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Three Great Books about Knives

March 20, 2014

If you love a great knife AND a great read, read on. We here at Sarge Knives have three recommendations for some of the best books on knives.

Knives 2014: The World’s Greatest Knife Book: If the title sounds a bit brash, there’s good reason. Editor Joe Kertzman has compiled an exhaustively comprehensive literary and pictorial collection of the world’s finest knives including everyday carry pieces, hunting knives, bushcraft blades, flipper folders, wood-splitting mauls and highly embellished artistic knives. There’s a comprehensive overview of knives and their famous makers, a complete directory of custom knifemakers and a slew of feature articles on a full range of topics from camp and climbing knives to automatics, antiques and art knives.

An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives, How to Buy them, Keep Them Razor Sharp and Use Them Like a Pro: We know – the subtitle’s a mouthful. But it’s kind of necessary to effectively convey all this hardcover book has to offer. Penned by Chad and Regan Ward with photography by Bryan Regan, An Edge in the Kitchen solidly addresses an issue to which few admit – the fact that the majority of American homeowners are woefully uninformed about the various types of kitchen knives and their proper use. Ever heard of a cow sword? Yes – it’s a real thing. And you probably want one., you just don’t know it yet. Luckily, this book aptly instructs home cooks on all they need to know about assembling and maintaining a kitchen knife collection. Using anecdotal references, the authors dole out practical guidelines on all manner of topics including knive history, cutting techniques, sharpening and storing.

Official Scout Blades:Periodically since 1997, author Ed Holbrook releases a new issue of this handbook, a must-have if you’re involved in the Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of America in any way – as a scout, a scout leader or a scout’s parent or guardian. In the book’s current fifth edition, you’ll find a comprehensive collection of all official knives and axes of the two organizations. With an emphasis on identifying and dating knives, the 130-page handbook includes a price guide, detailed index and vintage advertisements.

Do you have a favorite knife book not on our list? Share it with your fellow blade enthusiasts on the Sarge Knives Facebook Fan Page.

Three Tools You’ll Need for Photographing Knives

February 28, 2014

So you’ve just received the sweet new knife set you ordered from Sarge Knives and now, you want to document them in all their glory before they’ve garnered any signs of use. Or perhaps you’ve got a trusty ol’ favorite you’d like to show off. The good news is you don’t have to be a professional photographer to snap a great shot of your beloved blades. But to maximize your success, you will need a few basic tools, besides your camera, of course.

They are:

• Diffuser: A light diffuser spreads the light from your camera’s flash in a way that gives the photograph a softer look clear of those hard shadows. If you have a fancy camera, you can purchase diffusers that mount to your camera’s flash mechanism. Another option is to purchase a lightbox or light tent. These create a small space that concentrates the light and makes it easier to manipulate and use to your advantage. They’re inexpensive enough, but if you want to super low-budget, grab a white trash bag and do an online search for “how to make a lightbox.”
• Daylight Temp Lighting: Natural sunshine offers the best photography lighting money can’t buy – so long as you work the angles to eliminate shadows. But if you’re snapping your shots indoors, we recommend buying daylight temp (about 5,000 to 6,500 degree Kelvin) bulbs. Daylight temp bulbs eliminate weird color shifts that can happen when photographing using regular-temp incandescent bulbs (which can cast a yellowish light) or fluorescent bulbs (which tend to make your pictures greenish). Daylight bulbs come in both incandescent and fluorescent formats and are available online and at your local hardware store.
• Tripod: We’ve got news for you – your hands are not nearly as steady as you think. Plus, using indirect diffused light can slow your camera’s shutter speeds. Both can cause your pictures to come out blurry. Ergo, we suggest you invest in a tripod. Even the tiniest movement can cause a motion blur. That’s why photographers often use their camera’s timer to trip the shutter, dodging the slight jiggle that happens when a finger presses the snap button. And, using a tripod can compensate for those light-induced shower shutter speeds. Depending upon how fancy you get, tripods in a range of prices can be found online. But they’re also a staple at thrift shops and garage sales. Just make sure that it’s lock-up mechanism, which holds your camera to the tripod, is tight.

Check back for more tips in next week’s Sarge Knives Blog.

New!! Storm with Swift Assisted Opening from Sarge Knives!

January 30, 2014