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BLADE Show West Preview, Blades Will Hit the Beach!

Steve Shackleford
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BLADE Show West Preview, Blades Will Hit the Beach!

Blades Will Hit the Beach! Hot new venue and even hotter knives foreshadow return of BLADE Show West

A 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.

Grinders, buffers and other knifemaking equipment will be on full display at BLADE Show West 2021.

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, 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.

Art knives and their makers will be in full flower at BLADE Show West 2021. Dennis Friedly will be exhibiting such pieces as this damascus beauty with engraving by Gil Rudolph. (SharpByCoop image)

 

 

SEMINARS and COMPETITIONS

The doors will open to the public each day at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. The 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.

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. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)

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 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 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.

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

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

 

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.

Master Smith David Lisch took home “Best in Show” in the custom awards at the last Blade Show West.

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 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 an 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/).

The Long Beach Convention Center. Source: https://cdn.saffire.com/

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.

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.

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)

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.

A.G. Russell Chute Knives: A Quick History

Steve Shackleford
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A.G. Russell Chute Knives: A Quick History

Harry Archer is no stranger to fans of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® members Bob Loveless and A.G. Russell, as well as followers of Steve Johnson, Bob Dozier and other inhabitants of the custom knife scene. A larger-than life “operator” for the CIA, among others, Archer designed the chute knife, a fixed blade that got its name for use when a parachutist landed in a tree or in some other sticky situation and needed to cut the shroud lines to free himself.

Archer fell in love with Loveless knives and designed a chute knife that Bob made. In the process, Archer and Loveless became close friends and the chute one of Bob’s best-known knives, one reproduced today by scores of custom makers.

A.G. and Loveless had a special relationship, so it should come as no surprise that A.G. became friends with Archer as well—and neither should it come as a revelation that A.G. saw the potential for reproducing a chute knife. In fact, as it turns out, A.G. Russell Knives wound up ordering three different chute repros.

There are great similarities between A.G.’s chute knives and those by Loveless, but also differences. For one, A.G. included a hole in each end of the double guard. Loveless did not. A.G.’s early A.G. Russell and Morseth chutes used narrow-tang construction with distinctly shaped, solid handles. Loveless’s were full tang with applied scales.

Dozier was the maker behind the first A.G. Russell and Morseth chute knives. Aside from a few changes, the Dozier design is much like the Loveless, including no holes in the guard, full-tang construction and the Loveless signature green Micarta® scales.

As A.G. wrote, “In the beginning, Loveless probably would have used A2 tool steel for the blade, and later 154CM and/or ATS-34 stainless. Dozier’s design uses Dozier’s signature D2 tool steel.” It also features one of Dozier’s solidly built leather sheaths.

From 2003-2007, A.G. offered a chute knife designed in collaboration with award-winning German knifemaker Dietmar Kressler.

Russell took Archer’s basic chute and “added as much elegance” as he could manage, “using the talents of that most talented maker [i.e., Kressler]. Dietmar is the master of integral hilt-and-butt [aka hilt-and-cap] hunting and combat knives,” A.G. wrote. “He has taken my design and executed it beautifully.”

Just 75 were made and the last one sold for $2,195. ”They are available today on the secondary market only.

After that, A.G. began work on a more economical drop-forged version of the chute. It took 10 years to get the tooling finished in Taiwan and the knives made. From the blade tip to the end of the pommel, the entire knife is drop forged of 440C stainless steel and has a “very tapered” tang.

“The standard model has ebony Rucarta® scales. Blade and overall lengths: 5.5 and 9.5 inches. MSRP: $245. With ironwood scales the MSRP is $295.

As Russell wrote, “Harry Archer could well have been the pattern for Mr. Clark, the ubiquitous CIA problem solver in Tom Clancy’s novels … He spent a lot of time in the jungle teaching jungle combat and survival to American soldiers and soldiers of other countries as well … He loved knives, well made knives. In his lifetime he was probably Loveless’s #2 or #3 customer. He was a strong influence on the design of custom combat knives and his design for the chute knife is classic.”

History of the BLADE Show: It All Started With Two Names

Steve Shackleford
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History of the BLADE Show: It All Started With Two Names

If you are fortunate enough to attend this year’s 40th BLADE Show, when you initially walk into the mammoth show hall of the Cobb Galleria Centre, take a moment and look around you. Every table, every booth, every person and the exquisite atmosphere that screams knives! would not be if not for two people: BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® members Bruce Voyles and Jim Parker.

Bruce Voyles

It was Bruce and Jim who organized the first BLADE Show—advertised early on as The Blade Magazine 1982 Knife Show—at the Drawbridge Motor Inn in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. (At the time, Jim and Bruce co-owned both the show and BLADE® Magazine.) Just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Ohio, the event drew 7,000 attendees, by the standards of the day a huge amount of folks for one knife show. Even now, other than the BLADE Show, few if any knife shows attract that many people.

Remember, this was all done long before there was an internet and social media to generate pre-show interest. Pre-show advertising was basically all print—mostly in BLADE—and by word of mouth. Add the fact that the knife industry itself was a shadow of what it is today in terms of numbers of factory knife companies, custom knifemakers and, most importantly, knife enthusiasts, and attracting 7,000 attendees is even more remarkable.

Bruce and Jim, the latter founder of Parker Cutlery, were nothing if not visionary marketers of knives and venues in which to market them. They knew that to make the BLADE Show really stand out, they would have to make it the focal point of all things knives. To do this, they had to establish the event as the be-all/end-all knife show.

One of the things that set the BLADE Show apart even back then was it gathered all segments of the cutlery industry—factory, handmade, antique, knife collections, etc.—all under one roof. While the concept had been tried before, it had never continued in an annual fashion the way the BLADE Show was about to do it under the direction of Jim and Bruce.

History of the BLADE Show
Jim Parker

Another way to make the show unique was to establish awards that would be the factory knife industry’s equivalent of the movie industry’s Oscars. The awards would be the standard to which all factory knives and knife companies would aspire. The BLADE Magazine Knife-The-Year® Awards were the result, and they remain the most coveted factory knife honors to this day.

Bruce and Jim had the Knife-Of-The-Year concept covered, but what about a way for the show to memorialize its pioneers, the movers and shakers that made the knife industry the dynamic entity that it had been and would become even more so? The solution: the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame®, with the latest members enshrined each year at the BLADE Show. Created for the 1983 event, it remains the industry standard to this day.

Jim and Bruce would continue to grow the show, moving it to the Holiday Inn & Convention Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1984. In only its third year, with over 30 booths and almost 500 tables, it was vying for the title of the world’s largest knife show—if it wasn’t already.

Bruce bought out Jim’s interest in both BLADE and the BLADE Show in 1986, and moved the show to Atlanta and today’s Renaissance Atlanta Waverly in 1992. Bruce sold the show and the magazine to Krause Publications in 1994, and the event moved to the adjoining Cobb Galleria Centre in 1997, eventually evolving into the monster it is today, now under the ownership of Caribou Media Group LLC.

Jim passed away in 2004 but Bruce remains active in the knife industry as an auctioneer, show coordinator and author, among others. As of this writing, he had reserved BLADE Show booth No. 608. Unfortunately, he might not be able to attend this year’s show and if he does not, his beautiful wife Debbie and equally beautiful daughters Heather and Vanessa will be there to woman the booth. If he somehow is able to attend, he can answer any and all questions you have about knives, as well as the early history of the BLADE Show. Oh, and pack a lunch. He would have more tales to tell than a little bit.

Tips for Attending BLADE Show

Steve Shackleford
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Tips for Attending BLADE Show

OK, it’s been two years since the last BLADE Show as of this writing in 2021, so, in case you’ve forgotten authorized BLADE Show protocols, here’s your official “How To BLADE Show Manual.” This is to supplement the knife show courtesy guidelines here.

Walk, Don’t Run

Walk, don’t run, when you first enter the BLADE Show. I know, the temptation will be to sprint into the exhibition hall to get to your favorite maker’s table or booth. However, please don’t. For one thing, you might run me over. On the other hand, I understand your excitement, so if you do happen to flatten yours truly, please don’t wipe your feet on me.

Acceptable Whooping

To all ABS members who, if and when you first learn early Friday morning of the show that you’ve earned your master or journeyman smith stamp: Please feel free to let out your best war whoop (not that you need our permission, of course). We would, too, if it were us.

Winning Awards

The same (see previous) goes for those who win BLADE Magazine Knife Of the Year® or Custom Knife Judging Competition honors. Celebrating in such a manner releases endorphins and puts you on an emotional sugar-type high, which is something we all need after waiting 730-or-so days for it.

Spread the Word

If you see or find a maker you think has tremendous promise or could well be the next great one, make note of it and tell all your friends. Some of today’s best makers got their start at, or were inspired by, the BLADE Show. That is a tradition we cherish and want to sustain, because it is another thing that makes our show so splendiferous.

Say Hi

When you see a BLADE Show legend or BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member (for one of the latter, look for the new Hall-Of-Fame badge each of them will be wearing), smile, nod, and say hi. They will appreciate it. Make them feel welcome.

They are fountains of knowledge and most if not all of them not only want to share that knowledge, but feel a need to for both the present and future good of the knife community.

Be Mindful

If you see people in wheelchairs and/or with oxygen tanks, make room for them and even offer to assist them if they need it. Such people obviously love the BLADE Show more than most. Why else would they to so much effort to attend?

Listen Up

I’m hoping the PA system in the show hall will be somewhat easier to understand this year but, just in case it isn’t, if someone claims to have a device that automatically translates the system’s Charlie-Brown’s-teacher-ese into English, let me know. I want one.

No Amateurs After Hours

Choose wisely in ƒthe Pit after show hours. There are no doubt going to be some amateurs who go coo-coo for crazy puffs and imbibe a liquid refreshment or two too many.

Hey, after two years of no BLADE Show, that will be quite understandable, even for the old pros. My advice: nurse your beverage responsibly. The better you do that, the less likely you will be to suffer the “show hall shimmy” the following day.

Take Note

Finally, keep track of the youngest and oldest knife enthusiasts you see. They are all reminders of how we both were and, hopefully, some day will be when it comes to experiencing all things sharp. In a nutshell, they really are much of what the BLADE Show is really all about.

Find more information about the BLADE Show on bladeshow.com.

The Hamon: What, Where, Why and How

Steve Shackleford
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The Hamon: What, Where, Why and How

To those who appreciate the tempered steel of a Japanese sword, the hamon is visual evidence of the maker’s effort to produce the finest blade work. In the West, the hamon appears in much the same fashion on Western knives, a blending of culture and craft. Where East meets West on the steel blade, there is the hamon, the graceful temper line.

“From a practical point of view, the hamon is a visible indication of a differentially heat-treated blade,” explained knifemaker Stuart Branson. “In many cases, it’s advantageous to have a harder edge supported by a softer spine in a knife. In this way, you gain the benefits of the good edge retention afforded by the harder edge with the durability of the softer spine region of the blade. In the long and graceful form of the Japanese sword this might seem obvious, but the same is true for Western blades, particularly those hard-use knives or the very popular larger chopping knives.”

According to veteran maker Gary House, the aesthetic effect of the hamon is behind its surge in demand among Western collectors, clearly defining the transition zone between hard edge and soft back.

“The popularity of the hamon on non-Japanese blades today, I believe, is the visual effect of the temper line,” he commented. “The movement and variations of the hamon are very attractive and visually appealing compared to a straight temper line.”

More and more, discriminating knife customers are looking for the hamon on the blades of some of the best-known, iconic Western-style knives.

“‘You will put a little something in the blade, won’t you?’ is a common request these days,” commented Mike Craddock, who started making knives in the 1970s, took a 40-year hiatus, and has come back strong recently. “It doesn’t necessarily make the knife better, but it does look good. I consider it the spirit of the steel.”

Certainly, the hammered and heat-treated steel is expected to be sturdy. However, the quest for the hamon is a classic case of discovering what lies beneath.

“For me, it is the mystery of the hamon,” related bladesmith Erik Fritz. “What shape is it going to take? How much work is it going to entail to bring it out so it can be seen? I think what makes it so special is that each hamon is so different and unique.”

 

PRODUCING THE HAMON

The hamon is there, lying within the reach of the knifemaker who is willing to take the time to thoroughly rub the steel to enhance the elusive line. For some makers, that effort is standard procedure. To them, a blade without this unmistakable flair of the Orient just comes up short. A hamon on Western knives bridges cultures and demonstrates a willingness on the maker’s part to invest the time and energy required.

“Like many, I have always been enamored of the Japanese sword,” Branson said. “The hamon is integral to its design and construction, and although it isn’t necessary that it be brought out to that degree, polishing these swords has been elevated to an art.”

Branson says he attempts to achieve several goals in the production of the hamon. First, he wants to emulate the beauty of the Japanese blade. In the attempt, he learns to see the intricacies of the pattern, theory of design, and the dedication of the artists that have gone before him.

“Producing a hamon is not just adding clay to a blade and hoping for the best,” he reasoned. “It is understanding the steel being used, the temperatures and times needed to achieve your aim, and the amount and pattern of the clay to produce the hamon you are after, the delicate process of heating the blade properly before the quench and, in the case of water quenching Japanese-style blades, the terror and elation of a successful water quench—the violent transformation of the steel into two forms above and below the hamon line, and the resulting curvature induced. One can understand how the swordsmiths approached their craft with a religious reverence.”

 

WATER VS. OIL QUENCH

Producing the hamon involves a process of coating the blade with clay and then quenching it in either oil or water. The water quench is more rapid and therefore potentially more catastrophic should a crack or complete break occur.

“I use clay and white crushed stone,” House noted. “A paste of satanite also works well. The clay insulates the blade from heat and will be a thin layer as it comes down toward the edge of the blade.”

Most makers who frequently produce a hamon opt for such tool steels as W1 and W2, and carbon steels such as 1050, 1075, 1084 and 1095. “Simple carbon steels are conducive to the very fast quenching requirements of a clay-coated quench,” Fritz remarked. “This allows the insulating clay to retard the hardening of the coated areas of the blade. High-alloy steels that allow thorough hardening of the blade are not conducive to the creation of a very active hamon. What you get with the high-alloy steels is more of a straight line.

“With W2 I prefer the water quench,” Erik continued. “With 1084 and 1095 I use Parks 50 quenching oil. Any hamon requires an insulating layer of clay to be applied to the spine. The biggest difference in hamon activity is in the quenching medium, such as water or oil. In my experience and opinion, greater hamon activity is achieved through a water quench. If you are going the safe route and using oil, there is less chance of a catastrophic blade failure.”

Branson said he sees fundamental differences in the hamons produced and the effects of the water or oil quench on the steel itself. On Japanese-style blades, the water quench introduces sori, or curvature to the blade. As the water quenches the steel, the uncoated steel cools quickly while the coated spine retains heat, staying expanded longer and causing the blade to curve downward. As the spine cools, the hardened edge begins to curve upward.  Quenching oils are typically made for industrial use and to prevent deformation of the steel as much as possible. Consequently, the blade tends to curve downward and remain so.

When quenching a blade in water, Stuart added, “The hamon tends to be more cloudlike, more diffuse, and to my mind a little more mysterious and poetic. The oil hamon, however, is more literal, more willing to follow the clay pattern and is more defined on its boundaries. However, the ashi, the wispy lines that come off the main patterns, can be very delicate and defined. Control of this can make for a very exciting hamon.”

The investment of both materials and a significant amount of time impact the cost of a blade complete with a hamon. However, for the maker willing to commit the time and the potential buyer, a genuine value is readily apparent.

“You do have extra work in claying the blade,” Craddock said, “and then there are literally hours of hand rubbing to get the aesthetics right. The steel does what it wants to, but there is a process that you go through. The steel offers it if you are willing to go out and get it. To me, the time involved in the hamon, and about 90 percent of the steel blades I make have them, adds about 10 percent to the cost of the knife—but from the standpoint of hours it should probably be double.”

 

LANGUAGE OF THE BLADE

The hamon brings beauty and satisfaction to the maker and the buyer. Further, it is taking its place among the desired aesthetic effects of Western knives, proving that the world is indeed much smaller when the same language is spoken—in this case, the language of the blade.—BY MIKE HASKEW

What To Look For in a Hamon

 

Discriminating knife buyers looking for a quality hamon should bear a few things in mind. A hamon can be wavy, undulating or any number of shapes. Whatever the shape, it must be well formed, clear and unbroken. What’s more, according to Don Fogg, it must be possible to describe in an understandable manner using a traditional vocabulary.

Erik Fritz advises that a professionally done hamon will exhibit a sharp demarcation between the hard and soft areas. Watch out for a hamon line that dips too close to the cutting edge. Stuart Branson agrees that if the hamon comes close to or reaches the edge of the blade, then a section of the edge is not hardened properly. Levels of refinement in the hamon involve subjective preferences as they relate to clarity and detail.—BY MIKE HASKEW

 

 

How To Obtain a Hamon

 

For more on producing a hamon, see “How To Clay Temper and Obtain a Beautiful Hamon” by ABS master smith Don Fogg in the book, Spirit of the Sword. To order a copy call 1-855-278-0406 or visit www.shopblade.com and click on “Books & References.”

CAPTION FOR PICTURE AT TOP

For his stag “Ferncliff” model, Lin Rhea employs a wavy, cloud-like hamon on the 9-inch W2 tool steel blade. Overall length: 14 inches. (Chuck Ward photo)

 

For the latest knives, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication.

The First Big Knife Show of 2021, ICCE is Returning to Texas

Steve Shackleford
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The First Big Knife Show of 2021, ICCE is Returning to Texas

GRAB YOUR COWBOY BOOTS AND HATS!

It’s been a long sabbatical between major knife shows but that wait will come to a welcome halt March 26-27 with the International Custom Cutlery Exposition (ICCE) at the FortWorth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas.

Presented by BLADE, the ICCE will pair some of the world’s best custom knifemakers with a select group of cowboy artisans. The best in sharpened steel will be joined by some of the top work in spurs, conchos, leatherwork and more in what promises to be a unique kind of event combining the world of knives with the world of the wild, wild west, 21st–century style.

Above: Photos from the 2019 ICCE Show (taken by Scott Schuster)

“We  have a high concentration of makers and subscribers in the Texas area,” BLADE Show/ICCE director Alicia Newton noted, and a significant number of those makers are expected to attend. Some of the industry’s top slip–joint makers and ABS master, journeyman and apprentice smiths hail from the Longhorn State, and they as well as specialists in other top genres of custom knives, knifemaking suppliers, embellishers and more will be on hand to exhibit their wares in all their whetted wonder.

As for the cowboy gear element, it promises to give the event a flair rarely seen in the realm of custom knife shows.

“In addition to the outstanding craftsmanship attendees can expect to find from our knife community, we will also be introducing products by high-end cowboy artisans,”Newton commented. “We believe these products will add a new element to the knife show and help distinguish it from other events in the knife community.”

 

2021 REBOOT

The successor to the old Knifemakers’ Guild Show, the inaugural ICCE was held in September 2015 in Kansas City and featured members of both the Guild and the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) exclusively all-under-one-roof in the first-ever show of its kind. It was moved to the Fort Worth Stockyards in March 2019, where it met with solid reviews. However, last year’s rendition, as was the case with many knife shows and other events, was canceled due to Covid-19. In an effort to reboot the ICCE in 2021 better than ever  before, show coordinator Jerry Moen and other officials of both the Guild and ABS turned to the BLADE Show brain trust for guidance.

“Our company is always looking for new opportunities to expand the BLADE brand name,” Newton noted. “Therefore, taking over the show in Texas was a natural fit.”

Part of that fit is the cowboy gear of the exhibiting cowboy artisans.

“As noted, we will have about 20-to–25 cowboy artisans that will be displaying and selling their products at the event,” Newton stated. “In addition, as the show continues to grow, we will introduce experiences specific to the Texas show that won’t take place at our other BLADE Show events.”

Above: Photos from the 2019 ICCE Show (taken by Scott Schuster)

Other than the addition of the select group of cowboy artisans, the show itself will remain largely unchanged this year. According to BLADE Show officials, their goal early on for the new arrangement is to keep the ICCE close to what it has been before slowly transitioning in the ensuing years to more of a BLADE Show type of event.

In keeping with that focus, the ABS will not present awards or do any testing for ABS master or journeyman smith stamps at ICCE—the ABS does most of that at the BLADE Show. However, the Guild will present its awards, including honors for knives in the following categories: Best Art; Best Bowie; Best Fighter; Best Dressed Fighter; Best Folder; Best Multi-Blade Folder; Best Collaboration; Best Hunter; Judges’ Choice; and Best Tactical Folder. The Guild also will present its annual Red Watson Award, Nate Posner Award and Hank Rummel Award, the latter for best first-year probationary Guild member, and determine both its new voting and probationary members. The ICCE,meanwhile, will present awards for knives in the following categories: Best Forged Blade; Best Bowie; Best Art; Best of Show; Best Combat Knife; Best Folder; Best Hunter; Best Damascus; and Best Collaboration.

 

FULL IMMERSION

In addition to great knives, makers, cowboy gear and more, the ICCE will feature the sights and sounds of the Fort Worth Stockyards. Everything you might expect from a Western/cowboy experience—bull riding, the Texas Cowboy Hall Of Fame, outstanding country music, Legends of Texas Gunfight Shows, the best in local eateries and drinking establishments, shopping, events for the entire family, a petting zoo, even the Fort Worth Herd cattle drive (not once but twice daily)—the Fort Worth Stockyards has it.

“This event won’t be just another typical knife show but will have unique elements specific to Texas that will help set it apart,” Newton observed. “At the end of each show day, attendees can take in all the sights and sounds of the Fort Worth area without having to drive anywhere.”

In other words, the ICCE is not only a knife show but a two-day celebration of Texas culture, history and entertainment as well.

“Come for the weekend. You don’t need a car. Shopping, restaurants, bars—including the world’s largest honky tonk bar—all within walking distance makes for a fully immersive experience,” Newton noted. “It will be one of the first opportunities for the knifemaking community to all get back together again.”

The Hyatt Place Fort Worth Historic Stockyards (800-833-1516) provides outstanding accommodations in the heart of the Stockyards. For information on it and other places to stay, including the exhibitor list, tickets, attractions and more, visit icceshow.com.

How Custom Knifemakers Adapted to COVID-19

Steve Shackleford
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How Custom Knifemakers Adapted to COVID-19

Companies on the cutlery side seem to be weathering the COVID-19 era better than those in most other industries, in no small part due to online knife sales. BLADE promised to check on the custom side of things for you, and, though maybe not quite as well as their production brethren, the custom knifemakers we asked about it seem to be holding their own.

Already Practicing Social Distancing

Having employees work from home is one of the measures factory knife and other companies have taken to ensure long-range social distancing and to help control the spread of the virus.

Many custom makers, of course, work out of their home shops and have done so for decades, so they were a step ahead of the game in that regard from the outset.

Moreover, many makers take orders and sell their knives through their own websites, on social media, via email, and through advertising in knife magazines and elsewhere. As a result, not unlike their factory counterparts, they have experienced some success in that area, too. Purveyors who sell the makers’ knives are an added bonus as well.

Ironically, the early lockdown and also the downturn in another industry—travel—actually benefitted at least one knifemaker.

“Good For My Business”

“Honestly, COVID has been real good for my business.At the beginning when everything was closed, we suddenly had a bunch of free weekends when travel all got canceled,” noted Jason Fry.“I used that time to do a lot of knife work.In the first three months of COVID, I have one customer that bought four of the six knivesI put out for sale.Product has continued to move well, even at the $500+ price points.”

Another boost to custom knife sales early on was the federal stimulus and unemployment checks.

“Our sales went up a whole lot when the stimulus checks were sent out and people on unemployment were getting that extra $600 a week,” noted Linda Hibben, wife of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Gil Hibben. 

Linda added that while things had slowed down a bit in late summer, Gil continued to accept orders.

“Believe it or not, the Rambo III bowie and machete are still selling,” she enthused. (Along with the third Rambo movie, the Rambo III bowie debuted in 1988.) “We have had several different bowie orders and combat-type knife orders recently.”

“Orders Are Down Overall”

ABS master smith and BLADE contributor Wally Hayes indicated he was still taking orders via email, messenger, Instagram and Facebook, but had “lost a bunch” also.

“I would say orders are down overall,” he stated. Helping take up the slack for Wally are the damascus watch dials he builds for a watchmaker in Oslo, Norway.

Supplies Still Plentiful

As for having enough supplies to fill knife orders, maker George Brackett said he had everything he needed to make about 70 forged knives, with 32 orders “in the pipeline.” After he gets the go-ahead from his doctors following some recent surgery, he’s going to start making knives again.

Fry indicated he’s experienced no real issues with supplies yet, and intends to order bulk every few months.

“I haven’t tried ordering steel lately,” he added, “but belts, etc., haven’t been a problem.”
On the down side have been the cancellations of a number of knife shows, including BLADE Show 2020, the latter a place where many makers would have sold a significant number of knives and taken a large number of orders. (BLADE Show 2021 is set for June 4-6 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.)

If it weren’t for the fact that other knife shows aren’t the go-to venues they once were due to online sales and other factors, such makers no doubt would be hurting more than they are now.

Contracts Still In Place

Another bonus for makers such as Gil is the collaboration agreements they have entered into with factory knife companies. In fact, his long-time contract with United Cutlery is going great knives, including a knife design in the works celebrating his upcoming 65th anniversary as a knifemaker in 2022.

“We have new designs coming out with United on a regular basis,” Linda wrote, “so all is good!”

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