith stamp in ABS testing during the show.

“Jordan has really pushed the limits on this knife,” Quesenberry began.

“He has done a frame-style handle where the blade comes into the frame, but it’s all one solid piece,” that is, an integral frame. Added Rodebaugh, “Everything’s aligned, everything’s symmetrical.” As Dean noted, the hollowedout areas of the T-back blade with the reinforced point reduce weight while still retaining the pattern’s integrity.

The result, as Quesenberry observed, is that the blade “is beefy but it’s not. It’s a super-well-designed, conceptualized knife that’s flat out cool.” Concluded Rodebaugh, “I’m looking forward to doing a T-back myself but I don’t know

that I can do one like that.”

Steven Rapp won Best Bowie for a knife Rodebaugh described as being very light and fast and in an old style that Steven replicated very well. “It’s super clean,” Jim said of Rapp’s reproduction of a Loring Kimball knife. “The work Steven’s done, he’s challenged himself in every aspect of the knife,” including a well-executed blade fuller that runs nice and straight. “And it’s got a sheath to match that’s just as amazing as the knife,” Quesenberry said, with Rodebaugh adding, “if not more so.” Dean seemed to speak for all when he said, “I think a bowie ought to have some elegance to it and not just be a big ol’ clunky knife. This knife has that elegance.”

Best of the Rest went to Charles Gedraitis for his Marlin/Swordfish automatic folder. “Frankly, it’s outside the box,” Rodebaugh said. “It’s a cool concept. The work is well done. His release button is the pectoral fin. That’s pretty cool. It takes a pretty twisted guy to think of this, so right off I automatically respect that. It has a super piece of ivory, the best piece on the table in my opinion. And the knife made me happy,

“IT TAKES A PRETTY TWISTED GUY TO THINK OF THIS, SO RIGHT OFF I AUTOMATICALLY RESPECT THAT.” —JIM RODEBAUGH O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B L A D E

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[ SHOW AWARDS ]

Steven Rapp (inset) won Best Bowie for a reproduction of a Loring Kimball knife. “It’s got a sheath to match that’s just as amazing as the knife,” judge Mike Quesenberry said. “I think a bowie ought to have some elegance to it and not just be a big ol’ clunky knife,” judge Harvey Dean commented. “This knife has that elegance.”

you know? That to me is the Best of the Rest. And the action is superb!”

Erik McCright took home Best Utility Hunter for his Integral Hunter. “To me, a utility hunter should be able to be used in camp, to prepare your supper if you’re out hunting, and skin game— even enough to cut a sapling if you need

to,” Dean opined. “This one to me is a perfect knife for that. Everything’s in proportion. The handle’s long enough to have leverage.” Agreed Rodebaugh, “You can choke down on it if you do have to chop.”

One feature Dean liked in particular

CARBON FIBER SPRING D.R. Davis won Most Innovative Design for his Carbon Fiber Lanny. The innovation is the slip joint’s spring, which is made of aerospace carbon fiber.

“I researched the internet and could not find any reference to a carbon fiber spring,” Davis wrote. “This design significantly reduces the weight of the knife. It weighs 3 ounces and a conventional one of the same pattern weighs 4.5 ounces.”

He machined the components, spring, liners and bolsters out of carbon fiber. “I set up a test fixture simulating the action of the blade and spring using a small drill press with a VFD [variable speed frequency drive] to slow the revolutions, magnetic pickup counter, and a cam with the same lift as the tang of a slip-joint knife,” he explained. He tested the spring over 7,000 cycles, then checked its wear/bearing point and found no noticeable wear.

According to Davis, the carbon-fiber spring has the same shape, snap and feel as a steel spring.—by BLADE® staff

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“EVERYTHING’S IN PROPORTION. THE HANDLE’S LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE LEVERAGE.” —HARVEY DEAN

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Best Utility Hunter went to Erik McCright (inset) for his Integral Hunter in a 4.5-inch blade of Parkerized Cruforge V carbon steel.

Blade grind: flat. Handle: Sambar stag. Fittings: titanium spacer and Parkerized mild steel pommel. Note the scalloped bolsters. Overall length: 9 5/16 inches. Maker’s price for a similar knife: $575.

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is the scallops on either side of the bolster that help the user index the knife without having to look at it. “I used to do a lot of trapping and stuff, and [McCright’s] design can be used for skinning out hides, skinning out animals, not just cutting the meat up, boning it out; it can do all of that,” Dean said. “To me this is it.”

ABS master smith Bill Burke’s Best Kitchen Knife winner did the trick for Rodebaugh. “The weight, the balance, the stop of the curve—see that? Boom!” he exclaimed. “That’s set up to cut quickly and efficiently.” The “stop” Jim referred to is where the blade ends at the corner/bottom of the ricasso. There is no choil, the blade simply stops. The clearance it affords between the bottom of the blade and the handle gives the user’s hand plenty of room for chopping, dicing and other cutting duties without hitting his fingers on the cutting board/ cutting surface.

Rodebaugh also liked that Burke pinched the bolster to accommo-

[ 46 ]

date the grip a chef uses. “This is what I tend to look for in a chef ’s knife,” he maintained. “You have to make a decision based on what the knife’s going to be used for, and this is a kitchen knife.

I would have this in my kitchen. That, for me, was the deciding factor in picking this knife as the winner.”

ABS master smith Shayne Carter won Best Damascus for his Gent’s Bowie in a Fourth of July damascus pattern of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels. In studying the blade, Dean said, “It was forged into a square bar and then Shayne multiplied it by probably four and then pre-welded it and did that several times. The finish and etch is incredible.”

Rodebaugh and

Quesenberry agreed that the pattern is super well executed. Rodebaugh also praised Shayne for the control of the “W’s” in the pattern. “Everything’s the same size, too,” Dean noted. The blade is forged all the way, including the tip, “but it’s not too spread out,” Quesenberry observed. “Sometimes the maker spreads it out too much. This one is spread out just a little bit to show it’s forged. I like that.”

D.R. Davis won Most Innovative Design for his Carbon Fiber Lanny folder.

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WHERE TO GET ’EM CRUISING FOR A USING P. 12

What sold Rodebaugh and the balance of the judges was the slip joint’s carbon fiber spring. “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen that,” Jim noted. “I’ve seen carbon fiber bolsters but never a carbon fiber spring.” (See sidebar.) Rodebaugh said Davis obviously thought the design out well, polishing and even chamfering the areas where the joints meet so they would not gall or stick. “Even the half stop is on the money,” Jim said. The knife was inspired by Lanny’s Clip, the design made famous by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Tony Bose.

SWENSON WINNER Speaking of Bose, we goofed last time and published the incorrect picture of Luke Swenson’s winner of the show’s first-ever Tony Bose Slip Joint Award.

Luke’s winner is a gorgeous three-blade whittler, the picture of which appears herein.

As Tony might have said of the mistake, “Goldarn it, BLADE®, you can do better.”

And, of course, Tony would have been right.

Author’s note: Followers of the BLADE Show custom knife awards will note that there were no winners in the categories of Best Collaboration, Yvon Vachon Best Miniature Knife and Best Handle Design at this year’s show. The reason for that is simple: The judges determined that there was no one entry among any of the knives in those categories that deserved to be named “Best.” As a result, there will be no winners in those categories for the 2021 BLADE Show.

For the contact information for the knifemakers in the story, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @ blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Case, attn: F. Feightner, Dept. BL10, 50 Owens Way, Bradford, PA 16701 800-523-6350 CR@ caseknives.com, www.wrcase.com; Kizlyar, 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; Ontario Knife Co., attn: P. Tsujimoto, Dept. BL10, 26 Empire St., Franklinville, NY 14737 716.676.5527/800.222.5233 fax 716-676-5535 knifesales@ontarioknife.com, www. ontarioknife.com; Spyderco, attn: J. Laituri, Dept. BL10, 820 Spyderco Way, Golden, CO 80403 800-525-7770 spyderco.com, sfo@spyderco.com

HUNTER SHEATHS P. 22 Julian Antunes, Brazil, julianbladesmith@gmail.com; Nathan Carothers, North Carolina, carothersknives.com; Chris Kravitt, sheathmkr@aol.com; Paul LeBatard, Dept. BL10, 14700 Old River Rd, Vancleave, MS 39565 Contact: 228-826-4137, (fax) Cell phone: 228-238-7461, lebatardknives@aol.com; Kenny Rowe, c/o Rowe’s Leather, Dept. BL10, 3219 Hwy 29 S., Hope, AR 71801 870-777-8216 rowesleather.com, rowesleather@yahoo.com

FRAME HANDLE CONSTRUCTION P. 30 Karl Andersen, Dept. BL10, 20200 TimberLodge Rd., Warba, MN 55793 Contact: 218-398-4270, Karl@ andersenforge.com andersenforge.com; Jason Fry, Dept. BL10, 720 8th St., Wolfforth, TX 79382 Contact: 325-669-4805, frycustomknives@gmail. com, frycustomknives.com, @ frycustomknives on Instagram; Mike Quesenberry, Dept. BL10, 110 Evergreen Circle, Blairsden, CA 96103 Contact: 775-233-1527, quesenberryknives@gmail.com, quesenberryknives.com; Salem Straub 324 Cobey Creek Rd., Tonasket, WA 98855 Contact: 509-486-2627, vorpalforge@ hotmail.com prometheanknives.com

PERIOD PIECES P. 36 Jon Christensen, Dept. BL10, 516 Blue Grouse, Stevensville, MT 59870 Contact: 406-697-8377, jpcknives@gmail. com, jonchristensenknives.com; Doug Noren, Dept. BL10, 14676 Boom Rd, Springlake, MI 49456 Contact: 616-842-4247, gnoren@ icsworldmail.com; Lin Rhea, Dept.

BL10, 413 Grant 291020, Prattsville, AR 72129 Contact: 870-942-6419, lwrhea@ rheaknives.com, rheaknives.com; Butch Sheely, Dept. BL10, 15784 Custar Rd., Grand Rapids, OH 43522 Contact: 419-308-3471, sheelyblades@ gmail.com; Josh Smith, Dept. BL10, Box 753, Frenchtown, MT 59834 Contact: 406-626-5775, joshsmithknives@gmail. com, joshsmithknives.com; Jim Sornberger, Dept. BL10, 25126 Overland Dr, Volcano, CA 95689 Contact: 209-295-7819, sierrajs@ volcano.net

BLADE SHOW CUSTOM WINNERS P. 42 Bill Burke, Dept. BL10, 20 Adams Ranch Rd., Boise, ID 83716 Contact: 208-336-3792, billburke@ bladegallery.com; Shayne Carter, Dept. BL10, 5302 Rosewood Cir., Payson, UT 84651 Contact: 801-913-0181, shaynemcarter@ hotmail.com; D.R. Davis, Dept. BL10, 313 Hwy. 1464, Greensburg, KY 42743 270-299-6584; Charles Gedraitis 444 Shrewsbury St, Holden, MA 01520 Contact: 508963-1861, gedraitisknives@yahoo.com, gedraitisknives.com; Jordan LaMothe 1317 County Rte. 31, Granville, NY 12832 Contact: 518-368-5147, jordanlamotheblades@gmail.com, jordanlamothe. com; Erik McCright, Weatherford, TX, mccrighthandmade.com; Steven Rapp, Dept. BL10, 8033 US Hwy 25-70, Marshall, NC 28753 Contact: 828-649-1092; Luke Swenson, Dept. BL10, 1667 Brushy Creek Dr., Lakehills, TX 78063 Contact: 210-722- 3227, luke@swensonknives.com, swensonknives.com

BLADE SHOW WEST PREVIEW P. 48 Bill Burke, Dept. BL10, 20 Adams Ranch Rd., Boise, ID 83716 Contact: 208-336-3792, billburke@ bladegallery.com; Dennis Friedly, Dept. BL10, 12 Cottontail Lane E, Cody, WY 82414 Contact: 307527-6811, friedlyknives@ hotmail.com friedlyknives.com; Enrique Pena, Dept. BL10, 205 Larga Vista Dr., Laredo, TX 78043 956-771-7749 penaknives@gmail.com, penaknives.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; Mike Tyre, Dept. BL10, 1219 Easy St, Wickenburg, AZ 85390 Contact: 928-684-9601/602-377-8432, mtyre86@gmail.com, miketyrecustomknives. com

RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB P. 54 Wess Barnhill, Dept. BL10, 5846 Meadows Run, Spotsylvania, VA 22551 Contact: 540-582-8758, wess. barnhill@gmail.com, wessbarnhillknives.com; Ben Breda, Dept. BL10, 56 Blueberry Hill Rd., Hope, ME 04847 Contact: 207-701-7777, bredaknives@gmail. Com; Jim Crowell, Dept. BL10, 676 Newnata Cutoff, Mtn. View, AR 72560 Contact: 870-746-4215, crowellknives@ yahoo.com, crowellknives.com; Josh Fisher, Dept. BL10, 8419 CR 3615, Murchison, TX 75778 Contact: 903203-2130, fisherknives@aol.com, jnfisherknives.com; Karis Fisher, karisann21@gmail.com; Jan Hafinec, Instagram @janhafinecknives; Mike Malosh, maloshknives@gmail.com

CAPERS P. 58 A.G. Russell Knives, attn: Debbie Myers, Dept. BL10, 2900 S. 26th St., Rogers, AR 72758 479 6310055 debbiem@agrussell.com www.agrussell.com; Bear & Son Cutlery, attn: M. Griffey, Dept.

BL10, 1111 Bear Blvd. SW, Jacksonville, AL 36265 256-435-2227 800-844-3034 info@bearandson. com, www.bearandsoncutlery.com; Puma SGB, attn: T. Guthrie, Dept. BL10, 13934 West 108th St., Lenexa, KS 66215 913-888-5524 www.pumaknifecompanyusa.com, customerservice@ pumaknifecompanyusa.com; Utica, Dept. BL10, 820 Noyes, Utica, NY 13503 315-733-4663 www. kutmaster.com

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

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[ 47 ]

[ SHOW PREVIEW ]

BY BLADE® STAFF

Enrique Pena will be both exhibiting such slinky slip joints as his South Texas Trapper and also serving as a panelist in the seminar, “Let the Pros Critique Your Knife” Friday at 3 p.m. in Meeting Room 202.

(SharpByCoop knife image)

new state-of-the-art show venue, some of the world’s top custom and factory knifemakers, and action-packed chef ’s knife and knife flipping championships will be but a few highlights of BLADE Show West 2021 Friday and Saturday Oct. 8-9 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.

As with this year’s BLADE Show, it’s been two years since the last BLADE Show West, which was held in Portland, Oregon, the two-year wait being the result of the worldwide pandemic. This will be the first BLADE Show West in Long Beach, though nearby Costa Mesa was home to the show at one time.

At press time such outstanding custom makers as BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Ron Lake; Dennis Friedly; Duane Dwyer; a number of members of the South Texas Cartel of slip-joint knifemakers including Luke Swenson, Bubba Crouch, Tim Robertson, Enrique Pena, Tanner Couch and Toby Hill; ABS master smiths Bill Burke, Jason Knight, Murray Carter,

A

Kolter Livengood shows his championship form in winning the chef’s division in the Chef’s Knife Cutting Championships at BLADE Show West 2019. This year’s championships will be show Friday (see schedule on page 52). (Eric Eggly/ PointSeven image)

[ 48 ]

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“ATTENDANCE TO THE SEMINARS, COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS PRESENTATION IS FREE TO ALL SHOW TICKET HOLDERS.”

The 2nd Annual West Coast Flipping Championships conducted by Squid Industries will be Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. in Meeting Room 203.

and Adam and Haley DesRosiers; and many others—over 200 in all—were slated to exhibit.

Domestic and international factory knife exhibitors such as CRKT; Emerson Knives, Inc.; Fox; Heretic; Hogue; Medford Knife & Tool; Microtech; Pro-Tech; Spyderco; TOPS Knives; V Nives; We; Winkler Knives; and many others were slated to exhibit as well.

Knifemaking suppliers set to exhibit include Damasteel, New Jersey Steel Baron, Adam Unlimited, Nichols Damascus, Vegas Forge and more. Other exhibitors will include purveyors Dave Ellis/Exquisiteknives.com, Michael Donato/knifepurveyor.com and Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Dan Delavan/Plazacutlery.com, photographer Jim Cooper of SharpByCoop.com, sharpening companies Wicked Edge and Work Sharp, and many others.

SEMINARS and COMPETITIONS The doors will open to the public each day at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. The Spyderco will be among the factory exhibitors at BLADE Show West. The Smallfly 2 butterfly knife features a 3.37-inch blade of CPM S30V stainless steel and black G-10 handles with latch. Closed length: 4.5 inches. MSRP: $300.

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[ 49 ]

seminar schedule kicks off Friday at 1 p.m. with one on how to bring your edge back from the edge of dull

by Clay Allison of Wicked Edge. At 3 p.m. let some of the world’s top knifemakers and bladesmiths—Ernest Emerson, Jason Knight, Steve Schwarzer, Andreas Kalani, Enrique Pena and Mike Tyre—critique your custom knife. And, at 4 p.m., Joe Maynard will demonstrate finishing and polishing techniques in his mobile demo trailer.

Friday will conclude with the 2nd Annual Chef ’s Knife Cutting Competition at 8:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Lobby (the Hyatt is connected to the Long Beach Convention Center). The event will be divided into two divisions, custom knifemaker and chef ’s.

After the doors open Saturday at 10 a.m., Ernest Emerson will present his seminar “The Quest For The Uncommon Man” at 11 a.m. At 2 p.m. join Murray Carter and his Muteki Bladesmiths for a roundtable discussion on how to become a bladesmith and on bladesmithing in general. Award-winning knifemakers Luke Swenson, Bubba Crouch and Bill Ruple will conduct the seminar on how to make a single-blade trapper

[ 50 ]

The 208 Clipper cigar cutter will be among the knives displayed by TOPS Knives. The 2.25-inch blade is CPM S35VN and the handle is OD green G-10. Closed length: 5 inches. MSRP: $230. (TOPS Knives image)

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at 3 p.m. Then, to close out the show, Squid Industries will conduct the West Coast Flipping Championships from 4 to 6 p.m.

For the complete seminar, competition and awards presentation schedule, along with capsule descriptions, see page 52. Attendance is free to all show ticket holders.

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KNIFE JUDGING AWARDS At a time to be determined on Friday, the custom knife and factory knife judging competitions will be held. Categories in the custom knife category will be Best Slip Joint, Best Folder, Best Damascus, Best Chef ’s Knife, Best EDC, Best Hunting Knife, Best Tactical Knife and Best In Show. Categories in the factory knife category will be Best Bushcraft, Best Folder, Best Kitchen Knife, Best EDC, Best Hunting Knife, Best Tactical Knife, Best Big Knife (bowie, kukri, machete, etc.) and Best In Show. Best Tactical Knife in the custom and factory categories will be open to both folders and fixed blades.

All award winners will receive trophies and coverage in the BLADE Show West recap edition of BLADE®. The winners will be announced at 8 p.m. in the

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[ SHOW PREVIEW ]

“THERE’S NO TELLING WHAT HOLLYWOOD, MILITARY, KNIFE OR OTHER CELEBRITIES YOU MIGHT MEET.” Hyatt Regency Long Beach Lobby 30 minutes prior to the Chef ’s Knife Cutting Competition.

NEW VENUE Many knife enthusiasts, knifemakers, purveyors, suppliers, collectors and others in and around the Long Beach area seemed very excited to have BLADE Show West returning to the Los Angeles area, and a number said the show could not have found a better venue for the show than the Long Beach Convention Center. Many top restaurants and watering holes are within easy walking distance, and the venue itself is cutting edge in terms of exhibitor space and other amenities. The area is also home to an outstanding nightlife scene, gorgeous outdoor parks and gardens, museums and other attractions (longbeachcc.com/ attendees/).

Meanwhile, there will be raffles and giveaways, vintage custom and factory knives on display, and no telling what Hollywood, military, knife or other celebrities you might meet—all at BLADE Show West 2021.

For more information on BLADE Show West, visit bladeshowwest.com and/or email bladewest@bladeshow.com.

For the contact information for the makers of the pictured knives, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends and more visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

BLADE SHOW WEST EVENT SCHEDULE* FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 1-to-2 p.m. in Meeting Room 202: BACK FROM THE EDGE OF DULL—Maintaining a keen edge on your knife requires sharpening it on a regular basis. However, regular sharpening isn’t always done and the edge may go almost completely dull as a result. According to Clay Allison of Wicked Edge, his company has the tools to bring your knife back from the edge of dull. Let him show you how.

3-to-4 p.m. in Meeting Room 202: LET THE PROS CRITIQUE YOUR KNIFE—A panel of award-winning knifemakers and bladesmiths share their decades of knowledge and experience in critiquing your custom knife. Ernest Emerson, Jason Knight, Steve Schwarzer, Andreas Kalani, Enrique Pena and Mike Tyre will go over every square inch of your knife and tell you what is good about it, what is not and how you can make it better. NOTE: This is a limited-seating event! Bring one knife only. Questions from attendees will be entertained throughout. Sign-ups will be held onsite.

4-to-5 p.m. in the demonstrator’s mobile demo trailer: FINISHING & POLISHING— Joe Maynard of Primitive Grind will demonstrate finishing and polishing of various materials, including steel to a mirror finish and wood and composites using Combat Abrasives airway wheels and compounds. Attendees will also have a hand’s-on opportunity to take steel from a 600-grit finish to a mirror polish.

8 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Lobby: BLADE® MAGAZINE KNIFE AWARDS—Winners of the custom and factory knife judging competitions will be announced.

8:30 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Lobby: 2nd ANNUAL CHEF’S KNIFE CUTTING CHAMPIONSHIPS—A series of cutting challenges among contestants in two separate divisions: custom knifemakers and professional chefs. Murray Carter is the defending champion in the custom maker division, and Kolter Livengood won the chef ’s division at BLADE Show West in 2019.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Meeting Room 202: QUEST FOR THE UNCOMMON MAN with Ernest Emerson, CEO of Emerson Knives, Inc. In the modern world of unchallenging sameness, there are still those who choose to stand apart, “those determined to deny the mind-numbing regimen of spirit-crushing conformity,” Emerson observed. “Those who choose this path are the uncommon among us. If you have ever wondered, ‘Am I the last of my kind?’ then join me in a discussion of the values of being the uncommon man, and the strength it will require to preserve our way of life for future generations.”

1-to-2 p.m. in Meeting Room 202: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH MUTEKI BLADESMITHS—Since 2006, Murray Carter has been sharing and teaching traditional Japanese bladesmithing techniques with a limited number of eminently qualified apprentices working under the cooperative company name Muteki Knives. Meet the Muteki Bladesmiths and participate in a roundtable discussion in which you may direct specific questions about your knife to each of the apprentices.

3-to-4 p.m. in Meeting Room 202: HOW TO MAKE A SINGLE-BLADE TRAPPER— Award-winning knifemakers Luke Swenson, Bubba Crouch and Bill Ruple will show you how it’s done based on Swenson’s video tutorial “Slipjoints with Luke Swenson.” Basic setup, assembly, tang geometry, spring tension, tuning and fixtures, including the Ruple Gauge and the Elite Folder Jig from Metal Head Tools, will be among the highlights.

4-to-6 p.m. in Meeting Room 203: WEST COAST FLIPPING CHAMPIONSHIP—The West Coast Flipping Championship hosted by Squid Industries returns! The event will feature head-to-head live blade flipping in an elimination bracket-style competition.

The 2019 place finishers were Mika Seibel (1st), Diego Fuentebella (2nd) and Jeffrey Durr (3rd). *Attendance is free to all show ticket holders.

[ 52 ]

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Order online at GunDigestStore.com or call 920.471.4522 Product No. R8070

[ COLLECTING ]

BY LES ROBERTSON BLADE® FIELD EDITOR

Right Tool for The Job

ountless articles have been written about hunting knives. Primarily, the stories discussed which knife is best for which game.

The two main features that get the most coverage are the blade-style/shape and the length. The knife referred to commonly as the hunter is more than likely a utility hunting knife.

No matter where you are, if you are using a guide—hunting or fishing— more than likely your guide is the one doing the dressing of the game. Chances are, he is using a utility hunting knife

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If you ask 100 people what the best steel is for a hard-use field knife, you probably will get at least 50 different answers.

Why? End users are very loyal to a steel that has proved itself in the field.

Steels are made primarily for commercial applications—very few are made specifically for knives. Knife blades have been made from saw blades, files and even railroad spikes. If the steel has enough carbon and can be hardened

The two primary choices for blade steel are carbon and stainless. Each has its pros and cons. Stainless steel’s biggest advantage is that it is rust resistant, meaning it will require less maintenance. Stainless is not code for “no maintenance.” Yes, stainless steel will rust.

Carbon steel requires maintenance.

Many things will make carbon steel rust, several examples being the blood from

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Karis Fisher (inset) is the daughter of ABS master smith Josh Fisher (see adjoining image). Karis not only earned her ABS journeyman smith (JS) stamp in March, she also won the Joe Keeslar Award for the best knife submitted by a JS applicant.

The 4-inch blade is 1084 carbon steel and the handle is vintage Micarta®. Guard: 416 stainless steel. Overall length: 8.5 inches. Sheath: custom-made of leather.

Fisher’s price for a similar knife: $375.

the game that is being processed and some types of vegetation, including vegetables. However, the rust can be held to a minimum or eliminated simply by cleaning and oiling the knife after use.

Keep in mind that storing your carbon steel knife in a leather sheath can also cause rust, especially a wet blade, as the

Above: Winner of Best Utility Hunter at BLADE Show 2018, ABS master smith Josh Fisher’s model has a 4.25-inch blade of 1084 carbon steel, a ringed gidgee handle and a guard of brushed stainless steel. Overall length: 8.75 inches. The knife comes with a custom-made leather sheath. Maker’s price for a similar knife: $685. Josh (inset) earned both his ABS master smith (MS) stamp and the B.R. Hughes Award for the best knife submitted by an MS applicant at the same time his daughter Karis earned her JS stamp and the Joe Keeslar Award (see adjoining image). (Eric Eggly/PointSeven knife image)

tannic acid used to process the leather can cause rust spots (see page 22).

While carbon steel can rust, it does have advantages over stainless steel, including two if the blade is forged. First, a number of bladesmiths forge distal taper into their carbon steel blades.

The taper removes weight from the

Below: The 5-inch blade of W2 tool steel with hamon headlines a utility hunter by Jim Crowell (inset). The handle is black canvas Micarta® and the guard is stainless steel. Jim made the leather sheath.

Overall length: 10 inches. Knife to know: this knife belongs to the author. Current price: $850. (Impress

By Design image)

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[ COLLECTING ]

“STAINLESS STEEL GUARDS PROVIDE THE BEST PROTECTION AND LEAST AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE FOR YOUR KNIFE.”—THE AUTHOR

blade, thereby making the knife lighter in weight and thus easier to carry and manipulate. Second, carbon steel blades can be differentially heat treated to give them a hard edge for sharpness and a softer back for malleability, the latter resulting in a blade with greater flexibility that is much more likely to bend rather than break under high stress.

The steel you choose for your utility hunting knife should be one that can be sharpened in the field and fit the re-

[ 56 ]

quirements for what you want your knife to accomplish. Remember—it is always best to resharpen your knife before it gets dull!

HANDLE MATERIAL If you are looking for a group of custom knives that have diverse handle materials, utility hunting knives lead the way.

Synthetics, wood, ivory, bone, antler, mother-of-pearl and others—you name it, utility hunters have it.

When many outdoorsmen dress their knives to impress, they want stag. Unfor-

tunately, stag is experiencing two things simultaneously, and neither is good.

Because of lack of supply, the quality is going down and the price is going up to the point that the ancient ivories are now becoming an alternative. After talking with knifemaker Mike Malosh at BLADE Show 2021, I have started to order some hunting knives with elk.

While not as popular as stag, it is a great

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[ COLLECTING ] handle material and has a nice look.

My experience in the field has made me a true believer in synthetic handle materials. The two most popular are Micarta® and G-10. Canvas Micarta is my personal favorite. As the name implies, there are bits of canvas included when the Micarta is made. This gives the handle a little more grip when wet.

Westinghouse Micarta is gaining in popularity. Often it’s referred to as vintage or antique due to the fact most of it was made before 1960.

Carbon fiber is five times stronger than steel, twice as stiff and lighter in weight. This gave rise to numerous commercial applications, eventually finding its way into the custom knife market.

Initially used by custom makers for scales on folders, you can now find them using it for fixed-blade handles, too.

(Editor’s note: D.R. Davis used carbon fiber for both the bolsters and the backspring on his Carbon Fiber Lanny slip joint, winner of Most Innovative Design at BLADE Show 2021. See page 44.)

The advantage of synthetics over natural handle materials is synthetics don’t shrink and, for the most part, are impervious to the elements. That said, natural handle materials can dress up a knife.

GUARDS For the most part, integral guards are utilized as a quicker, less expensive way to make knives. Most are simply squared off to give the illusion that they are somehow protecting your index finger/hand. I learned the hard way that such a guard is not meant for hard work.

If you are going to use a knife with this type of guard, wear a glove.

Most custom utility hunters have a single guard with some amount of curve

“MOST OF THE JUDGING COMPETITION AND 5 INCHES LONG.”—THE AUTHOR built in to give you a better handle ergonomic. Additionally, it will provide some protection for your index finger/ hand. The primary metals used for such guards are brass, nickel silver and stainless steel. While brass is a favorite among factories and new custom makers, the biggest problem is it is soft and can be easily nicked or cut, giving the guard a sharp edge or corner which can dig into your bare hand. Stainless steel guards provide the best protection and least amount of maintenance for your knife.

IDEAL SIZES Having judged custom utility hunters at the BLADE Show for over two decades (page 42), I can tell you there is no one ideal size. That said, most of the judging competition winners feature a blade between 3 7/8 and 5 inches long. (For the makers reading this, please do not submit your 10-inch bowie or 2-inch miniature in this category for judging.) Among the accompanying images for this story are three past winners of the category at the BLADE Show. Note the differences and similarities. In addition to dimensions, the importance of handle ergonomics cannot be overstated. Most handles will feature some kind of contouring and generally will be between 4.5 and 5 inches long.

SAGE ADVICE The custom utility hunting knife will be a workhorse in the field. Consider the factors I have outlined before you buy one. What will you use it for primarily?

What size handle is best for your hand?

Will you be able to do the maintenance required for the blade steel? Can you sharpen the knife in the field and, if not, will you be able to practice how to do so before you get there?

I prefer a 5-inch blade as my experience has taught me that a big blade can do little knife chores, but not the other way around. As my 7th-grade shop teacher always said, “Use the right tool for the job.” Sage advice!

For the contact information for the makers of the pictured knives, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @ blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

A 4 7/8-inch blade of W2 tool steel, an ironwood handle with nickel silver spacers and a 416 stainless steel guard and ferrule complete Wess Barnhill’s entry, winner of Best Utility Hunter at BLADE Show 2017. Overall length: 9 5/8 inches.

(Chuck Ward image)

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BY PAT COVERT >> IMAGES BY THE AUTHOR

1

4 3

2

3. UTICA SHOEHORN ELK 1 1. PUMA SGB SMOOTH WHITE BONE CAPER

BLADE LENGTH: 2.5” BLADE STEEL: German 440 stainless HANDLE MATERIAL: Smooth white

bone

spec chart The four test knives come in a variety of blade and handle shapes, from left: Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper, Bear & Son Rosewood Caper, Utica Shoehorn Elk 1 and A.G. Russell Knives WEB Pocket Caper.

BOLSTER: Nickel silver WEIGHT: 2.5 ozs.

OVERALL LENGTH: 5.75” SHEATH: Brown leather belt model COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: German manu-

facture/China assembly MSRP: $74.99

2. BEAR & SON ROSEWOOD CAPER BLADE LENGTH: 2.5” BLADE STEEL: 440 stainless HANDLE MATERIAL: Rosewood BOLSTER: Nickel silver WEIGHT: 2.7 ozs.

OVERALL LENGTH: 6.75” SHEATH: Natural leather COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA MSRP: $65.49

BLADE LENGTH: 4” BLADE STEEL: 8Cr13MoV stainless HANDLE MATERIAL: Light brown

Pakkawood SPECIAL FEATURE: Elk-etched blade WEIGHT: 5.75 ozs.

OVERALL LENGTH: 8.63” SHEATH: Black nylon COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: China MSRP: $37.35

4. A.G. RUSSELL WEB POCKET CAPER

BLADE LENGTH: 3.25” BLADE STEEL: 8Cr13MoV stainless HANDLE MATERIAL: Molded

fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN) in a choice of orange or black KNIFE TO KNOW: Highly affordable, light weight WEIGHT: 1.5 ozs.

OVERALL LENGTH: 7.25” SHEATH: Molded FRN in a choice of orange or black COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: China MSRP: $14.95

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Down to the Nitty Gritty Capers are a big part of the skinning game aping knives, a.k.a. capers, aren’t mentioned very often in the grand scheme of all things cutlery— though don’t tell that to those who like to mount their trophy game. The caper is a huge part of skinning game in preparation for taxidermy where preserving the fine details is absolutely essential. Tasks such as trimming around the animal’s eye sockets and mouth area are particularly critical, and the blade must be sharp and small enough to get down to the nitty gritty. That’s not to say a caper can’t handle other functions, such as fine carving and cutting cord. Heck, it can even be used as an EDC. The WEB Pocket Hunter-Caper is produced under the War Eagle Blades division of A.G. Russell Knives, hence the WEB in the name. We’ll just call it the Russell Pocket Caper for simplicity’s sake—and what a simply utilitarian knife it is! The hidden-tang fiberglassreinforced-nylon (FRN) handle comes in black or bright orange. The blade is a straight-back style with a V-grind from edge to spine. The snap-lock FRN colorcoordinated sheath has a tubed hole in the base to hold a lanyard or neck knife cord/chain.

Since one main function of a caper is precision cutting, I wanted to see which of our test knives could turn on a dime—

C

or in this case, a nickel. Using spray adhesive I tacked a square of suede to a smooth wood surface, and drew a group of circles using the perimeter of a nickel as a guide.

I then hand cut each circle to see how precise I could be in removing it from the

base. The Russell Pocket Caper, with its much thinner blade, allowed the tip to glide around the outline of the nickel with precision and cut the suede with very little effort. As you might guess, the thinner the blade, the less resistance I encountered.

“ALL OF THE KNIVES BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE TABLE IN THE TESTS.”—THE AUTHOR

The A.G. Russell Knives Pocket Caper cut nice, tight circles in the suede thanks to the sharp tip and thin blade geometry. The two cutouts at lower right were made with the Russell blade, and the one on the lower left by another blade that didn’t fare as well.

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[ GAME TAMERS ]

Two nice features of the Bear & Son Rosewood Caper handle are 1) the choil adds excellent purchase and 2) the gimped thumb rest on the spine enables you to choke up on the blade.

The Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper slices like a house afire, cutting strips of tanned leather with ease. Drop-point blades are skinners at heart and this little gem does the job well.

COMFORTABLY PRECISE

Available in orange or black, the A.G. Russell WEB Pocket Caper offers two types of carry. The knife is light enough for neck toting with a cord or chain fitted to the base of the sheath, or you can carry it in a pocket.

The Bear & Son Rosewood Caper is a modern take on the classic trailing-point knife many of us grew up with. The upswept blade is devoted to cutting chores.

The knife’s weight is very manageable and a natural leather belt sheath is included.

The Bear & Son has the second thinnest blade of the test group and placed second to the Russell in cutting out suede circles. I also tested the knives on slicing graceful curves and upward pull-through cuts and found the Bear & Son to have its own advantages. The generously gimped thumb rest enables you to choke up on the blade, which allows more precision and force to be placed on the task at hand, and, just as importantly, with great comfort. Similarly, the index finger has a nice place to land in the reverse grip while

“THE INDEX FINGER HAS A NICE PLACE TO LAND IN THE REVERSE GRIP WHILE EXECUTING PULLTHROUGH CUTS.” —THE AUTHOR The Utica Shoehorn Elk 1 is built to handle large game. The author tested it by slicing three layers of stiff, corrugated postal board and it was up to the task, taking off quarter-inch lengths in individual clean cuts against the grain.

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In the reverse grip, the Bear & Son Rosewood Caper’s choil becomes the thumb rest for executing pull-through cuts when in skinning mode, a feature to consider when selecting a caping knife.

executing pull-throughs, which makes skinning—an equally important part of caping—easier.

SUPERB SLICER

scales and a hole in the base has a leather lanyard attached. (I removed the lanyard for photographic purposes.)

With its recurved drop point, the Puma SGB is a totally different blade design than the other test capers. Drop-point patterns are well known for their skinning ability, particularly riding under flesh without piercing organs. This is where the White Bone Caper is at home—slipping under skin and separating viscera from its meaty rewards. It wasn’t as agile cutting out tight circles of suede because where the blade is wide at the tip got in the way as I turned it.

That said, it’s a superb slicer.

The Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper is the smallest of the test subjects but makes up for anything it may lack in size with stylish good looks. The decked-out caper boasts a hollow-ground recurved blade in a drop-point pattern. Like most all of the more-budget-friendly SGB models, the blade is made in Germany and the knife assembled in Asia. The handle is curvaceous, tapering upward from the base to a bolster that serves as a guard. A round Puma shield graces the

BIG-GAME GETTER

When the author said diminutive, he wasn’t kidding. The Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper is a scant 5.75 inches in overall length.

The Utica Shoehorn Elk 1 is by far the largest of the test knives. The drop-point blade has a healthy choil and a 2-inch dip on the spine that serves as a thumb rest. The handle sports ample, curvaceous scales.

The knife weighs over twice that of any of the other review capers. Considering the knife’s size, the price is very reasonable.

The Shoehorn Elk 1 is not billed as a caper but it has a blade configuration very similar to that of the Bear & Son test model. The Elk in the name is a dead giveaway that the knife is meant for caping and skinning large game.

I deviated from the suede leather in testing the blade and went to something tougher. I glued together three layers of tight-patterned, corrugated postal board— stout stuff !—and gave the knife a go at slicing it the hard way: across the grain. It took some pressure but the blade severed 5.25-inch lengths in single strokes. I have

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[

GAME TAMERS

]

A slip joint unlike any other

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Visit our website for more details http://casiberia.com/ - Or call us at (800) 635-9366 - Dealer inquiries welcome The Utica Shoehorn Elk I is the bull of the woods among the test capers. The blade is 4 inches long, 3.75 of that in cutting edge. Though similar in blade configuration to the Bear & Son offering below it, the Shoehorn Elk I dwarfs it in size.

Blade thickness affects how well a caper can get down to the fine details. The A.G. Russell Knives Pocket Caper (right) is the thinnest of the lot. Utica’s Shoehorn Elk 1 (left) is the thickest, though keep in mind it’s made for caping big game.

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no doubt the Shoehorn Elk 1 could take on tough hide—even alligator scute. While the tip mauled the circle in the nickel-size precision test, it would perform much better on game proportionate to its size.

FITTING YOUR NEEDS All of the knives brought something to the table in the tests. For tight precision caping on small-to-medium game, the Russell and Bear & Son capers were virtually neck-and-neck—the former slightly more geared to precision, the latter a tad more versatile. The Puma SGB excelled more in slicing and a bit less in precision. The Utica can handle the tough hide of larger game the others can only dream of.

Bottom line, it’s really just a matter of choosing which caper fits your needs the best.

For the contact information for the makers of the pictured knives, see “Where To Get ’Em” on page 47.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

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·

HERMES · KALAMAZOO · KLINGSPOR ·

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TCH · EVENHEAT · HARDCORE PRODUCTS

M M · BADER · BALDOR · BURR KING · DEERFOS · DAMASTEEL · DYNABRADE · ELECTRO CHE E

[ KNIFE TALK ]

BY ED FOWLER BLADE ® FIELD EDITOR

hen it comes to the knives I have carried as my “EDC,” most of my work demands the reliability of the point and the cutting edge. As a simple demonstration, from about shoulder height I drop a knife point down onto a cement floor. BLADE® Editor Steve Shackleford saw my demonstration at the last BLADE Show and asked me how I achieved a point of a knife that could withstand that kind of torture. Thus, this article came to be—I hope.

It’s at this point many times that I am lost at how to write what I want to say in order that readers will understand. Bear with me and hopefully it will all come out in the wash.

W

mand is for heavy use, while the collector may choose beauty, fit and finish or a novel design.

The first blade I forged while taking the seminar on forging blades taught

by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-OfFame® member Bill Moran in Laramie, Wyoming, in the early 1980s broke on the 90-degree flex. Bill said he was sorry!

While I was a little disappointed, I could not understand why it broke. Bill offered his thoughts and I decided this was the best thing that ever happened to me. I became obsessed with testing my blades for

WHICH STEEL? Forged by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Wayne Goddard, this is the first ball-bearing blade the author ever got to play with. To the left of it is a 1.75-inch ball bearing. “I visited Wayne just as he was about to evaluate the blade. The handle was not in place yet,” the author recalled. “We cut all kinds of stuff Wayne had laying around and decided 52100 showed a lot of promise for knife blades.” The author traded for the Goddard knife years later.

(Ed Fowler image)

[ 64 ]

The point as well as the entire blade depends on the maker’s choice and knowledge of the steel he chooses to use, including the knowledge and dedication of those at the steel mill who make it. There are many steels available to makers today, each with its own potential performance qualities waiting to be developed, publicized or ignored. The important question to makers as well as future owners is, “Can the steel they choose stand up to what they want or need it to do?” This is not a simple question! For me the de-

Wayne Goddard

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Four ball bearings ranging from 1 to 3 inches rest below the author’s calipers. The one at bottom fell apart with the first hits of a hammer. “No one knows the chemistry or heritage of these bearings without either some history or a metallurgist to shoot a chemistry, maybe a photomicrograph or two, and then you still have the opportunity to make a few blades and make a decision, send a finished blade back to a metallurgist, and you are ready to make knives,” the author wrote. “Or, you can find a reputable source for your steel and request all the information he can provide.” (Ed Fowler image) Below: A World War II German U-Boat weaves through an underwater minefield.

their performance qualities.

First, I was using old truck springs for blade steel. Then I started buying my 5160 carbon steel from a jobber. I thought he knew what he was selling me.

I had no idea there could be a difference in quality of the “same” steel from one lot to the next. It took me years to learn that fact. Fortunately, I saved many of my broken blades that metallurgist Rex Walter could later examine and explain in the future. However, at the start I was pretty much on my own.

There is only one way to know what you have achieved—you must test a finished knife blade to destruction. Then, take a magnifying glass and study the break, consider what you think happened and then try again. This is not just one knife. Routinely select a blade from a new batch and test it. When the performance of blades differs and you as a beginner take the blame yourself, you find yourself in a very confusing world where you cannot explain why a blade breaks. Still, in every performance test both your successes and failures will provide a greater understanding of your blades.

At first, I simply thought I had done something wrong when a blade failed. It would be years later after Rex joined me in my quest that I learned that the jobber I was buying my steel from bought 5160 at the cheapest price he could find. The steel was not all the same quality. When Rex decided to join us in our quest, our understanding of success and failure grew astronomically.

FRONTIERS of 52100 I visited Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Wayne Goddard and he showed me an 11-inch blade he had forged, ground, hardened and tempered out of a 2-inch ball bearing. We tested it cutting all kinds of stuff Wayne had laying around, and I was definitely impressed with its high-quality cutting and edge-holding abilities. With his encouragement I began to explore the frontiers of 52100 steel.

Wayne sent me some more 2-inch balls

“THE NAZIS EXTRACTED NITROGEN FROM THE GUANO TO KEEP HARDENING THEIR STEEL.” —THE AUTHOR O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B L A D E

[ 65 ]

[ KNIFE TALK ]

“I BECAME OBSESSED WITH TESTING MY BLADES FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE QUALITIES.”—THE AUTHOR

The tip can fail sometimes very easily. This failure occurred after Chris Amos dropped the knife point first from a height of 3 feet. The blade is from a very prominent factory maker. (Ed Fowler image)

of the steel and got me even more enthusiastic. Later I switched to 3-inch ball bearings of 52100 and found they were not the same. Some were great, some lousy. Rex advised me that 52100 bearings have been made by many steel companies in many

places. This discussion made a huge difference in my future blades. The differences in quality forced me to test one blade to destruction from every bearing.

The blades that failed would later prove of value in learning how to understand why each broke.

One interesting find we made was ball bearings from World War II aircraft that had been hardened with nitrogen instead of cobalt and chrome. The Allies shut down the importation of nickel and chrome to the German steel industry. Still, the planes kept flying though the Allies knew the Nazis had to be out of the ingredients to harden their steel. The British shot down a German aircraft and the metallurgists at Rolls-Royce examined the aircraft bearings. They found the 52100 from the aircraft was alloyed with nitrogen. German U-boats transported bat guano from South America, and the Nazis extracted nitrogen from

The solidly constructed tip of Bill Moran’s Rio Grande camp knife is a fine one for any maker to emulate. (Francesco Pachi image from William F. Moran, Jr.: Forever A Legend)

the guano to keep hardening their steel. In one of my failed blades that I sent to Rex, he found the blade was alloyed with nitrogen.

During a coffee break, Rex learned that one of the men in the lab Rex was working in had been a metallurgist at the Rolls-Royce factory that worked on the chemistry and quality of the German steel. They found the 52100 steel from the shot-down aircraft’s ball bearings that had been hardened using nitrogen were of a higher quality than what the Allies were using at the time. Their first experiment trying to duplicate the quality of German steel blew up the steel mill, killing a number of people. Naturally, they blamed the explosion on a German V-2 rocket. This remained classified for some time.

I still wonder how a 3-inch ball bearing alloyed with nitrogen made it into my shop in Riverton, Wyoming.

BEST LESSON Wayne Goddard passed the ABS 90-degree bend test under the direction of fellow Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bill Moran (left) circa the early 1980s.

[ 66 ]

Rex had access to some high-quality 52100 steel—all from the same batch— that he wanted to sell, and asked me if

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[ KNIFE TALK ]

“I HAD NO IDEA THERE COULD BE A DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY OF THE ‘SAME’ STEEL FROM ONE LOT TO THE NEXT.”—THE AUTHOR I would give it a try. I did and sent Rex some fresh-made blades, as well as some I had tested to destruction. This was probably the best lesson I had to learn.

I found that many of the blade failures I was experiencing were not all my fault, but the result of the way the steel was made. It did not take long and I switched

Chris Amos

to Rex’s steel. He came to visit the next summer and we learned to communicate. There is no substitute for watching an event occur instead of reading or talking about it.

Any maker who is lucky enough to find a metallurgist who is honestly interested in the performance qualities of a knife will find that their ability to communicate will take some time. One of the most significant decisions Rex and I made would be to render all of our research into simple language that all can understand. It is very easy to drop into the vernacular of the metals industry and have most not understand what you’re saying—though some will think you are really smart!

This is part one of a brief discussion of the learning, time and financial investment of why we can drop a knife tip first onto cement and not damage the point. I thank you for sharing time and thoughts with me.

Yours truly, Ed Fowler eafwb@wyoming.com or edfowlerhighperformanceknives.com For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Wayne Goddard gives a forging seminar at a past Batson Bladesmithing Symposium.

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ SHARP HOMAGE ]

BY DAVID H. ELLIS, PAUL LONG, JOE PARANEE & CO.

>> KNIFE IMAGES BY SHARPBYCOOP UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Inspired By a Pioneer Lurquin’s Bagwell Tribute Bowie salutes one of the first names in modern bladesmithing

BS master smith Sam Lurquin is an imposing man by most standards. Checking in at over 6-foot6 and 204 pounds, the big Belgian began his award-winning bladesmithing career over 20 years ago. A trainer of working dogs, Sam decided to make bladesmithing his full-time occupation about five years ago. Meanwhile, his dog training is strictly limited to home these days as

A

Sam Lurquin (above) made the Bill Bagwell Tribute Bowie in honor of Bagwell, one of the four founders of the American Bladesmith Society, the second-ever ABS master smith, author and mentor to many. Bill passed away in February.

[ 68 ]

most of his free time is spent at the forge.

Sam answered questions through his interpreter, Stephan. When asked why he chose bladesmithing and what about the forging process he enjoys, Lurquin was quick to respond.

“I like designing and also drawing my designs,” he said. “The forging process fascinates me but what I like best are the reactions of my many happy customers and end users.” He added that it’s most gratifying to see his creations excel at the jobs they were created to do. His best sources of feedback are from those who use his knives and the results he gets from putting the knives through rigorous tests.

Bill Bagwell was one of the four founding members of the American Bladesmith Society—the others being ABS master smith Don Hastings and BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® members B.R. Hughes and Bill Moran—and the second man to receive the coveted ABS master smith stamp.

Bagwell became a knifemaker in 1969 and, after Moran, might be the second modern American bladesmith to forge patternwelded steel, a.k.a. damascus. Bagwell was a pioneer in the use of cable damascus for knife blades and, being a student of history and the combat blade, developed some of today’s modern knife combat techniques.

According to Bill’s good friend, Joe Paranee, “Bill was unabashed at preaching the magic of properly heat treated carbon steel

B L A D E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

with lots of distal taper. Billy’s knives came alive in your hand, and all were meant to be used and built with purpose.”

Bagwell’s Hell’s Belle Bowie design is a slender, coffin-handled fighter with a clipped point and “C”-shaped guard that he derived from the Bart Moore Bowie.

The Hell’s Belle is one of Bill’s best-known knives and was reproduced in a factory version for a number of years by Ontario Knife Co. He also was a prolific author, writing for Soldier of Fortune magazine and Tactical Knives, and authoring the book, Bowies, Big Knives, and the Best of Battle Blades. His knife combat techniques were taught in Special Forces training at Fort Bragg. He passed away February 17 and many in the world of knives miss him.

While he considered Bill an inspiration and a man to look up to, Sam never met him. He read Bagwell’s many writings on the combat knife and attributed much of his ability to grasp the difficult task of creating a suitable weapon for a particular use or technique to Bill’s ideas. Lurquin’s Crom Fighter is one such creation. The knife is designed for up close work on “soft targets.” Fred Mastro was Sam’s inspiration for the design.

When asked “Why a tribute to Bill Bagwell?” both Sam and his able translator replied almost in unison, “Bill Bagwell was a pillar of the custom knife community.” Sam added that even though he drew some designs with Bagwell’s words in mind, each and every Lurquin knife has its own face with his signature, while continuing to hold true to the nature of the combat knife.

The handle is presentation-grade desert ironwood inset with antiqued bronze rivets.

“BILL’S INFLUENCE IS UNDENIABLE BUT SAM’S STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP SCREAM THROUGH LIKE A BANSHEE!”— JOE PARANEE

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ SHARP HOMAGE ] With all this for inspiration, Sam set out to build a combat bowie in the vein of Bagwell’s Hell’s Belle.

The SPECS The steel Sam selected is one known as Ghost UA10, with the guard Parkerized and stonewashed. The handle is presentation-grade desert ironwood inset with antiqued bronze rivets. The blade sports a gorgeous hamon and the overall balance is simply perfect!

We went directly to the top for the sheath for this beauty, and decided on

Paul Long. He made an amazing sheath with help from Joe Paranee in making the frog stud. As Paul noted, “The sashstyle sheath is chestnut vegetable-tanned leather with Black Nile alligator belly inlay. It has a chestnut chevron overlay carved and tooled in a quilted pattern featuring a custom-made brass decorative stud. The sheath is fully leather lined with top grain cowhide.”

Bill would be extremely proud of this magnificent bowie made in his honor.

According to Joe, the knife “is not a knockoff of Bagwell’s Hell’s Belle. Bill’s

“I LIKE DESIGNING AND ALSO DRAWING MY DESIGNS.”—SAM LURQUIN

Sam has been forging knives for over 20 years, the past five of those full time.

influence is undeniable but Sam’s style and craftsmanship scream through like a banshee!”

Jim Cooper of SharpByCoop was kind enough to photograph the knife and sheath, and the entire adventure has been a labor of love for all involved.

Editor’s note: Lead author Dave Ellis is California’s first ABS master smith, though

Sam drew all three of these designs—two at left of the knife and one at right of the sheath.

[ 70 ]

Dave Ellis

B L A D E ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

“SAM SET OUT TO BUILD A COMBAT BOWIE IN THE VEIN OF BAGWELL’S HELL’S BELLE.” —THE AUTHORS

The guard is Parkerized and stonewashed.

he retired from making knives years ago. A long-time collector and now a high-end custom knife purveyor (exquisiteknives.com), he lives in San Diego and enjoys all aspects of cutlery—including knife throwing.

For more information on the featured knife, contact Dave Ellis at exquisiteknives@ gmail.com. For more on Sam Lurquin knives in general, contact Sam Lurquin, Dept. BL10, Hameau Du Bois, Hoyaux

Sam forged the blade from a steel called Ghost UA10, including a stunning

10, 7133 Buvrinnes Belgique, Binches, Belgium 0032-478-349-051 knifespirit@ hotmail.com, samuel-lurquin.com.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Sam likes his bikes like he likes his knives—big and powerful.

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BY BLADE ® STAFF 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. 27-29 TROY, OH The ABS Mid-America Bladesmithing Symposium, Miami County Fairgrounds. Call Cindy 419-832-0400 americanbladesmith.com.** AUG. 28-29 ST. LOUIS, MO Gateway Area Knife Club Cutlery Fair, Sheet Metal Workers Hall. E-mail Steve Markus at Smarkus@gakc.org or call him at 314-795-4262.* SEPTEMBER SEPT. 2-4 LAS VEGAS, NV The 12th Annual Gathering of the Usual Suspect Network, Trader’s Cove, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Visit usngathering.com.* SEPT. 11 LAFAYETTE, LA Louisiana Knife Show, The Hall. Call Steven Prather 225-315-8818 dredd8@eatel.net.* SEPT. 11 GENTRY, AR Central States HammerIn, Tired Iron of the Ozarks. Contact Allen 479530-6439 newberry@newberryknives.com.* SEPT. 24-26 CLYDE, NC The ABS Great Smoky Mountain Hammer-In. Call Ken Hall 828-6272135 or visit americanbladesmith.com.** SEPT. 25 NASHVILLE, TN Arts in Metal Premier Art Knife Exhibition, 21c Museum Hotel, Fifty-Fifty Productions. Contact 417-866-6688 artinmetalshow.com.* OCTOBER OCT. 2-3 NEW BRAUNFELS, TX The 50th Guadalupe Forge Fall Hammer-In & Knifemakers Rendezvous, 1205 Forest Trail. Contact Harvey Dean 512-429-0009 harveydeanknives@ gmail.com or Johnny Stout 830-606-4067 Johnny@Stoutknives.Com.** OCT. 8-9 LONG BEACH, CA The BLADE Show West, Long Beach Convention Center. For show updates visit bladeshowwest.com and for exhibitor information e-mail bladewest@bladeshow. com (see page 68).* OCT. 9-10 TEXARKANA, TX The ABS Fall Piney Woods Hammer-In. Call Mike Williams 580-420-3051 americanbladesmith.com.* OCT. 16 MIDDLETON, MD The 6th All Forged Knife Show and Auction, Historic W.F. Moran Shop and Forge. Call Charlie Wolf 301-471-2879 or Nancy Hendrickson 301-305-8385 or visit billmoranmuseum.com.* ** OCT. 22 GARDEN GROVE, CA The CCKS Friday Night Blade Affair, Embassy Suites Anaheim South. Contact 888-473-2661 r1promotions.com.*

[ 72 ]

OCT. 23-24 GARDEN GROVE, CA California Custom Knife Show, Embassy Suites Anaheim South. Call 888-473-2661 r1promotions.com.* OCT 23-24 EASTON, PA Lehigh Valley Knife Show, Charles Chrin Community Center of Palmer Township. Call 267-714-4441 or visit paknifeshows.com.* OCT. 23 GREENBRIER, AR Arkansas Knife Expo, Herschel Hall. Call 501-472-1258 rick.sidebottom@gmail.com, arkansasknifeexpo.com.* ** OCT. 30 LAS VEGAS, NV Art Knife Invitational, M Hotel Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.

E-mail info@artknifeinvitational.com and/or visit aki.show.* NOVEMBER NOV. 5-7 PIGEON FORGE, TN Spirit of Steel Pigeon Forge Knife Show, Evergreen Smoky Mountain Convention Center. Call 423-238-6753 or visit jbrucevoyles.com.* NOV. 13-14 TULSA, OK Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show, Tulsa Fairgrounds. Contact mail@ tulsaarmsshow.com, 918-492-0401 mail@tulsaarmsshow.com, tulsaarmsshow.com, gunshowtrader.com/gun-shows/wanenmachers-tulsa-arms-show/.

MARCH 25-27 JANESVILLE, WI Badger Knife Show, Holiday Inn Express and Janesville Conference Center. Contact Bob Schrap 414479-9765 or badgerknifeclub@aol.com or badgerknifeclub.com.* MAY MAY 14 BOISE, ID Nordic Knives Invitational Knife Show. For more information visit nordicknives.com.* JUNE JUNE 3-5 ATLANTA, GA The 41st Annual BLADE Show, Cobb Galleria Centre, I-285 & US 41, one exit off I-75 across from the Cumberland Mall, adjacent to the Renaissance Waverly Hotel.

World’s largest show of handmade, factory and antique knives. A combined total of nearly 1,000 exhibitor tables and booths. Join the world’s greatest national and international knifemakers, cutlery manufacturers, collectors, collections and knife lovers. Site of the BLADE Magazine 2022 Knife Of-The-Year® Awards for factory knives, the BLADE Show Custom Knife Judging Competition, the BLADE Magazine Cutlery HallOf-Fame© inductions and much more. Host to BLADE University, the annual ABS meeting and more. Seminars include the BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competitions, how to use knives, how to make them, etc. Contact BLADE®, c/o Alicia Newton blade@bladeshow.com.* **

NOV. 19-20 NASHVILLE, TN The New York Custom Knife Show goes to Nashville, Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown. For more information visit fiftyfiftyproductions.net.* DECEMBER DEC. 11 EUGENE OR Oregon Knife Collectors Mini Show, Wheeler Pavilion at the Lane Events Center. Call 541-484-5564 or visit oregonknifeclub.org.*

2022 JANUARY JAN. 21-23 LAS VEGAS Las Vegas Invitational Knifemakers Show in conjunction w/Antique Arms Show and Firearms Engravers Show, Westgate Resort & Casino. Call 877-968-8880 antiquearmsshow.com.* JAN. 28-30 LAKELAND, FL The 44th Annual Gator Cutlery Club Show, RP Funding Center (formerly Lakeland Center). Call Dan 813-7543908 gatorcutlery.com.* MARCH MARCH 18-19 FORT WORTH, TX International Custom Cutlery Exposition (ICCE), Fort Worth Convention Center. Contact icce@bladeshow.com or icceshow.com.*

**Editor’s note: Due to possible last-minute cancellations, if you plan to attend any of the shows listed, please contact them for more information.

To ensure timely publication of your knife show in the “Show Calendar,” BLADE® requests that you e-mail all pertinent information concerning your show in written form—dates, locations, etc.—at least three months before the show takes place to BLADE c/o Lori McDaniel at lori@gundigest.com and/or Steve Shackleford at steve@blademag.com. BLADE depends on the shows themselves for prompt and accurate information.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

B L A D E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

NEW LOCATION Long Beach, California October 8-9, 2021 BLADE Show West is BACK for 2021! Hosted by BLADE Magazine, this premier event brings knifemakers, factory manufacturers and suppliers together at the Long Beach Convention Center for the ultimate West Coast knife experience.

Get your knife fix here! + More than 200 custom and factory exhibitors + Return of the Chef Knife Cutting Competition + Meet top makers at the West Coast Pit + West Coast Flipping Championship + Free knifemaking seminars and demos + Dozens of raffles and giveaways

Exhibitor, lodging & ticket info:

bladeshowwest.com

Long Beach Convention Center 300 East Ocean Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90802

Connect with us at #bladeshow

Interested in exhibiting?

Email us at bladewest@bladeshow.com

Blade Shoppe

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*We are not affiliated with the “R.W. Loveless Knives” logos and products being made after Bob’s death or any late period knives.

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This unique collection profiles 26 of the best custom knifemakers the world has to offer—who they are, how they got started, the highlights of their careers and, of course, their knives. Here, BLADE Magazine editor Steve Shackleford profiles the greatest knife designs, the “gurus” of cutlery, their knifemaking techniques, and the countless other things that can help you understand the insiders’ world of custom knives.

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Alaska - Northern Knives www.northernknives.com A Real Store & Working Knife Shop!

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Let us help you find the perfect knife.

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX A A.G Russel .............................................. 8 Admiral Steel/Terry Summers .............. 45 American Bladesmith Society, Inc........ 51 B Blade Magazine ..................................... 73 Blade Magazine ..................................... 75 Blade Magazine ..................................... 53 BladeGallery .......................................... 21 Boker USA............................................. 41 Boker USA............................................. 51 Bradford Knives .................................... 28 Buckeye Engraving-Steel Stamps ........ 62 C CAS Iberia ............................................. 62 Chris Reeve Knives ................................. 5 D Dave Ellis/Exquisiteknives.com ............ 33

E Evenheat Kiln, Inc. ................................ 81 F Fallkniven............................................... 33 G Giant Mouse Knives ................................ 8 H Halfbreed Blades Australia Pty Ltd. ...... 83 Hawkins Knifemaking Supplies ............ 81 J Jantz Supply............................................ 9 Jantz Supply.......................................... 15 K Kayne Custom Hardware dba Blacksmith's Depot ............................ 29 Knife & Gun Finishing Supplies............ 39 Knife Treasures-Carlos Lopez ............... 84 Knives Plus ........................................... 81

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M Masecraft Supply Co ............................ 45 Medford Knife & Tool ........................... 25 MGE Wholesale..................................... 11 N NC Tool Company ................................. 51 Niagara Specialty Metals ...................... 35 Nichols Damascus Inc .......................... 81 Nordic Knives ........................................ 29 O Olamic Cutlery................................ 39 P Pro-Tech Knives, LLC .................... 35 PVK.COM ....................................... 17 Q QSP Knife ................................................ 3

R Randall Made Knives ............................ 63 Recoil House ad .................................... 67 Recoil House ad .................................... 67 Recon 1 ................................................. 71 S Smoky Mountain Knife Works ............... 7 Spartan Blades ...................................... 62 Spyderco, Inc .......................................... 5 T TOPS Knives ......................................... 19 Tormach, LLC........................................ 27 True North Knives ................................. 63 Tru-Grit .................................................. 63 V VZ Grips ................................................ 61 W W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery, Co. .............. 2 White River Knife & Tool Inc ................ 62

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spec chart KNIFE NAME: Seraphim Feather KNIFE PATTERN: Fixed hunter BLADE LENGTH: 5.25” BLADE MATERIAL: Feather-pat-

tern damascus forged by the maker HANDLE: Stabilized maple burl BOLSTER: Hot-blued mild steel; bronze spacer and domed pin KNIFE TO KNOW: The maker is an apprentice smith in the American Bladesmith Society OVERALL LENGTH: 10.25” SHEATH: Leather belt-loop design w/inlay KNIFE TO KNOW:

A commissioned piece, the knife sold for $2,000 MAKER: Jason Kraus, Dept. BL10, POB 151, Carver, MN 55315 612-5975639 jason@northstarforge.com, northstarforge.com (SharpByCoop image)

spec chart

MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $325 MAKER: David Kelley, kelleyd@

bellsouth.net 615-631-6095 (Caleb Royer image)

[ 78 ]

spec chart PATTERN: Chef’s knife BLADE LENGTH: 9” BLADE MATERIAL: W2 tool steel HANDLE: G-10 BOLSTER: Mokume gane OVERALL LENGTH: 13.25”

SHEATH: Holly MAKER’S LIST PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $1,700 (w/

Micarta® handle and minus a hamon, approximately $750) MAKER: Charlie Meek, Dept. BL10, 941 Glenn Bridge Road SE, Arden, NC 28704 828-699-7011 Charlie@ouroborosblades.com, nccuttingboards.com (SharpByCoop image)

spec chart

SHEATH: Pouch type in basketweave leather tooling MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $800 MAKER: Andy Isaacks, andyisaacksknives@gmail.com

512-698-8501 (Caleb Royer image)

B L A D E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

spec chart KNIFE MODEL: Side By Side Tail Lock

Trapper BLADE LENGTHS: 3” BLADE STEEL: CTS-XHP stainless HANDLE: Bone FRAME: 416 stainless integral frame/

bolsters MAKER’S REMARK: “Bone scales

jigged and dyed by me.”

CLOSED LENGTH: 3.75” KNIFE TO KNOW: Each blade unlocks via its own separate tab on the handle spine at the butt MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $2,500 MAKER: Keith Johnson, Dept. BL10,

9179 Beltrami Line Rd. SW, Bemidji, MN 56601 218-368-7482 keith@greatriverforge.com, greatriverforge.com (SharpByCoop image)

spec chart KNIFE TYPE: Fixed blade BLADE LENGTH: 5.5” BLADE MATERIAL: Laddered W’s

damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel alloy steels HANDLE MATERIAL: Curly mango GUARD: 416 stainless steel OVERALL LENGTH: 10.25” MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $450 MAKER: Jacob Gaetz, 24jgaetz@gmail.

com 320-345-1832 (Caleb Royer image)

spec chart KNIFE TYPE: Through-tang hunter BLADE LENGTH: 5.25” BLADE MATERIAL: A 180-layer,

twist-pattern damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel alloy steels BLADE FINISH: Etched in ferric chloride and instant coffee, then coated with clear, satin Gun Kote® HANDLE: Curly koa secured with a stainless Corby bolt, along w/epoxy, at the butt OVERALL LENGTH: 10.5”

MAKER: Gene Kimmi, genekimmi@

kimmis-cww.com 785-548-7333 (Caleb Royer image)

spec chart KNIFE NAME: TOPS Filet DESIGNER: Leo Espinoza BLADE LENGTH: 8” BLADE STEEL: 154CM stainless BLADE AT ITS THICKEST: .09”

WEIGHT: 4.2 ozs.

OVERALL LENGTH: 11.5” SHEATH: OD green Kydex WEIGHT W/SHEATH: 7.3 ozs.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA MSRP: $215 COMPANY: TOPS Knives, attn: Craig Powell,

Dept. BL10, 3415 E. 109 N., Idaho Falls, ID 83401 208-542-0113 info@topsknives.com, www.topsknives.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ WHAT’S NEW ]

spec chart KNIFE NAME: Shenanigan DESIGNER: BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-

Of-Fame® member Ken Onion KNIFE TYPE: Flipper folder BLADE LENGTH: 3.351” BLADE STEEL: 1.4116 stainless BLADE AT ITS THICKEST: .116” BLADE GRIND: Hollow BLADE PATTERN: Drop point BLADE FINISH: Stonewash ACTION: Assisted opening HANDLE: Black glass-reinforced nylon POCKET CLIP: Deep-carry design LOCK: Linerlock KNIFE TO KNOW: Veff serrations; textured grip ONION PEELS: The combination of the Ikoma Korth Bearing System w/the assistedopening mechanism turns the knife “into a Swiss watch” WEIGHT: 3.6 ozs.

CLOSED LENGTH: 4.855” COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Offshore

spec chart KNIFE NAME: Grunt KNIFE TYPE: Flipper folder BLADE LENGTH: 2.5” BLADE STEEL: 8Cr13MoV stainless BLADE GRIND: Hollow ROCKWELL HARDNESS: 58-60 HRC BLADE FINISH: Satin HANDLE: G-10 POCKT CLIP: Yes LOCK: Linerlock CLOSED LENGTH; 3”

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: China

spec chart KNIFE NAME: 15500

Meatcrafter “Hybrid field-tokitchen tool” BLADE LENGTH: 6.08” BLADE STEEL: CPM 154 stainless BLADE AT ITS THICKEST: .09” BLADE PATTERN: Trailing point HANDLE MATERIAL: Santoprene rubber KNIFE TO KNOW: The knife is designed for deboning; blade flex falls between that of a boning and a fillet knife; it is the first Benchmade knife to feature CPM 154 stainless blade steel SHEATH: Boltaron COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA KNIFE TYPE:

spec chart KNIFE NAME: Eclipse KNIFE TYPE: Dress locking folder BLADE LENGTH: 2 13/16” BLADE MATERIAL: Mosaic

damascus forged by the maker SCALES: Mastodon ivory HANDLE FRAME: Titanium KNIFE TO KNOW: Bolsters have 24k-gold inlay CLOSED LENGTH: 3 13/16” MAKER’S LIST PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: Not available MAKER: Dwayne Dushane, Dept.

MSRP: $160 COMPANY:

Benchmade USA, attn.: Matt Glass, Dept. BL10, 300 Beavercreek Rd., Oregon City, OR 97045 503-655-6004 or 800-800-7427 www. benchmade.com, info@benchmade.com

BL10, 1010 NW 2nd, Andrews, TX 79714 432-894-3246 dushanedwayne@gmail. com (SharpByCoop image)

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WANT A RAZOR EDGE? NEXT IN BLADE ®

• No experience needed • Just pull backwards • Handmade right here at Knives Plus

• Quick & fast • Maintenance free • Tells you when you’re finished

KNIVES PLUS STROP BLOCK 800-687-6202 OR WWW.KNIVESPLUS.COM

We are a stocking dealer of most major knife brands since 1987.

MAILS IN EARLY OCTOBER • SPECIAL FORGING ISSUE • SOFT BACK/HARD EDGE: WHAT, WHY, HOW • SUPER SAN-MAI • SHARP HAMON KNIVES • ABS 2021 AWARDS • HOTTEST BLADESMITHS’ HOTTEST KNIVES • FACTORY 1095 STEEL • RICARDO VILAR, BRAZILIAN BLADESMITH

HAWKINS KNIFE MAKING SUPPLIES 110 BUCKEYE RD., FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214 PHONE 770-964-1023 Contact us for your Knifemaking Supplies and Equipment!

www.HawkinsKnifeMakingSupplies.com Send $2.00 for Complete Listing • ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

[ COOL CUSTOM ]

BY BLADE® STAFF

>> KNIFE IMAGE BY CALEB ROYER

t’s hard to find anything more beautiful than a shapely woman’s leg, and Travis Payne revisits the concept in knife terms with his Gal Leg fixed blade.

Study the leg handle and you can see how it would be eminently ergonomic. “That was the whole point of the knife—to get a handle shape that both looked like a leg and was pleasing to grip,” the maker from Telephone, Texas, noted.

Leg handles long were favored among manufacturers of antique pocketknives back in the day, but there’s something about Payne’s version with the boot for a bolster, swaybacked handle with the indentation about where the back of the knee would be and the—ahem—handle butt that all comes together.

You might say the knife has a leg up on the competition.

I

“STUDY THE LEG HANDLE AND YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WOULD BE EMINENTLY ERGONOMIC.”

For more information contact Travis Payne, tbone7599@yahoo.com 903-640-6484.

For the latest knives, knife news, trends, and more, visit blademag.com, BLADE®’s popular Instagram page @blade_magazine, and on Facebook and Twitter.

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HALFBREED BLADES IS PROUDLY 100% AUSTRALIAN OWNED & OPERATED. Our mission is to bring to market pinnacle performance specialist hand tools, intelligently designed with no compromise in materials or manufacturing techniques.

Featured model is our MIK-03 (Medium Infantry Knife Gen 1).