The Knife Freak Show

In this episode, we share our thoughts about Blade Show Atl 2024. As always Blade Show was a whirlwind of excitement and fatigue. We miss it already!

For questions and suggestions: knifefreakshow@gmail.com

www.mcneesknives.com

https://boatrightbladeworks.wixsite.com

Blade Show Atlanta 2025

Boatright: Table 15B

McNees: Booth 424

Questions:

Best Pizza within walking distance - Baconswag

How many knives do you typically have available at a show? - Hager Custom Knives

Where do I find food? - McNees

As a knife maker, what is your perspective on dealers/vendors using their exhibitor badges to buy knives before the show opens, just to resell them for a higher price. Idk how much it actually happens but there's complaints about it at every show...

Blade Show is less than 2 weeks away!

Marketing your Brand and Expanding your Business

Questions:

Just got my first Mcnees Mac 2 3.5. Love the

knife but I’m a big fan of wharncliffe style

blades. I saw you have a tanto but would

you ever consider doing a wharncliffe Mac 3.5?

-Zach Orr

My understanding is that lefties make up

about 10% of the knife market. Is that the

main reason that you (and most small ba...

Jonathan's Picks:

Les George/Defiant7 133

Attn2Detail 518

Bastinelli Knives 148

Chase's Picks:

Ulysses Robert 7O

Jake McCoy 14B

Lucas Gumbiner 39K

Honorable Mention: Bless Knives 15U

Questions:

On episode 14 Jonathan mentioned using Flitz for removing discoloration on one of his older knife blades, and is that the gold standard, or is it steel specific (carbon steel vs stainless)? - WLRAY

Have you thought of having a special guest like another USA knife maker (i.e. Rick...

Questions:

What do you guys think about knife competition and reality TV shows like Forged in Fire? Would you ever consider being on one? - Andy

For people that are interested in getting a job working for Johnathan in his shop what experience is necessary for someone that has none in that field? What kind of schooling (if any) should I be looking at? I'm sure it's relative to what you would be doing for said job but i'm just curious as a general rule of thumb. - Steven

Daily tools that you...

Freak of the Week: @nkt_knives - Jonathan Neely

We discuss our suggestions for knife maintenance. As well as some technical discussion about manufacturing hurdles.

Questions:

Small Run of MAC2s with Hamons??? - Erick Sane

Blade Show Atlanta 2025

Boatright:Table 15B

McNees:Booth 424

Send questions and suggestions to knifefreakshow@gmail.com with 1 S!!!!!

www.mcneesknives.com

https://boatrightbladeworks.wixsite.com/mysite

Blade Show 55 Days Away!

Dixons are almost here!

Freak of the Week: @garciabladeworks - Alex Garcia

Questions:

McNees Pronounciation?

Is there an actual purpose for speedholes -

weight reduction or something else, or are

they mainly just a decorative pattern?- Andy

Could you show us some of your past/older

models that we might not have seen? Can you

talk about your design philosophy for why

you made...

Pet Peeves Pt 2

Cheap Foreign Made Knives

Copying Designs

Trouble Stirring for no reason

Non-American Made Knife with American Flags

Hardware that isn't color matched and nested Liners

Tappy/Poorly Designed clips, Smiles, and discontinuing 21s

Questions:

I’m wondering how you each grew your

clientele as makers? Or how did you get your

product/name out to the community? That

something I’m struggling with as a new

maker. Also what’s your advice for ne...

This episode we talk about some of the biggest pet peeves in the knife world and give our opinions on them.

What is your biggest pet peeve in the knife world?

Questions:

Any Plans for Shirts or other Merch?

-WLRAY

If you weren't making knives for a living,

what would you want to be doing instead?

-Andy

Some Reading Material on Switchblades:

https://kniferights.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TheToyThatKills.pdf

https://kniferights.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Brief-History-of-Switchblade-Knives-and-the-Federal-Switchblade-Act-05252023...

Blade Show Texas 2025 Wrap-Up

Looking forward to Blade Show Atlanta...

Questions:

What other brand have you owned that

inspired you the most?

Model that you enjoy building the most?

-Joe Mailloux

Blade Show Atlanta Locations.

Boatright: 15B

McNees: 424 & 426

knifefreakshow@gmail.com

Blade Show Texas less than a week!

For Road Trips: Music? Podcasts? Audio books? Snacks?

Crucible Update

Blade Show Etiquette Review

Longest you ever took to make a knife? - @pocketpriorities

Ideal EDC folder blade length? Why no custom/mid-tech/high-end production

back locks? Where day at yo? - Baconswagfl

Blade Show Texas: March 7-8

Less than 20 Days away!!!

midtech, small batch, etc.....

Questions:

- Jerome @Monarchedc

most recent podcast about some business

podcast that he has listened too.

Curious what some are, or any he recommends?

-Paul Girard

how do makers create designs that are

original? - @dungeons_and_drafts

News: Blade Show Texas: March 7-8 Only 25 Days away!!!

Freak of the Week: Jakeb Ginsberg @jakebcreates

Main Topic: Future of our Businesses

Mechanics of Folding Knives

Questions: Do you both prefer the simplicity of making a fixed blade or the satisfaction of making a folder? - Have a Nice Day Knives

What goes into naming a knife? Gradual process or sudden epiphany? - @inhale_tide_pods

Submit questions to knifefreakshow@gmail.com

Boatright Bladeworks Info:

@boatrightbladeworks on Instagram

boatrightbladeworks.bigcartel.com<...

Youtube Livestream from 1/31/2025

We answer questions from the live chat and discuss some technical aspects of blade grinding.

News: Shot Show: Star of the Show https://www.crkt.com/axe/provokex-axe?srsltid=AfmBOopHH2xj02jkEQnU29kULLlg354FB6s_wQgQKj652bld_UBFQEoSMag Pull and Additive Manufacturing: https://www.bladehq.com/item--Magpul-Breslau-Knife-Black-Polymer--211351?srsltid=AfmBOooPRkvdkzzlV4v_hA-276zI9FxEfAUaDL2A30j3sBaT5NqefM9kWilmont/Bear Creak Arsenal Collab: https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=WilmontAlex Steingraber’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@SPK_ULTD_LLCTim Horan: https://www.arizonacustomknives.com/products/138946/Show and Tell: AK-47 Bayonet, Type 1Overcoming "Can’t Never Could" MentalityQuestions: What’s your favorite part of the making process? Design, grinding, finishing, etc. Knife Collections? And what are we...

Knife makers Jonathan McNees and Chase Boatright discuss the ins-and-outs of the knife making profession.

News: Passing of Chuck Bybee (founder of Alpha Knife Supply).Blade Show Texas Do's and Don'ts

Freak of the Week: Jason Gallahair; @g_werks.us on instagram

Design Theory: Early Stages

Realities of Business: Margin for Error

Q and A

IG: @mcneesknives @boatrightbladeworks

Email: knifefreakshow@gmail.com

News: KnifeSteelNerds Youtube Video

https://youtu.be/xg4elwTbbU0?si=4UpWwXqewDQVKsnD

Knife Company vs. Knife Maker?

Knock Offs!!!!!

Maker Spotlight aka "Freak of the Week" @threesonsleatherco

Q and A:

Jeremy J @2wndup

What factors do you consider most important

when selecting materials for a knife , and

how do those choices affect the knife’s

performance and durability?

@oldmanbobpancho

As a small business owner, what’s the #1

best/worst decision you’ve ever made?

...

News: Crucible Update

https://www.syracuse.com/business/2024/12/crucible-industries-steel-plant-to-be-sold-early-next-year.html

Medford - Main Street Knives www.mainstreetknife.com

Maker Spotlight aka "Freak of the Week" @koenscraft

https://www.instagram.com/koenscraft?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Santa in Alabama: Christmas Wish for Shop/Self?

Questions:

BO at Blade Show @baconswagfl

Most Hated Materials? @nightwatchknives

Two hour show? @tylerdenneyknives

Shop Status:

Boatright: Rebuilding an old surface grinder

McNees: Waiting...

Knife makers Jonathan McNees and Chase Boatright discuss the ins-and-outs of the knife making profession.

This week we cover the possible closure of Crucible Industries and what that could mean for the future. We also discuss some market misconceptions about the Holiday season before wrapping up with some Q and A.

Knife makers Jonathan McNees and Chase Boatright talk about all things sharp and pointy in the knife world.