BLADE Pays Tribute to Bushcraft Knife Reviewer Reuben Bolieu

BLADE Magazine has published a tribute to Reuben Bolieu, a regular contributor known for his bushcraft knife reviews, who died of pancreatic cancer on June 7 in Livingston, New Jersey. Elwood Shelton's piece follows his path from cruise ship drummer to outdoor writer.

Key points

• Early years: Bolieu was born January 7, 1976, in West Covina, California. His love of the outdoors grew from boyhood camping in California's mountains with his grandfather, Rudy Almanza, a Marine and Korean War veteran.
• Music first: A self-taught, ambidextrous drummer, he performed with and led bands aboard Princess Cruise Lines ships. His brother Leon told BLADE he believes Reuben visited more than 80 countries in those years.
• Turn to writing: After COVID-19 shut down the cruise industry, he took up outdoor writing. BLADE notes his reviews referenced knife use from South America to remote parts of the Adirondacks.
• Help to others: Tom Nugent of Knives By Nuge said Bolieu helped with his website, photos, designs and introductions at shows, and that a few months after their talks he left police work to run the business full time.

Quick take

BLADE describes Bolieu as a fixture among knife and bushcraft enthusiasts, known to many as a survival instructor as well as a writer. Leon Bolieu told the magazine the outdoors was the only place his brother felt at peace and close to their grandfather. Nugent remembered him as someone "always there to lend an ear."

Read the full story at BLADE Magazine.