I think it's time : Another "who the heck are ya post.

Mark Williams

Mark Williams

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Nov 28, 2000
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Bruce Bump started a thread a ways back, urging makers to step up and say hello and let everyone know their real name and get to know each other.

It's much better to be known by your real name , rather than some fictional username. Let us know a bit about yourself. Where you live. What got you started. etc...

Seems like we have a new name in orange every day.

so....

Who the heck are ya ! :D

Mark
 
Well I'm sure most of yall know who I am but for those who don't know my name is Jacob McDonald. I've made a few knives so far but am working on a bowfishing knife. What got me started was the fact that I wanted to modify a cheap wakizashi into a pig sticker, Well from there I read a bunch of books and then bought some 1080 and got my shop set up with a few tools and made a few knives. I am an avid bowfisherman and a knife lover. I don't believe too much about production knives being any good and I would rather spend the money on a custom knife that I know will last a long time. I currently live in Bandera, TX but on Sunday will be moving back to San Antonio to live with mom and help her finish settling grandpas estate and doing what I can to help her since she will be going into back surgery on the 19th to get a disk replaced. Well thats a bit about who I am. So who the heck are ya/
 
My name is Scott Tanguay. I’m 40 years old and live in Prospect, Maine on the Penobscot River. I’m married, and have two daughters, ages 14 and 5. I’m a second generation born American, of French Canadian descent. Hunting, fishing, and exploring the woods and waters runs in my blood. I love to hunt, shoot, fish, canoe, kayak, camp, and hike.

I have worked around heavy equipment and machinery all my life. I have been a sailor, machinist, welder, millwright, electrical/instruments and controls technician, electrical power engineer, and now a cogeneration power plant supervisor. I spent 6 years in the U.S. Navy, and did two deployments to the Middle East. The first tour was during the Tanker Wars in the late 80's. This included Operations Praying Mantis and Earnest Will. I returned to the Persian Gulf and Red Sea to serve with the Maritime Interception Force during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After the Gulf war ended, I stayed behind to help train the Saudi Navy in interdiction operations. My love of the outdoors and time in the military taught me what works and what doesn't as far as knives are concerned. At one time I had just under 300 knives in my personal collection. They ALL got used to some degree. I take what I learned, and apply it to the knives I make.

I made my first knife back in 1982 while attending a technical high school for Machine Technology. Over the next 24 years I made a smattering of knives here and there, and either kept them, or gave them away as gifts. In the last few years I‘ve finally had enough time and money to seriously invest in my knife making hobby. I built and outfitted a shop, and turned it into a pretty good part time business. Tanguay Custom Knives is a family affair. My oldest daughter helps me out in the shop, and my wife (an elementary school teacher) helps me with shipping, receiving, communication, photography, and taking care of all the other things around the house that free me up to make knives! My youngest daughter, well… she asks many, many, many questions. I guess you could say she helps teach me patience and the ability to multitask.

I concentrate on making dependable knives that the average person can afford, and will carry and use. In addition to everyday working folks like me, I also enjoy serving military, law enforcement, and rescue personnel. I look forward to the day when I can “retire” from the power generation industry and the 12 hr rotating shift work, and make knives full time.
 
I'm Robert S. Phelps, of Columbus Georgia (Next to Ft. Benning, for you military folks). I've been making knives for about a year now. Got started when I wanted to build a knife from a blank, and mistakenly landed on a from-scratch knife making site. I'd wanted to make knives since I was 13, never knew it could be done without a big/expensive forge or expensive grinding equipment. I hope to get into the niche of making relatively affordable knives for people who use knives, and start my knife making "name" proper this coming spring. I'm nearly done with my associate degree in horticulture (Also this next spring), and work in a greenhouse for a nursery. This gives me the opportunity to put my knives through hell on a daily basis, and learn what is comfortable/effective in different situations. (Thought I had made a chopper one time, till I chopped some wood with it. The handle was very uncomfortable) Horticulture is the thing I love to do second to blade making, I live by "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." What seconds are left after spending time with the wife, college, work, and knife making... I like to hike, camp, and fish.
 
My name is Ben, I'm 25 and live in Boston. I grew up in NH, where no one calls the feds if you open a box or slice an apple with a folder. I like traditional style folders, but I can't fight the inner mall-ninja and occasionally I'll search the survival and tactical threads to see what new toys are out there. I'm currently working on my third slipjoint, but have yet to get the "walk and talk" right, so I haven't posted any pics yet. I love this site and check it regularly. I have gotten a lot of GREAT advice, and a chunk of train rail, from you maniacs and I am happy to say that I am completely addicted to knifemaking...much to the dismay of my girlfriend and my bitchy city neighbors.
 
Hello, my name Steven Giesey I am 48 and have two children (4 1/2 yr old daughter and 14 month old son). I am a mechanical Engineer. I have been drawn to knives since I was old enough to hold one. Like most, I am on a life long quest for the perfect knife, which I know I will never find. I have not yet made a knife, but as soon as I recover from the increased expenses of latest family addition, and get a little free time from work I hope to. I love to shoot older style rifles (Sharps and trapdoors) as well as anything else that goes boom. I like to hang out here as I feel more at home with doers. Steven
 
Just knifemakers or knifethrashers like me too?

I'm Langdon Wilson, am 29 and live in Jo'burg, South Africa. Made a few very crude knives in my childhood, usually for use as DIY utility tools. Have wanted to get seriously into making properly made knives since then and finally took that step. As hobbies I am a fully bred tinkerer and will try my hand at anything creative, including woodwork/ carpentry, metalworking, DIY, guitar, camping, hiking.

Got my diploma in Mechanical Engineering, and spent a year working in heavy engineering working in all departments including workshop floor and admin. (most educational experience of my life!) Then spent some years in Project Management and now doing Process Engineering and some mechanical. Also spent a lot of time working in hardware. Currently finishing last subject of my degree. I have a keen interest in metallurgy and plastics/composites, and would love to do product design relating to plastics.

Knifemaking wise, recently moved into a complex so nowhere to do any knifemaking. Looking out for garage for hire to get it all on track again!
 
Hi everyone,
My name is Monty Morrow, I'm 48 and married with an eight yr old daughter that loves to (help) me in the shop. I made my first knife at 11, cut it out of sheet metal with a chisel and a ballpeen hammer on the driveway. Split a piece of broomstick and bolted it on for a handle. It dissapeared after I chopped up my moms mammossa tree..(Dad still wont admit to it).

Started making kit knives in the early 80,s with my father in law with blades from Atlanta cutlery. Went to local knife store looking for handle material and saw some knives made by George Englebretson and thought they were the best looking things I'd ever seen. I hunted him down and have been pestering him with questions for the last 20yrs.

I'm a stock removal maker( free hand hollow ground). But I like reading ALL the info here on BF and I'm learning new stuff every day.

Monty
 
I'm Dan Seaver. I live in a rural area near Turin, New York. I work at woodshill farms when I am not attending class.

All my life I enjoyed knives and guns especially Japanese edged weapons. While watching the history channel one day I saw a show about the history of metal, after watching that show I conducted research and built my own forge. For two years I have been forging items but in the past year I started on knives. I am about 3 hours of work away from making my first knife that was custom ordered.
 
Great thread.

I am Andre Valadao. I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. I am 30yrs old and am married and have two wonderful little girls.

I own a home improvements company and have done so for the last 8/9 yrs. I studied architecture but just sort of got caught up in home improvements.

I have been making knives for just over a year and a half now, and i am fully hooked.

Apart from knifemaking my hobbies include knife collecting, archery, bowhunting,fly fishing
and golf.
 
Heath Harmon, Spokane, WA. Born and raised in Walla Walla. As an avid outdoorsman, i've been around knives all my life. I also enjoy making things with my hands, hence, knifemaking. Schooled as a graphic designer, I am currently working as a wrench-turner for a multinational company making cardboard moving machinery. It's a job with the right hours so the wife and I can avoid daycare costs. I've done the finishing on 3 kit knives I've made 4 knives now from scratch, all 5160, with the help of Bruce Bump. I look forward to bigger and better tools and honing my skills, as it were...
 
Greetings and lacerations!

MY name aught to be obvious.

I was born in Beverly, Ma. but we moved to southeastern New Hampshire whilst I was quite young, and I live there still / again.

I have a wonderful and understanding wife, of 8 years now, and together we have three energetic boys, ages 3, 5, and 7.

My interest in bladesmithing started when I decided that as a gift, I wanted to get my gung fu instructor a well made sword. The education into exactly what a well made sword is hasn't always been pleasant, as I had to learn to let go of an awful lot of folk stories and martial lore before I could begin to accept reality. Somewhere along the line, I got thoroughly fascinated with steel and its intricacies. Then, a year ago, I took the plunge, went to Ashokan, and got hooked on forging.
 
I'm 25, still living with my parents on our mini farm. We have 4 adult goats, two young ones (one of them born today) 5 cats, 3 ducks, 2 guineas, and 20-some chickens. Oh, we got 50 day-old chicks today...

I love the outdoors, and animals. I've also loved guns and knives, ever since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.
When I was 18 or 19 I decided I wanted to make knives for a living. So instead of going to college, I decided to stay home and study knifemaking full time. It's now my full time job, with a good share of my customers being here on the forums. Thanks, guys!

I originally started making knives the stock-removal way, then I got into forging, now my knives are about 50/50 ground or forged. I'm just starting to get consistently good welds, so I'll be making a lot more damascus.

I'm not married yet, but I look forward to having a family of my own soon. :)
 
My name is Brian Goode and I am an obsessive compulsive type of guy......started out with this forum just trying to make a knife for myself. Now I am making knives for who ever has the patience to allow me to make them something...............even our mentor Master Williams has one that he waited a while for but I got him something from down south :)

Nice to check in on you guys when I get the chance:thumbup:
 
My name is Robert Mayo (Bob) i am 50 years old grew up in southern Ont. and have lived in the Ottawa Valley since 76. I started making stock removal knives in 98 and the last couple of years have got into forging a few knives now i do both as a hobby.

Regards Bob
 
Hello: My name is Terry Barkes. I live here in the state of Indiana. I am 53 years old. I grind my first knves back in 1976. I am a full time knife maker. And thanks Mark for starting this post. Its good to see all who post there names in here. God bless and have a safe knife day in the shop. :thumbup:
 
Hi,
My Name is David.
I have been making knives and sheaths for 5 years. My Wife is part of the team:cool:. She is the comptroller, takes the pictures, and pushes me to inprove on each knife.
I have just started to forge the blades and will be going to the Blade Smithing School in Arkansas in October.:) There is lots of fun things to learn in this Hobbie.:thumbup:
 
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