Chopping Competition

Blades are required to fall within the following parameters:

1.  Overall length not to exceed 15” from blade tip to the end of the handle.
2. Blade length will need to be within 9”-10”.
3. Blade width will need to be within 2”-2.5” at its widest part measured from the blade edge to the spine of the blade.
4. From the plunge cut at the ricasso through the knife tip the blade edge must be a single plane – no swells or bulges allowed. (Blade edge must be a flat plane).
5. False edges and grinds along the spine to reduce weight or drag are allowed.
6. Added weights forward of the handle are not allowed.
7. No holes in the blade forward of the handle will be allowed except for integrals where the blade is measured from the plunge line.  The lanyard hole can be placed to the rear of the plunge line which would be in the guard or feral on an integral.
8. All handles must have at least one visible pin or tube that passes through the handle material and tang.
9. All knives must have a secure lanyard hole with a sturdy wrist lanyard. Event Officials may disqualify any knife if the lanyard system, in any way, presents a safety hazard.
10. All knives must have a sturdy sheath to be allowed in the event area.
11. It is recommended that knives be built with a full or a full tapered tang. Hidden tapered tang designs are acceptable with the following restrictions: (a) Only tangs that have been drawn soft to eliminate brittleness are to be used for hidden tang designs; (b) The Event Officials may ask questions to determine if hidden tang knives meet specifications.  Due to the possible loss of strength in the tang area a lanyard must not pass through the tang on a hidden tang knife, unless it is an extended tang behind the hand grip area.
12. No part of the handle (or guard) shall extend further forward than the rearmost part of the cutting edge.
13. All knives must have been tested prior to competition.