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EDC folder - I've "abused" my Sebenza for nearly a decade and carry a SAK "Farmer" along with it much of the time. EDC fixed blade - Simonich Camillus talonite Chetan I have a number of custom knives so "best" takes on different meanings.

New Hampshire didn't just decriminalize switchblades, but all knives. Length, type, shape, mechanism are all irrelevant now. Their success provides a blueprint for other states.

The youth hammerin went well and a dozen kids completed knives to take home. Some hammered out 2, 3 or even 4! If you're looking for something to get your kid off the couch this is a great opportunity.

Last day. Make the kids drag you to it and point out that "Daddy'd sure like to have a knife made by his spawn's own two hands."

I've handled enough of them that you'd think I'd remember, but I just cheated and looked it up.

Excellent quality knives. Some folks find the recurve blade difficult to sharpen.

If anyone from here shows up look for a tubby guy in a Hawaiian shirt and say "Howdy".

I agree with KimberChick that anything other than poly boards are a mistake to get. They won't hurt your knives and you can throw them in the dishwasher on "sterilize" and they're inexpensive.

The ABS holds youth hammerins open to kids every year at the riverside meadow below Smokey Mountain Knife Works. Kids from 8 to 18 learn to forge blades and the basics of grinding and assembly and finish work. Blade smiths from all over come and volunteer their time to teach this ancient art. If you get the chance Fri/Sat/Sun take the kids up to SMKW and come down to the tent in the meadow by the bridge and watch what a couple of days with a talented blade smith can do for a kid who doesn't want to spend all their time on a video game.

As I_Like_Pie pointed out, the ad copy is just a humorous play on Ken's name and on the tragedy to onions (and carrots and zucchini and ...). BTW, most folks don't know that Alton Brown had a hand in the design of the Shun line. The knives are beautiful and easy to use for extended periods of time AND the $400 price is a killer price on the set, but the set from Timberline was voted as having the best bang for the buck by a panel of chiefs for Blade Magazine.

Lots of bladesmiths and knife makers in TN and the SE in general. BTW, the Randall dealers wait in line, but put their orders in knowing that years in advance. Their investment in time and money allows you to get knives from them from their inventory instead of waiting.

Fiskars/Gerber rates very near the top for these tools. Nice choice.

I used to sell Blackjacks to Randall owners who couldn't bring themselves to use their Randalls or who wanted to put theirs away after having used them. I occasionally got post cards from someone who'd done this claiming the were every bit as happy with the BJ as the RMK. OTOH, there are blade smiths who make similar knives at a lower price that have delivery times of just a few weeks or months. They won't be "Randalls", but they might end up being even more valuable if the maker's name becomes well known and his work well respected. Stephen Fowler out of Atlanta and Fuad Acawi out of Norris are such young makers.

If you want something that will cut and cut without chipping or rusting... don't use iron alloys. Cobalt alloys will outperform most iron alloys, but at a price. BTW, here's the memorial site to Bob Engath - http://www.engnath.com/manframe.htm . Bob was one of the most loved makers around (a "maker" is a person who crafts a knife/sword as opposed to a manufacturer that is a company that has people/companies mass produce them). One of the reasons being he was one of the most knowledgeable folks on steel and knife making and he was generous with that knowledge. He has a great page on steel and his friends have maintained his site and his legacy to continue Bob's "work" of sharing that knowledge. One of the guys at TheHighRoad.org (45crittergitter) compiled this http://thehighroad.org/search.php?searchid=7551531

I completely believe you. I just don't think that you were told the truth. They could sell the American made or Japanese made lines of Benchmade and just exclude the Chinese knives if that's all there was to the reason.

The utility of a knife, like any other tool, depends upon the materials (steel in this case), how it's heat treated or otherwise processed, geometry of the blade and the grind of the edge (nothing makes a "one knife for all uses" in spite of what folks may wish). For the past 20 years Ray Ennis has been taking 440C and by properly heat treating and grinding the edge makes perfectly good hard use field knives that people would swear are Striders (far newer company popular with fanboys). Since you're interested in steel, and I assume for knife blades, here's a link to Knife Rights's Doug Ritter's page on steel and another to AG Russell's site with more information. EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE - Knife Materials - blade steel A.G. Russell Knives | Steel Guide - A.G. Russell I'll add more later.

1gewehr called the katana correctly. That's the storage furniture your sword's in. Send images to Fred Lohman to get a good estimate.

$35 for knife and engraving? That's going to be difficult to get something of quality. About the best bang for the buck is going to be one of the Rough Rider models that you can take to a local engraver. You can also get the Leatherman "Kick" for around $20 and pay for engraving for a nice groomsman's gift.

No

SMKW didn't quit selling BMs because of offshore manufacturing of some models. There's no logic in that explanation anyway considering the number of offshore manufactured knives you can purchase there. The conflicts with BM are going to be over sales below the MAP (minimum advertised price) which BM enforces very strongly. Other conflicts can occur when a "retailer" also sells as a wholesaler as SMKW does. So, the "won't sell Chinese crap" explanation isn't logical for a company that sells tons of "Chinese crap".

Good quality, nice people.

Usually a Sebenza

The demand is high, but has dropped a bit along with the economy. I grant it's difficult for most folks to understand the idea that a small company that hand crafts knives would keep it's size small enough to build up a 5 year backlog in orders, but they do put a great deal of craftsmanship into their knives that you have to see to "get". If you get to the little shop in the orange grove you may find that there are a very few knives in the case for purchase on site. That's how I got my first Randall. My others have come from aftermarket purchases. The quickest way to get one is from the dealers that specialize in them. They place their orders well in advance, but do so every year so that there is a continuous stream of Randall Made knives moving through the market. My first, picked up many years ago when I first visited Randall, was a little 10-3 "Saltwater Fisherman". Next was the Model 18 followed by a Model 5 with stag handle and the Model 1 in stag. A buddy of mine is selling his Vietnam Model 15 if anyone is interested.

Great find. That's one of the best knives produced by anyone. It should measure out to be about 9" OAL with a 4" blade.

Other than a couple of unavoidable instances I've been going to Blade Show in Atlanta for the past 12 years. With hundreds of custom knife makers and scores of mas market manufacturers and dealers it will overwhelm you if you only take one day to go. If you've never been to a show with custom makers you'll be amazed at the work a truly talented knife maker can produce. Humbling. Best "deal" of the show? Any of the knives Stephen Fowler brought with him, ABS Master Smith work from an "apprentice". The other "best deal" is hanging out in The Pit Thursday night.