Good article from Blade Magazine

[hso]

A bit of a history of American knives.

https://blademag.com/featured-knives/the-enduring-legacy-of-american-knives

Very interesting noting all the folks that changed the knife world that I knew while they were doing it and early examples of their knives in my collection because I thought they and their knives were interesting or innovative.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Great read, thanks for sharing!!

 

[JohnKSa]

Interesting.

As the article says, knives are a really old invention, you'd think they would have been perfected long ago. It's pretty amazing how much nearly every aspect of knives has developed and evolved just in the past few decades.

 

[Slamfire]

No one has a monopoly on innovation or good ideas. As far as I can tell, the world is populated with humans, and any other distinctions are more or less artificial

these were great designs in their day. And still good today.








The Chinese make innovative designs out of good materials



the Chinese cleaver is an outstanding kitchen knife



this is a French traditional knife, basic design may go back to the 1600's, but it is a great kitchen knife



Though we are demonizing Russians, they can design and build good knives. This Colada is great little knife. .



The handle is what moved me the most. Smart handle design. Simple but tactile.





Humanity is great. Sure American's can toot their horn. But America leaders offshored its knife industries. I think the innovation baton has been passed to others.

 

[Mk-211]

I like Kizer Knives, their attention to detail and quality steels keep me wanting more!

I know it's a Chinese company but if you haven't checked them out, you should.

Little River Bowie, 1095 steel.

 

[Mk-211]

Couple others.

 

[Slamfire]

Couple others.

View attachment 1102965

I wonder why any company would name a product "Roach" and not expect a yuck reaction from the customer. However, I have the Roach, and it is an outstanding design. That knife, and the Penguin



allow cutting on a flat surface, using the middle of the blade, without dragging the knuckles of the cutting hand on the cutting surface. The Roach blade is wide but relatively thin, and it cuts well. Attention to little details tells me the industry that made these, is mature and staffed by individuals who know their product. I also love D2 steel for the price, and the N690 on my Roach, is pretty good stuff.

 

[hso]

innovation baton

Gents, those other knives are old basic designs that may have been innovative two hundred years ago or they're borrowed designs. Good derivatives, but not innovative.

 

[hso]

What's missing are folder pivots using bearings. I'm not sure who first used bearings on a folder, but we're sure the IKBS bearing collaboration by Brazilian knife makers Flavio Ikoma and Ricardo and Roberto Lala of Korth Cutlery was an innovation in folders. Is it an improvement over caged bearings? Debatable. But folding knives used washers or polished surfaces before the advent of bearings.

CPM and Damasteel powder steels? They're materials, but blade steels and materials are constantly advancing. Have they innovated the knife making world?

What else? When Lion Steel of Italy premiered the TiDust at Blade I was very impressed with the new "additive manufacturing" powder metallurgy tech applied to creating a monolithic folder handle. While it was very innovative, it hasn't "stuck" like bearings have. To my knowledge it hasn't innovated in the knife industry so that looks like a "one hit wonder".

Magnets in knives in place of springs? Looks like another limited adoption of an innovative idea that hasn't innovated the knife world.