A friend of mine bought a fancy set of knives for himself, but noticed it was too flexible, and while cutting anything it would start bending towards the other direction. I pointed out that he had bought a whole set of serrated bread knives, pity. While good knives do cost, always pick carefully. People usually go for the branded ones that are good looking, and knives with some celebrity chef’s signature. And then, they buy the wrong blade and ruin it. Men try crushing a chicken bone, use a tile as the cutting board and even use the wrong cutting technique. These can ruin a delicate blade, and the delicate blades are the best. You don’t care much for your knife? Don’t care for cutting techniques? Go ahead, buy a boring mass-market blade. But if you’re looking for efficiency and flair, and know how to treat your knife, quality blade is what you need in your kitchen arsenal.

While buying a knife, I suggest either a Japanese blade or a German one. A Japanese style knife has a thinner blade hence it is sharper, but at the same time needs more care as it can be less robust. German blades are stronger, have thicker blades, need less care but are nowhere near as sharp as Japanese blades. The Japanese blades are unique. Unlike the common knife, which are cut from metal sheets and then processed and sharpened to get a decent blade, many of the knives of the east are hand forged, and delicately hammered out and sharpened.

Now how does one tell what must one look for when selecting a blade to meet your sharp specifications? Where in the world, apart from Japan, can one find a nice ninja-like Japanese blade, forged by blacksmiths who have been practicing the skill for generations? There are a very few outlets to buy from in North America. One of the most exceptional names in Japanese hand-crafted knives is Masakage Knives. Masakage have their craftsmen hard at work in Japan and supply them via various retailers around the globe. The knives are designed by chefs, and make the strongest blades out of select metals.

FactoryTwoFour sought out expert advice on Japanese knives and a connoisseur on the subject was in need. We contacted just the right person who has great passion for knives, Kevin Kent.

“When choosing knife it’s best to buy from a place you trust has expert knowledge and can help you through the process. Find a store that has a large selection, helpful staff and sample knives to let you test drive the knife before buying.”

And Mr. Kent owns such a chain of knife shops, Knifeware, which meets these excellent standards just as he has described. There you get a chance to test out the blades available for sale. Like the start of any good relationship, one must go on a date first. Right now if you wish to try out, or ‘date’, the various Japanese blades at Knifeware you would have to go to one of the various Knifeware shops in Canada, or maybe, soon, a new Knifeware shop in Japan.

“If you don’t have a shop like that near where you live the internet is the next best option. Good suppliers will have a toll free number so you can call any time and talk to an expert to guide you to the perfect knife. The perfect blade for you is just that, perfect for you.”

So what exactly is the protocol to follow when purchasing a knife? Kevin goes on to tell us…

“Everyone has different needs. First question is what kind of steel? Stainless steels are a great option for people who want easy maintenance. They will stay sharp for a good long time and will not rust. Carbon steel however can rust but will stay sharper longer and give a silkier feeling when slicing. Some knives, my favourite, have carbon steel core wrapped with stainless steel. The maintenance issues are less but you are still cutting with carbon. It’s the future! The nest consideration is the handle. Western handles with a full tang and rivets are heavier and super rugged. A traditional Japanese handle is much lighter and the knife will have a forward balance. I prefer Japanese handles. After that it is all about the right size and the looks. I say grab a knife that you think looks great. You are going to be using it everyday after all, you should look forward to cutting with a sexy blade. The size of knife you should buy is the size you currently use the most often. Easy peasy.”

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Fortunately, selecting an appropriate blade that performs under the great stresses of opening over-engineered packaging isn’t an EDC baseline. In many instances, the most effective knife is not necessarily the most practical. A box cutter, utility knife, or 7″ KaBar might accomplish most challenges, but not frightening anyone glancing in your general direction can be difficult. The aesthetic designs may leave a bit to be desired too. Therefore, a balance is a justified importance.

The idea behind EDC urges minimalism and applying this approach to a knife can prove to be a beneficial decision. Most people seem to find that their job or lifestyle may define this choice. At this point it’s best to determine an acceptable price, blade length, optional external clips or safeties, and maybe even the composition of the steel. All of these factors can create the perfect knife for an individual. Though a blade should serve its utilitarian function, form should follow closely behind. Who doesn’t want a good looking knife in their pocket?

Regardless of defining characteristics, a knife is something you carry with you everywhere (except where prohibited, of course). As an EDC knife is something that finds refuge in daily outfit choices, it naturally becomes a tool that’s also used daily. It might seem over zealous to assume its aid in nearly all mundane chores of opening envelopes, packages and anything requiring a sharp edge, but, surprisingly, it’s used more than one would assume. The need for a small knife isn’t truly felt until you’re left without it. Adding this option to an everyday setup can offer range when tackling small tasks or more importantly, attempting to pry open that plastic packaging.

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According to Mollyjogger, “Scrimshaw is an early American art form originating from the whaling industry in the late 1700’s. During the many idle hours at sea, a whaler etched drawings of nautical themes on items that were readily available to him such as sperm whale teeth and bones. His primary etching instrument was a sail needle, nail or pocket knife. After he scratched his art work into the surface of the bone, he would rub lamp black or tobacco juice into the scratch to reveal the drawing.”

Wanting to keep inline with the nautical heritage of the Scrimshaw knife I opted to honor my love of F. Scott Fitzgerald by carving the title of one of his short stories, “The Offshore Pirate,” into the handle of my knife. The first step in making this happen is to apply your text or image to the knife using carbon paper and the bamboo tool, of course you can freehand as well if you’re confident enough.

With the text or image on the handle you then have to trace over it with the Scrim Scribe. This process is difficult as you’re not immediately sure how deep to cut into the handle, it also really hurt my hand. Since I chose to trace I only had one shot since there was no way I was going to be able to realign the words properly to give the tracing another shot. The pattern successfully etched into the knife it was then time to apply the ink with the q-tips. I did this numerous times but each time I ended up removing all traces of ink as I was attempted to clean up the excess; I could not figure out how to prevent that from happening. This was my unsuccessful attempt…

I haven’t yet attempted the other side of the knife because I’m not finished trouble shooting what went wrong with this side, other an a lot. However, despite my failure thus far I still absolutely love this kit and for under $50 would recommend it for yourself or as a gift for anyone who likes to get hands-on. Just have patience because the process is a bit tedious and you maybe bad at it too, but remember: just because you give someone a football and tell him how to throw it doesn’t mean they’ll be good at it.

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Though not a pocket knife in the traditional sense the Money Clip’s 1.75” titanium coated steel blade would put most others too shame. While the knife is available when such a situation arises that you’re in need of a blade, the money clip portion provides the clip with everyday function. Capable of holding up to five cards the Money Clip is able to handle your essentials for those days you’re headed outdoors or just don’t feel like carrying the whole wallet around. And with its sleek design and sturdy construction the Money Clip will make you not want to carry the whole wallet around; even more so, it makes you never even want to put it down.

What I’ve enjoyed most about the GDC Money Clip is one of the intangible aspects; it’s a conversation starter. Whether you’re grabbing your credit card or handing someone a business card they tend to take note and when you flash them the discreet blade you can sense another Money Clip being sold. While I’ve already recommended it to numerous people, especially as a groomsman gift since it’s engraveable, I do have concern that over time sliding laminated cards on the steel could damage them, but I’m not to that point yet. All said and done the GDC Money Clip is one of my favorite, and by far manliest accessory I’ve ever owned; I just long for the day I have money to put in it.

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The first thing I noticed when it arrived was the handle, made of amber bone, giving off a unique look that is unique to each knife.  Even with the natural handle, it does not slip easily out of my hands as the bone adds a bit of grip to it with the natural etchings.  Then came the weight.  The solid American steal packed into this smaller knife gives it an unassuming weight, and until you pick it up, you will not realize just how heavy it is.  But it is a comfortable weight, bringing confidence behind the blade and pick, showing the user it can be trusted under pressure.  Highlights of gold in the framing, mixed with the hard steel and bone, make this a knife to admire for sure.

Remember, this isn’t your typical pocket knife.

What I loved about this knife was the fact that when carrying it around in my pocket, I barley noticed it.  Even with its weight, it was not ungainly or uncomfortable, and even after a day’s work, could be displayed for others to admire.  The tools are a bit tight to pull out under pressure (good luck getting the knife out with gloves on), but at the same time I was not worried about a random bump jarring it open and stabbing me in the leg, so it is worth the trade off.

This is not your ordinary knife.  You won’t be needing this for around the shop or stowed away in the kitchen drawer with other random items.  This is a working man’s knife that belongs on the ranch.

This is the knife you will hand down to your grandchildren.  This will be their grandfather’s knife.

Almost as old as the Kentucky Derby itself, Case Cutlery is celebrating this year’s Run for the Roses with their hand-made Equestrian’s Knife. Case, makers of hand-crafted pocket knives for 125 years, was born along the Alleghany Mountain wagon trail where they learned a thing or two about a bent shoe. For more information, click here: http://www.wrcase.com/

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