Hank Reinhardt's Book of Knives: A Practical and Illustrated Guide to Knife Fighting by Hank Reinhardt

Author:Hank Reinhardt [Reinhardt, Hank]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781451637557
Amazon: 1451637551
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2012-06-05T04:00:00+00:00

MIKE JANICH

As I recall, I first learned of Hank Reinhardt through several articles that he wrote for Blade magazine (and its predecessor American Blade) back in the late 1970s. At that time, I was a teenager just getting into knives and I was impressed with Hank’s writing style. It was a unique blend of well-spoken, down-to-earth eloquence, sound logic, and a wry sense of humor.

Years later, I became a both fan and frequent customer of Atlanta Cutlery and its partner business Museum Replicas. I especially enjoyed the Museum Replicas catalog since its product descriptions were much more than sales pitches; they actually provided deep historical insight into the origins, design, and function of each weapon or piece of armor. Although I was primarily interested in the Asian martial arts, through the Museum Replicas catalog I developed a much deeper understanding and appreciation for European arms and armor. Once again, the man behind that company—and the information it shared in its catalog—was Hank Reinhardt. Although I had never met the man, I realized that he had taught me quite a lot.

In 1994, I founded Paladin Press’s video production department. As part of my duties as the department manager, it was my job to evaluate project proposals from potential authors and analyze market trends. For example, if there was a particular topic or book that was selling well, I would try to build on that interest by adapting it to video. Through my analysis, I realized that there was a significant interest in historical arms and armor and in the tactics of their use, but there was very little good information available on the subject in video format. From a business perspective, it seemed to be a great opportunity. From a personal perspective, I hoped it would be my chance to work with Hank Reinhardt.

I contacted Museum Replicas and asked them to have Hank give me a call. He called me the very next day and I explained my idea to him. He admitted that he was intrigued by the concept, but that he’d like to meet me and discuss it in person before he made a formal commitment. I agreed and quickly talked my boss into funding a trip to visit Hank to try to persuade him to work with Paladin.

Several weeks later, I flew to Atlanta and met Hank at his home. Walking into his living room was like entering a museum—it was filled with antique arms and armor from all over the world. Hank immediately recognized my fascination with his collection and proceeded to give me a guided tour of it in his own inimitable style. The consummate blend of museum curator and Southern gentleman, he patiently explained each piece, its origin, its combative applications, and the historical references he used to divine his information. The depth of his knowledge and the enthusiasm with which he shared it were amazing.

After several hours, Hank had worked his way through all the pieces on the main floor of his house and there was a pregnant pause in our conversation.

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