ABS to discontinue cutting contests

Keith Montgomery

Keith Montgomery

Joined
May 9, 2000
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In the February issue of Blade there is an article stating that the ABS will no longer sponsor cutting competitions. The fear of liability for injuries incured during these competitions and the fear that they might even be held liable for injuries in cutting competitions held by individuals or other organizations has lead to this action.

I am very disappointed to see this as I was a avid follower of these competitions. It appears that the ABS World Cutting Championship will continue as the Blade Show World Cutting Competition. I'm not sure how people will be chosen to compete in this event. More information is sure to follow.

Hopefully we will continue to see the developement of knives meant for these event.
 
Keith, From what I have read in BLADE, in the ABS Journal and on the ABS website the changes are subtle. What were previously called 'cutting contests' are now 'cutting challenges.' The winners don't acrue points over the year at 6-8 events in hopes of a total high enough to make the cut for the World Finals in Atlanta. Instead, the winner of the challenge at each ABS event (for example I was just at the Moran Hammer-In first weekend in October in Maryland and Burt Foster won the challenge) will be invited to the World Finals in Atlanta. This change was necessary to give more people, especially those out West a chance to make it to Atlanta. It was a problem because most of the contests were held in the East to East-central areas. I'm not sure if that change also includes some limitations of liability and/or minimizes a threat to the NFP status of the ABS. From the spectator standpoint it didn't look any different to me in Maryland recently and should also look the same in Atlanta except there should be more diversity in contestants. Hope I'm not off-base on any of this. With time will come more clarity.
 
Buddy, from the latest article in Blade it actually sounds like there will be no more ABS sponsored cutting competitions at all. Maybe Jerry Fisk will read this and be able to add more info.
 
I have mixed feelings on this......

I competed in only one cutting event...it was ABS style...officiated by Jerry Fisk. I learned ALOT from the event....just making the knife caused me to push a few things to the edge that somehow you wouldn't normally do, per se, to get the knife done. This had much to do with geometry, etc....where going a bit too far on the grinder might cause the knife to head for the scrap bin.

Just beating the heck out of a big knife like that teaches you just about everything that is important about a real user blade...edge holding, toughness, ergonomics, flow, handle design...etc...etc. Hughely educational to say the least.

However, no one can make a guarantee that a knife might not just blow apart under that kind of stress....and there is not that much one can do to control a chunk of flying razor steel off into the crowd.

I understand a concern like this.....but maybe there can be a way to keep the crowd safe and have the competitors sign a hold-harm agreement?

I would say that events like this have surely increased the quality of handmade knives all around. A maker can come away from one of these with a wealth of knowledge, and a better understanding of what works and what does not.
 
That's really disappointing. I've always been impressed with the safety awareness at these events (at Blade). It's too bad we're letting liability concerns end a great tradition.
 
That is sad news indeed. I hope this can be worked out.
 
I had heard that Bruce Voyles was putting together a "tour" of the top cutters. Could this be related? I don't know anything about the mechanics of this but would we have to pay to watch.

I have no idea if this is going to happen or just a rumor.

Win
 
No matter if the ABS stops sponsoring cutting competitions, you will see an increase in cutting comps. at other venues. I hope the ABS dont stop holding the comps. becuase of "liability".
 
If the ABS stoped those contests because of liability risks, and if they are justified, then others will follow. Keep that in mind next time you vote.

:mad: :mad: :mad:
 
I've always thought the liability problems were caused by the character of people who are so into getting a quick buck that they become sue happy for the slightest thing. Out there in the masses of Walmart shoppers and Disneyland tourists I can see that there would be these opportunists roaming. I wouldn't have thought that knife nuts, ones interested in ABS events at that, would stoop to this kind of behavior. It's sad that apparantly our little community isn't immune to crybabies if the ABS feels they're in enough danger of lawsuits from said crybabies.
 
I think the problem is with spectators who frequent such events not the makers. If a knife breaks or a chunk of flying debris hits a child or someone in the crowd, you will have people who may go after the cutter, then the event sponsor and then the property owner. It is just a sign of the times.

Bobby
 
Indeed. I was referring to spectators and not makers. But still, I had hoped that those spectators would be made up of people like us. And judging from the attitudes of our own little community, it didn't seem like a group of people that would sue for something that would indeed be a freak of nature accident.
 
Keith and all
The ABS will no longer sponser cutting competitions. True, however that can be misleading. This action will only effect two hammer-ins. Marylands and the Mid america which is currently held in Ohio, hi Greg, these will be cutting demostrations only.

Texarkana College who operates the Bladesmith school is independent from the ABS as is the Alabama Forge council hammer-in.

The way it stands is that The Blade show itself will handle the finals held at the Blade show in Atlanta and how they get there. They have asked some of us guys that worked with the ABS to work with them, so in effect only the name changes. However the Blade Magazine will settle after the blade show who goes to the finals and how they get there. For the upcoming 2006 show they will take the winners of the first three 2005 ABS contest, plus Lin Rhea who won at Old Washington and the winner of Batson's hammer-in. This will give them next years finalist.
After that show, as I understand it, they will be picking a couple of ABS guys, not sure how yet, possibly a guild member and others.There will be some form of contest each time though. They are wanting to spread it around, which is good. So, all is all this is really good for the business in my opinion. There has been concern with both maker and spectators by the ABS which lead to this action.
Any questions just let me know and I will try to do better at explaining.
 
Jerry, thank you very much for the clarification. It is very good to see that the competition is not going the way of the dodo.
 
I agree with Jerry that these events are great for business and knifemaking in general.

The event that Jerry and Dan Farr put on at the SOFA Quad State was in front of (I'm guessing) close to 300 people...and it was unique in that most of these observers were not necessarily "knife people"....like u would have at an ABS held event.

Jerry did a superb job of educating the crowd about knives in general during the event....and just watching what a knife can do really "wowed" alot of people.

I found it really cool that there were alot of people coming to talk after the event who were very enthused about what they saw and incredulous that a knife could do take such abuse. That is good for our craft all the way around.

There were so many people in the crowd...I think Matt Roberts had stage fright!:eek: Sorry Matt.....:rolleyes:
 
Greg Covington said:
but maybe there can be a way to keep the crowd safe and have the competitors sign a hold-harm agreement?
Click to expand...


Sheets of Lexan? Perhaps the manufacturer would sponsor the sheets?
 
I think the cutting competitions or cutting events have caused more interest in actual knife performance than anything else in recent years. I think they are critical to knifemaking development.

Any chance that the "event" will be held in full view of spectators, but all set up behind polycarbonate sheeting or plexiglass screens. Would make you feel like being at SeaWorld but maybe thats a (???expensive) solution to the problem of "shrapnel." The only one exposed to any risk would be the competitor themselves inside the "booth."

Dunno, had to say something... Jason. :)
 
I think the ABS droping the cutting comps is a bad move. Now I don't know all the details and the reasons are a bit unclear but the ABS is all about knife performance and what better way to show it. The comps have been tremendous for the ABS, IMHO. If the comps are continued to be run and run well, they will benifit the custom knife community, on the other hand, if run poorly ???? I'm just thinking out loud, it will most likely be all good, I hope :o
 
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