Knife Magazines

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 The other day, while at Barnes and Noble bookstore, I picked up my first knife collecting magazine: BLADE, which advertises itself as the "world's #1 knife publication".  Well, I'll have to trust them on that one; it was the only one available at the bookstore.  In fact, there was a dearth of publications on knives, books or magazines in the store, which kind of surprised me. Perhaps in a larger metro area the choices are more numerous.  This magazine was informative, and I'm intrigued by the next issue that focuses on folding knives.  I also found interesting an article on the challenges facing US knife manufacturing.  Knife manufacturing is a global business and that involves a lot of complicated issues, some of which have been in the news of late, like tariffs, and the challenge of competing with China, which often produces goods at levels far lower than we do.  

The magazine and advertisements, predictably, focused a lot on higher end knives and custom made blades.  I realize that this is where serious, extensive collecting is at.  Unfortunately, such blades are quite costly and available to those with budgets to handle such purchases.  I'm fortunate to be at a point in my life with children grown where I can afford to buy a few nicer knives and not depend on the cheaper budget ones.  Perhaps, as I expand in my collecting, I'll find publications geared more to this niche.  If anyone reading this blog is aware of such, let me know in the comments.  I realize that my readership is quite small, as I just began and I'm not really actively involved on online forums, something else I'll need to explore in the future.  A lot of information these days is gleaned from the internet and print publications no longer serve as the staple of news and information gathering.  But as a book collector as well (mainly theological works), I'm a bibliophile that enjoys the feel of a real bound book with paper pages I can turn.  Call me old fashioned, but I still like this even as I immerse myself just as heavily in the internet.  

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