A.G. Russell recently passed away.
If that name doesn’t mean something to you, you’ve led an
impoverished life. It may not have been
financially poor, but your soul hasn’t been nourished enough.
Russell started making knives when he was nine. In 1968 he started selling after-market
knives but continued to have his designs made.
His wife, Goldie, helped publish a slick glossy catalog containing photos
of knives of amazing beauty. Knife
fanciers refer to it as “knife porn” as we anxiously await the current issues
which would be studied, pawed over and each knife’s detailed description
memorized.
The catalog is still in production and I still look forward
to seeing it.
I met A.G. years ago at one of the S.H.O.T Shows, along with
100 thousand other people. But a recent
article of mine in Knife Magazine on his Gent Folder II brought us back into contact. We talked and he showed me how he could flick
open virtually any knife. He said he enjoyed
my article.
 |
| One of A.G. Gent Knives |
He joins a select group of knife giants. Some of the names should
mean something to you.
James Parker Sr. who once owned Case Knife and founder the
National Knife Collectors Association (NKCA)
Bill Scagel who inspired so many other designers and makers
like Bo Randall, the founder of Randall Knife.
Bo influenced Bob Loveless who inspired countless other makers.
Robert Terzuola who invented the term Tactical Knife.
The environment they created let people like Blackie Collins
flourish with his innovative designs. Blackie was also a founding member of the Knife Makers Guild as well as the originator
of Blade magazine.
Bill Moran, the rediscoverer of pattern welded steel and
founder of the American Bladesmith Society isn’t excluded from this group by
any means.
And of course, A.G. Russell, who opened the world of
art/collector and working knives to everyone.
Let me remind you he produced the first production knife with a thumb
stud. His Sting boot knife still
inspires both art knives and fighting designs.
I know there are others I’ve missed and skipped, but I there
is no question that A.G. Russell will be on anyone’s list of knife milestones.
A.G. Russell, III passed away Friday, October 12, 2018 at
Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, AR at the age of 85. The knife community will miss him.
