The winner was selected based on photo quality, style, cool factor, creativity and description. Handmade and end user customized blades also got a few extra points, as did blades that looked like they'd seen some good use.
There were numerous great entries, and we want to extend a huge thanks to all who submitted. All of the blades submitted were impressive and would serve their owners well post-collapse. Good work and thank you for sharing your choices. I started writing up a list of honorable mentions, but they're honestly all great and worth of mention. Check out all the entries with the contest label.
This was really anybody's game. BUT, in the end there can be only one winner...only one blade can stand victorious. And our victor is...
Entry #3, D.E.'s customized Browning Field Duty X-Treme!
From Randy:
"The versatility of this blade, based on the old Tracker design, is amazing. Stab, skin, chop and spear in the same blade. Plus D.E. made his own sheath (even if it is Kydex, it even hurts to type that word) with firestarting supplys, an important thing for me. In the opinion an old bladesmith, this is one production knife I would like to add to the Redbud arsenal...
OK, I said it. I picked a machine made over forged. BAD RANDY!!!"
The customized handle slabs, handmade digicam kydex sheath with pouch, a bit of good wear, functional wrist lanyard and a quote from Conan sealed the deal for me:
"No one in this world can you trust, not men, not women, not beast.......this you can trust!"
Warms the heart, don't it?
So, the prize goes to D.E.! Congratulations! It's going to be hard to ship Hope off, but I'm sure it will serve you well for years to come!
Thanks again to all - this was a ton of fun and I hope you enjoyed it all!
And, of course, another special thanks to Randy Church for providing the drool-inducing prize, the hand-forged Apocalypse #5, Hope. Check out the Church & Son's blog and peruse his selection of handcrafted blades.
Randy and I have plans for another contest in a few months, so stay tuned!
