In cooperation with BLADE™ Magazine and BLADE Show, the world's largest knife show, author Jason Fry delves into the intricacies of buying, selling and trading knives of every type. Fry, a renowned knifemaker and Forged in Fire finalist, helps you understand whether that knife you're thinking about buying is a lifetime investment or nothing but a mess of junkyard steel. This is your shortcut from "knife noob" to "knife nut." From factory-produced knives to more advanced mid-tech designs to handmade works of art, Fry covers them all. He also explains how custom knives are made so that your understanding of buying blades goes deeper than just, "Hey, that looks cool." Inside: Understanding blade basics and jargon, Navigating the online knife market, Deciphering steel types and artistic touches, Choosing custom vs. factory knives, Guarding against rip-offs, How to build a collection, And more! No matter the kind of knives you're looking to acquire, this guide should be your first stop before visiting a knife show, buying knives online, investing in knives for profit or commissioning a custom model from a maker.