Blade 2024 Day 2

 Day Two started off with a whimper.

We normally park at the Cumberland Mall across two pedestrian bridges.  This morning there were 4 mall cops standing at the bridge.  So, I walked up to the them and politely asked,  “Excuse me, officers.  But is there a problem here I should avoid?”

One said the parking lot was private property and she would hate to see my car towed.  So, we moved the truck, and got one of the last 12 spaces in the paid parking deck at Cobb Galleria.  I hated to do that. But I would have hated it more if I had my vehicle towed.

The mall has huge parking areas.  Seems to me they could sell some sort of window ticket for a few bucks and assure that those cars would not be towed.  Free money, folks.

I stopped at Mickey Yurco’s table.  He has an amazing, inventive mind about knives and I ended up buying a small hatchet.  He informed me he designed it for street fighting, but hikers and campers are buying them as a cutting tool.

Hatchet not what your......

I stopped off to talk with Stephen Fowler of Fowler Blades.  He makes very sophisticated fixed blades and I very much like his approach.  Too much bling turns an elegant knife into junk.  One of his knives has a little simple file work and Stephen told me “…file work should call attention to a feature, not be the feature.”  You can find him on the internet.https://fowlerblades.com/

Back at Vosteed I fell for a Thunderbird and discovered they couldn’t sell it until 3:00 this afternoon, but they promised they would hold it for me and they did.  I also discovered that my wife bought the only green handled one that they had with them the day before.  They proudly pointed her out to the staff at the booth.

I think the blade shape, with what could be called a fuller, is icey.

Later, quite by accident I walked by and found they were giving away knives.  It was a simple system, you took a ticket, turned it over and your prize was listed on the back.  I pulled a ticket at random and found I won a Raccoon, their bestselling knife.

I might name it Rocky Raccoon, but....

I’m seeing more and more button locks on production knives.  I like that, as typically they are an easy way to unlock the knife.  In my opinion, it sets up the manufacturer for a future modification to their production line to install a coil spring and start making autos.  It also set up the possibility of someone starting a cottage industry converting button locks into autos.  We have seen this with some Boker button locks and Buck knives, especial the Buck 110.

Just as an aside, I understand Mission Knife has moved from California to Kentucky.  Oh, my!  Talk about culture shock.

Let me show you a bunch more photos to capture the flavor of the Blade Show.

Another mystery man sighting.  Does he belong on a milk carton?  I assume the large fellow next to him is his security. but I didn't see a gun print.  I went to take a photo and he ducked behind a pillar, so I stepped around on the other side.  Passive-Aggressive secret identity complex?

Fox Knives is introducing some new knives with Damacarbon, which sounds like advertising speak to me!

Interesting idea, design your pocket tool with the functions you need.  I think this is a pitch for stores like Duluth Trading.

This is Tim Rowland.  He started as a high end chef

and honed his ideas about chef knives.  While he was doing this he made very nice handles for Japanese cooking knives. They were well received and  someone handed him a chunk of steel and told him to go make the rest of the knife.  He's been doing this for about 2.5 years and you can feel the difference in balance between a Japanese chef knife and a European chief knife. 

Doug and David from Forged in Fire.  

Blade 2024 Day 1

 It’s Friday and it’s opening day for the Blade Show and as usual, the administrative side is a complete cock-up  There are no officials outside the building where the attendees are stationed organizing them.  You have the early birds, who should be inside at 10 am but seemed to be wandering around unable to find an entrance.  There are the peasants, like myself, some of which picked up their passes and should be in a line to get in.  Then there are the poor souls who need to get to the will call desk or the purchase desk to get passes.  Lacking direction there is no organization and many lines form simply because someone stopped to check their ticket.

We picked up our wrist bands the night before and with Karen’s new knee we were not about to stand in the hot Georgia morning sun while the officials played a game of switch.  That’s one thumb in your ass the other in your mouth.  You switch thumbs on command until you get a funny taste.  Some had been playing that game for a while. 

Inside, Blade Magazine eliminated any free space where there used to be chairs to sit and packed in additional booths.  It’s all about mo’ money, buddy.  A friend of ours confided their large booth cost $6K and an additional $100 for Wi-Fi.

Anyway, the knife show is amazing.

Benchmade is here, but they don’t bring catalogs or knives to sell.  “We’re on the internet,” they tell you.  “We’re not interested in that filthy green stuff called cash.”

It used to be you could find deals on new knives and some of the collectibles.  You can, but nothing is cheap.  It’s too late for you to attend this year.  Unless you know someone you can stay with, the hotels are sold out!  But next year, leave half the clothes at home, bring twice the money.  Maybe three times….

I'm too important to be bothered by the likes of you, but I want you to know that I'm important.

There are plenty of people and you’ll see all kinds. I ran in to three guys, I think, covered head to foot in either black or white fabric, wearing masks and hats.  I assume they are famous, or something, and don’t want to be bothered by fans.  But they don’t want to give up the attention either.

I like the red and blue patchy coloration on these Case knives.

You’ll find every and any kind of knife here.  I’m not a big fan of Case, but I really like some of the new handles.

I stopped at Pro Tech and bought one of the special one-of-a-kind knives. I couldn’t resist.  

ProTech SBR Micarta 

Karen found a Vosteed she couldn’t resist.

 

Vosteed Thunderbird   I like the green and black handle and so does Karen.

Here’s a few photos and comments.

The opening day crowd is light, compared to Saturday.  One vendor told me she thinks of Saturday as the buying day.

The feathers in the clear resin are striking!

Knives, knives, knives, gotta get me a whole bunch!

Keep an eye on CRKT.  They have two new autos and a line of limited production, like this Pursue.  The image can't convey how icey this knife is!

A Blade show special from Hawk Knife.  It's a clever razor blade holder.
I asked, "How much?"
Them, "475."
Me, "Just to be clear, that's four hundred and seventy-five dollars."
Them, "Yup!"

So high end, there's no price.  If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Soon to be released TOPS Knives,  They still need a little tweaking.

.

But frankly, there is so much to see.  You’ll find people posting for the next six months.  If you’re not into knives, well, people-watching at Blade is a specialty. 

I can’t wait for tomorrow!

 

Good Thing I have two Pockets

 A couple of knives just arrived, and I admit I've been waiting for them.

The first is a collector’s knife from CobraTec.  Their auto Trapper with a hidden bolster release has been out for a while, but they just released one with Abalone scales.  The deep, iridescent color jumps out at you and draws you in.  This Trapper has been upgraded from D2 to a 154 CM blade.  The 3.1-inch blade is 0.11 inches thick at the spine.  The blade has a high shoulder, with a saber flat grind and a saber clip point.  This is one of the more useful grinds for a pocket knife.

Abalone grips

The stainless steel clip makes the knife suitable for deep right pocket carry, but in all honesty, I don't expect anyone to make this their EDC knife.

CobraTec Trapper with hidden release

The knife is 0.48 inches thick (excluding the removal Clip) and weighs in at 4 ounces.

The blade is released by sliding the checked front bolster sideways.  The bolster moves slightly and the knife opens.  The same action unlocks the blade so you can close the knife.  There are other bolster-release knives, but CobraTec claims they have applied for a patent on this mechanism.

The opening /unlock mechanism is activated by sliding this bolster towards the knife's spine

It's a nice knife.  I really love the amazing display of unearthly colors.  I only wish both bolsters had the same appearance, one is checkered and the other polished.  Some knives don't need a lot of extra glitz.  They benefit from not distracting you from their one amazing feature.  This is one of them.  You can find it on the market for $130.

You can get yours at https://cobratecknives.com/collections/hidden-release/products/trapper-hidden-release-abalone-with-154cm.

This is a knife you'll be passing on to your grandchildren.

 

 

Boker's Slike

I've seen advertisements for Boker's Slike, and it just arrived.  The Slike is a light-weight sliding dagger.  The double-edged blade manually slides out of the handle.  The blade locks in three positions.  Fully closed, fully open, and half-way.  The lock is controlled by a raised button located in the butt end of the blade.  The release button is spring-loaded and needs to be depressed to slide the knife blade in or out. 

Slike's clip. 

The knife is a sandwich consisting of a metal back (aluminum?), the D2 steel blade, and a G10 top.  The knife's overall weight is less than 1.3 ounces.  The dagger blade has a fuller on both side that makes the dagger really pop!  The G10 has an attractive light texture.  The blade is very thin, measuring 0.087 inches thick at the fullers.  The frame, excluding the clip is 0.2 inch thick.  This is a light duty knife so don’t expect to use it with abandon.

The Slike has a lock/stop that allows you to partially extend the blade

The knife is assembled with Torx-X screws, and it looks like you might be able to move the wide, open frame clip to the other side.  Frankly, I don’t know if this will void your warranty.

One of the problems with out-the-front knives is that retracting the blade brings dirty stuff, food, blood, you name it, back into the knife.  This material will find its way onto the blade's track.  The open handle will allow the crud to fall away from the blade and help keep the track clean.  It appears the knife can be washed clean and blown dry when needed.  I wouldn’t use anything but a dry lubricant, like a moly disulfide/graphite powder, to lubricate the track. 

Clip side of Boker's Slike

 What do I think?  I like it with some reservations.  It’s a gent’s knife.  (But I associate daggers with women!) What are most of our cutting needs?  We could open sealed snack packages, cut articles or coupons out, and slice pizza.  You could open cardboard packages with it, but I wouldn’t expect to be able to reduce the cardboard shipping box to nibbles with it.

Yes, you could defend yourself with it.  The blade is just under 3 inches in length and Boker knives are out of the box sharp.  But it wouldn't be my choice when I go off the pavement.

Get yours at https://www.bokerusa.com/slike-01bo411 for $84.

Classic Italian Switchblades

 Follow me and we’ll jump down the rabbit hole of Italian switchblades, specifically Frank Beltrame.

Of interest is the oval locking hole

First, the disclaimer.  Knife companies change names and tang stamps like crazy.    It can be fun for active collectors trying to get all the variations, but it's hell for someone with a single knife wondering who, what, when, and the big F.  Yeah, is it a fake?

I'm trying to just give you a family rundown of who is involved with Beltrame switchblades.    The best source I've found is http://stiletto-italiano.com/eng/beltramefamily.htm.    In fact, everyone seems to be copying from this.

I prefer the term switchblade for the classic Italian automatic knife.  Other people may make autos, but for me, switchblades come from Italy, probably Maniago, Italy.

It starts following World War II.  Vittorio Beltrame starts a knife company called Beltrame Vittorio & Figli Company.  Vittorio has four boys and three daughters.  The boys are Carlo, Danilo, Luciano and Ivano and they come to work for Vittori.  The daughters, I assume, are married off.  They used several different tang stamps, but only the switchblades were stamped BV&F.

Ivano is blessed with the birth of a son, Francesco (Frank) in 1941 and later with a second son, Armando in 1947.

All I could find out about other cousins was Danilo's son Renzo started a knife company in 1970 and went bankrupt in 1990.  But we are ahead of ourselves.

BV&F starts making switchblades in 1958.  In 1961, Armando Beltrame started his knifemaking job under his father Ivano’s direction at Beltrame Vittorio & Figli Company.

In 1969, Ivano dies.  I can't find out anything about the founder, Vittorio at this time.  The death of Ivano seems to trigger a crisis in BV&F.  They go out of business.  In 1970, Frank forms a new company making knives.  He names it F.lli Beltrame F&A and used the tang stamp ‘b Rostrie’.    The family insist that knives marked B Rostrie are fakes. 

Frank brings in new machinery and improves quality and production.  This forces the rest of the Maniago cutlery community to address quality issues.  Later, when the market is flooded with cheap knockoffs and phony tang stamps, quality becomes the touchstone buyers use to identify genuine Italian switchblades.

Starting in 1975 Armando comes to work for his brother, Frank.  This continues until 1996.

The world market is expanding and opportunities are ripe for the taking.    Frank develops the Atlas Kit, which is a switchblade without the spring.  The kit also includes a spring so the user can install it themselves.  This gets them around US import laws.  1990 finds Frank starting to import small switchblades to Germany to comply with their knife laws.

My newest Frank Beltrame found at the Lehigh Show

While all this is happening, two of Frank’s children, Ivano (named for his grandfather) and Sara become part of the company in 1994.

You’re wondering why I thought it was complicated?    Well, it's about to. 

In 1996, Frank divides the company into two separate companies.    One is mABer Coltellerie (sounds familiar?  See Frank’s brother Armando).    They use, it's reported several tang stamps, ‘AB ITALY’, ‘AB ITALY INOX’, ‘AB STILETTO ITALY’.  Armando is in control of this company.

The other company is Fratelli Beltrame F&C.  Fratelli can be translated as Brothers.    They use the tang stamp, ‘Frank b Italy’.  Ivano and sister Sara still work for Frank at Fratelli Beltrame F&C. 

So, here's one plot complication.  Both mABer Coltellerie and Fratelli Beltrame F&C work in the same building.  One must wonder how separate the knife lines are.  Do they share machinery?  Parts?  Workers?  How different are the knives?    Could a stamped blade end up on the wrong handle?

Found at the WRCA MAPS Museum Show

I have no idea.

And what happened to Frank’s cousin, Renzo whose knife company went bankrupt in 1990?  I couldn't find evidence of a tang stamp, but it is out there.    I have found images of what people report to be Renzo Switchblades, but the tang stamp simply says 'Made in Italy.'  I don't know how valid that claim is.

Uncles Luciano, Danilo and Carlo also worked for their father and founder, Vittorio, but they seem to have disappeared into the mist. 

Thanks to the Internet, I can find numerous postings assuring me that the Italian switchblade they bought is authentic with a wide and wooly range of tang stamps.  While there are a few grainy photos of stamps, most are unsupported claims that ‘Frank B Rostrie’, ‘b’, ‘B’ and ‘Beltrame’ are all legit tang stamps.  Perhaps, in one sense they are.  They are stamps and they are on tangs.

Clearly the market popularity is driving fakes, clones and frauds into the market.    Buyer beware!

Horn Handled 11 inch switchblade from Frank Beltrame

All of this leads me to my new Italian switchblade with an almost translucent blond horn handle made by Fratelli Beltrame F&C.  The tang stamp reads ‘Frank B Italy’, which is reported to be the current tang stamp for Fratelli Beltrame F&C.  It's a quality knife and I really enjoy it. 

This entire rabbit hole expedition was the result of several conversations I had with my friend Bob about Italian switchblades.  As I like to say, it's a dull boy who can't learn something new!

Gerber Strongarm

 

Gerber Strongarm— that's a hell of a name, isn't it?  But yet I remember strongarm inspection.  Maybe it's not such a great name.

Despite the name, the Strongarm is a combat knife.  First, let me get this out of the way.  According to the Gerber website, they have made 'survival' knives since 1968.  Gerber released the Mark 1 and 2 back around '66 as combat knives, and they were a hit with the military.  That is to say, with the boots on the ground.  For reasons never explained, Gerber was stopped from selling these knives in PXs.  Gerber relabeled them as survival knives and PX's welcomed them with open arms.

The Gerber Strongarm

Since a survival knife can be defined as the knife you survive with, the Strongarm certainly qualifies.  But it is a combat knife.

The blade is ground from 420GHC steel, a hard martensitic steel.  With 12% chromium content, it qualifies as stainless.  Gerber gives the blade what it calls a ceramic coating for additional protection.  Washing off corrosive chemicals and wiping a blade down with oil never hurts.  The partially serrated blade at 4.8 inches long, is a useful length for many knife chores. 

Gerber describes the blade as a drop point; it is really a clip point with a false edge.  The Strongarm reminds me of a Bowie knife blade.

I see this as more of a clip point with a false edge

The full tang blade is 0.19 inches or 3/16 of an inch thick.  Gerber doesn’t say what the hardness is, but it has been suggested 420HC steel has a sweet spot for hardness around 56 to 57 RHC. 

The handle is shaped to help retain the knife in your hand.  The diamond texturing helps

I know.  Some of you are only satisfied once a blade reaches such hardness that only a monocrystalline diamond in a tungsten carbide matrix will sharpen it.  A general rule is that hard knives are brittle knives, which leads to the truism that a broken knife is junk, while a bent knife is still a knife.

The handle is a rubberized polymer with a diamond texture and striking pommel.  It also sports a guard to keep your fingers off the blade, a handy feature in working knives.

Get a grip, bunkie!  The pommel can be attached to a lanyard. 

The knife is 9.75 inches long and weighs just over 7 ounces.  The sheath is customizable, and Gerber provides adaptors so you can wear the Strongarm on your belt, as a drop leg, on a MOLLE rig, sideways, upside down, or horizontally.  The sheath can also be lashed to other items.

The sheath is very adaptable.

I like this knife a lot.  If I was heading out to hunt Dal sheep, raft the Amazon, or shipping out to active duty overseas, I'd take at least one of these with me.  Remember, one is none and a knife-less man is a life-less man.

The knife’s balance was in the handle behind the guards, where I like it, and the grip felt good in my hand.  The Strongarm clips in very securely in the sheath.  I welcome the little extra force needed to draw this knife.  I want to know my knife isn’t going to fall out if I take a spill.  The polymeric sheath looks tough enough to prevent the blade from penetrating the sheath and injuring me, another feature I’m crazy about.

The Gerber Strongarm

Does it cut?  Well, here’s where I must assume so.  It isn't my knife, but it belongs to a retired military man who wants to set up his daypack the way he carried it back in the day. 

Don't be a foolish.  Consider Gerber's Strongarm if you need a hard-working, EDC fixed blade for harsh environments.

You can find one at https://www.gerbergear.com/en-us/shop/knives/all-knives/strongarm-coyote-brown-serrated-30-001059 for $90.00.  It's a good deal for what you get.

A Retail Find

  Every once in a while, I impulse buy.  The other day, I saw a blister pack for True Utility Knives made by/sold by Alliance Consumer Group.  The knife kit donates a dollar to DAV for every kit sold.  DAV stands for Disabled American Veterans; more on them later.  The kit has a waterproof case, a dog tag bottle opener, a knife, and mini-tool.  You might be able to sell me an empty box to help veterans so it came home with me.

The dog tag is a bottle opener with a short ball chain.  Since I can be a sissy even with twist-off caps, that's welcome. 

Bottle Opener/ Dog Tag

The mini-tool is, well, let’s just say having a tool is better than having no tool.  The mini-blade is sharp enough to casually cut me. 

Didn't even know I cut myself

The scissors are spring-loaded to open and cut paper and the occasional thread.  I'm trying to figure out what to make of the curved hook blade.  Is it for cutting line?  Opening seams?  I'm sure I'll find a use sooner or later.

Mini-tool

A bottle opener is built into the handle, and I've already given it a test spin around the bar.  It opens beer bottles just fine!

Closed, the knife is 4.25 inches long.  The 2.9-inch blade is flipper-activated and made from 7CR17MOV stainless steel.  This is a fortified version of 440A.  The fortification?  Vanadium.  Here's the meat of the steel analysis:

Carbon 0.6-0.7%,  Chromium 16-17%,  Molybdenum  0.5-0.6%, Vanadium 0.1% or less.  There’s a smattering of trace elements.

Not a bad little knife for what it is

7CR17MOV has been described as good steel with acceptable edge retention for the price.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but isn’t that what most good products give us?  Acceptable performance for the money.

The blade is a straight-back pattern with a high saber grind.  A slight false edge gives the blade a finished look.  There's no opening stud or nail nick.  While you can pinch the blade out, you'll find the flipper works very well.  I didn’t find any burs, misalignments, or other quality issues.

The blade is as sharp as I want right out of the box.  I thought about trying to touch it up, but it's a good edge just as it comes.

The blade rides between two brass spacers, and I'm adding a drop of oil on each.  The clip isn't reversible but is set up for tip-up right-hand carry.  Impressively, the knife uses two steel liners to give the knife strength.  The metal lanyard hole is well done as well.

Brown polymer grips complete the knife.

The Kit

I see this knife as a working man's friend.  You could use it to score sheetrock, but there are much better products for that.  It will sharpen a pencil, cut open a blister pack open packing boxes and, most importantly, it is a great knife to lend that moocher who either fails to return anything or breaks it.

I may trim a little of the foam out of the water-tight box and store the knife and mini-tool with a flashlight in the back of my truck.  You never know.

But you can know about DAV.  According to Charity Navigator, they are a 501(c)(4) charity with a four-star rating.  They report DAV uses 85% of their income to help veterans. 

It's one thing to help with hospitalization, rehab, or prosthesis fitting, but they still have to reenter the world.  But when some vets walk out the door, they walk the wire alone.  All too often, they need help getting to the doctors, filing paperwork, and rejoining society.

DAV has provided 19 million rides to medical appointments, submitted 12 million claims for assistance for vets, and has helped over 168,000 vets find jobs. 

Knife, mini-pliers and a bottle opener What more do you want?

Oh, hell, it seems my computer screen is blowing dust in my eyes again.

 

Launch 13

I just got my hands on Kershaw’s Launch 13.  It’s a very icey knife.  But then, I’ve always liked Kershaw knives.

Kershaw Launch 13

Pete Kershaw started the company in 1979 when he left Gerber Blades.  At the time, Ichiro Hattori made most of Kershaw’s knives in Japan.  Constantly evolving, Kershaw has introduced many innovative knives designed by people like Ken Onion, Ernest Emerson, Frank Centofante, and Rick Hinderer, to name a few.

The internet claims Kershaw makes over a million knives a year.  Impressive.

Pete retired from Kershaw on June 1, 1998, and by that time, Kershaw was connected with KAI and is now wholly owned by the KAI Group. 

I really like the blade and dark green handle.  CMP 154 is a nice knife steel.

The Launch series was introduced in the 2015 catalog with the Launch 1, 2, and 3 knives.  It was a bold move.  It was at a time when many states still had restrictions on automatic knives.  More of these interesting automatic knives were released over the years, constantly exciting knife fanciers.  In 2019, the Launch 13 Auto was released.

Here are some Launch 13 stats:

The blade is made from CPM 154 powdered metal and hardened to HRc of 58-60.  This is hard enough to retain an edge and not be brittle. The blade is a little over 0.1 inches thick and has a tapered false edge, giving the blade a jazzy look.

If a knife doesn't feel good in your hand, it's the wrong knife for you.  This one feels great!

Crucible 154CM is a martensitic stainless steel similar to type 440C but fortified with molybdenum.  Like many knife steels, it was initially developed for challenging industrial applications.  Those properties made it a desirable material for knife makers.  

The blade is a high saber grind Wharncliffe mounted in a strikingly attractive sculpted aluminum handle.  The low-profile button helps prevent accidental opening, and the deep carry pocket clip is reversible. 

The knife arrived set up for right-hand and tip-up carry, which is perfect, as I carry folding blades against the back edge of my pant's right pocket.

The knife weighs in at 2.4 oz.  Surprisingly, the balance point puts the weight chiefly on the handle.  I like this as it makes the blade feel lively.

The clip can be reversed for left or right pocket carry

This one is a special edition in a dark olive green that I find attractive.  The Launch 13 has been out for a while, but this is the first dark green one I’ve seen.