Gentlemen,
I am really enjoying these posts about what the book should or should not be and my qualifications for writing it. I have been writing knife books and or/editing knife publications since 1976, a member of the Cutlery Hall of Fame since 1994. The ABS Hall of Fame inducted me into their Hall of Fame a few years later.
I authored the first 8 editions of the Official Price Guide to Collector knives beginning in 1976 (and ghosted the 9th edition for Jim Parker as well)--and also did three pocket guides during that time. Plus two editions of the ABCA Price Guide to Antique Knives and the IBCA Price Guide to Commorative Knives. Ken Warner and I co-authored Knife Digest 1.
As for any Schrade tie in, in 1977 I first had dinner with Uncle Henry Baer. I have walked the old Canal Street Ulster plant with Dave Swinden and rummaged through the Walden Library in the 1980s.
When the State of New York used an archelogical dig in the Walkill River for cutlery pieces down stream from the old New York Knife Co. building they used my writing as the historical text for the book.
Under my publishing company I was responsible for the publishing of The Complete Book of Pocketknife Repair, the Directory of the Knifemakers Guild, and How to Make Folding Knives among others.
Oh yeah, and I also edit the knife entry for the World Book Encyclopedia. (My Mom sold World Book in the 1960's when I was in elementary school and she is especially proud of that--and I like the $75.00 it paid too!)
I paid a bit over $35,000 for pieces from the Schrade Factory Collection in 2004-5.
So perhaps I have punched my ticket for admission to the knife book writing game. I'm not sure since Bernie Levine has been more prolific of late but other than him (and maybe him too) I have written more books on knives than anyone.
But here is my theory on knife books.
1. Buy every knife book you can, because you might pick up a tidbit that you didn't know. From books you get knowledge--by not buying books you do not get as much knowledge --and we all know the opposite of of knowlege is ignorance.
2. But having said all that there is one other major, most important point.
If you are unsure about a book, pick it up, thumb through it, and IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT--THEN DON'T BUY IT.
We don't live in a perfect uniform world in which everything comes out perfect, ideal, and is the right fit for everyone. The only thing any author can do is put is effort out there, and hope enough people do like the effort to repay the author a bit for the expenses and time.
