Toronto Knife Show 2025

[RL]

The first knife show in Toronto in ten years was a huge success with over 600 people through the door! To put things in perspective, the one day Toronto Knife Show 2025 drew as much traffic as the past shows got over the whole weekend! And people weren’t just visiting, they were buying knives. In fact, by 2pm we emptied out the bank machine in the hotel lobby!!!

While there wasn’t a formal Friends of the Guild pre-show this year, as is customary, many knifemakers met in the hotel lobby Friday night.

It didn’t take long for the show and tell to start. I really liked Paul Savage’s folder with armadillo scales!

Hmmm 2015 at the last show vs. 2025, can you tell the difference?

Russ liked Paul’s Damascus bowie

Thanks to fellow collector Danny Tadxx for bringing your awesome Fellhoelter pens

And Rod Olson knives

Steve Vanderkolff’s daughter (so sorry, I didn’t catch your name) liked it as well. She isn’t planning to get into knifemaking yet but maybe we can convince her!

This one has a floating backspacer

Danny got to meet Rod Olson for the first time, who was nice enough to autograph his knife cases! That’s the beauty of knife shows.

We also got a preview of Rod’s latest creations.

And ran into Chris Hammelin with his latest folder design

Ok on to the show! In early morning for the setup

As I mentioned, huge crowds during the day! This was in the first hour or so and I think there were already 250 people by noon.

Prizes for the hourly giveaways. There was also a buyer’s draw (you get one ticket for every knife you buy).

 

[RL]

This gentleman won a beautiful chef’s knife from Divide Knives

On to the knives! My first stops were to check in with the show organizers Murray St-Amour and Mike Mossington. In addition to his usual assortment of outdoor knives…

Murray surprised us by bringing back his awesome camp knife! I don’t remember seeing one of these before although I understand they were hugely popular back in the day. I can see why!

Love the sealskin tie Murray!

Not only is Mike Mossington an accomplished knifemaker

he is also an authorized dealer for knife supplies, such as Admiral Steel

Who generously donated steel to all knifemaker vendors at the show

Mike also represents Klinspor grinder belts

John Wilson was born in Ontario but trained directly under Bob Loveless while living in California. John continues with Bob’s designs adding a modern twist of unique handle scales. These are true works of art!

 

[RL]

I met the Grimsmo brothers just as they were starting to get into knifemaking. It is amazing how far they have come! Indeed, I was lucky to be part of a small group to do a shop tour in 2023. We were given a detailed breakdown of each step in how a Grimsmo knife is made. All I can say is that the sophistication of the machinery and technical know-how to make knives with such tight tolerances is astonishing!



Grimsmo’s are in very high demand and usually sell out instantly so it was pretty amazing to see so many at the same time.

The one that put them on the map, the Norseman

Their latest, the Fjell integral folder

and Saga pen with its unique mechanism

Compared to my Fellhoelter Mud Flap Girl with Dunce Cap

Another high end folder machinist I was looking forward to seeing, SAK Modder. He doesn’t just simply replace the scales on SAKs, he actually reworks them, adding custom tools and his famous “drawer” for holding things like the tweezers and tootpicks you normally see in the handle scales.

This upscale one in TiMascus, the only one with a magnifier, sold immediately

I preferred the one with poutine insert and titanium fork!

 

[RL]

Closeup of the drawer I mentioned

Rod Olson is most well known for his button lock folders and their legendary smoothness.

The Mega Burst with Fat Carbon inlays and Zirc Bolster was my favourite

Keeping with high end folders, here is another look at Journeyman Smith Paul Savage’s beautiful folder with armadillo scales

This one with pearl inlays was a beauty too

Though ultimately this fixed blade was my favourite knife on Paul’s table, and actually one of my favourites of the show!

Fellow Journeyman Smith James Emmons also had a table full of beautiful forged knives

Originally from France and now in Quebec, Cyril Doche applies his background in cabinetmaking, artistic woodturning, and gunsmithing to knifemaking. The tolerances on his folders are so tight that the line between the blade and lockback is almost invisible. You could swear the knife was a fixed blade looking at the spine.

This one was my favourite. I love the simple black scales mixed with Damascus blade. Also, this one didn’t have any liners making it even thinner and lighter.

 

[RL]

Also hailing from Quebec, Amélien Lorquin Couteaux with a fine selection of kitchen and outdoor knives. Thanks for the “business card!”

Steve Vanderkolff

His latest design (sold immediately)

Butterflies seemed to be a theme

This half-stop slipjoint with Kevlar scales was my favourite

And now for some unique knives! Ward Wright is a former world champion knife thrower and he does indeed make throwers although more recently he has been focusing on more primitive designs using a lot of bone and natural materials and forged salvage steel from 100 year old horse drawn farm equipment & machinery.

 

[RL]

I liked the neck knives

the Mountain Man with its unique sheath

For some reason I kept coming back to this one (actually visited the table a few times to look at it)

Although ultimately I went with a deer foot dagger!!!

Thanks Ward, I love it and will definitely be getting a thrower from you.

More unique knives from Steve Stuart

I especially liked his Gentlemen’s Folder with leather “handle”. I’ve never seen anything like that before.

Speaking of unique knives and handles, as I have written in past reviews, I really like Farmboy Customs use of unconventional scales and kydex patterns, often as tributes to movies or video games.

Case in point, Sugar Bombs from Fallout

And The Joker

Nice acid etch

The Joker’s sheath was made by none other than Buffalo Bones! Indeed, several knifemakers at the show had sheaths made by Seamus.

The machete with his skull sheath was one of my show favourites.

The custom leather wrapped mace was also pretty awesome

 

[RL]

I picked up a sharkskin dogtag with custom printed dogtag to match. Thanks Seamus!

Another great provider to knifemakers, Muskoka Turner! They provide blocks for handle scales using natural materials and resins. I especially like the ones with captured objects like the wasp nest that I got at GLCKS or the pea that I had custom ordered (pics in past reviews).

You can see an example of what I am talking about in action with this bread knife from K.C. Forge. Muskoka Turner provided the resin full of coffee beans for its scales!

The full lineup of forged knives from K.C. Forge

Including this beautiful cleaver

I really liked the scales on this one. I believe they were giraffe bone?

Cool forged flowers!

Sharing a table with K.C. Forge, his protégé Fire Drawn Forge. In addition to forging knives, he also does “pyrography” wood burning artwork

As you may know from my past reviews, I really like Todd Bolce’s work and have a couple of his knives.

My favourites at this show were this one in all black

And at the opposite end of the spectrum, bright green Cerakote

 

[RL]

Cam Lymburner is best known for making big blades with a very light feel. His knives really remind me of the legendary Jerry Hossom.

This Kukri was so light and fast

As was this fighter. If I was looking for a martial arts blade, I would say this one was the best at the show.

You cant have a proper knife show without handmade knives from the legendary art knife maker Wolfgang Loerchner!

Chris Hammelin trained under Wolfe and has resurrected his Bayfield, now Great Lakes Custom Knife Show.

I liked the concept of this knife where the buyer chooses the inlay material

Jacco Van de Bruinhorst (JVB) couldn’t be at the show but he did have some knives on display

Some great forged kitchen knives from Steve at Bad Llama forge

Huge selection of stock removal knives from Wynn Stitt

Speaking of huge…

The green stag handle was my favourite. Looked great and felt equally great in the hand

 

[RL]

Shah Bladeworks

I liked this one with glow in the dark scales

But the most interesting knife on his table was the kitchen knife with “S” shaped grind. Nice of him to bring a cutting board and some carrots so you could try it out.

Cole Thompson

The take down “mini katana” was my favourite. You don’t need any tools to take it down in a few seconds.

I have been into Khukuris lately and liked his interpretation too

Dressed up outdoor/hunting knives from Justin Dale Matethi Knives

At just 16 years of age, this is already Malcom Stewart’s second knife show! Many of us were impressed by his work at GLCKS 2024 and felt he was matching the work of more established makers. I was looking forward to seeing what he brought this time.

Nice selection of daggers

I really liked the Almarada daggers! The frog on the side acts as a guard and keeps the boot knife in place.

More fine work from Malcolm

 

[RL]

I didn’t get to chat with Matt Bedlington this time so just a quick pic of his table

Aaron Byard

These were my favourites

It was tough to get a full pic of Adam Smith’s table as there was always busy when I passed by

Bancroft Cutlery

Very interesting scales on this one

I am not too familiar with Bluefish Knife & Tool but I can see he makes some fine outdoor knives. I liked the nesting knife/fork as well

Crane Cutlery with some nice Damascus pieces

The slipoint folder with brass scales was my favourite

Adam Gilbey was inspired by Forged in Fire to teach himself how to make knives back in 2017 and formed Divide Knives.

Craig Henshaw draws on both Japanese and Western Bladesmithing styles with san mai blades made by wrapping Damascus around a core of high carbon steel. He currently has an ABS Apprentice rating.

I liked the one with the Hudson’s Bay handle

 

[RL]

In all the way from Nova Scotia, Jeff Maluske Mad Trapper making custom crafted knives for woods, water and kitchen. Jeff, a former competitive shooter, makes both hand forged and stock removal.

Bunny Blades by Peter Tal who transitioned from chef to a knife maker

And now for the big finish

What a fantastic show! Hard to pick an absolute favourite as I saw at least 30 knives I would buy lol. It was great to see many makers I have known over the years as well as discover new ones like Ward Wright. Similarly, it was great to reconnect with collectors I have known over the years as well as meet new ones. Thank you for your generosity to those who said hi, shared their collections, and even gave me some swag!

As I mentioned in my opening, turnout was fantastic, even better than I expected! This is great for our community and ensures we will have more shows in the future, possibly even going back to 2 day shows! Either way, I will be there!

RL

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

It was a serious blast!! I was very excited for the TKS to return. Thank you to all who put it on!!

 

[Dawkind]

Thank you so much for your posts on this and other shows!

I’ve enjoyed them for many years, here and ‘other places’…great job as always.

 

[RL]

It was a serious blast!! I was very excited for the TKS to return. Thank you to all who put it on!!

thanks! sorry i am not sure i know who you are by your handle...i didnt know we had a Canadian knifemaker as a mod here

Thank you so much for your posts on this and other shows!

I’ve enjoyed them for many years, here and ‘other places’…great job as always.

thanks! yeah i am still obsessed with shows lol. i did 25 last year and already at 12 this year. last month i did 3 shows in 3 cities in 3 days lol

 

[sheathmaker]

RL, your coverage and posting of the knife show is almost like I was there in person. Thank you so much for your dedication and sharing.

It's a long way from Texas to Canada, but through your efforts I feel like I made the trip. Thanks again! "SheathMaker" (Paul Long)

 

[RL]

thank you!

RL

 

[jfk1110]

Your time and efforts with this thread are most appreciated..............

Some beautiful steel. Thank you...

 

[acaptainnn]

Rl ty sooop much for this post !

 

[hoyer]

Thank you very much for the show report! Much appreciated!

 

[J. Doyle]

Great review and pictures. Thank you for taking the time to post that.