Blade Show Texas 2025 was an unforgettable experience. For the first time, I attended not just as an enthusiast, but as a knife designer, showcasing two of my own designs.
I also walked away with some incredible new gear. Here’s a closer look at what I picked up and my hands-on impressions.
Miscellaneous EDC
- A streamlined update to Big Idea Design's TPT Slide, the TPT Slide EZ Swap makes changing blades easier than ever with a simple gate mechanism. If you were frustrated with the original, this one's for you.
- Designed by Liam Hoffman and made by LynchNW, the
Hoffman Axe Bottle Opener is a keychain bottle opener modeled after one of Liam's legendary axes. It's equal parts practical and collectible.
Pens & Writing Gear
- The USA Bronze Pocket Pro is Big Idea Design's first twist mechanism pen that's made in their shop in Chattanooga, TN. It's a compact, beautifully crafted pen with 13 engraving lines on the grip representing the stripes on the American flag.
- The Ti2 Design x BRNLY Rose TechLiner is a magnetic, capped pen with Lucas Burnley’s flower logo. The tip design is great for precise work, especially if paired with a ruler. Just don’t lose the fidget-friendly cap!
Flashlights
- Technically, this wasn't at the show and I'm not even sure I'm supposed to show it to you as it's still in prototype stages. The Tactile Turn Apollo Aluminum Prototype Flashlight features three modes and a sleek aluminum body and will come in priced well below the existing variants.
- The CWF Groovy Flashlight is basically just an Arcadian but with textured mill lines for added grip.
Gear Storage
- The Paladin33 Knife Collector Pouch is a padded case with six folding knife pockets, two pen pockets, and two larger pockets to keep all of your gear safe and secure for travel or storage. These were just officially announced at Blade Show and should be available soon. Blade HQ just dropped a collaboration with Paladin33 on the Knife Collector Pouch earlier this week but it sold out very quickly.
- I've shown the Paladin33 Belt Pouch on the channel before, but we finally got our hands on our Carry Commission collaboration with Paladin33 on a Waxed Canvas Belt Pouch with oversized YKK brass zippers. These will drop on Carry Commission this coming Thursday at 9PM EDT.
Folding Knives
- The Tactile Knife Co. Archer is a serious head-turner. It's a precision-machined folder with tons of beautiful details. Recently, TKC announced a Ridged variant, but they showed up to Blade Show Texas with real heat--darkened ridged handles, bronze accents, and vintage micarta inlays.
- Prior to Blade Show Texas I had seen and heard great things about Dead Reckon Knives, but was never able to get my hands on one. I walked away with a flipperless Dead Reckon Ridgeback with titanium handles. Not only is it one of the only integral button locks on the market (one of just three), it has unbelievable action. Two things that might give one pause, however, are the way the pivot screws rotate with the blade upon opening and, for lefties, despite a reversible clip, left-handed use might be tricky with the proud button.
- I've been trying to pick up a WE Knife Bougie Banter for a few months now. It's a slimmer, higher-end reinterpretation of the classic Banter. If you love the Banter but wish it came in more premium materials or a more sleek profile, you'll love the Bougie Banter.
- The WE Knife Nightblade is another release, designed by our friends at Dutch Bushcraft Knives. From a couple of dudes who prefer fixed blades, they managed to design a stellar folder that exudes the simplicity of a fixie. And, no, not having thumb studs is not an issue.
Fixed Blades
- The TKell Knives DP-1 is not just a small, neck-carry blade, it's one of Tim Kell's first designs and his father-in-law, Donald Pace's, favorite knives. As Donald is in poor health, Tim wanted to do a run of these knives to honor him, as indicated by Donald's signature on the backside of the blade. It's a stellar little necker (or pocket fixed blade) that packs a punch and has a great, heartfelt story behind it.
- The LT Wright Genesis is legendary at this point as being the ultimate bushcraft knife. It comes in a host of different variations, but I felt I needed a scandi grind in A2 tool steel to round out the collection.
- Also from LT Wright Knives, I felt I needed a Wild Harvest Slicing Knife. I first saw this knife at Georgia Bushcraft last year and knew I needed on for all the briskets and big meats I've been smoking lately.
- Bar none, the LTWK x Jack Wolf Knives Vampire Hunter was one of the baddest new knives at the entire show. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of cool, new stuff to look at. But this Vampire Hunter, modeled after a vintage boot knife, was a show stopper. With a MagnaCut blade, various interested handle options (in true Jack Wolf fashion), and a Taylored By Cortes pocket sheath, I could not pass up the opportunity to buy one.
- I've always loved the Daily Knives AK1. It's like a gentleman's EDC fixed blade, with a bit of a LEGO feel to it. The way you buy a knife from Daily Knives is you choose your blade, handle scales, inlays, and all the accents individually, and you build your own knife as you go. The Daily Knives AK4 is no different, only bigger and badder.
- Auxilary Manufacturing gets a lot of love at the shows, and rightfully so. But prior to Blade Show Texas, I didn't know about the Runt XL model. It's a super slim, micarta-handled drop point fixed blade. There's also a Capt. Rikki x Aux MFG collab coming up very soon which you should definitely keep an eye out for.
- The Big Idea Design x Jeremy Siers Deano technically dropped before Blade Show Texas, but I finally got my hands on one there. While very simple in appearance, it really comes to life in the hand. The subtle contouring of the handle makes it unbelievably comfortable in the hand.
- Vero Engineering always shows up to Blade Shows with some surprise or something that pushes the envelope in some way. At the Texas show, it was the Shift, an innovative fixed blade with a swappable blade mechanism. While the blades aren't exactly disposable, the benefit to being able to swap is throwing in a sharp blade in a hurry, sharpening all the dull blades at once, or having a different blade shape for different cutting tasks or situations.
- Dauntless Manufacturing walked away from Blade Show Texas with two awards--one being for their Moss model. With a micro-milled and micro-contoured textured Micarta handle, it's both functional and a beautifully made fixed blade. It comes with several configuration options and sheath options, straight from Dauntless.
- Finally, I unveiled my second knife design at the show--the Tactile Knife Co Redhawk. The Redhawk features a reverse Tanto MagnaCut blade with a subtle belly, an overall curved shape (much like the Clingman), and a very ergonomic handle with subtle contouring. Color combinations aren't finalized yet, but the Redhawk should be available in the coming months.
Bonus: My First Balisong
- Brandon Baker of the Will Hirsch YouTube Channel stopped me at the show to explain that one of Will's Patreon subscribers wanted to gift me a balisong. Given a choice from the patron's personal collection, Brandon chose a Machinewise Sasori. It was an incredibly thoughtful and generous gesture to try and get me interested in the world of balisons. I'm no balikid, but I have to admit, I've been flipping it around my desk way too much since the show. It’s really satisfying, but I’m convinced I’ll lose a finger at some point.
Every year, Blade Show offers inspiration, connections, and a chance to explore amazing tools. Let me know your favorite product from this haul—and what you think of the Redhawk!
