013 Show Info – Clay H. Aalders Uncovered
Show Topic: Clay H. Aalders digital editor of https://knifemagazine.com
Overview: H. Clay Aalders is a lifelong edged tool user. He started out of college going to Kenya and doing archeological research of remains animal remains. They were trying to replicate marks seen on bones with knapped rocks used as knives as well as the processes used to knapp them.
For the past 20 years he has been a woodworker and fishing guide in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Tennessee. While guiding in Idaho, Clay worked part-time writing for a local newspaper, and upon moving to Tennessee began writing for the blog The Truth About Knives – spending his five years there as Managing Editor.
When The Truth About Knives was sold, his background is in fixed-blade hunting and bushcraft knives as well as website management paired perfectly for his job now as digital editor of https://knifemagazine.com. Clay’s primary role is Digital Editor, curating and creating new content for the Knife Magazine website and blog, as well as maintaining their social media accounts. We had a great time and a lot of laughs talking through how Clay was able to navigate life and the knife industry.
Show Hosts: Dan Eastland of Dogwood Custom Knives and Kyle Daily of KH Daily Knives
Knife Perspective Music: Tom the Brit
Sponsors
- Jess Hoffman
- Beautiful Knives – J Hoffman Knives
- Outstanding Handle Material – J Hoffman Hardwoods
- Dogwood Custom Knives
- KH Daily Knives
Dealers
Stay in Touch with the Podcast / Hosts
- Knife Perspective Podcast
- Website: www.knifeperspective.com
- Connect with us on Facebook / Instagram
- You can find the podcast on: iTunes / Spotify / Google Podcast / Stitcher / TuneIn Radio
- Dogwood Custom Knives
- Website: www.DogwoodCustomKnives.com
- DogwoodCustomKnives on Facebook, Instagram
- Email: [email protected]
- KHDaily Knives
- Website: www.KHDailyKnives.com
- KHDailyKnives on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Shout Outs and Reviews
- Olde Towne Knifetoberfest – October 12, 2019
- www.oldetownecutlery.com/2019/09/12/knifetoberfest-october-12th-at-olde-towne-cutlery
- The Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild
- The Flint River Knife Club
- The Chattahoochee Cutlery Club
- Georgia Bushcraft
Knives in the News
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/09/24/britains-first-stab-proof-kitchen-knife-launced-bid-combat-knife/
Britain’s first mass-produced stab-proof kitchen knife is to be launched in January in a bid to combat the knife crime epidemic. Leading UK cutlery manufacturer Rayware which produces the Viners range has developed knives with rounded ends which makes it impossible for an attacker to stab someone. The company says the knives, ranging from 3.5 inches to 8 inches, will not even puncture a balloon with a stabbing motion.
Interview Questions
Early Years / Family
- Where did you grow up
- What was your first knife
- How did you meet your wife and wear does it rank on the Dan and Kyle scale
- How are you able to balance work and family
- Favorite knife
- How does your experience being a woodworker / river guide play into your knife philosophy?
- What was the point you knew it was time to move to full time writing
Knives / Knife Design
- What knives inspire you? Make you want to stare at them / run out to the woods right away.
- Always take with you
- Getting to review and work with knife makers what are some of your grail knives
- What steels do you like to use
- What handle materials do you like
- What are some of your favorite handle combos
- What do you look for in a knife
Written Work / Magazines
- How did you get started in the get started in publications
- What is your inspiration for writing
- What style techniques do you have a “writing place” or a process a certain elixir
- What/ who is your inspiration for your writing style
- How would you describe your time doing http://www.thetruthaboutknives.com
- What do you look for in up coming knife makers
- How do you pick what you are going to write about
- What is it like working at blade show not behind a knife table?
- Do you make a bunch of pre show contacts for interviews?
- How do you try to get around and talk to everyone you want to talk to?
- Have you written outside of the industry any racey children’s books out there
- What should someone know if they are thinking about writing
- In the knife industry
- In print / web industry in general
- How should one go about getting noticed by publishers?
- Just send stuff in
- Try to find connections
- Bribe knife maker friend of theirs for an intro
- What are some must have knives that you usually a
- What are some of the great moments you have had as digital editor of www.knifemagazine.com
- What were some of your favorite knives or makers to cover
- What direction do you see knife magazine going in the digital world
- Where do you think the industry as a whole is going
- What is your advice to someone who wants to start writing or review for a publication
Misc / End of show
- If you were not in the knife industry what would you do
- Where do you think the industry is going/ what is the next big thing
Where can people find you work / Contact you?
- H. Clay Aalders
- Websites
- Knife Magazine: https://knifemagazine.com
- The Truth About Knives: http://www.thetruthaboutknives.com/
- H. Clay Aalders
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