16 sharpest list in Blade mag

Well Don, I have one of your and Kyle's collaborations and its sharp in every way. :D
 
Don Hanson III said:
But not all custom knives are truly sharp...;)

Like Kevin, I was thinking edge sharpness also. :D
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I bet we're not the only ones Don. :foot: :D :D :D
Too Funny.

Actually, I would find a "who makes the sharpest knife (blade)" list interesting.
Wouldn't be surprised to see one in a future issue.
Don, you would have to be towards the top. :thumbup:
 
Colog said:
Well Don, I have one of your and Kyle's collaborations and its sharp in every way. :D
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Thanks man! :thumbup:

Kevin Jones said:
I bet we're not the only ones Don. :foot: :D :D :D
Too Funny.

Actually, I would find a "who makes the sharpest knife (blade)" list interesting.
Wouldn't be surprised to see one in a future issue.
Don, you would have to be towards the top. :thumbup:
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Kevin, Edge sharpness is most important!

Maybe we need to do some BF 'Lists'... :D
 
The article has nothing to do with edge sharpness or edge retention. It is, in my opinion largely an exercise in subjective thinking on the part of a few dealers, and a couple of pretty sharp (No not edge) collectors. My personal opinion: In many, many cases the "honorable mention" category far out ranks the top ten or sixteen or whatever. The lead paragraph does have a disclaimer of sorts citing subjectivity and inadvertent omission. It is, again in my opinion, an ideal article to be placed in the bathroom near the throne for use in "multi tasking".;)

Paul
 
sheathmaker said:
My personal opinion: In many, many cases the "honorable mention" category far out ranks the top ten or sixteen or whatever. The lead paragraph does have a disclaimer of sorts citing subjectivity and inadvertent omission. It is, again in my opinion, an ideal article to be placed in the bathroom near the throne for use in "multi tasking".;)

Paul
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I agree, Mr. Long, my issue came in today's mail and it was "multi tasked" immediately :eek:
 
sheathmaker said:
... My personal opinion: In many, many cases the "honorable mention" category far out ranks the top ten or sixteen or whatever...
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My impression exactly. It's almost as if the honorable mentions were added to broaden credibility of the primary list.

The makers in the primary category are certainly worthy of note, but fully half are tactical folder makers and most are marketed heavily by websites owned by the judges involved. As Joe says, that group certainly knows what's selling, but was the list supposed to be of "makers who are hot right now on our websites"?

Peter, did the list seem representative of your voting? If you feel answering that question might be indiscreet, certainly that's understandable and don't bother to respond.

After all, as many have noted, it's just a list.
 
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This has gotten a bit off track. Which I don't really mind. I've enjoyed the discussions. However, the point of the thread was never to debate the validity of the list, nor was it a poll to see if any one likes Blade mag. I simply wanted to know if any one on it frequented this forum. So far I only know of Don Hanson III.
 
Colog said:
2. Tom Mayo
3. John W. Smith
5. Allen Elishewitz
6. (Tie) Ken Steigerwalt
6.(tie) Ken Onion
9. (tie) Ron Newton
11. Rick Hinderer
13. ( tie) Jason Knight

Don Hanson III,
R.J. Martin
Kit Carson
Todd Begg
Tore Fogarrizzu
Salvatore Puddu
Daniel Winkler
Larry Fuegen
G&G Hawk
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I know these makers do and have participated on the Forums, past and present.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I'm so confused. I didn't get the double entendre of 'sharpest' until you clarified. I know that it's just a list by some people but I'm pretty shocked that Rexford and Gus didn't make at least the honorable mentions considering how hot their stuff is right now.
 
The criteria for this list is: "Blade magazine's Top 16 makers from 2001-2012." This emphasizes longer-term makers, I'm assuming?

Also, makers living until 2012? This said, where are Loveless knives in this informal study? So many unanswered questions. :)

Coop
 
Guys with all due respect

This is a list made up from an astute group mostly dealers of the makers that have shown themselves to be popular and sell well

No more no less

Don't read into it so much

Sure there might be some prejudices because certain makers funnel more of their work thru dealers

All of the makers on the list are deserving and I congratulate them all

I also thank the gentleman that made the list for their time in doing so

Merry X Mas to all
 
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Well said, Joe, and Merry Christmas to you Brother. :)

And a HUGE Merry Christmas to all of my friends on these forums.
 
FYI, this was published in the March 2014 issue, page 88.

A couple of points I'm not sure were made.

The deal was that Shackleford put a list of makers together and then asked the nine hand-picked judges (seven purveyors and two collectors) and asked them to rank the top five or ten makers. The articles states that a top maker is one who "excelled in terms that other makers attempted to emulate and/or excelled in quality of craftsmanship, originality and creativity - or both."

My own list would look nothing like this one, and I'm sure many folks would say the same. But it takes all kinds, right?
 
The Virginian said:
FYI, this was published in the March 2014 issue, page 88.

A couple of points I'm not sure were made.

The deal was that Shackleford put a list of makers together and then asked the nine hand-picked judges (seven purveyors and two collectors) and asked them to rank the top five or ten makers.
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Ken, I believe that's the way most of Blade (Steve's) "Top Lists" are compiled. The last one I was involved in 'Top 14 of the 21st Century', Leading custom knives of 2001-2012 (Blade July 13) was conducted that way as well. Steve provided a list of knives for us to vote on, however we were allowed to 'add' our own selections for consideration as well. IMO, it's an efficient way to compile the lists.

The current Blade issue's "16 Sharpest-2001-2012" is actually the third segment in the Top Maker's series.

Here's the custom makers selected for the previous two:

Knifemaker Dream Team - Top Makers of 1989-2000 (Blade Feb 2014 p.42)

1- Michael Walker
2-Bob Terzuola
3- Ernest Emerson
4-Wolfgang Loerchner
5-Tony Bose
6-Jerry Fisk
7-Ray Appleton
8-Vergil England
9-Jim Batson
10-Gil Hibben
11-Billy Mace Imel
12-Don Fogg/Chris Reeve (tie)

The Masters - Top Customs maker from 1973-1988 (Blade Jan 2014 pg.42)

1- Bob Loveless
2- Bill Moran
3-Ron Lake
4-Buster Warenski
5-Ted Dowell
6-DE Henry
7-Jim Schmidt
8-WW Cronk
9- Jimmy Lile
10- HH Frank
11- Jess Horn
12- George Herron/D' Holder (tie)
14-Steve Hoel
 
Thank you, Kevin. Taken as a set and given the parameters cited by Ken, the list gains some credibility, at least in my mind.
 
^^^ Absolutely. Kevin and Bob just proved that when you subscribe, read, and understand the articles, you get that much more out of them.

Coop
 
Three additional comments.

1) Kevin, thanks for posting the other two lists. I was too busy and/or lazy to do it.

2) I love Blade magazine - flaws and all. I cannot imagine not having a subscription. It is IMO the premier publication which is devoted to my personal passion. If someone wants to come out with a better publication about knives, sign me up. Until then, I am glad that Blade magazine exists.

3) In reviewing the three lists over the three time periods, one thing struck me. Maybe I am wrong, but it seems to me that we see a general progression to fewer and fewer makers who are known more for their fixed blade knives to more and more makers known more for their folders. Indeed, if you look at the pictures accompanying the most recent article, of the 16 pictures for the 16 makers, 12 are folding knives and only 4 are fixed blades. I would have to go back to the earlier issues (which I am too lazy to do right now) to say for sure, but I would just guess that maybe 6 of the first 15 from 1973-1988 would have been folders, and maybe 8 of the 13 from 1989-2000 would have been folders. I think this fairly accurately reflects the general trend in custom/handmade knives.
 
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