About Me

My interest in blades started at a very young age, when I enthusiastically stole the sharpening steel from the kitchen knife block and pretended it was a sword for hours at a time. I am very fortunate to have a supportive mother who found this more endearing than anything, so my "adventuring" was encouraged. I always looked at the other knives in the kitchen with some degree of awe- with all the safety warnings from my parents, I of course wanted to upgrade to the real knives as soon as I could. How cool is it to have such a primal tool, tough and sharp, that can do so many tasks in capable hands? The answer, of course, is "super cool."

The first knife I "made" was from a little multi-tool that fell apart shortly after I got it. I took the little knife blade from it and used a little piece of rubber to make a handle, if you could call it that. Regardless, I was blown away by the idea that I could make a knife.

My interest in bladed tools (knives and axes specifically) never wavered. Any time I found some new tidbit of information I would internally geek out over this "insight", this "peek behind the curtain" of the world of blades. My biggest inspiration came from two sources when I was about 12 years old: I saw two makers featured in a knife magazine and I visited a blacksmith shop (the blacksmith shop at a certain theme park in Southern California, you know the one). The idea that one could make such smooth, sleek, rugged, awesome things with their own hands was a complete revelation. You mean to tell me that there's a job that uses fire AND makes knives?!? Count me in!

I would read and re-read that magazine constantly. Every time I went to that theme park I would stand at the door of the blacksmith shop and ask endless questions. I am very fortunate to say that those same makers are working today and I have been able to get in touch with them to thank them for the work they do. One is now a personal friend!

I made my first charcoal forge when I was 13. Having no directions I just got metal hot and hit it with a hammer. I made some of the ugliest, crummiest knives I have ever seen- but I was hooked. I amassed question after question with no clue how to find the answers as I encountered problems but none of that stopped me.

I learned woodwork from my dad and outdoorsmanship in the Boy Scouts, where my appreciation of knives and axes only grew. I spent countless days and nights in the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada mountains and California deserts where my skill and use of knives was practiced. This was where I found the true value of a knife as a tool which will help a person survive when needed and provide luxuries when all is well. I am proud to say that all that experience culminated in earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

When I graduated High School, my parents bought me a course in Blacksmithing at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. I finally had my first chance to ask all the pressing questions I had amassed over the years and I stayed in the forge there from 8 am to midnight for a week straight. I made my first decent forged knives here.

When I returned, I started gathering tools I needed. It took a little while, but once I had them, every minute I had free I was forging something, be it knives, axes, hammers or tongs. I made gifts for people for some time before I began taking on custom orders, and so far all my customers have been happy- something I find very important to maintain. Within the past year I transitioned to full-time knife making. I wake up every morning excited to get to work and go to bed every night thinking of what I will make tomorrow.

I am constantly learning from my peers, from more experienced craftsmen and women, and from historical documentation and instruction. I am always finding ways to improve my quality of production so that you, the person using one of my knives, can have confidence in it. I never sell a knife that I am not proud of, and I tell my customers so. My purpose in making knives is to make the best knives I can so that people are happy to have and use them. I love to collaborate with my customers to make exactly the knife or tool they want for the uses they have in mind.