Should I take my damascus kitchen knife hiking? At first glance, this may sound like a slightly silly question. In truth it is a silly question, but answering it will help illustrate the important differences between a damascus kitchen knife and a hiking knife. First it is worth defining a knife. In other words, what. . . Read More
We are stating the obvious when we say that the USA is a melting pot, a great and ever-evolving admixture of cultures, traditions, cuisines, languages, aesthetics, and all the things infused by the peoples of the world as they cross her borders and become Americans. And as in so many areas, this tradition of traditions. . . Read More
Why are hand forged knives so popular all of a sudden? Most of the knives in use today are commercially purchased, mass-produced cutting tools. The large-scale manufacture of knives, however, is a relatively new phenomenon. The hand forged knife is a tool with roots dating all the way back to the beginning of human history,. . . Read More
When you’re camping out in the wilderness you need to have the right tools. Even when everything is going according to plan, having the right tools can make all the difference in the world. And when things aren’t going according to plan, the right tools can make the difference between survival and…not. One of the. . . Read More
Almost nobody agrees on what actually distinguishes a knife from a dagger. Generally speaking, a dagger is a type of knife. In most cases, a dagger has a symmetrical blade with two edges while a knife only has one. This is not a sufficient definition though, as there are “knives” with two edges and “daggers”. . . Read More
Throughout the history of our species, we have formed ourselves into societies large and small. The largest of these societies is the empire, with few empires as iconic as the Roman Empire. Founded in the 7th Century BC, this Empire was a dominating force on the world stage for nearly a thousand years until its. . . Read More
The Roman Empire is such an icon of human history that it hardly requires any introduction. And among its deep and rich imagery, two warriors stand out as icons of ancient Rome, the legionnaire, and the gladiator. And of these iconic warriors, nothing is perhaps more symbolic than their sword, the Roman gladius. What is. . . Read More
I earned the title of Master Bladesmith, usually shortened to Master Smith, in 2019, joining a short list of top rated makers. Though the chef knife is my most popular knife, as a Master Bladesmith I am equipped with the skills to tackle just about any project. The American Bladesmith Society has only awarded the. . . Read More
For centuries and more, elevated craft has been the domain of apprentices, journeymen, and masters. Over time, many craftsmen organized themselves into guilds or associations, with formalized structures for how to advance in rank. An apprentice could become a journeyman when his master deemed that he had sufficient skill to journey around and ply his. . . Read More
I have always found the term “hunting knife” somewhat irksome. It tends to be used as a vague catchall for any sort of small to medium sized knife that doesn’t specifically fit into any other category. While knives of this size are ideally suited to the work demanded of a knife that is used for. . . Read More