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Kramer knives slice through coke cans like butter

May 26, 2011 / Glenn / 1 Comment

Chef knives have to be extremely functional knives because of all the work they have to do.

One moment the knife might be used to chop meat. In another instance, it might be used to dice a tomato. Then, it might be used to cut a row of water bottles in half after sawing into a metal bolt.

Well, maybe chefs won’t be using their knives to do the final task, but simply knowing it can be done is good enough. Master bladesmith Bob Kramer recently demonstrated the sharpness of his knife by slicing into unopened Coke cans for Popular Science (you can also watch the amazing video at the link).

Kramer’s knives, which usually go for about $10,000, are highly coveted among chefs. There’s actually a year-long waiting list that you have to get on through a lottery system just to get one of his custom-made knives.

Fortunately, for those of us who can’t afford to blow $10,000 on one knife or would rather buy 155 KA-BAR survival knives, Kramer is releasing an affordable (or at least relatively affordable) line of knives for $300.

What’s your favorite type of folding blade lock?

May 25, 2011 / Glenn / 2 Comments

While doing research for my recent post on types of locking systems for folding blades, I thought about all the types I’ve used in my life. Although I had used most of them, there were some I simply preferred more than other.

The functions for all the knife locking systems are the same: they are designed to prevent the blade of a folding knife from closing on your hand during use.

The knife by my side right now, which is also my favorite, is the lockback type that closes by pressing down on the bottom of the spine. The reason I like the lockback is because of its simplicity and overall appearance. I can easily open and close the knife with one hand unlike, say, the ring lock where you have to twist the collar to open and close it.

So, for all you knife lovers out there, I’m curious to know what knife locking system you prefer the most and why.

We’re Giving Away Free Knives to Veterans for Memorial Day

May 25, 2011 / Glenn / 3 Comments

Memorial Day is a time for celebrating those who have served our country. At The Cutting Edge, we’re expressing our gratitude by holding a knife giveaway just for veterans.

If you’ve served in the armed forces, whether it’s the Army, Navy, Air Force or the Marines, post a picture of yourself in uniform, along with the dates and location you served, on our Facebook page before 12 p.m. Central Time on Sunday 5/29.

We’ll select two winners at random on Memorial Day, who will be able to choose from the three different Ka-bar knives ($65-$70 value) shown below. If you’re so inclined, you can also chose the Osama bin Ladin “Justice is Done” knife.”

Thanks again for your service and good luck.

Army Ka-bar

Pearl Harbor Navy Ka-bar

k-bar knife with Iraqi freedom written on it

Iraqi Freedom Marine Ka-bar

"Justice is Done' Osama bin Ladin knife

Remember, to enter the contest post a picture of yourself in your uniform along with the dates and location where you served on our Facebook Page.

A knife that freezes organs then blows them up… yes, it’s real

May 24, 2011 / Glenn / 25 Comments

The only thing cooler than a knife that slices is one that blows up organs when it’s stabbed into an animal.

Although this knife isn’t exactly new, it’s been making headlines for its recent appearance on “Law & Order: SVU” as the weapon that killed John Stamos.

The aptly named WASP Injector Knife shoots a compressed basketball-sized ball of gas into the victim where it instantly freezes then explodes the internal organs at 800psi.

You might be wondering why anyone would need this knife besides the criminals on “Law & Order” and those looking to blow up watermelons (see video below). The target consumer of the knife is the diver who frequently encounters gigantic vicious sharks who aren’t deterred by regular stabs from a knife.

Reportedly, if the knife is used correctly on a shark, the compressed gas will freeze its inside, so blood doesn’t begin to pool around the shark thus not attracting more. Once it kills the shark, the ball of gas will cause its carcass to float to the surface.

How to sharpen a knife with a whetstone

May 22, 2011 / Glenn / 1 Comment

Got a dull knife, sharpen it with a whetstone

A dull knife is not only ineffective, but it can also be dangerous. If your knife is dull, you’ll have to use more pressure to cut, increasing the risk of slippage and injury.

There are numerous ways to sharpen a knife, including fancy, high-tech sharpeners, but one of the most reliable–and affordable–is the whetstone.

What is a whetstone

Whetstone is a term for a number of natural or artificial stones that have properties making them ideal for sharpening. Artificial whetstones are composed of components such as ceramic, silicon carbide or aluminium oxide. These stones are usually double-sided with coarse grit on one side and a fine grit on the opposite side.

Natural whetstones, which typically have finer grades and are best used with oil, are often made from the material Novaculite, which is a variety of quartz.

Preparing to sharpen a whetstone.

The first step in knife sharpening is to lubricate your whetstone. You’ll want to either use oil or water for this process, depending on what type of whetstone you have.

Start by placing your whetstone on a paper towel that sits on top of a cutting board. then soak your whetstone in the lubricant of your choice for approximately twenty minutes. If your whetstone has both a fine and coarse side, you’ll want to start sharpening on the coarse side.

Finding the correct angle for sharpening a whetstone

Most knife experts agree that the ideal angle for knife sharpening for a whetstone is 20 degrees. You’ll want to sharpen your knife using smooth motions. Make sure you perform equal strokes on each side. A good rule of thumb is to perform five strokes on each side of your knife and then touch it; you should be able to feel the difference. The motion should be slow and smooth–never jerky–and should resemble the way you would slice a thin piece of meat.

Woman pulls out sword to settle argument at Pizza Hut

May 21, 2011 / Glenn / 5 Comments

One of my fondest memories of my youth was eating at Pizza Hut after little league baseball games; I’m just glad I never played baseball in Louisville, Kentucky.

A Louisville woman is facing disorderly conduct charges after she pulled out a sword to settle an argument–likely over an inadequate slice to pepperoni ration–at a Local Pizza hut.

According to the cops, Wynika Mason removed her sword from its sheath in the midst of a verbal dispute with employees, menacing them with its large, glimmering blade.

A Guide to the Types of Knife Locking Systems

May 20, 2011 / Glenn / 12 Comments

When buying a knife, there are hundreds of features, options and styles to choose from. Specifically, if you’re getting a folding knife, there’s the issue of selecting the type of locking system fits your needs and preferences best. Locking systems are essential for folding knives because they prevent the knife from closing on your hand during use. Instead of having to frantically search around the web to learn about all the different types, here’s a comprehensive list of the locking systems used in most folding knives.

Liner Lock

The liner lock, originally known as a Walker Lock after its inventor Michael Walker, is one of the most popular types of locking systems. When the knife blade is opened, a vertical metal lockbar is angled from the side of the interior toward the center where it butts against the tang of the blade. The pressure of the lockbar, also called a leaf spring, prevents the blade from moving. To fold the blade back into the knife, the lockbar has to be moved away from the tang to its original position.

Lockback

A lockback is sometimes called a spine lock because it has a metal spin that spans the entire back of the knife handle. Within the handle, the top of the spine and the tang of the blade resembles a hook. When the blade is opened, it pushes the spine out until the notch on the spine and blade are hooked into place. The two notches exert pressure on one another to keep the blade opened securely. Replacing the blade into the handle of a lockback knife requires pressing on the bottom of the spine until the two notches clear one another.

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College sword makers create sword for ‘Thor’

May 19, 2011 / Glenn / 6 Comments

Yesterday, the Ball State University Daily News ran a great piece profiling two local swordsmith students who were given the opportunity of a lifetime when a props team commissioned them to make a sword for the movie “Thor.”

BSU metal design major Andrew Davis and David DelaGardelle had started their business MAD Dwarf Workshop while they were kids in high school. After developing their sword making skills for fun, they began selling really cool swords online.

Their big break came, however, when a props team working on the film “Thor” contacted them to design and construct the Sword of Heimdall.

The BSU story, written by Devan Filchak, goes into detail about what the process was like in creating the epic sword. They were in regular contact with the props team in California, but had almost complete artistic freedom with the sword.

They had to make two steel and bronze swords along with two aluminum versions for stunts because they weighed a lot less.

The swordmaking duo definitely felt a sense of accomplishment once they saw their work featured in the movie and saw toy replicas in stores.

Knives Save Lives: Farmer Bruce Osiowy

May 18, 2011 / Glenn / 0 Comments

On June 5, 2003, Canadian farmer Bruce Osiowy was getting ready for another hot day in the field using his new machine that picks up rocks, which he used to have to do by hand.

To the cash crop farmer, life seemed good.

However, what started out like another day on the farm would soon turn into a harrowing 66-hour ordeal for Osiowy.

After picking up a few loads of rocks with his machine, the transport arm of the rockpicker malfunctioned.

So, he tried to release the transport arm with a wrench, but when he did, the whole thing came crashing down on his hand.

Despite screaming for help and banging a hammer against the machine, no one came to his aid. He was stuck all alone in the middle of the field on a Thursday night.

For the next two and a half days, he went without food and water. At night when it grew cold, his collie dog would curl up on top of him to keep him warm.

Knife group points out irony in WSJ knife article

May 17, 2011 / Glenn / 1 Comment

If you’re a regular reader of the Wall Street Journal, a New York-based newspaper, you probably saw this small piece on great pocket knifes to own.

The irony of this article is that all of the knives they recommended would be “falsely deemed an illegal gravity knife by NYC District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.,” according to the group Knife Rights.

The knives featured in this article are the Benchmade Orange Griptillian, Gerber EVO serrated edge, Lone Wolf Knives Swale, Benchmade 470 Emissary, and Victorinox Swiss Army One-Hand Sentinel.

In accordance with the recent crackdowns by the District Attorney in New York City, even knives with liner locks are considered gravity knives in certain cases.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term gravity knife, among collectors it means a knife that locks open and closed within a handle. To law enforcement, it usually means one-handed knives that open easily. NYC is notorious for having some of the strictest and broadest definitions of gravity knife and what makes it illegal.

This controversy is sparking outrage in the knife community with some, including Laird Crawford’s letter to the editor in the May 2011 Blade Magazine, calling it a “scare tactic.”

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