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Blade's "New Knife I Carry" Contest
March 12, 2008
Below are the finalists in BLADE's first annual Knife I Carry Contest.  Stay posted as we come up with a clever and ingenious way to determine the winner...

“If I hadn't had my Schrade LB7 my co-worker may have lost his hand in a manufacturing incident. We operated a machine that had large belts that pressed against big paper rolls to rotate them around while the line was running. My friend was making a transfer change when his hand got caught between the belt and the steel drive drum. Using my knife we cut the belt. The doctor said every minute the hand had no blood supply was a greater chance he would lose it. He was back to work next day - light duty for a week.” - NEAL (J.R.)

“I was stationed in Central America as a young Private and bought a Ka-Bar on the recommendation of an old Vietnam Vet.  He told me this knife would take anything I could dish out and he wasn’t kidding.   I’ve sliced, chopped, thrown, pried, dug and pounded in tent stakes with this knife and it has never let me down.  Now I’m the Old Soldier. I’m an OEF and OIF Veteran and so is my Ka-Bar, and we’ll both be ready if ever called on again.” -Dave Lankford

“If I hadn't had my knife the show would've stopped.  Fifteen film shorts were screening in Hollywood when the sound went dead.  A frustrated theater projectionist announced the exciter lamp had burned out and he had no spare.  But I had a pre-MacGyver idea.  Opening the projector's side, I placed my Victorinox Champion's polished blade at an angle to the filmgate, reflecting a penlight beam through its optical soundtrack.  The screening resumed.  The audience cheered.  My short film made it to the Academy Award Nomination finals.  And the knife had a close-up in my first feature film.” - Mike Jittlov, filmmaker

“If I hadn't had my Buck Companion model 309 I would have disappointed my grandmother on Thanksgiving this year.  The name Companion never rang more true than the model 309 carried by my late Grandfather.  He carried this knife for 20+ years and now I'm never without it.  During a conversation about my new hobby of knifemaking my Grandmother asked if I still had the old Buck.  Thankfully the Companion was in my pocket, and definitely made her evening knowing I still carried it with me.” - Jeremy Gentry

“I grew up ranching in Texas and the air compressor in our shop had a loose belt. We had developed the habit of pushing down on the belt when it began to slip.  One day, with everything going wrong, I went to add air to a tire.  As I put my hand on the belt, my right hand was caught by the middle and ring finger about mid-way up on the large sprocket.  I was all alone so I reached across to my right pocket, removed my Schrade lockback folder, opened it with one hand and cut the belt.”   Zane Blackwell, Blade subscriber   

“If I hadn't had my knife, I would be in a world of hurt.  I use my knife daily from opening letters to cutting wires and twist-ties in my computers, cut rope, boxes, and even delicate work in the lab where I work.  I use it for just about anything you can imagine.  Of course, I take very good care of my EDC, which is a Camillus 18-XRAY.  This knife can handle any chore and has been put to the test on numerous occasions. It is the toughest and most reliable blade I have ever owned bar none.”  - Douglas Booker

“If I hadn’t had my knife some lowlifes might have gotten away.  In 1991 my girlfriend and I were the victims of an armed home invasion.  Our wallets and anything else of value was taken.  In the coin pocket of my jeans the robbers overlooked a small folding knife given to me by my grandfather when I was 5. It's a small, old Schrade Imperial "lobster" folding knife.  After they left, I was able to get to the knife and cut my way out.  I called 911.  An hour later the police apprehended the men for reckless driving.” - Tim Bobko

“There has been no real life or death event my knife has prevented to date. However it is all of the little chores that my SOG Flash makes getting through life even possible.  I fear not having it at all would be life altering in and of itself and unless prohibited by law it will always be in my possession.  Should that life or death situation present itself I know I will be prepared.” - Ron Camera, BLADE Subscriber, South West Florida

“If I hadn't had my knife while caving in Arkansas, my wife and I would have been trapped. Armed with the usual caving gear and my Leatherman Supertool, we went into the cave. I misread the map and made a turn down the wrong passage. It was getting so steep that to continue onward would require vertical gear. We discovered the hard packed mud was too steep to climb back out. I remembered my Leatherman and started digging foot holds in the hard packed mud. We progressed out using the holds to safety.” – Robert Reed

“If I hadn’t had my knife I’d be shooting blind. During a firefight June 22, 2003 in Mosul, Iraq I was shooting at an open window in a house that contained Saddam Hussein’s sons. I was shooting a M249 S.A.W in the prone.  The optical sight I had was very hard to look through with the dust and the angle I was shooting up at.  I took out my Ontario T.A.K. and cut the tie downs off the sight and was able to remove it real quick so I could resume laying down fire.” – Sgt. Eldridge

“If I hadn’t had my knife I would have been mugged by the half crazed man with caution tape for a belt who jumped out from between two buildings when I was on my way home from work.  He pulled out a small penknife and demanded my cash.  I pulled out my Matt Suddeth Custom Damascus knife and showed him he wasn’t winning this one. I wield a knife as well as my husband makes them.  I never leave the house without it.” – Anna Suddeth

“I just finished fishing when I discovered I locked my keys in the car.  The driver’s window was barely open, but I had no way to operate the interior lock. Branches nearby were too flimsy to use.  While on the water I remembered seeing a floating 2x4. I put the canoe back into the water.  Using a fixed drop point hunter I made from an Atlanta Cutlery Corporation kit, I split off a piece of wood that would remain stiff enough to slide the lock button open. The knife is gone now, but it held up fine through that 2x4. “ – Michael Rodney
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