Blade article (September issue)

G

Guy Thomas

Joined
Feb 1, 2000
Messages
1,370
Ah, just picked up the first Blade magazine I've bought in a while and durn it if someone hasn't cluttered up the thing with a metallurgical discussion of the structures in blade steel as it goes through the knife making process! :D Nice article Kevin! I particularly like the microscopic image of austenite (an austenitic stainless steel perhaps?) and the one of pearlite that appears to have both fine and coarse pearlite in it.
 
Thank you for the kind words. Our county fair just ended here Ionia County MI (billed as the world’s largest free fair) and every year we have to take the kids down to the loud, smelly carnival chaos. As I walked down the main strip looking at stands selling deep fried Oreos and Twinkies and other greasy or sugar based goos, all the while endlessly being accosted by the carnival barking game tenders and other rip-off artists, I wondered if a small modest booth with good, healthy food or honest product could even get noticed. I realized that a tastefully painted, non-neon lighted stand without a loudspeaker to offer its simple appeal to common sense in such an atmosphere would be invisible.

With that being said, Guy your kind words and a couple of nice e-mails has been the extent of the feedback I have received from that article. I guess I am not surprised, but I did find it very enlightening as to how well the folks at "Blade" know their target audience. With all the yearning for legitimate information on the internet I had been lulled to believe that the folks at the magazines were not getting it in their approach. But while I know how to make knives those folks know how to sell magazines, otherwise they wouldn't be in business. When we want facts we can get an ASM book, when we buy a knife magazine we want the Ionia County Free Fair. It certainly is not their fault for printing what sells the most magazines when their job is to sell magazines!

When I was scheduled to do my talk at the Blade show I was asked to do an article on the same topic, which is how the metallography piece found its way into that issue. I would be happy to do other articles in the future but I may not help them sell many magazines. I am in the process of redesigning my entire website, into it I intend on incorporating as much stuff as I can to be an alternative for the folks who like quiet, meaningful conversation and good healthy information to consume.
 
I will have to see if I can find it at Hastings. I quit subscribing a couple of years back because of the lack of substance in the focus at Blade Magazine.
 
Sorry I missed your article Kevin. I let my subscription lapse this year and this is the first time I've regretted not having one.
 
I read it the other day and thoroughly enjoyed it Kevin. Add another "Thanks" and a good solid "attaboy!" to your list.

I've just been to busy to keep up with forums, much mess magazines!

Thanks again for all you do Kevin. I for one always look for the "good food" in the neon-lit chaos...

-d
 
It's funny how I find myself mindlessly skimming over so many of the articles in Blade, but when I saw yours, I stopped cold and went into lock-down reading mode. This web site has been a catalyst for my already intrinsic drive for understanding how and why. The information I've gleaned here has really filled in the gaps.

I will tell you, Kevin, the article in Blade really helped pull a lot of things together. I usually just toss Blade in the trash after flipping through a few times, but this issue will find a permanent place on my bookshelf of knife-related literature. I found it and excellent article and something that I would love to see more of in knife publications. Kudos!!

I REALLY look forward to seeing your re-designed website. I'm hoping a great deal of this type of discussion/articles will be included in the content. Gonna have to clear room on my bookmarks!

--nathan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top