International Cutting Competition Trail

E

Ed Schempp

Joined
Oct 10, 2003
Messages
395
This organization was formed to bring knife performance into the lime light. It is an opportunity to PROVE the performance of your work. Warren Osborn and Daniel Winkler have been working hard to bring cutter certification to all parts of the country. Warren and Daniel have given great thought and effort to making these fairly weighted contests a true test of knife preformance.

This is another way to make the buying public familiar with your work. These competitions are fun, educational, and very entertaining.

I'd like to know the level of interest in the NW so cutter certification can be scheduled in the NW. We have potential locations of Seattle, Spokane and possibly Eugene to reach NW cutters. Is there interest? Where do you think certifications should take place?...Take Care...Ed Schempp
 
Details are still being worked out for liability insurance, and the written rules of certification. The first step is to get the people to do the certification and make sure they are all playing by the same rules. Then these folks could offer certification on a local level for the cutting competitions. I've had conversations with guys I have known to compete about getting involved in the certification process. I've talked to folks in Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Alaska. The idea is to blanket the country coast to coast to remove the barriers to access that different geographical locations have endured. Safety is the primary goal of the certification.

Warren and Daniel are serious about taking this to a professional level. Offering this certification coast to coast will help train the cutters of the future. This should offer opportunity to compete regionally; and if succussfull at a national level with television coverage.

This is not just for knifemakers. Anyone with certification and an approved knife can compete. Only one division of three is for knifemakers only.

This is not just for forged blades, stock removal are welcome. There will be standards of construction for the competing blades; again in the name of safety.

Bill Burke will be the head poopa of the Idaho Head Hunters Division...Take Care...Ed
 
What is involved with the certification Ed? I'd just participated in my first two ABS cutting contests this year before they were stopped. They were alot of fun.
 
I'm hoping to get together with Warren and others and get some information on paper. Then it will be posted on the web. Initially I think the folks wanting to offer certification will get together and put themselves through the process. Understanding the safety issues and being able to convey that information are very important. Having 2-3 certifiers with 4-6 trainies would be a good program. Everyone can work with everyone for the sole focus of safe and sound technique.

This is the ground floor of this whole organization, the process will evolve. Unforseen problems will arise. New solutions will be required. The more minds and information that is involved the more efficient it should get. The program that is developed will have alot to do about insurance and liability. A universal disclaimer has to be developed.

There has been discussion of the qualification of a knife. Hidden tangs would need to be documented with photo and heat treat discussed with certifiers before a knife is accepted. Full tang knives would be inspected. There are still questions to be answered.

The contest events would be much like the ABS contests; they might be arranged in a timed and performance based point figure in and out of the time, depending whether performance was good or bad. The events would be weighted equally. The ABS contests have had a special event at the end of the contest that was heavily weight and offen determined the outcome of the contest...Take Care...Ed
 
Hi Ed.

Any idea of what the cost of the workshop /certification will be...and will there be a fee to compete.

Good web site.

Many thanks.
 
Ed,

Thanks for getting this discussion going. With the ABS offically getting out of the competition business there is a need to continue on with a well organized and safe atmosphere for cutting competitions. Competitions have become to important to the development of high performance knives to let fall to the wayside. Several experienced cutters are working together to set safety standards for both knives and competitors. As details are worked out posts will be made in am attempt to keep anyone that is interested informed as to what is going on. This is a slow process because we are all knifemakers and our time is streched pretty thin already. This will all come together and eventually we will have exciteing and fair events for anyone that is interested. Safety is our main focus, fun and knife development comes second. Anyone that has an idea, post it, we are listening.

Daniel
 
Just wanted to say good to see Daniel here! Clean your shop!

I would like to see a competition between blades using different styles of heat treating. A well hted blade will perform however the method, but I do think it would be fun to watch the results.
 
Sounds like a great direction!!!

I do have to hold myself back the moment I heard "certification". Seems like there is an organization trying to certify people for just about anything. Next I guess I will need certification to chop wood. Still in the world we live in, what is one going to do. It's interesting one can wander around an IBO course shooting at targets without a certification or safety school! Imagin trying to get that going today!

Congrats Ed on the Spyderco sponsorship!! You're a professional athlete now!
 
Certification for cutters and restricted knife design are all being considered for safety reasons. This has to be the #1 concern. Especially since we are trying to attracted new cutters.

I am sure there will be some cost involved for competitors and for students that come to any of the schools thart are being planned. Similar to what you would spend for attending a hammer-in or less. Depending on what is being planned.

A few of us are planning a demonstration of competition style cutting in Charleston South Carolina during the Southeastern Wildelife Expo on February 18th. If anyone is interested contact me and I will get you more information.

Daniel

daniel@winklerknives.com
 
Shooters have a virtualy zero accident level in competitive environment. Good range officer, no accidents. The problem I see with certification is this sport is pretty regional. So if you have to travel once across country to get certified, and further times to compete it would be an impediment. But finer legal minds than mine have doubtless weighed in, and I am only thinking out loud.

The main thing is this is happening, and we are going to have aceess for forged knives, and stock removal, and even factory. Very positive development.
 
We should be able to have a certification process in effect all across the country. Hopefully wherever an event occures. Not like getting an ABS stamp where you have to go to Atlanta.

The goal is to get everyone that has an interest involved and make that as easy as reasonably possible.

Daniel
 
DWinkler said:
We should be able to have a certification process in effect all across the country. Hopefully wherever an event occures. Not like getting an ABS stamp where you have to go to Atlanta.

The goal is to get everyone that has an interest involved and make that as easy as reasonably possible.

Daniel
Click to expand...

Great..I am looking forward to it.
 
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