Best of Show (Hugh Bartrug) & Best Custom Art Knife — Jean-Louis Regel
Jean-Louis Regel took both top honors with his art dagger “Isadora.”
Details & maker info: BLADE’s winner page lists Regel as both Best of Show and Best Custom Art Knife. BLADE’s September 2025 issue further spotlights the exact piece — a classical dagger titled “Isadora.” Regel is a Réunion-born, France-based bladesmith (AKI member) renowned for wootz work. (Facebook)
Best Custom Kitchen Knife — Luiz Gustavo Gonçalves
Luiz Gustavo Gonçalves.
Details & maker info: BLADE also confirmed that Gonçalves, a Brazilian smith, achieved ABS Master Smith status at the show; their follow-up notes he won both Best Kitchen Knife and Best Fighter in the custom judging this year. (BLADE styles his first name as “Louis” on the winners page; ABS/BLADE coverage uses “Luiz/Luiz Gustavo.”) (Site)
Best Custom Bowie — Dionatam Franco
Dionatam Franco.
Details & maker info: Franco publicly shared his winning Bowie — the “Wing of Freedom,” a 14-inch explosion-pattern damascus blade with blued fittings — shortly after the show. He previously took Best Bowie at BLADE Show 2023 as well. (Facebook page)
Best Custom Collaboration — Rhidian Gatrill & Jeremy Yelle
Rhidian Gatrill & Jeremy Yelle for a lockback whittler automatic. BLADE Magazine
Details & maker info: BLADE’s recap calls out the mechanism explicitly (automatic lockback whittler). In BLADE’s post-show write-up, multiple makers singled out this auto as a standout. (Website)
Best Custom Damascus — Gabe Fletcher
Gabe Fletcher.
Details & maker info: Fletcher is a custom maker who also appears in BLADE’s feature about the official BLADE Show beer collaboration (yes, it’s the same Gabe Fletcher known from Anchorage Brewing). That BLADE piece discusses his knifemaking and show involvement. (About the maker)
Best Custom Fighter — Luiz Gustavo Gonçalves
Luiz Gustavo Gonçalves.
Details & maker info: See also the ABS/BLADE follow-up confirming he won both Best Fighter and Best Kitchen Knife alongside his successful ABS MS bid.
Best Custom Fixed Blade — Julian Antunes
Julian Antunes.
Details & maker info: Antunes (Brazil) not only took Best Custom Fixed Blade but was also named Best of the Rest in the custom categories, per BLADE and Brazil’s Clube da Cutelaria recap. (Instagram)
Best M.A.C.K. — Richard Rogers.
Richard Rogers.
Details & maker info: BLADE defines M.A.C.K. as a custom knife that leverages machining while remaining a custom build. Rogers is a veteran New Mexico maker long recognized for ultra-clean, minimalist customs. (Background on M.A.C.K. and Rogers’ profile via KnifeArt/APK.) (Site)
Best Custom Folder — Javier Vogt
Javier Vogt — with a named piece, “Draco.”
Details & maker info: Vogt later posted the winning “Draco” folder. His site documents prior Best Folder wins (2019, 2021, 2022), underscoring remarkable consistency. (site)
Best Custom Handle Design — Pedro Fornari
Pedro Fornari.
Details & maker info: Fornari (Brazil) posted a video series presenting his Blade Show Atlanta 2025 pieces; one post describes a Gaúcho-style integral piece, which he indicates was the one honored for handle design. He also won Best Damascus at BLADE Show Texas 2025 (separate event earlier in the year). (Instagram)
Best New Maker — David Kramp
D. Kramp Knives (David Kramp).
Details & maker info: BLADE’s recap notes Kramp sold 10 of 12 knives during the show and reflects on his inspirations. Community and collector posts likewise celebrated his Best New Maker award. (Instagram profile)
Best Custom Sword — Vince Evans
Vince Evans — for his Irish Single-Handed Sword.
Details & maker info: Evans’ own portfolio page identifies the exact sword and states it “won ‘Best Sword’ at the 2025 Blade Show in Atlanta.” BLADE’s recap adds context about his show results and specialty in high-end historical work. (Web)
Best Custom Tactical Folder — Sinkevich Design
Sinkevich Design (Dmitry Sinkevich).
Details & maker info: The official category listing credits Sinkevich Design; the specific 2025 model wasn’t named in BLADE’s post. (For context, Sinkevich’s Pike won this category in 2024; that’s background only, not this year’s knife.) (Instagram page)
Best Custom Utility Hunter — Zane Dvorak
Zane Dvorak.
Details & maker info: Dvorak announced his win and thanked the judges; his feed shows the shop style and hunter work he’s known for. (Site)
Best Custom Miniature — Rhidian Gatrill
Rhidian Gatrill.
Details & maker info: In addition to the Best Collaboration win with Yelle, Gatrill secured Best Miniature solo — a double recognition BLADE highlighted in its recap.
Best Custom Slip Joint — Daniel Keown
Daniel Keown.
Details & maker info: BLADE’s May 2025 “New Knives” feature showcases Keown’s slipjoint work (the “Big City Fighter” slipjoint), offering a good look at his technical and aesthetic approach, even though BLADE did not publicly name the exact model that won at the show. (Web page)
Most Innovative Design — Gus Cecchini
Gus Cecchini / GTC Knives.
Details & maker info: Cecchini has a long record of mechanical innovations (e.g., the tool-less Enigma that won the same category in 2023). The 2025 BLADE page lists him as winner; the specific 2025 model name was not provided publicly in the recap. (Website)
Best of the Rest — Julian Antunes
Julian Antunes.
Details & maker info: This capped a strong show for Antunes, who also won Best Custom Fixed Blade.
How Judging Works
At BLADE Show, the Custom Knife Awards are juried by a panel of industry authorities who evaluate entries submitted by exhibiting makers. Winners are announced at the BLADE Magazine Awards Reception on Saturday evening (typically 8:00 p.m.) in Atlanta.
Judging is done category-by-category. Each knife competes in a single category; cross-entry of the same knife in multiple categories is not permitted (a long-standing rule in BLADE Show guidance). After categories are decided, the panel selects Hugh Bartrug Best of Show from the top pieces. (BladeForums.com)
What judges look for is consistent across categories: flawless fit and finish, precise symmetry and alignment, clean plunges and grinds, consistent bevels, intelligent steel/heat-treat choices for the knife’s purpose, and overall design coherence. For folding knives, mechanics (lock geometry, detent tuning, and, for slip joints, “walk-and-talk”) are scrutinized. Innovation is rewarded when it genuinely improves function or elevates the design without compromising execution.
Category-specific rules also apply. For example, M.A.C.K. (Machine-Assisted Custom Knife) entries must be functional EDC folders that combine at least one hand-made element (e.g., hand-ground blade or hand-contoured scales) with at least one machine-aided element (e.g., water-jet liners or CNC-milled handles). Judges assume any non-handmade parts are machine-made and evaluate how well the maker integrates both processes into a coherent, high-precision build.
Operationally, BLADE runs a closed judging session with a small panel (recent shows cite a three-to-four-judge format), and entries are limited to current exhibitors. Specific cut-off times and entry logistics are published each year by BLADE and can vary by show edition; follow the current year’s instructions when submitting. (American Knife and Tool Institute)
Editor’s note: Rules and categories are updated periodically. Makers should always consult the current BLADE Show guidelines for the exact entry limits, deadlines, and definitions in effect for that year.
FAQ’s
When and where was BLADE Show 2025 held?
BLADE Show 2025 took place June 6–8, 2025 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Who announces the Custom Knife Award winners?
A panel of industry judges selects the winners during the show; BLADE Magazine then publishes the official winners list after the event.
What is the “Hugh Bartrug Best of Show” award?
It’s the top honor in the custom competition, named in tribute to master knifemaker Hugh Bartrug.
What is M.A.C.K. (Machine-Assisted Custom Knife)?
A relatively new category celebrating customs that combine machine processes (e.g., CNC, waterjet) with hand work (e.g., hand grinding, hand finishing).
Can the same knife be entered in more than one category?
No. Historic BLADE Show rules specify one category per knife (and a limited number of entries per maker). Exact limits can change year-to-year—always check the current rules.
Who is eligible to enter the custom competition?
Traditionally, entries are accepted from exhibiting table holders/makers at the show; review the current year’s guidance for exact eligibility.
What does “Best of the Rest” cover?
It’s a catch-all for cutting tools that don’t fit other categories (e.g., tomahawks, multi-tools, fantasy knives, ulus).
How are winners chosen—what do judges look for?
Execution and design: fit & finish, grind symmetry, alignment, materials/heat-treat appropriate to purpose, mechanics (for folders), and meaningful innovation. (BLADE’s winners coverage references a panel process and highlights these qualities.)
What’s the difference between the Custom Knife Awards and the Factory Knife of the Year® Awards?
Custom awards recognize individual makers’ knives; Factory Knife of the Year® honors production/factory entries from eligible exhibitors—a separate program with distinct rules.
What does “ABS Master Smith” mean?
It’s the highest rating from the American Bladesmith Society. Earning it requires passing rigorous performance and judging tests (after achieving Journeyman Smith status).
Knife photographer: JFRASIER PHOTOGRAPHY
Author: Dr. Braide Honest | Knife Blog Writer & Knife Enthusiast | Connect with me on LinkedIn
There are no comments for this article yet.