Blade October 2022

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

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

It was 1996 at the 15th annual BLADE Show in Atlanta. Like the BLADE Show, burgeoning bladesmith Josh Smith was 15, too. It was there during the annual meeting of the American Bladesmith Society that Josh became the youngest person ever to earn the rank of ABS journeyman smith. Exhibiting at a table alongside Audra Draper, who earned her JS stamp in ’96 also, Josh would meet Bill Moran, one of four ABS founders and a member of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame®, that weekend. As the headline of the story in the October 1996 BLADE® proclaimed, it truly was a magic moment in time. Not only was Josh a remarkable young man with loads of energy and talent, he also had an equally remarkable support group of adults,…

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

SPEC CHART MODEL: Bowle BLADE LENGTH: 6.3” BLADE MATERIAL: 1095 carbon steel w/hamon BLADE THICKNESS AT RICASSO:.24” BLADE GRIND: Saber BLADE FINISH: Polished to bring out the hamon BLADE WIDTH AT WIDEST: 1.77” HANDLE MATERIAL: Antler BOLSTER: Buffalo horn GUARD & SPACER: Brass OVERALL LENGTH: 11” KNIFE TO KNOW: The maker is a member of the Australian Knifemakers Guild MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $500 and up MAKER: Gunny Forged, attn: Jake Krzenski, Dept. BL10, 27 Bultarra Cres, Kirwan, Queensland, Australia 4871 0475 888 255 gunnyforge@gmail.com (Rod Hoare image) SPEC CHART MODEL: Stowe KNIFE TYPE: Small utility fixed blade BLADE LENGTH: 2.5” BLADE STEEL: 440A stainless BLADE FINISH: Stonewash HANDLE MATERIAL: Micarta®; hole in butt for a lanyard CONSTRUCTION: Full tang WEIGHT: 3.06 ozs. OVERALL LENGTH: 5.96” SHEATH: Leather belt model w/snap closure COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: China MSRP: $47 COMPANY: Gerber, attn: Josh Headley, Dept. BL10, 14200 SW 72nd, Portland, OR 97223 800-950-6161 www.gerbergear.com SPEC CHART MODEL: Harpoon…

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