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The Blade Magazine 2011 Knife Of The Year® Awards

As a follow up to our coverage of the recent Blade Show, we are posting the winners of The Factory Knife Category and The Custom Knife Category. Have any of these knives? Will this influence your decision to buy in the coming year?

We'd like to hear your thoughts. iKnife Collector congratulates the winners!

Blade Magazine has given these awards to recognize the industry’s finest factory knives and are as follows:

•Overall Knife Of The Year®: Zero Tolerance 0777;

•American Made Knife Of The Year®: Spyderco Native 5 Fluted Ti;

•Imported Knife Of The Year®: Spyderco Vallotton Subhilt:

•Most Innovative American Design: Microtech Select Fire;

•Most Innovative Imported Design: Fox Dobolock;

•Best Buy Of The Year®: Columbia River Knife & Tool Shenanigan;

•Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year®: William Henry Studio ST-4010;

•Manufacturing Quality Award: Chris Reeve Knives;

•Collaboration Of The Year®: Zero Tolerance and Rick Hinderer for the Model 0560;

•Kitchen Knife Of The Year®: Kershaw Shun Fuji;

•Accessory Of The Year®: Blade-Tech MOLLE Lok;

•Industry Achievement Award: Pete Cohan;

•Publisher’s Award: New Hampshire Rep. Jenn Coffey.

The BLADE Show custom knife awards are as follows:

•Best Knife Collaboration and Best Of Show: Dennis Friedly art knife engraved by Gil Rudolph;

•Best Miniature Knife: Yoshio Sakauchi;

•Best Fixed Blade: Rodrigo Sfreddo;

•Best Bowie: John White;

•Best Fighter: R.J. Martin;

•Most Innovative Design: Joe Caswell;

•Best Utility Hunter: Dan Farr;

•Best Sword: Vince Evans;

•Best Art Knife: Donald Vogt;

•Best Of The Rest: Mardi Meshejian;

•Best New Maker: Rod Watts;

•Best Handle Design: Vince Evans;

•Best Tactical Folder: Brian Fellhoelter;

•Best Damascus Knife: John White.

Tags: 2011, Awards, Blade, Show

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Replies to This Discussion

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on June 15, 2011 at 14:09

Why no winner in a traditional folder catagory? Who are the judges? Are they the same each year?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on June 15, 2011 at 16:19

Thank you Don, that's good info didn't cross check and don't know why it would be different. But there it is compiled, I guess one could argue why one got an award and another didn't. I would assume it's subjective and not based on anything else.

Don said:

hummmm.....

the Aug. issue of blade mag has a different list than blades current list on there web site.

I think that the awards are just awards. the SAME people seem to always be the winners as far as manufacturers. its like a good 'ol boys club. and to have shun be kitchen knife of the year... give me a break !! lots of better kitchen knives out there. Al Mar is a good example.

will this influence my buying habits for the next year? well I know I wont be dropping $475 dollars on the new chris reeve knife. nice safe queen knife but not very practical. as far as the rest... what ever floats your boat.

cant say much as far as the customs. they are for the most part priced way too rich for me. but they look nice and I can appreciate the craftsmanship that's put into them.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on June 15, 2011 at 16:23

Robert, good question, don't know why they have no winner in that category. I mean factory folders have designers and assembly but its not there. I also don't know who judges or for that matter what criteria they use. I'd have to check back issues to see if the same winners are named each year, but I don't think that would be what they do.

Robert Burris said:

Why no winner in a traditional folder catagory? Who are the judges? Are they the same each year?

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on June 15, 2011 at 17:09

Hog,

Thanks for sharing the information. I do not think it will influence our purchases. I love attending the show but I still beleive in the old stand by...Collect what you like and use

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on June 15, 2011 at 17:24

Thanks Jan, the list is interesting. I'm anxious to get feedback from our iKC family. What do they think of this list?

Jan Carter said:

Hog,

Thanks for sharing the information. I do not think it will influence our purchases. I love attending the show but I still beleive in the old stand by...Collect what you like and use

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on June 15, 2011 at 18:59

I posted the American Bladesmith Awards on Bladesmith Babes. I'll be keeping a lookout for those knife makers

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on June 15, 2011 at 20:28

There is alot of knives and makers I know little about but there is some I do know about. I think that there must be a blind eye on some of these knives. I should not be the one to complain, I don't participate.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on June 16, 2011 at 15:58

I wish I knew how our members would vote on some of these categories.

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Permalink Reply by Billy Oneale on June 16, 2011 at 21:38

I only see a couple of familiar names on the list. I will keep buying what I like and if I decide to spend money on a nice custom, well iKC has a lot of talented knife makers that I would rather buy from. All of the iKC members are talented knife makers and what I see posted on this site are fantastic knives from all of them that anyone would be proud to have.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on June 17, 2011 at 15:16

Thanks Billy, it makes you wonder as I've seen some beautiful work done by knifemakers that have a presence right here at iKC.

Billy Oneale said:

I only see a couple of familiar names on the list. I will keep buying what I like and if I decide to spend money on a nice custom, well iKC has a lot of talented knife makers that I would rather buy from. All of the iKC members are talented knife makers and what I see posted on this site are fantastic knives from all of them that anyone would be proud to have.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on June 17, 2011 at 19:41

Robert may be on to something. We could do an IKC show right here on the forum. We have the like buttons for annonymus voting. Think our makers would be interested?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on June 20, 2011 at 17:30

I think it is something that could be done, maybe when so many of the shows are over. I know so many of these guys have shows to do and don't check in that much during the summer season.

Jan Carter said:

Robert may be on to something. We could do an IKC show right here on the forum. We have the like buttons for annonymus voting. Think our makers would be interested?