If you make knives and are curious how your talents stack up against those of your fellow makers—and would like to be eligible to win some cool prizes in the process—check out the new “Sharp Focus Online Competition” sponsored by BLADE®.

Click here to enter the Sharp Focus Online Competition.

Divided into handmade/custom and factory categories, the competition is open worldwide to every level of custom knifemaker, from novice to advanced, as well as manufacturers.

There will be two awards—the Readers Choice Award and the BLADE Choice Award—with prizes for each. Prizes for the Readers Choice Award winner will include a free ad in the 2010 BLADE Show Program Guide.

Prizes for the BLADE Choice Award winner will include a free exhibitor table at the 2010 BLADE Show.

Other prizes for each award winner will consist of a 2010 BLADE Show VIP pass and exposure in BLADE and on the official BLADE website, www.blademag.com. There is an entry fee of $50. All entries must be digital photos of the knives, accompanied by descriptions, and must be submitted online at www.blademag.com/ sharpfocus by no later than July 1, 2009. (Please do not send the knives themselves nor print photographs of them, and do not send the entries to BLADE’s physical address.)

Descriptions should be between 50 and 200 words and should include the name (if any) and pattern/type of knife, materials used, length (overall if fixed blade, closed if a folder), locking mechanism (if any), etc.

Unlike judging competitions at knife shows where the judges actually handle and examine the knives in person, judges in the Sharp Focus competition will assess the knives based on the appearance of the digital image of each one. As a result, how the knife is presented in the digital image will be critical in determining the winners.

In other words, knives that appear blurred, with flashes/ reflections in the blade and otherwise are poorly presented in the digital image will be at a disadvantage.

Entries will be prejudged and the BLADE staff will choose the finalists. Online users of www.blademag.com will select the winners and honorable mentions for the Readers Choice Award. An in-house panel will choose the winners and honorable mentions for the BLADE
Choice Award. Competition officials reserve the right to regroup entries.

Only original knives, conceived and created by the entrant, will be considered. All types of knives—tactical, hunting, art, etc.—are eligible. You may enter work in any and all categories—there is no limit to the number of knives you may enter.

All winners will be notified by Nov. 30, 2009. Good luck!

Click here to enter the Sharp Focus Online Competition.

“Why I Collect”

Speaking of www.blademag.com, we started a topic on it several months ago entitled “Why Do You Collect Knives?” under “General Discussion.” The responses were so diverse and entertaining that we decided to contact some of the responders for several follow-up questions and pictures of the knives they collect for a new BLADE department, “Why I Collect.”

The idea for the department came from collector Mark Segars, who suggested it during a seminar discussion at Jerry Fisk’s One-Man Knife Show in 2007. The department is open to any and all who collect knives. How about it? Why do you collect knives? If you are interested in sharing your passion and love for all things sharp, go to page 32 in the print edition of the June 2009 issue. Read how “Why I Collect’s” first contributor, photographer,
writer and BLADE reader Buddy Thomason, got hooked on knife collecting, and how you can participate in what promises to be an exciting new addition to BLADE.

Corrections

On page 10 of the May BLADE, the pistol bayonet made by Ka-Bar is available through LaserLyte, attn: G. Islas, 101 Airpark Rd., Dept. BL6, Cottonwood, AZ 86326 928.649.3201 www.laserlyte.com.

Also, in the chart on page 27 of the April BLADE, the correct spelling is Shawn McIntyre, not Sean McIntire, and Gerry McGinnis, not Jerry McGinnis.