Everyone knows that Swiss Army’s the go-to knife when you want to go full MacGyver. But fictional, knife-wielding characters aside, did you know that famous mountaineers have made Victorinox their choice when tackling Everest? And one was even used when an astronaut had to break into a space station that was too tightly sealed? Survival in space with a Swiss Army. That’s hardcore legit. The iconic Victorinox Swiss Army Pocket Knife Basically, the iconic Swiss Army Knife is beloved, known by knife nuts and regular Joes the world over. Popular in Switzerland from its inception in 1897, it was WWII soldiers who caught the attention of everyone else when they brought the “Offiziersmesser“ home in record numbers and coined the term Swiss Army Knife. You may already know these bits of trivia. If you’re a knife fan like us at the HQ, you most likely even own one—or at least have a family member who does. But have you seen what they’ve been up to lately? Because trust me, you need to see these.

The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. ~ Harriet Ann Jacobs Spring sometimes comes with a shock of hope. When winter lasts and lingers, sometimes we forget there is even such a thing as spring. We know, of course, the season exists–intellectually speaking. But sometimes our hearts forget. When spring comes, it brings in all kinds and colors of joy. It’s reflected in the art we create, the food we make, and the way we add its li

In the knife world, where there are plenty of dazzling blades out there with all the bells and whistles, handles made from space-age materials, and secret, complicated locking mechanisms—people may wonder if a CIVIVI knife is worth all the hype. With a tendency towards minimalism—especially the tremendously popular and enduring Elementum—we see knife buyers hitting the forums asking, “Are CIVIVI knives good? Who makes them, anyway?” Well, we’re here to answer those questions and more, also prov

It happened again. I talked to a customer today who told me that Abigail’s Oven bread is the only bread she can eat without gaining weight. Which made me want to study up a bit more. I’ve written a little about this before—how lactobacilli gobble up those carbohydrates that spike our blood sugar and, well, basically turn into sugar when we eat the non-fermented version. And I’ve also mentioned that long-fermentation with wild yeast in sourdough breaks down gluten proteins that cause distress to...

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Hey there, blade fans! Let’s talk about knife sheaths. I know, I know—sheath talk doesn’t seem quite as sexy as superior steels or the construction of the knives themselves–-and that’s because, well, it kind of isn’t. But … it’s necessary. When you care about knives, you want to protect your investment, or what’s the point? Knives are our friends, and we don’t hurt our friends. Besides, sheaths are also kind of cool looking, as well as practical. Which brings us to: Basically, it’s a knife co

We’ve seen the best there is. We’ve held more remarkable knives in our hands in a year than most who are not in the business will see in their whole lifetimes. Even if you go to all the Blade Shows and you’re right there with us, this is probably still true. It’s one of the reasons we acquire the designs we love, and we work to get the best blades out of our warehouse and into your mailbox. We’ve seen knives, styles, and companies come and go. Nothing makes us happier than when a good knifemak

A word you don’t hear a lot (and if you type it in your search bar and even slightly mis-spell it, Google won’t help you) is the term aichmomaniac, and we here at Blade HQ are exactly that. I’m guessing you are, too, or someone you care for is and you’re looking for gift ideas. Well, you’ve come to the right place, because aichomaniac is a person who loves knives. Obsessed, even. (A lesser- used, sub definition is someone who longs to be stabbed.) (We’re not that.) (And if you were looking for

I have this crazy idea about gift-giving that’s pretty radical, apparently, and that’s to give that special someone something they’d actually like to have, and not what you think is good for them. I know, I know—but hear me out. Once my good friend showed me what his girlfriend had gotten him for his birthday, and it was a teddy bear inside a clear balloon sitting on a mound of confetti and I couldn’t help asking, “She’s … met you, right?” I mean, I’m sure it was an adorable gift for someone o

A pocket knife is an essential tool. Essential. From opening a box to un-entangling trapped dog friends to rescuing and saving a human life, people in the know recognize a blade as a necessary tool. Doesn’t have to be a bowie. It can be the tiniest Swiss Army known to man. But everyone needs something. People without something slicey on hand remind me of my older brother, who still won’t get a cell phone. He says he just borrows one if he needs to make a call. I’ve been there. Forced to stop mi

Many people don’t realize pocket knives go all the way back to the Iron Age, where the human need to make work easier led to the creation of our favorite portable tool. Then came the slip joint, invented in 1660 and originally used by thieves and assassins before it morphed into the knife that gentlemen and workers alike carried. Nowadays, the ubiquitous pocket knife is a tool everyone should have for chores and emergencies. In fact, rather than to be feared, the ultimate convenience tool now i

Knife enthusiasts everywhere rejoice when they flip open a blade and see the iconic boomerang with the Osborne name inscribed on the blade, and no knife does the Osborne name more justice than those in the eponymous Benchmade 940 series. The pocket knife designed by the late, great Warren Osborne is a work of art you can hold in your hand. It’s a stanza of cowboy poetry captured and held in blade form. You can tell he loved pocket knives more than even you do. Born on a ranch in Australia where

When James Bowie disemboweled Norris Wright with a large butcher knife at the Battle of Sandbar, you couldn’t really blame him. I mean, Wright’s sword cane was in his chest at the time. And Bowie had already been shot in the hip and had a pistol broken on his head during the skirmish. Not to mention, he’d started wearing the large sheath knife in the first place because Wright had shot him on a previous occasion. So, there is that. However, after Bowie killed Wright, he pulled the sword out of

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to break the bank to throw a memorable bridal shower. With a little creativity, you can do wonders. The trick is to have a few extra special elements that elevate the party to “wow” status, and then to keep the other details simpler and more cost effective. Cater the shower to the bride’s personality, rather than what you think she wants, and you’re sure to end up with a stellar event! Now, you might be confused by this idea because bridal showers natu