Each month I share my Knife News column from the current issue. By the time I do this, the news is not always the timeliest, but it can give you a sense of what I feel is important. There are only 4 slots each month, and often some worthy items end up not making the cut.
It is now the middle of August, and subscribers already have seen this, but we want to share it with the larger KNIFE community.
Premium Online Members can read the whole August issue in our Member Area.
Case releases first Ruple collaboration at Blade Show
In 2023 Bradford, Pennsylvania’s WR Case and Sons announced that Cutlery Hall of Fame member Bill Ruple would be stepping into the shoes of his late friend and mentor Tony Bose as a premier design partner and brand ambassador. Case and Ruple unveiled their first collaboration design at Blade Show 2024, the Bill Ruple x Case Axe Handle™ lock back folder.
There are 6 varieties of the Bill Ruple x Case Axe Handle™. The highlight of the collection features a raindrop-carbon Damascus blade and English Walnut Scales ($697.99). It, and the abalone scaled model are limited to runs of 100 pieces. The remaining scale options (Rogers jig Chestnut Bone, Standard jig Antique bone, natural Birdseye Maple wood, black marbled Carbon Fiber) will be limited to runs of 200 each (MSRP $539.99). Key features include the knife’s one-piece liner/bolsters and distinctive arrowhead shield. A genuine suede storage pouch provides a final elegant touch to round out the package.
“The first knife I ever owned was a Case slip joint pocket knife my dad gave me when I was a kid,” said Ruple. “For Case to ask me to make a knife for them is the honor of a lifetime, so I’m extremely excited to introduce the collection and talk to everyone this June at Blade Show in Atlanta.”
Case began releasing the bone handled models in June, with the remaining models to be released throughout the summer and fall. More information can be found at www.caseknives.com
Benchamde enters EDC fixed blade market with Dacian
Everyday Carry (EDC) of fixed-blade knives has been enjoying a bit of a renaissance of late. The rollback of knife prohibitions across the country has had something to do with this, as has the rise of the “pocket dump” photo on social media, where users upload often composed still-life photos of the knives and gear they carry with them on a daily basis.
EDC fixed blades typically feature blade lengths of 3.5” or less, while handles may be 3-finger or full-sized. Some examples are meant to be carried in the pocket or around the neck, while others retain a typical belt loop or clip configuration.
Benchmade Knife Company is getting in on the trend with their first EDC fixed blade – the Dacian. Like so many premium knives these days, the Dacian is made from ultra-corrosion resistant MagnaCut, with a 3.54” blade, and an overall length of 7.57”. The Dacian features blue denim micro scales an copper PVD hardware. (MSRP unavailable)
There will also be a limited edition run of Dacians with a blue Cerakote finish and brown canvas micarta. Both come with a russet-brown molded, belt clip sheath.
Also slated for release this fall is the 743 Mini Narrows, a reduced sized version of the 2023 Knife of the Year, the Benchmade Narrows. You can learn more about Oregon City’s Benchmade Knife Company and their offerings at www.benchmade.com
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tic Knives breaks $300 barrier on USA Made Nyx OTF
As a second generation knife maker, Anthony Marfione Jr. set out to forge his own path in the industry. Tony and his wife Jennifer founded Sebastian, Florida’s Heretic Knives 2015. Heretic’s flagship products are premium Out-the-Front (OTF) automatics, a legacy from Anthony Sr., the founder of Microtech.
Heretic’s newest release is the Nyx, a feature-packed, American-made OTF which comes with an MSRP of under $300.
The Nyx, named for the Greek Goddess of the Night, seeks to blend the power and elegance of its namesake into a knife suitable for all occasions. It is a double-action OTF with a 3.62” Magnacut blade, sitting in a 6061 anodized aluminum chassis. Heretic provides a choice of blade shapes (Clip, Single Edge, Double Edge, Tanto) and a variety of finishes (Stonewash, “Battleworn Black”, Black DLC) with slight variations in price as a consequence.
Features such as the perforated fuller and detailing on the spine provide an aesthetic touch, as does the complementary finish on the reversible pocket clip, milled button, and hardened glass-breaker. Like all Heretic Knives, the Nyx comes with a lifetime warranty.
The Heretic Nyx is releasing mid-summer. You can find out more or locate a dealer at the Heretic Knives website – www.hereticknives.com
The DoubleWork – a Double Sheath for Folding Knives
“I don’t know how many times I’ve been on a ladder splicing wire with a folding knife, (or for that matter opening a box from Amazon), and needed to put the knife down for just a second with the blade locked open. You don’t want it to fall from a ledge or tabletop and you don’t want to leave it on the seat of a chair.
Classic lockback knives such as the Buck 110 require two hands to open and two hands to close. Yet, nonesuch knives ship with any kind of sheath that will safely retain the knife once the blade is extend-ed.”
Rather than continuing to hold the open knife clenched in his teeth Tarzan style, writer Roger Eckstine chose to collaborate with award-winning Texas knifemaker Brian Milinski and come up with a safer solution. The result is a beautiful pouch and sheath combination. A pouch for the folded Buck 110 knife and a full sheath for the same knife, measuring 8 1 / 2-inches long with the blade locked open.
Certainly, one could have chosen to wear the standard pouch and opted for a separate sheath but, Roger figured, sooner or later he’d forget to wear one or the other. The pouch and sheath of the DoubleWork Sheath ride together on a belt panel that conforms to the wearer and evenly distributes the weight presenting a smooth, comfortable surface to the body.
The DoubleWork sheath is available for the Buck 110 and other knives upon request, starting at $149.00. For more information, contact Brian Milinski at mrknives@yahoo.com or through his website at www.mrknives.com