Switchblades

Switchblades. Auto knives. Push button knives.  Flick knives.  No matter what you call them, fully automatic knives have an undeniable appeal.

They aren’t new.  The first ones were made in the mid 1700s.  Following the U.S. Civil War, knives became factory products made in quantity. 

Knife sales increased thanks to the internet of its time, the catalog and advertisement.   In 1892 George Schrade invented the first really practical auto knife.  We’re still re-inventing the auto knife.  The Blade Show featured the so-called dual mode and hidden auto which could be opened manually or automatically with a hidden release.

HK's dual mode Scorch.  Open like a manual knife or use the hidden release.  And it's made in the USA!

So far so good!

In search of more readership, Women’s Home Companion published an article in 1950 about switchblades called “The Toy That Kills.”  Did you hear that sound?  No, it wasn’t the click of a knife opening.  That was the opening shot of the war on knives.

The image of a hoodlum standing in the mouth of an alley smoking a cigarette, wearing a black leather jacket, and shockingly tight pants with an Italian switchblade in his back pocket and dating your daughter was too much for our legislators.  Especially when their wives began to think these Hollywood romantic bad boys were cute!

In 1958, The Switchblade Knife Act was passed making the sale of auto knives, but not possession, illegal.  Many states also passed laws banning autos, dirks, Bowie knives, short swords and butterfly knives.  The U.S. is not the only nation in the world that feels their citizens can’t be trusted with a knife much less one that opens by pushing a button. 

Traveling overseas with almost any of our ubiquitous knives could land you in jail.

Let’s zip forward to today.

Since then some states have passed knife rights laws to allow their citizens to buy, sell and own autos.  We have groups like Knife Rights and AKTI to thank for that.

Two of my favorite knife manufacturers package their autos with dire warnings about the proper documentation needed if you return your auto for service or warranty work.  With many states making it legal to own autos, I wanted to know how these companies would treat legal autos in need of service.

Spyderco requires a letter (on letterhead!) stating you are authorized to possess one of their autos and a restricted item return form.  They will not return your knife to you without all the paperwork.  They really don’t like autos and currently only carry one at the request of the U.S.Coast Guard rescue swimmers called the Autonomy.

This policy will remain in effect regardless of state laws, so if you own a Spyderco auto, unless you’ve got current paper, don’t bother sending it back.

Not that I blame them.  Several years ago when imported butterfly knives were banned, Spyderco was making them here in the U.S.  One part, that little latch on the bottom of the handle, was imported from overseas.  They had paperwork from Customs saying it was okay and legal.  All the lawyers on both sides were in agreement.  It was all good.  Then ICE decided the little latch was contraband, seized the shipment and all the other knives associated with the shipment.  People almost went to jail and fines were levied.  It wasn’t very nice.

I’m actually surprised they even make an auto given the complexity of the legal system.  We tend to think of the Federal government as a great monolithic organization.  It often acts as individual organization and has little if any interest in cooperating with other departments.

My next stop was Benchmade.  They make a fine line of autos 

Benchmade's AFO II.  They upgraded this knife two years ago and it really performs!

and this year have introduced more covert autos in which the blade can be opened like a manual knife, or pressing a hidden button springs the blade open.  Look at the gold class 7505 Sibert or the black class 5400 Serum if you’re interested.

They too have restrictions on sending autos back.  You cannot send it back via the post office and you must have or sign their Auto Opening Knife Acknowledge form available on their website.  Benchmade recommends you take your auto back to a registered Benchmade dealer and arrange to have them ship it back for sharpening and tune up. 

Just in passing they suggest you send any of your Benchmade knives in every two years for resharpening and overhaul.  You paid for the service when you bought the knife, you should take advantage of it.

It doesn’t matter if you have a CCW, or if your state allows autos or if your old unit/department passed them out like sticks of gum.  Each vendor has different rules that they think will keep them out of legal trouble.

Is this right?  Frankly what do I know about the law?  I don’t even write radio dialogue for lawyer commercials.  Find out what they want and work with them.

Still want an auto?  I don’t blame you.  I like them too.  If you carry one, just keep your wits about you.

Blade Show 2014

The 2014 Blade Show is over.

A sick laptop prevented me from reporting from Atlanta, GA.  Over the next couple of weeks I’ll review some of the highs and lows of Blade.

But here’s a taste.

While not the providence of the Blade Show, one has to reflect on the Cobb Convention Center.  I will say that if the standard of Atlanta is poor service, the Cobb lived up to it.  The adjoining hotel was overbooked, so everyone associated with the show had to check out Sunday morning because a new convention was arriving that day.  The breakfast area in the hotel, which was open only for a rather nice, but expensive breakfast, was torn down and under construction.  I don’t know where hotel guests ate breakfast.  I was lucky.  I stayed off-site and will again.

At the Cobb Convention Center, the escalator down to the poorly staffed and unorganized food court was partially broken.  You could get down, but not back up to the show.  The elevator for wheelchairs and elderly was also broken.  If there were stairs they were well hidden.  So you had to walk out of the building, around to the front, reenter the building and take the (soon to be also broken) lobby escalator up to the show floor.  Despite it being Friday, no evidence of workers was present.

The restrooms were poorly managed.  Several restrooms off the beaten path were clean and quickly locked once the staff discovered people were using them.  Fortunately there were no riots over toilet paper.  In the hallways there were no places to sit, except in the one-way food court, and most of the meeting rooms with chairs were kept locked.  Soon people sprawled on the floor and leaned against walls.  I spent so much time on my feet that they felt like sore marshmallows every morning despite icing them down in the evenings.

What about the Blade Show, or am I going to just bitch about the facilities?

The VIP line 3 hours before the show opened!

The first thing you need to understand is there aren’t many changes you can make to a knife.  A knife is basically a sharpened edge and a handle.  Normally some way of protecting the edge from the environment and your fingers is included.  The two most popular ways are a sheath and folding/retracting the blade into the handle.  Most manufacturers use one or both of these methods.  But not always.  Busse Knife Co. sells all their knives sans sheath.  Just a cardboard tube to protect you from the edge.

Given this basic concept it quickly becomes apparent that most if not all the tables have some variation on this, like everyone else.

The differences become apparent in the types of material used, the skill of the craftsman, the artistic vision and the execution.  Truly originally ideas are rare.

The next most exciting thing to see is the positioning of each company in the knife market.  For example:

Kershaw has purchased several designs from Emerson.  It’s always best to talk to people on Sunday at Blade.  By then they’re tired and often the true story, or at least part of it, is told.  More on that later.  Just know that:

• Emerson’s CQC-7 with Wave retails at $225
• Kershaw’s CQC-7K with Wave retails at $60.

Spyderco reports that more and more countries are banning friction folding knives as well as locked blades.  The slip joint market is growing.  New designs like Spyderco’s PITS (Pie in the Sky) by British knife maker Mike Read show promise.  Mike’s design is such that the more pressure you place on the spring while cutting, the harder it is to close the blade.  Was this a purposeful design feature?  I asked Joyce Laturi about that.  Joyce suggests,  “…People decide to do what they can within the letter of the law so they can carry a knife…”

Still waiting!  

Are you a criminal?  Maybe not, but you could soon be an outlaw.  The domestic ivory ban, President Obama’s directive 210 makes it illegal to sell ivory harvested before the 1980s ban passed by Congress.  While the directive is focused on elephant ivory collected after the ban, enforcement is given sweeping powers to declare you guilty and force you to prove your innocence.  While the US Fish and Wildlife service stated in Sept 2012, “...Illegal ivory in the U.S. was not significant,”  they are now working for the “virtual elimination of all commercial trade in elephant ivory,” according to Dan Ashe, Director USFWS.  You’ll being seeing more on this later.

CRKT Imported Knife of  2014.  It's a nice knife!  

I learned how to turn an impossibly dull knife into a workable dull knife with 'mud-on-a-stick.'  I'll have more on that too!

The Blade Show isn’t about knives.  That’s just the excuse.  It’s really about people and their knives.

A Fist Full of Cord

Can one of these spell the difference between coming home after an unplanned outdoor activity or being found a year later by someone's dog?

It’s hard to think of survival gear and not think of a knife.  No matter if we are thinking of late night in a dead-end-alley survival or where-the-hell-are-we lost, one of the tools we would like is a knife.

Certainly there are other items we might want.  It's way too easy to compile a most wanted list: handgun, compass, matches/flint, ‘space’ blanket, button light, cell phone, warm clothes, water, food.  The list seems endless.  Even intrepid TV survival experts would not survive for long in most environments without some equipment.

It is with some curiosity I see paracord survival bracelets 

being hawked at gun shows, websites and worn about town.  In agreement with my policy on true transparency I’ve got to say, I make ‘em, too.  I wear them as well.  It’s sort of a fashion statement that the wearer is committed to staying alive and has the rope to prove it.

Let’s take a look at this.

I put long brightly colored lanyards on tools like Leatherman, axes and some fixed blade knives.  To me that makes a certain amount of sense.  

Yeah, the tool is purple, because the diamond file only came in purple handles.  Still, put your thumb over the tool and see if you can find it.  I bet you can.

I drop something in the snow, mud, leaves or just put it down next to me and the cord helps me locate it.  In a water environment I could undo the cord and re-use it to tie the tool to my belt.  Any survival tool you lose when you use it has limited value.

A lanyard loop assures the knife will hang from my wrist when I need my fingers and will give me that little bit of extra security when I’m holding something by the very end to get a little more leverage out of it.

Lanyards, like the bracelets, also contain useable cord just in case.  In case of what you should ask?

My bracelets use about 6 feet of cord.  Much of it isn’t the classic 550paracord  containing 7 small lines with a breaking strength of 78 pounds each. (The kermantal adds to the strength too.)  Frankly, I think that breaking strength is urban legend.  Much of it looks like paracord but is filled with a one irregular, fluffy mass of fibers.  There’s no reason not to use this material if you just want to look cool or need a clothesline.  Just know what you have.

With 6 feet you could make a snare.  With your knife you could use a foot here and a foot there to secure the ends of an impromptu shelter.  Of course you could use it to tie someone’s hands and feet if you had to, but they better be unconscious while you unweave your bracelet. 

You could cut off about 3 feet and pull the inner core strings.  With 550 cord you would have 7 three foot long strings to tie into fishing line or to sew with if you have a stout needle or sharp thorn.  I’m not sure what you could use the kermantal for.  If you went with 750 cord, you’d have 11 strands! 

Using the entire cord you could tie several large branches together to make personal floatation aid or you could make a fire bow.  That’s a good tool to warm yourself twice with the same wood, once starting the fire and the second time burning the wood.

Still six feet isn’t a lot of cord.  So if you were to make/buy a belt 40 inches long you might have 24ft.  You’re not going to climb down much of anything with that unless you leave it behind.  A big log raft would still be out of the question, but you could make several personal rafts with more buoyancy.

What you need to remember is all knots degrade the strength of rope as does exposure to sun, moisture, dirt, and salt.  And what is a paracord bracelet, but knotted rope exposed to salty perspiration, water, sun, soap, dirt and other chemicals?  Maybe a survival bracelet isn’t the answer.

If you’re heading off the pavement pack a coil of 50

feet of 550 paracord

The bright metal strip is a 6 inch ruler in front of 50 odd feet.  You can rebundle 50 feet of cord in any shape you want.  Long to fit in your game or forager pocket, a ball to fill that empty spot in your day pack.  You could even run it back and forth like a yoke to fit in your jacket.

along with your knife, compass, handgun, and other accoutrements. The right tool for the job is always easier than makin’ do.

And take your survival bracelet.  I once used half of mine to replace a broken shoe lace.

Ax and You’ll Receive It

Do you remember when you first saw it and knew it would be the only one for you?  You tried out others, but they just weren’t right.  Oh, you could make it work, but it wasn’t fun and the moment you let up, things went to hell in a hand basket. 

The balance was off; it felt wrong; the look was just wrong.  In the entire universe there was only one, and you had to have that one.

I’m talking about hatchets.  What did you think I was talking about?

I first saw the hatchet for me in Boy Scouts.  It had a black rubber grip bonded to a bright metal handle which was attached with a red collar to the black ax head.  The only silver metal on the ax head was the bevel face.  It was called the Jet Rocket!  What a name!

Made by Ames True Temper, it only took hammering a few tent pegs into the ground and splitting a little kindling to know I needed this.  The only other object I needed that bad was a HP 35 calculator and that waited until college.

Over the years I used and abused it, sharpened it and chopped it dull again.  I never should have used it to hammer steel wedges to split wood.  Over the years I deformed the axhead butt, and finally I thought I was seeing a few metal cracks in the metal.  The dire messages of my Scout leaders about damaging my hatchet flooded back and I started worrying the hatchet would fail when I needed it.  Clearly it was time to retire it.

About two years ago I started searching for a new one.  I want a new copy of what I had, but that was futile.   The moving finger of time had moved on.

After several years of admiring cuties like the Firestonebelt ax or Condor Greenland pattern, I was almost seduced by Wetterling’s hand foraged small hunting ax.  Still I held back.

I’d been around the block, made piles of wood chips and I still remember how those wood handles felt when you hit a nice solid piece of wood.  I also remember how slippery wood handles felt and the crush grip required to control the hatchet and how my hand felt after several hours of making chips.  No, I wanted a high friction rubber grip. 

The SOG is on top and my Jet Rocket on the bottom.  Years ago I had to replace the sheath on the Jet Rocket.

Let's go face to face.

SOG’s Base Camp Axe looked like it would fit the bill. Here’s the specifics:

• Steel                                   1055C
• Hardness                            RC 50-55
• Weight                               33 ounces
• Overall length                    16 inches
• Blade length                       3.4 inches (curved edge)
• Axe blade shape                Straight

I don’t have much information on my Jet Rocket. 

• Steel                                   carbon steel, I guess
• Hardness                            ??????
• Weight                               24 ounces
• Overall length                    13 inches
• Blade length                       3.2 inches (curved edge)
• Axe blade shape                Convex

The only three significant differences are the weight, overall length and blade shape.  The longer lever arm and weight should give me more mechanical advantage in splitting wood, but it could result in less control in splitting ultra fine kindling.

 Jet Rocket hatchet is on the left and the SOG Camp Hatchet on the right.  Really different shaped heads.

The perceived difference in ax head shape is a mystery to me.  The thinner shape of the Jet Rocket allows me to sharpen the edge like a razor, but that also makes for a fragile edge.  After all, I’m not slicing. I’m chopping.

Last winter I packed both hatchets and headed to a winter cabin in West Virginia.  I took pre-cut lengths of pine 2x4s to test the hatchets on.  I selected commercial lumber because I thought it would be more uniform in physical properties and make the comparison easier.  I left the wood out in the weather and the next day went to work on it.  The goal: convert big wood to little kindling and compare the hatchets.

The Jet Rocket is on the left and the SOG on the right.  Big difference in striking surface!

I think it was a draw.  Maybe the Jet Rocket came out a little ahead because it’s so familiar to me.

The longer and heavier SOG made fast work of reducing big wood to small wood.  But it worked my wrist more and I found myself choking up on the handle to have more control over it.  Pointing wooden stakes was easier with Jet Rocket.  I think the less weight gave me more control over it.  The bigger poll (that’s the hammer side of the hatchet, but don’t let a Scout catch you calling it that!) makes for easier stake pounding.

The pre-kindling stage which is followed by christmas tree-like fir sticks. 

I think the SOG straight face made splitting chores easier than the Jet Rocket’s concave face.

My bottom line?

Okay, I admit that I have a sentimental attachment to utilitarian objects that have served me faithfully.  Primitive man felt that a spirit would resided in each object and that our handling and close proximity to the tool created a bond between that person and that spirit.  The tool would work it’s best only for its owner.  Another good reason to personalize and decorate your tools.

I don’t believe that.  But what if I’m wrong?

I like the Jet Rocket a little better than the SOG Base Camp, but I’m going use the SOG.  I’ll keep both axes together and keep both of them oiled and sharpened. 

Maybe magic will happen.

Maybe my hand and brain will connect with the SOG.

I’ll learn to love it.  After all, it’s my hatchet.

WRCA Knife Show

The 2014 Warther Memorial Knife Show is over.  It was held at Breitenbach Winery in the lovely Breitenbach Tool Shed.

The Tool Shed

I couldn’t squeeze the show in as a vendor, but I did drop in on Sunday.  I had several interesting conversations and found a few things I couldn’t live without.

If you work with ivory, collect ivory and even own ivory you should be concerned about President Obama’s Executive Order banning ivory.

No, I’m not anti-elephant.  African elephant ivory has been prohibited from import since the early 80s.  Most of the illegal ivory trade is currently driven by the Far East and laws controlling this practice aren’t enforced by their governments.

This Executive Order bans ivory from animals killed before the ban.  Oh, you can sell pre-ban, if you have the paperwork proving it’s pre-ban.  You saved that bill of sale from the 80s, didn’t you?

There’s exceptions for fossil ivory, mastodon ivory, walrus and others, but the responsibility is on you to prove it as well as documentation of the port it entered the country.  You got that as well, right?  And forget about DNA.  No matter what you saw on CSI, ivory has no DNA.

The scariest part of this is the adoption of assumed guilt until proven innocent.  The enforcement agent can simply suspect you’re guilty and seize your property and arrest you.  You then have to prove your innocence.  That’s just plain wrong. 

I see this as just another step demonstrating the government’s drive to neuter our rights.  Today it's ivory, tomorrow it might be guns, then books and the realization you live at the pleasure of the government.

Enough politics, but I’ve got to say, I’m glad I’m old. 

Did I find any treasures at the show?

The Shed is also used to store wine.

I picked up a hatchet from Mickey Yurco.  It’s a small hatchet just over 7 inches long with an OD green and black striped micarta handle.  The blade is curved and sub-three inches in length and made from 440C steel. 

It's small, but it's aimed at the emergency bug-out bag.

440C is the best of the 440 steel series and represents a middle grade of steel in the knife community.  It’s a good steel, rust resistant, durable and can be resharpened without special equipment.  It’s a good choice for a bug-out bag which is what Mickey had in mind.  One thing to remember, 440C is magnetic and will affect compass readings.  Just a word to the wise.

The hatchet comes with a Kydex sheath.  I like Kydex for its durability, but this sheath is a little hard to remove. 

The cover fits tight, not a bad thing, but I have to jerk it out of the the sheath, so don't stand too close! 

Maybe a summer Kydex sheath making project will solve my problem. 

I also picked up an older doctor’s knife made for W. Bingham Co in Cleveland Ohio.  The knife was, my internet search tells me, made by Ulster Knife Company.  That may explain why both the main and secondary blade are stamped. 

I admit it took me a while to convince myself it was a doctor’s knife.  It’s doesn’t have the spatula and the handle has an offset more typical of a gun stock pattern.  Still the blade shape and the pill crusher end convinced me.

The handle is more of a black with dark green highlights.  Do you see the little curve in the handle?

The handle has a faded green and black motif to it, so it must have the effect of nice weather and grassy fields that had me thinking about green and black.

Both the hatchet and knife are sweet!

How was the show?

I’m told Saturday had 280 attendees.  I left around 1pm on Sunday.  It was pretty bleak then but several vendors reported that while the count was down, sales were strong.

Even though my wife and I had driven to the winery earlier in the year, we still had trouble finding it.  The signage was poor and as you drove up the empty, winding gravel road you got the feeling as one retired LEO suggested, you were being set up for a robbery and car-jacking. 

Tucked away in Dover, the knife show was a destination.  Most of the Amish community is shut down on Sunday and Dover was no exception.  The winery was closed and if you were looking for a restaurant, well you better head to Canton Ohio. 

If you didn’t know about the show you wouldn't see anything to suggest it existed.  Nothing could be seen on Interstate-77, so the show didn’t have any impulse attendees.

I will say, if WRCA doesn’t do something, I predict there will be no Dale Warther Memorial Knife show in less than ten years.

I heard it through the grape vine.......

The rumor mill is abuzz!

No, it's not about about what's-her-name or the other one's boy toy.  This is important.

A reliable source claims Tactical Knives is stopping production.  No date on the finial issue.

The publishing game isn't what it used to be. Readership is falling off.  Many people blame the Internet with its free (almost) content, online blogs, videos and ability to constantly deliver new daily content.

I'll miss Tactical Knives.  But then I always enjoy reading.  Sitting in the doctor's office reading magazines from last year never seems a hardship to me.

So long, Tactical Knives, you'll be missed!

Spyderco vs.?????

The expression “It’s a poor knife that cuts only one way” has found its way, with some minor modification, into detective fiction, adventure romances, and science fiction, just to name a few.  I’ve even pointed out to students that a tactical flashlight points in both directions. 

But the Spyderco Civilian is a knife that cuts only one way.  It comes with a special note.

Here’s the text.  As an ‘abridger’, my apologies for any misrepresenting the sentiment behind Spyderco’s statement.  

“Spyderco has traditionally maintained what we call the “White Hat” position.  …that the future of mankind in the world must lie in cooperation and greater socialization.  …We recognize that a knife ... can be used (solely) to defend oneself…(but) we have never produced such an item.  Spyderco … caters to the law enforcement personnel on a worldwide scale.  They would be the good guys, or ‘White Hats’.  It has been requested that we … provide an effective last-ditch defense in assisting the “White Hats.”

The Civilian model is the first of several folding knives designed and produced as a law enforcement back-up defense weapon.  The Civilian model was not designed to kill. … It is designed to ‘hit and run’ in a self defense situation.”

I unwrapped the package and found, to my surprise, this collector-grade pouch.

While it’s true the Civilian isn’t designed to stab, it is designed to make an ocean cut.  With the reverse-S shape and the tremendously powerful Spyderco serrations, anyone you cut will be cut deep and wide.  It’s also well established that many effective targets on the human body are just under the skin.

The Civilian and its ilk (the Matriarch – versions 2 and Lil’) aren’t the only Spyderco folders that focus on the grittier side of self-defense.  The P’kal has very strong roots in self-defense as does the Yojimbo 2.  But only the Civilian was designed solely for self-defense.  It also comes with a tag that amplifies its purpose:  “Notice – This knife was not designed to be used as a utility knife.  Its unique design will not support everyday use…”

Why does Spyderco feel it’s necessary to include this statement?

I don’t know.  It could be legal preemptive boilerplate; maybe it’s an attempt to assuage personal feelings that such things are still necessary in this world.  Maybe it is guilt from knowing that no matter what you attempt or intend, someone will misuse it.

Let’s get to the Civilian’s specifications:

• Size closed                          132 mm*
• Blade Length                      104 mm
• Clip                                        Right side only, tip up or down
• Blade                                     Hollow ground VG-10
• Handle                                  Steel reinforced G-10
• Edge                                      Do you have to ask?  Spyder-Edge!
• Thickness                            10.4 mm
• Cost                                       I’m not sure how to answer that.  When push-comes-to-graveyard, what’s your life worth?  If you never need it, what’s it worth to have your grandkids inherit the knife and wonder what kind of freaky stuff were you into?  The more conventional answer is it retails for $280.
• 
  

The only Spyderco folder made specifically to cut human flesh.  The Civilian.

Do you need one?

This isn't a typical, "If I don't have one, I must need one" answer.

I just sold one to someone who, because of his job, will be going into dangerous surroundings.  Because of his job, he can’t take a firearm, nor will there be guards surrounding him.  He feels this knife might stand between the grave and his returning home. 

I, on the other hand, took his Civilian out of the soft-sided pouch it comes in and opened it.  The Spyder-Edge glittered like jewels set in silver.  The reverse-S blade has grace and flows outward from your hand.  The insulating G-10 is warm to the touch and the handle naturally finds a sweet spot in your grip.  My thumb, trained from decades of using Spydercos, found the hole without any thought on my part.

I made a few air cuts.  The Civilian almost seems to anticipate your movements before you do. 

It’s a work of art, lovely and f@^king scary as hell.

*Yeah, it’s metric.  The only four places in the world still using the English system are England, Liberia, Myanmar and the US of A.  Let’s get with it!

Re-branding: It's Not Just for Wall Street

I get a lot of catalogs.

All sorts of catalogs ranging from clothing, woodworking equipment, outdoor stuff, guns, shooting supplies and of course, knives.  I read them all. 

I recently got a catalog from a company that sells high-end work clothes.  I’m sure you’ve seen the catalog.  You can purchase a canvas sport coat or extra long tee-shirts to prevent butt crackitis from them.

Recently I saw a knife that’s an old favorite of mine.  It’s the Boker Sub-Com.  It’s been re-branded as the Boker Biscuit Knife.

It works better as a money clip or clipped on your shorts behind your belt buckle.

The re-branding seems to have affected the price.

The catalog prices it at $46.95.

The 2013 Boker catalog lists it at $48.95.

My supplier lists the retail cost at $49.95.

It’s a nice knife and it’s true.  It fits well in the watch pocket on men’s jeans.  Not too many of us carry pocket watches any more. That’s kind of a shame.  There was a certain class to taking the watch out of your pocket and pushing the stem in to pop the protective cover off the crystal.

The 'Biscuit' also works well as a money clip. 

I’m getting ready for the Blade Show.  We called the hotel to make a reservation and was told:

• They are full.
• All Blade Show attendees and vendors have to check out Sunday morning, because they have a new show coming in Monday and they need the rooms for those people.

Sunday morning at the show should be interesting.

More about the Blade Show as I blunder into it!

Blackjack Panga

I just put a Blackjack Panga on eBay.  It was made at the original Effingham, Illinois company.  

Blackjack's Panga with the original black box

The Panga was made for two years starting in 1991 and fizzling out in 1992.  It’s estimated that only 1200 of these knives were made.

The blade is made from 420HC steel.  According to that fountainhead of knowledge, Wikipedia, “420HC is a higher carbon content 420 stainless.  The HC stands for "high carbon" and it can be brought to a higher hardness than 420 and should not be mistaken for it.  Buck Knives uses 420HC extensively.”

Blackjack, it seemed to me, wanted to be the factory version of Randall Knife.  I have a Randall in a display case and a similar new Blackjack.  Based on appearance and feel, they have succeeded.  But Randall has this cache: handmade, served in Vietnam and a favorite of our Armed Forces.  I have a friend who told me when he went in the service his father gave him a Rolex watch and a Randall.  He’s been hooked ever since and has quite a collection.

With Blackjack you can buy the same knife as a Randall, pay half the price and get it today and not after the five-plus year wait Randalls routinely have for a “custom” knife.  But somehow the original Blackjack Company never took off.  Maybe that’s because they were copying and not creating their own signature look.  Whatever the reason Randall remains HOT! 

The Panga was billed as a machete.  I’ve swung a more classical, heavier machete and it’s clearly a job for the young and energetic.

Note traditional logo of daggers through an ace of spades!  Looks like crossed swords!

Based on that experience I’m not sure the Panga’s edge would hold up to clearing vines and cutting brush.  It may have well have been designed for a more specific use in the jungle like butchering fish, cutting small vines for rope and discouraging other people.  It looks like a long butcher knife. 

But I could be wrong.  Blackjack used to advertise the knife cutting a 1-inch manila hemp rope suspended in mid air.

The sheath looks a little raggy, but it's NIB?  Not a good design!!!

There is a season.......

Two men once came together to form Blind Horse Knives.

They started small and over the years grew the company and made some damn fine knives.  I wrote about a small kitchen knife they made for my wife.

Digging through my fixed blade collection I found I had a knife from both L.T. Wright and Dan Coppins from before they joined forces.  Both are very cool!

I understand Blind Horse Knives has dissolved and Dan and L.T. have gone separate ways.  We’ll miss them but I look forward to seeing their new knives!

L.T. was kind enough to send me the following:

“Blind Horse Knives dissolved because the owners wanted to take things in different directions. Both shops will continue on, but as new, separate companies. Both companies will honor lifetime warranties on all Blind Horse Knives.  Both new companies will hold the same ideals of quality craftsmanship at affordable prices. Knife enthusiasts that like Blind Horse Knives should look to both new companies as they will both strive to make hard working knives for many years to come.”

To check out the new companies please visit:

L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knives:
www.ltwrightknives.com  
740-317-1404
info@ltwrightknives.com

Battle Horse Knives:
www.battlehorseknives.com
740-995-9009
info@battlehorseknives.com

Mini-Onslaught

I got my first Bob Lum knife by accident.  I saw Spyderco’s Chinese Folder and fell for the leaf-shaped blade and green handle and bought it.

I’m not a big collector of Lums.  I like the functionality and graceful lines but it’s difficult to justify custom knife prices, so I settle for selling the factory versions of them.  You might uncharitably call me a knife pimp -  I make a little money from the transaction, but I thoroughly enjoy getting quality knives into appreciative hands.

I’m quite excited about Benchmade’s Mini-Onslaught that just arrived today.  It’s a Bob Lum design and it’s quite a little charmer.  One side of the blade has the Benchmade butterfly logo and the other side has Bob’s chop.

The 3.45-inch blade is sharpened from 154CM steel with a Rockwell C hardness of 58-61.  The curved grip is black G-10 which is reinforced by stainless steel liners.  I looked at the handle and I would swear it’s micarta.  Of course, G10 has changed over the years from short chopped fibers in resin into glass fabric.

I really like the Axis lock Benchmade uses.  The modified clip point blade simply glides open and the thumb hole (licensed from Spyderco, I understand) is 0.43 inches in diameter.  That’s large enough to easily capture your thumb for opening.  Benchmade says the Mini-Onslaught weighs in at 3.9 ounces.

The left side showing the famous Benchmade butterfly.

This is the right side of the knife with Bob's chop.  I always thought it would be cool to have a family/personal stamp.

The knife is set up for tip-up carry, my preferred method.

The Mini-Onslaught’s curved handle helps anchor the knife in your hand during a slash and presses the handle into your palm during a stab, but doesn’t allow for a reversible clip.  That's the one drawback.  

I saw a Cold Steel knife with a similar problem, but Cold Steel solved that by drilling and tapping both sides and included a second clip.

Benchmade retails the knife for $170 on their website.  I suspect I’ll be able to do better.

Sadly, Bob Lum passed away Dec 2007.  In his thirty years of knife making, some of his designs were never released to the commercial market.  It’s kind of  nice knowing that even after he’s gone, we’ll still see a few new Lums in the future.