N9/71A 2015

INTERNATIONAL KNIVES REVIEW

INTERNATIONAL KNIVES REVIEW

THE MAGAZINE OF EXCELLENCE IN KNIVES AND BLADES

IN THIS ISSUE
Bill Moran by Francesco Pach
Forever a legend
Bark River Knives
Three ways to say outdoor
Maserin
When the custom knife steps
into the factory
Spyderco
Be recognizable

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20 15

KNIV
ES REVIE
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NATIO
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INTE

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Cover:
A Bill Moran Knife
photografed by
Francesco Pach

KNIVES INTERNATIONAL REVIEW

N. 9/71A - 2015

Editorial Director
Roberto Canali

E M
A

GA

ZIN

E O
F

EX

CEL

LEN

CE

IN T

KNIV

IN

HIS

ES R
EV

KN

IVE

IEW

S A
ND

IS

SUE
Bill M
oran
by Fr
Fore
ance
ver a
sco Pa
lege
Bark
nd
ch
Ri
Tedd ver Knives
y II; B
ravo
Cam
Surv
p&
ivor;
Maser Trail
in
GOURM
ARIN ET 380; EA
T 387;
SY 38
ATTI
FAVR
6;
388;
I 379;
G
AM1TECH TO 384; FL
FRAM
Y 383;
Spyd
E 382
erco
Dog
Tag fo
lder

Managing Director
Filippo Camperio
Chief Administrative Officer
Silvia Cei
Editorial Staff
Massimiliano Duca
(redazione2@caffeditrice.it),
Gianluigi Guiotto (coltelli@caffeditrice.it)
Graphic Designers
Jessica Licata, M-House Ed. di Luca Morselli
Studio grafico Stefano Oriani

English Version
IT-wire srl (info@it-wire.com)
Tommaso Rumici (zatodesign@gmail.com)

Bill Moran by Francesco Pach:

Forever a Legend

16

Bark River Knives:

Teddy II; Bravo Survivor;
Camp & Trail

24

Maserin:

Contributors
Gianni Daffara, Alfredo Doricchi, Fabio Ferrari,
Vincenzo Goffredo, Tommaso Rumici, Vincenzo
Tumbiolo, Luigi Sator Tumolo, Giuseppe
Vernocchi,
Marco DellAcqua, Marta Cammilletti,
Giorgio Alessandri, Francesco Pascoli,
Francesco Pach, Roberto Allara, Mauro Maggi
International Advertising
Luca Gallina
+39 347 26 86 288
vendite3@caffeditrice.it
Italian Advertising
Paolo Maggiorelli
+39 349 4 33 69 33
vendite1@caffeditrice.it
Published by
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the publisher. For permission requests, write to
the publisher at the address above.

GOURMET 380; EASY 386; ARINT 387;

ATTI 388; FAVRI379; GTO 384;
FLY 383; AM1-TECH FRAME 382
34

Spyderco:
Dog Tag folder

BLA

DES

COVER STORY

1
4

Forever a Legend
Born in 1925, William F. Moran has been one of the greatest knifemakers of all times, famous to have given
a new life to the damascus art and founder of the American Bladesmith Society in the Seventies. Francesco
Pach has collected in a book the pictures that better describe his work: here you'll find a few
text by Gianluigi Guiotto, photos by Francesco Pach

hen, on the May 1st, 1925, was

bor n the little William F. Moran
Junior, he was welcomed by his
parents in their 150 acres farm near Lime
Kiln, in Maryland. Since his younger years,
William learned about blacksmith skills
while working on an old charcoal forge in
the family farm. His passion for the forge
grew so much that, by the time he was 14, he
sold his first knife. And it is with a traditional
charcoal forge that he created the biggest
part of his knives in his lab - founded in 1960
after having closed the family cheese factory.
One of the most important legacies left by
Moran is that he managed to give new life,
in the Seventies, to the ancient damascus
forging technique - long forgotten. Moran,
once, wrote about this kind of steel "all kinds
of damascus are so different and personal,
just like a human finger print. Each one has
its own character and soul."
1- On the left, South Western Bowie, 23 cm long
blade, overall length of 35 cm; the quillon is
silver, the handle in maple wood, the wooden
sheath - depicting the moon created with a
jig - is covered with leather. To the right, Clip
Point Bowie, 30 cm long blade, overall length
of 43 cm; has a oak wood handle

And, as a matter of fact, Moran managed to

give a unique and strong personal character
to all of his knives. Usually, the hand-forged
blades have a perfect balance and carr y
comfor table handles, typically made of
oak wood. No knifemaker I have ever met
has ever had such an eye for the line and
the balance when creating a knife like Bill
Moran, observed writer Bill Hughes who,
together with Bill Moran, Don Hastings and
Bill Bagwell participated to the foundation
of the American Bladesmith Society (ABS)
in 1976. Moran often said that nicest God's
creation was the female body, a masterpiece
of thin curves and rounded lines. Exception
made when it was really necessar y, the
American knifemaker has always worked
following this concept, so much so that
none of his knives carries a straight line.
Another interesting aspect of Bill Moran
is that he truly used knives. "Above all, Bill
used knives when hunting and through the
years spent in the open air. This helped him
understanding the most functional designs
for blades". These are the words of Joe
Keeslar, ABS Mastersmith - of which he was
twice the president - and author of the book
on cutlery Handles and Guards. Keesler also
adds: In few words, Moran knives have a
simple but elegant symmetry.

COVER STORY

2- To the left, Clip Point, 20 cm long blade,

overall length of 34 cm; is one of the first
models, with brass quillon and pommel, the
handle is Rosewood, and is matched with a
robust leather sheath.
6

To the right, Classic Clip Point, 19 cm long

blade, overall length of 32 cm, brass quillon
and pommel, ivory handle matched with a
leather sheath with a moon design made in
silver

3 - E u ro p e a n Q u i l l o n D a m a s c u s D a g g e r,
2 7 c m l o n g bl a d e , ove r a l l l e n g t h o f
41 cm; steel quillon and pommel, the
handle is made of machined ivor y

and decorated with a silver string.

The original sheath has been lost and
has been replaced by one created by Jay
Hendrickson
3

COVER STORY

4- Lock Back Folder, one of the rare folders

created by Moran: 10 cm long blade, overall
length of 23 cm, ivory and silver handle. It
carries the inscription of Lime Kiln and,
etched on the blade, the portrait of Tilghman,
the Chesapeake Retriever so much loved by
Moran, as the writing testifies Tilghman, a
noble chesapeake

5- Francesco Pach, co-author with Steve

Shackleford, of the book Forever a Legend
while is signing copies during the last Blade
Show

They comfor tably rest in the hand and

c a n b e h a n d l e d we l l . Th e r e a r e m a n y
knifemakers but few have the innate skills of

Moran when designing and creating a truly

functional knife which at the same time is
nice to look at. The better part of people
can, when holding a Moran knife, feel that it
holds a specific purpose.
The weight, balance and the performances
of the knife are characteristics that even a
newbie can see." During the Seventies, in
relation to the weight, Bill Moran production
has been deeply influenced by the "distal
taper" concept (widely used in the creation
of swords), that he learned about during his
studies on classical swords. In other words,
it's about the thinning of the thickness of
the blade from the guard to the tip (and
pommel) but also from the spine to the
cutting edge.
The ending result of the application of such
concept is not only the reduction of the
overall weight and an increased balance
of the knife, but in the enhancement of
the blade edges geometry, coupling a thick

and robust spine to a thin bevel, ideal for

cutting purposes. In applying the distal taper
concept, Moran used the differentiated
t e m p e r i n g t e ch n i q u e, t h at h e a l r e a d y
introduced in the blade production around
the Sixties - a technique he mastered.
Another aspect of Moran's life that clearly
i n f l u e n c e d h i s p ro d u c t i o n s , i s t h at h e
was a tireless researcher of the histor y
of cutler y, especially of the Renaissance
period. Examples are the reproductions
of the classic Cinquedea - a long dagger
very popular in Italy during the XV and XVI
centuries. Cinquedea means "five fingers",
which refer s to the blade width of five
fingers at the guard. Even if Moran produced
less than ten samples, the Cinquedea has
been always the most requested by his
clients. In 2013, ABS Master Dave Ellis of
Exquisiteknives.com stated that he sold one
of the Cinquedea by Moran for 30 thousand
dollars.
9

COVER STORY

The American Bladesmith Society aside,

Moran has founded in 1988 the Bladesmithing
School in collaboration with the Texarkana
College.
Th e c a m p u s wa s bu i l t i n Wa s h i n g t o n ,
Arkansas near the area where James Black
created his first Bowie. There, Moran taught
u n t i l 2 0 0 1 , t wo ye a r s b e fo re h i s d e at h ,
which was on February, 12 at the Frederick
Memorial Hospital, due to cancer. Since
then, the school has been renamed William
F. Moran School of Bladesmithing.

LM

Among the Moran's knives buyer s, who

during the years of maximum production
could create around forty blades a year, we
can find Sylvester Stallone and the present
King of Jordan Abdullah Hussein (at the time
he was only a prince) who, during the first
years of the Nineties, visited the lab - sporting
a tobacco smeared floor - to learn about the
damascus techniques and then ordered a
long fighting knife carrying a maple handle
decorated with pure silver inserts, which he
paid three thousand dollars.

6- A portrait of Bill Moran

10

7- Cinquedea, 33 cm long blade, overall length

of 52 cm. Its the reproduction of an Italian
knife used during the Rinaissance period, the
handle is made of 27 components.

Together with the knife, there is the wood

jig used by Bill to create it, which can be still
found hanging in his lab

11

COVER STORY

8- Miniature Damascus Set, lenghts between

9 and 13 cm. The knives carry ivory handles
and are enclosed in a box with blue velvet

12

inner-linings and silver-decorated cover. The

shapes of the blades are those preferred by
Bill Moran

FOREVER A LEGEND
The book Forever a Legend was presented in the first days of June 2015 at the Atlanta Blade
Show. The time spent in creating it has been a lot, recalls Pach, it took me two years and a lot
of traveling to the US to meet various collectors that in the past bought some of Bill Moran blades.
For this kind of work, it has been crucial to spend ten days in Frederick, in Maryland, where the
Bill Moran Foundation looks after the restored lab of Bill.There, with the help of Jay Hendrickson
(President of the Foundation) and his wife Nancy, I took pictures of the most important knives
kept in the museum of the foundation, together with some other objects. Each photo had a neutral
background, that during the production of the book has been replaced with the final one.This has
made possible to have the best control over the light on the items. I am very satisfied of the result
of this book, that gave me the great opportunity of working on Bill Moran knives and the chance to
better understand the man that is one of the fundamental parts of the modern cutlery".

For information: Francesco Pach,

Sassello (SV), mobile +39 335 314.254,
www.pachi-photo.com,
info@pachi-photo.com

13

A FEW GOOD REASONS FOR YOUR COMPANY TO ADVERTISE ON

KNIVES INTERNATIONAL REVIEW

Over

22,000
copies delivered
worldwide
Over

25% view rate

MONTHLY

PUBLICATION

Average readers profile:

COLLECTORS
AND RETAILERS
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

20 mins AVERAGE
READING TIME
Over

15%
readers
redirect on advertisers
website

DISTRIBUTION: free digital copies distributed to

international trade and private collectors

ADVERTISING CONTACT:

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Dalla collaborazione tra lo scrittore Nicolai Lilin

e Coltellerie Maserin nato il 987 Siberian knife.
Pugnale dalle forme tipicamente siberiane, ha lama
e fodero con disegni che riprendono temi e simbologie
della tradizione siberiana presenti anche nelle opere
figurative e nei tatuaggi realizzati dallautore del libro
best seller Educazione Siberiana.

Coltellerie Maserin snc

via dei Fabbri, 19 - 33085 Maniago (PN)
Tel. +39 0427 71335 - Fax +39 0427 700690
www.maserin.com - info@maserin.com

FIXED BLADE

Three ways to say

OUTDOOR
There is no doubt that when in contact with nature, a knife is always useful, but maybe the doubt
sometimes arises in those who have always lived in urban environments. But still, when it's
time to choose what knife to bring with you, things get a little tougher. All depends on what
we are going to do, which compromises we are willing to make. In any case, probably
Bark River will have what we are looking for
text and pictures by Giorgio Alessandri

16

ark River keeps enriching its catalog

with new models, and each one never
veer s from the brand philosophy:
classic knives, build to be used, made
through semi-artisan processes to offer
the best to the client, even in its finishings.
As always, we will limit the review to
the models we have in our hands, as the
variety of materials for the handles is so
vast that we cannot list it here. Fortunately
their website is quite detailed, and there
you'll find high quality photos too. Before
looking at them one by one, we have to
say that the knives of this article are all in
A2 steel tempered to 58-60HRc. Its major
and appreciated quality is the robustness,
where as in matters of oxidation resistance
it lacks. It'll be a challenge trying to break
these blades, but you'll have to spend a few
minutes taking care of them, cleaning and
lubricating them, once back home.
TEDDY II
As soon as we opened the white cardboard
box, we were str uk by a dj-vu. Aside
its generous dimensions, this Bark River
resembles quite a lot the Boone Hunter.
Only exceptions were the straight swedge
instead of a curved one and a proportionally
higher blade in respect of its length. The
Teddy belongs to the historic series of Bark
River. Shapes derive from knives produced
in the early Twentieth Century by Wade &
Butcher Sporting Knives, which held the
same name. The Teddy I had a six inches
blade, like the originals from which the
inspiration came from, whereas the Teddy
II has a blade of eight inches, thus falling

1. The three main characters of this article,

here shown as ensemble to offer an outlook
on their dimensions: from the bottom,
Camp Trail, Bravo Survivor and Teddy II.The
general idea is the same, but each one has
different destination of use

in the Bowie category. The cutting edge is

big and robust, with convex bevels up to
two thirds of the height, very powerful in
field tasks. Yet, it's not exaggerated as the
weight does not make it clumsy or difficult
to control since the inertia doesnt sound
excessive. Certainly, part of the merit goes to
the hidden tang, which lessens the weight
and offers more balance. The double fuller
has mainly an aesthetic value, but since it
does not influence the functions, we are
happy to have it, as it ends up being quite
appealing. The handle of our model is made
of layered leather rings, kept together by
a double guard and a back pommel, both
in nickel-silver and permanently secured
to a brass cylinder screwed on the tang.
Two series of black, red and white spacers,
both set at the end of the leather, offer a
refined touch that highlights the care in the
realization. The grip is strong and extremely
comfortable, it cushions the vibrations and
allows to work for long period of times
without getting tired. Going through the
American company catalog, we have seen
other variations worth to be mentioned, in
particular, the one in black micarta. The
leather sheath has a belt fastener, with an
intelligent system that we saw already on
the Boone Hunter, which allows to block
the retention lanyard in the open position,
so to avoid cutting it in those works where
often we have to extract and stow the knife
repeatedly. The white stitches give a classy
touch and are very little intrusive.
BRAVO SURVIVOR
This is a compact version of the big, maybe
even too much, Bravo-III. In fact, the grip
is the same used on the Bravo II - with a
straight cutting edge and with a single
bevel - and actually found also on the
Strike Force, with a more streamlined and
slender blade. Compared to Bravo I, there is
only a slight resemblance. A typical trait of
the handle is the rectangular shaped loop
17

FIXED BLADE

a little shorter than the Teddy II, but with

a cl e a rly h i g h e r a n d t h i ck bl a d e, t h e
barycenter shifts forward. Even if they differ
for 50 grams, the two knives held in hand
give completely different sensations. Where
at the end of the tang, which protrudes the Teddy II instills power and confidence,
from the scales and allows the use of flat the bravo Survivor is more prone to keep
belts, more comfortable and stronger than running after its launch - since it follows
the lanyard, for which a small tube is there. more the laws of physics rather than the
The ergonomics is good, maybe the section wishes of the user.
a bit too squared, but the hand can grasp The end result is a knife more keen to
with strength.
chopping and heavy tasks on field, where
We've talked about a compact version, part of its versatility is lost and roughly
but we are still in front of a quite big and, regained thanks to the support area for the
unfortunately, quite heavy knife. Being a thumb and the index groove.
survivor knife, the Bravo Survivor has to be The sheath is similar to the Teddy II, on top,
able to do everything with no other tools it has a loop for the fire starter and a series
in aid and be unbreakable. The blade is of other holes on the fastener, which allow
long enough to work with power in heavy you to attach a lanyard as supplement
duty tasks, and the incrementing thickness retention system, just like on the Randall
ends up influencing the balance. So, being 14 Attack.
2. Teddy in its grandeur. Dimensions aside,
once in hand its easy to maneuver thanks
to the perfect balance

18

CAMP & TRAIL

The ideal use of the Camp & Trail is given
away by its name. It's a knife you have to
wear at the belt each time you exit the city
and enter the woods, of little interest is the
fact you'd do it for a walk of for hunting
purposes. The handle is the same as the
Gameskeeper model: the right compromise
between ergonomics and handiness. Ready
to be held in different position depending
on the task at hand, our model is a full tang,
with green micarta scales, secured by mirror
finished pins, that are almost invisible to
the touch. The forward part of the handle
3 . B y o b s e r v i n g t h e g u a r d a r e a , yo u
can appreciate the care put into its
construction. The leather rings handle is,
on each extremity, delimited by a series of
colored spacers, which add an unseen touch

is delimited by a U-shaped guard, inserted

from the bottom and secured with a pin,
visibile to the eye, but, once again, invisible
to the touch. There is only a protruding part
of the guard, the bottom one, which limits
the movements of the index finger, but not
of the thumb. On the back, we find a go
through tube for the lanyard, after which
the handle ends in a edge that bears only
an aesthetic function - cer tainly won't
be used as a crusher. The tang thickness
remains consistent, whereas the one of the
scales increases while the distance from
the guard increases, in this way, the hand
will naturally avoid to slip backwards while
using it. The blade is almost a centimeter
and half longer and slimmer in respect
to the Gameskeeper, so it can adapt to a
major number of tasks and it avoids to
influence the weight. The convex bevels
offer robustness and diminish the chances

19

FIXED BLADE

20

4. The Bravo Survivor certainly is a nice

knife, but the thickness is too much and
influences the weight and the balance ,
making it less controllable compared to the
Teddy II
5. The loop at the end of the handle on the
Bravo Survivor allows the use of flat belts.
Strangely enough, a lanyard tube is also
there

SO

6. The sheath of the Bravo Survivor, as well

as the one of Camp & Trail, has a loop where
you can insert a firesteel, or a sharpener

easily pass from precision tasks to heavy

duty ones, remaining precise, dependable
and controllable. A knife ready to perfectly
respond to the needs it was built for.
You should buy it straight away. The sheath
has a classic design, it's leather, with a belt
fastener and loop for the fire starter or
for a Eze-Lap-like sharpener. The quality
of the leather and the attention put into
it are excellent and are up to the intrinsic
value of the knife. The rigidity of the leather
requires a little time to adjust, when the
folder will take the shape of the knife. The
retention is perfect, and there is no need
for straps, thanks also to the lightness of
the knife.

to get stuck on wood, while performing well

in the cut. Once in hand, the Camp & Trail
astonishes for its light weight, the perfect
balance and its extreme handiness. It can

We w i s h t o t h a n k M a x b l a d e ( w w w.
maxblade.it) for the models show in this
article.

21

FIXED BLADE

J
L

Fascinating and well crafted

The Bravo Survivor is heavy

Producer: Bark River Knives

www.barkriverknives.com
Model: Teddy II; Bravo Survivor; Camp & Trail
Blade material: A2 58-60 HRC
Handle material: leather rings, green micarta, green micarta
Total length: 335 mm
314 mm; 247 mm
Blade length: 202 mm
180 mm; 129 mm
Blade thickness: 6.4 mm
6.7 mm; 4.7 mm
Weight: 444 g; 483 g; 160 g
Sheath: leather

22

7.The small Camp & Trail is so compact and

so well designed. Suitable for everything,
exception made for heavy duty tasks, its
the ideal companion for easy hiking or the
perfect complement to an hatchet
8. Tang, scales and guard on the Camp &
Trail are perfectly matched, with no treads
or non aesthetic spaces. At the end of the
handle, a small tube allows the use of a
lanyard
8

Design by Jesper Voxnaes

kyomi

M A D E I N I TA LY

Kyomi un frame lock compatto, che unisce linconfondibile design di Jesper Voxnaes a finiture curate e soluzioni produttive allavanguardia, come
i cuscinetti a sfere e la possibilit di scegliere fra due diversi distanziali
posteriori.
Comodo da impugnare e da portare, grazie allassenza di spigoli vivi e alla
previsione di una robusta clip reversibile in titanio, viene offerto con guancetta sinistra in varie soluzioni di materiali.
Kyomi is a compact frame lock knife which combines the unmistakable design of
Jesper Voxnaes with innovative features, such as ball bearings and two different
back spacers.
Comfortable to hold and carry, thanks to smooth edges and a robust reversible titanium clip, it is available with the left scale made of different materials.

23
Tel. +39 0427 700153 www.tecnocut.net www.viper.it

COLLABORATIONS

WHEN THE CUSTOM

KNIFE STEPS INTO
THE FACTORY
What happens when a renown knifemaker meets a great knife manufacturer? A collaboration
of interesting results takes place. This is what happened between Attilio Morotti
and Maserin - Maniago, Italy - that in the last eight years has produced eight
models with the Atti signature. The last one is the AM1-Tech Frame
by Gianluigi Guiotto

he collaboration between the Master

o f t h e I t a l i a n K n i fe m a ke r G u i l d ,
Attilio Atti Morotti, and the company
Maserin, located in Maniago and does not
need introductions, star ted in 2008. In
eight years, the same number of knives
were created. They are all folder s (the
knifemakers specialty) with different blade
locking systems (liner-lock or backlock)
and a variety of steels and materials for
the handles.
The first of the series of this Atti-Maserin
collaboration has been the Gourmet (380),
an elegant liner-lock dedicated to those
looking to cut the steak, at home or at the
restaurant, with a personal, fascinating and
sharp knife.The Gourmet has a stainless
s t e e l 4 4 0 bl a d e a n d yo u c a n ch o o s e
24

1. Maserin Atti with olive wood handle and

nickel-silver bolster

between four different materials for the

handle: olive wood, bocote, boxwood and
ebony. Next, Atti's idea was to create a
practical knife, always ready to be with you,
it had to be light and compact. The Easy
(386) was his answer, very light (52 grams),
with a choice of handle materials (ebony,
bocote, olive wood and boxwood) and the
possibility to have also knurled bolsters.
The blade is Aus8 stainless steel, but it's
also available in damascus, it's just 6 cm
long and it is a liner-lock.
In 2010,Maserin celebrated its 50 years,
and Atti celebrates it with the Arint(387), a

Almost the complete Atti production by Maserin

(Atti model is missing), organized by dimensions.
From the bottom, Arint, Easy, Favri, Gto Gourmet,
and the newly arrived, AM1-Tech Frame

25

COLLABORATIONS

2. Dimensional comparison between Arint

(bottom) and Easy. These are knives that
can be easily carried ever y day in your
pocket

26

term that in the local dialect means "silver".

It's a gentleman knife, dedicate to those
looking for an elegant knife, with compact
dimensions - almost big as a cigar cutter -

3. The Gto has a N690

blade with a peculiar
shape of the nail-grip

27

COLLABORATIONS

damascus version). The Atti stands out for

the work on the handles that are made with
CNC machineries of the latest generation
and are made also with new materials.
Aside olive wood and ebony, there is beech
wood, briar wood and desert ironwood.
which is the Maserin version of the Cigar The Favri (blacksmith in the Maniago
by Atti model. It's available with ebony, dialect) makes its entrance in the following
bocote, boxwood, horn, mother pearl and year, 2012. With this model, Atti and Maserin
haliotis handles.
want to celebrate the role of the blacksmith,
In 2011,Maserin started the production of a key figure when it comes to any product
the Atti folder (388-389), that gets its name that is made of metal.
from the author. Again, it's an elegant liner- The lock changes, the Favri is a lock-back,
lock that can be carried in the pocket, with a N690 steel blade and a wood or G10
always. The blade is the American stainless (balck or orange) handle.
steel CPMS35VN (but there is also the 2013 is the year that marks the arrival of Gto,
4. Two knifes that differ in the locking
system but are the same for the handle
material (G10): the liner-lock Fly (top) and
the back-lock Favri

28

knife of bigger dimensions in respect to its

predecessors (it sports an overall length of
200 mm). Its carved scales recall lightness
and can be made of wood (ebony, olive or
paosanto) or G10 (black or orange/black).
a folder sub-hilt fighter that is a liner-lock. And here we are, today. Two weeks ago, the
Peculiarity of this model are the "chiseled" latest creation made its entrance in the
scales, available in orange, black or desert cutleries. It's the AM1-Tech Frame. It's the
G10 or olive wood, bocote or ebony.The first high-tech knife designed by Atti and
spacer is made of the same material of the it's a frame-lock. The "A" stands for Atti and
scales.To protect the Gto, there is a Cordura the "M" for Maserin, the number 1 reminds
sheath with a belt fastener.
that this is the first of this kind of knives
The following year, the collaboration Atti & created by Atti. Again, Atti's tendency to
Maserin keeps going on while researching offer longer sporting knives is clear. The
new materials and new machining. The AM1-Tech Frame is the biggest produced
Fly (383) series starts, this is a gentleman for Maser in, as it's 210 mm long - and
5. The latest model from the collaboration
Maserin-Atti: the AM1-Tech Frame Its a
frame-lock with a titanium handle

29

COLLABORATIONS

6. A detail of the locking system of the AM1 and of the lower quillon

weighs only 126 grams. The blade is in CPM

S35VN steel, 95 mm long, and the scales
are in titanium, with inserts of different
materials (carbon fiber, olive or pao santos
wood). All versions carry a carbon fiber
clip. Another peculiarity of the AM1 is the

MASERIN GOURMET 380

Blade: 440 stainless steel,
97 mm long
Handle: boxwood, ebony, olive
wood, bocote
Length when closed: 118 mm
Length when open: 217 mm
Weight: 88 g
Lock: liner-lock
Sheath: leather

30

MASERIN EASY 386

Blade: AUS-8 58HRC stainless
steel, 60 mm
Handle: bocote
Total length: 140 mm
Weight: 52 g
Lock: liner-lock
Sheath: Leather

Carson flipper opening system (named

after Kit Carson - Retired Sergeant Major
of the US Army who created the M-16 series
fro CRKT). When closed, the lower quillon
protrudes from the back of the handle
and allows, with the pressure of the index

MASERIN ARINT 387

Blade: N690, 50 mm
Handle: ebony, olive wood, blond
horn, bocote
Length when closed: 78 mm
Total length: 135 mm
Weight: 86 g
Lock: liner-lock

MASERIN ATTI 388

Blade: CPM S35VN (60 Hrc)
stainless steel, 70 mm
Handle: olive wood, briar wood,
beech wood, ebony (nickel-silver
bolster)
Length when closed: 90 mm
Total length: 160 mm
Weight: 94 g
Type of closure: Liner lock
Lock: liner-lock

For info: Coltellerie Maserin Maniago (PN),

tel. 0427 71335 www.maserin.com

finger and a strike of the wrist, an easy onehand opening. The ball bearings in this
case come in to help, as they support the
opening movement and allow the blade
to rotate with great fluidity. When opened,
the lower quillon shows its usefulness in

precision tasks. On the back of the handle,

there are two holes that allow a ring or a
lanyard to be attached. The model Maserin
sent us to take pictures was a prototype, we
therefore wait to test its resistance, which
appears to be quite something.

MASERIN FAVRI 379

Blade: N690Co stainless
steel,
70 mm
Handle: G-10 (orange,
black, blue) olive wood, ebony,
desert wood
Length when closed: 95 mm
Length when open: 160 mm
Weight: 90 g
Lock: back-lock

MASERIN GTO 384

Blade: N690Co stainless
steel,
90 mm
Handle: G10 with steel liners

Length when closed: 115 mm

Total length: 210 mm
Weight: 104 g
Lock: liner-lock
Sheath: Cordura

SO

7. The AM1 clip is in carbon fiber

MASERIN FLY 383

Blade: satin CPM-S35VN,
85 mm
Handle: Pau Santo wood
Length when closed: 115 mm
Total length: 200 mm
Weight: 78 g
Type of closure: liner-lock
Sheath: Cordura

MASERIN AM1-TECH FRAME 382

Blade: satin CPM S35VN,
95 mm
Handle: 6 AL-4V titanium, with
carbon-fiber, olive wood or Pau
Santo wood
Length when closed: 124 mm
Total length: 216 mm
Weight: 130 g
Type of closure: frame-lock, with
Carson flipper
Clip: carbon fiber

31

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32

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33

FOLDABLE

Be recognizable
The new Dog Tag by Spyderco stand between a knife and a gadget.
Nice, easy to carry, in spite of its dimensions
the end up being very useful: an announced success
text and pictures by Tommaso Rumici

efore being produced by Spyderco,

t h e D o g Ta g w e r e o n e o f t h e
most popular creations of Serge
Panchenko, with his unmistakable Relic
Style has been featured in some of our
articles in the past. The shape, as the name
suggests, follows the one of the metal plates
used by the American Army to recognize its

soldiers. They have a single-scale structural

schema, that recalls the K.I.S.S. by CRKT, the
Trendy by Fox, or Viper Slim by Viper, just to
cite a few we have in mind. Dissimilarly
from these knives, Spyderco Tags have
no locking system but only a small steel
ball that acts as a contrast and which is
embedded in the spring.

34

The spring, inserted in the arranged area,

offers the right opposing resistance to the
opening and closing action. For the uses this
small knife is called upon, we believe that
this is the right choice, especially in those
markets where lock knives have a hard
time, independently of the dimensions. For
those who still feel the need of a locking
system, there is the Squarehead designed
by Darriel Caston for Spyderco, which has
a similar configuration, but has a truncated

blade and a liner-lock mechanics.

T h e D o g Ta g b l a d e i s i n C P M S30V,mar tensitic stainless steel, with a
sheepfoot profile and the classic Spyderco
hole. It's embellished by a swedge and a
ornamental milling in the vicinity of the
spine. The choice of such an high quality
steel suggests that at Golden they have
really thought through the real uses of this
small jewel. To keep the cutting edge very
close to the scale, the bevel is chisel-shaped,

1. The Dog Tag by Spyderco is available in

three chromatic variations. One is colored,
where as the other two, that are black, differ
for the materials used. Our favorite is the
colored one, which blade will wear off slowly
thanks to the stonewashed finishing

2. When closed, the similarities to the tags

used by the US Army is clear. There is also
a small hole to wear them at the neck. Take
notice that the titanium version offer a
great space for engravings

35

meaning only present on the left side. This

allows a perfect sharpening of the Dog Tag
even for those who are not experts in stone
sharpening. Even if the available space is
little, on the blade we find, laser-etched,
all the pertinent informations regarding
producer, material, designer and location
of production. In spite of the extreme
contained dimensions, the opening of the
blade is surprisingly easy. The back pin
protects the cutting edge when the knife
is closed, and when opened, it acts as a
stop pin. The pivot is solid and rigid, also
thanks to the plate. And by peaking through
the blade and the scale, you can notice a
detail that tells a lot about the care put into

this product. The blade runs on a bronze

washer, which ensures a fluid movement
a n d p r e v e n t s t h e we a r i n g o f f o f t h e
anodization. At a first glance, dimensions
and aspect may make you categorize the
Dog Tag as mere "gadgets" designed to get
money out of the pockets of the brand fans.
Instead, they are really practical in every
day life and, if you wish to have a small
knife that can be carried truly everywhere,
they represent the ideal choice.You'll have to
leave them home only when traveling by air
and in few other situations. There are three
versions. One has an aqua-green titanium
handle, azure anodized aluminum pivot spine
and washer, stonewashed blade.

3. The blade has a single-sided bevel, so that the cutting edge can stay near the handle and
is protected from strikes. In the titanium models, the spring is cut into the handle, where
as in the carbon fiber laminate, it's screwed in

36

4. When closed, the Dog Tag cutting edge is protected by the back scale - on the titanium
version this is a screwed-in anodized aluminum component , where as on the laminate
version is integral. Safety for its carry is at its best

two screws. Despite the differences in their

construction, weighs and functions are
almost identical.
Our sug-gestion? The colored ver sion,
also for the stonewashed blade that will
wear off less. Should you prefer the black
one, choose the titanium handle if you
wish to engrave it, otherwise, go for the
G10/carbon fiber laminate, which offers
a more sophisticated look but no way to
personalize it.

SO

The second one is identical, but completely

finished with a black titanium carbon
nitride coating. The last is again black but,
where in the first two cases the spring is
embedded in the titanium scale, here
the scale and the spine thickness are a
single G10 and carbon fiber laminate similar to the one seen on the Spyderco
Domino. As the spring cannot derive from
the handle, it has been created aside and
inserted in a milling and fastened with

37

On the online version of the Magazine you can see a video here
Please visit: http://www.caffeditrice.com/knives/2015-09/index.html

J
L

Very handy and practical

Nothing

Producer: Spyderco
www.spyderco.com
Model: Dog Tag folder
Designer: Serge Panchenko
Importer: Coltellerie Prezioso
www.coltellerieprezioso.com
Blade material: CPM S30V
Handle material: anodized titanium/
aluminum, black titanium/aluminum;
carbon laminate/G10
Length when open: 81 mm
Blade length: 31 mm
Blade thickness 3 mm
Weight: 25 g
Type of lock: slip joint

38

Our special limited version in CPM S 125 V with

scales in Ranger Green G 10 represents the maximum in terms of cutting capability and rust
resistance. With reference to the specifications
of the Crucible steel plant, the life of the cutting edge of CPM S 125 V is 4 times higher than
the CPM S 30 V which is already high.

39

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