Post Blade show report

This year's Blade show was off the hook! It was non stop from the minute we landed on Thursday to the end of the show on Sunday afternoon. The knives were all sold before the show even opened as collectors and dealers tracked me down to get their hands on my knives. I spent the rest of the time at my booth and the Hogue booth talking to customers. It was a great time and we returned home completely exhausted. However there was no rest for the weary because a few days later I was on the plane direction Paso Robles, CA to work at the Hogue plant for a couple of days.
This week has been finally slower paced and I am working on refurbishing a high speed head to go on the new (to me that is) mill. More on a new machine in my next post but for now some pics of the show:

2012 Blade Show

The Blade Show is the largest knife show in the world. It takes place each year in Atlanta in early June and is attended by just about everyone from custom knifemakers, dealers, manufacturers, suppliers and of course lots of collectors. It is a long but fun 3 days! If you haven't done so yet you should consider making the trip to the Blade Show! Come see us at booth #54, right next to Hogue against the back wall!

The location is always the same: Cobb Galleria Center - 2 Galleria Parkway - Atlanta, GA 30339

This year's dates are: June 8-10.

Blade Show website

So what am I bringing you ask?I have made a variety of all my models including the newest one (Gordian Knot) in various configurations like Bolster-Locks, Framelocks with machining, bolsters and a myriad of handle materials. For the blades I used CTS XHP and Chad Nichols' San Mai and Damascus.

Here are a few photos of some of the offerings:

Next week's post will be a review and photos of the show. See you in Atlanta!

2012 Build-Off knife

For this year's Build-Off on the Custom Knives and Guns Forum I decided to design a new model and go fancy. The knife is finished and earned 1st place!
This new design is called the Gordian Knot and will be part of my line up of models. This first one features a Chad Nichols' San Mai blade, a titanium Bolster-Lock with zirconium scales. The titanium frame is guilloché inside and out and anodized. The zirconium scales are machined and heat colored. The spacer material is a honeycomb/resin material.
I'll let the photos do the talking ;-)

Instructional videos

Late last year Chris Crawford spent a few days at my shop filming the making of a couple of knives in order to produce 2 instructional videos: Basic Tactical Folders and Advanced Tactical Folders.

The videos are now available for sale and show in great details all the steps I take to make knives in my shop. I think they are very informative for the aspiring knifemakers but also for the collectors who want to know more about the way their knives are made.

You can find out more about each video and purchase them on Chris Crawford's website:

Basic Tactical Folders

Advanced Tactical Folders

Chris is coming back this summer for more filming..... Stay tuned!

Dang... I am just not good at this blog thing!

I can't believe my last post was in September of last year! I apologize for the long silence and will try to do better.

How about I try and post one time a week? Between knives, machines, martial arts, shooting, eating and all the other stuff I do there should be enough to talk about.
For starter I'll show you my latest Build-Off knife. Like last year's knife, it is a new model. This one is called the Gordian Knot (Google it!). Chad Nichols made me a new San Mai steel with A2 and 420; it is satin finished and blued. The knife is a Bolster-Lock with a titanium frame and machined zirconium scales. I used guilloché to decorate the outside but also the inside of the frame. I think it turned out great! I am planning to keep this new model in my line and make it in a variety of configuration and materials.

 Here are a few pics of the finished knife:

Getting over this summer

I don't know what happened to the summer but last thing I remember was Blade Show! Seriously I took a little time off to recover from the Blade Show, went to the range, trained for a fight (more on that later!) and just relaxed. Then I got busy on my summer projects: I had promised Blade Magazine to write a whole chapter for their upcoming Guide To Making Knives II so I decided to explain how I use my pantograph to make patterns and then the knives. That project took several weeks, between making the actual patterns and knives, taking and editing photos and writing the chapter. I took this opportunity to re-design my Tank model (version 3.0), make new patterns and proof them with a small series of knives. I think they turned out great and so did the guys that were lucky to get their hands on them!

After the book I needed to make a special Tank knife for a very famous movie star who really likes my knives. I swore confidentiality so I can't tell you who it is but I can show you the knife!

Last year I had started making limited runs of some of my very first folder models, the Omega Series. I have already made the M1 and M2 in 2010 and I just finished the Omega M5 series. These knives are based on the original line drawings from my catalogs of way back then but they are made with the methods and processes I use today. The best of old school tacticals!

With the Paris knife show looming in a few weeks; I am busy in the shop making goodies to bring.

You have met Dr. Jekyll, now meet Mr. Hyde!

The model I designed for the Build-Off had 2 blades designs. I made one and called it Jekyll and I finally finished a few models with the other blade shape to take to the show.

Meet Mr. Hyde!





On the Hogue front we also have been working hard to get the EX-F01 Damascus and cocobolo fixed blades ready for Blade. I think they turned out awesome! These are for sale and quantities are very limited.



The first EX-02 prototypes will also be unveiled. These are not for sale but we should be in full production within a couple of months.





If you are making it to the Blade Show come by and say hi at booths 54 & 55 in the back of the room!