Standard Competition Rules

All competitors must sign a Release of Liability prior to each event.
All competitors must abide by all instructions given by BladeSports event officials.
Cutters must be at least 18 years old.
All competitors must have a valid cutter certification.
All competitors must attend a safety meeting prior to each event.
Only knives that have a sturdy sheath will be allowed in event area. Zipper cases will not be allowed.
No slick soled footwear will be allowed in event area.
Eye protection must be worn at all times while in event area.
Alcohol, performance enhancing drugs or illegal substances will not be tolerated at any BladeSports event, workshop, training session or demonstration.
All knives must be placed and remain in an area designated by event officials at the time of an event.
Only one (1) knife will be unsheathed at a time unless directed by event officials.
Event officials will inspect all knives prior to the start of each competition for adherence to BladeSports knife specifications. Officials will also inspect knives for any noticeable damage during events.
Penalties will be administered for any safety, rules or procedure infraction. Penalties will range from a warning, up to and including loss of Cutter Certification.
Infractions posing a threat to spectators, officials, other Cutters or the Cutter him/herself will result in immediate disqualification. Disqualified Cutters will receive 0 (zero) points for the Event.
Infractions determined to be minor will result in a five (5) point deduction from the Cutter’s score or a five (5) second addition to the Cutter’s time, depending on the type of event.

Knife Specifications

1. Maximum knife size specifications:

Blade Length – 10″ (measured from the front of the handle to the blade tip)
Overall Length – 15″ (measured from the back of the handle to the blade tip)
Blade Width – 2″ (measured at the widest part of the blade)
Blade and Handle Thickness – No restrictions

2. From the plunge cut at the ricasso through the knife tip must be a single plane. No swells or bulges are allowed.

3. False edges and grinds along the spine to reduce weight or drag are allowed.

4. Added weights forward of the handle are not allowed.

5. 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 ferral on an integral.

6. All Handles must have at least 1 visible pin or tube that passes through the handle material and tang.

7. All Knives must have a secure lanyard hole with a sturdy wrist lanyard. BladeSports International, Inc. event officials may disqualify any knife if the lanyard system, in any way, presents a safety hazard.

8. The Osborne Safety Lanyard is recommended.

9. All Knives must have a sturdy sheath to be allowed in the event area.

10. It is recommended that knives be built with a full or a full tapered tang. Hidden tang designs are acceptable with the following restrictions:

Only tangs that have been drawn soft to eliminate brittleness are to be used for hidden tang designs.
The event officials at any BladeSports International, Inc. gathering 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.
All hidden tang knives made with air hardened steels should be submitted to the Board for approval before a competition.

11. No part of the handle (or guard) shall extend further forward than the rearmost part of the cutting edge.

12. All knives must have been tested prior to competition.

13. All knife design features are subject to the approval of Officials.

14. Production Knives:

A knife will be considered a “production knife” if more than 20 of the same design are manufactured commercially by a BladeSports International, Inc. sponsor in a 1-year period.
Two (2) finished models and one (1) heat-treated blade blank must be sent to a designated BladeSports International, Inc. official for testing prior to approval.
Production knives must conform to all current BladeSports International, Inc. knife specifications.
Each approved production knife will have a certificate designating it as a tested and approved model.

BladeSports International, Inc. accepts no responsibility and gives no guaranties for the performance of any knife. Knives that are submitted must successfully pass a number of extreme tests before the design is approved.

Standard Competition Rules​

All competitors must sign a Release of Liability prior to each event.

All competitors must abide by all instructions given by BladeSports event officials.

Cutters must be at least 18 years old.​

All competitors must have a valid cutter certification.

All competitors must attend a safety meeting prior to each event.

Only knives that have a sturdy sheath will be allowed in event area. Zipper cases will not be allowed.

No slick soled footwear will be allowed in event area.

Eye protection must be worn at all times while in event area.

Alcohol, performance enhancing drugs or illegal substances will not be tolerated at any BladeSports event, workshop, training session or demonstration.

All knives must be placed and remain in an area designated by event officials at the time of an event.

Only one (1) knife will be unsheathed at a time unless directed by event officials.

Event officials will inspect all knives prior to the start of each competition for adherence to BladeSports knife specifications. Officials will also inspect knives for any noticeable damage during events.

Penalties will be administered for any safety, rules or procedure infraction. Penalties will range from a warning, up to and including loss of Cutter Certification.

Infractions posing a threat to spectators, officials, other Cutters or the Cutter him/herself will result in immediate disqualification. Disqualified Cutters will receive 0 (zero) points for the Event.

Infractions determined to be minor will result in a five (5) point deduction from the Cutter’s score or a five (5) second addition to the Cutter’s time, depending on the type of event.

Knife Specifications

1. Maximum knife size specifications:

Blade Length – 10″ (measured from the front of the handle to the blade tip)

Overall Length – 15″ (measured from the back of the handle to the blade tip)

Blade Width – 2″ (measured at the widest part of the blade)

Blade and Handle Thickness – No restrictions

2. From the plunge cut at the ricasso through the knife tip must be a single plane. No swells or bulges are allowed.

3. False edges and grinds along the spine to reduce weight or drag are allowed.

4. Added weights forward of the handle are not allowed.

5. 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 ferral on an integral.​

6. All Handles must have at least 1 visible pin or tube that passes through the handle material and tang.

7. All Knives must have a secure lanyard hole with a sturdy wrist lanyard. BladeSports International, Inc. event officials may disqualify any knife if the lanyard system, in any way, presents a safety hazard.

8. The Osborne Safety Lanyard is recommended.

9. All Knives must have a sturdy sheath to be allowed in the event area.

10. It is recommended that knives be built with a full or a full tapered tang. Hidden tang designs are acceptable with the following restrictions:

Only tangs that have been drawn soft to eliminate brittleness are to be used for hidden tang designs.

All hidden tang knives made with air hardened steels should be submitted to the Board for approval before a competition.

11. No part of the handle (or guard) shall extend further forward than the rearmost part of the cutting edge.

12. All knives must have been tested prior to competition.

13. All knife design features are subject to the approval of Officials.

14. Production Knives:

A knife will be considered a “production knife” if more than 20 of the same design are manufactured commercially by a BladeSports International, Inc. sponsor in a 1-year period.

Two (2) finished models and one (1) heat-treated blade blank must be sent to a designated BladeSports International, Inc. official for testing prior to approval.

Production knives must conform to all current BladeSports International, Inc. knife specifications.

Each approved production knife will have a certificate designating it as a tested and approved model.

BladeSports International, Inc. accepts no responsibility and gives no guaranties for the performance of any knife. Knives that are submitted must successfully pass a number of extreme tests before the design is approved.

Standard Competition Rules

Cutters must be at least 18 years old.

5. 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 ferral on an integral.