Mark of the Maker

Mark, Sean and Michael chat about the 2021 Nashville Tactical Invitational (TKI) show and how it went in the new calendar slot and location. We talk makers, special knives and some fun projects we've seen in the last week or two. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Dr. Rachel Parikh joins us again, this time for a deep dive into her favorite category of South Asian weapon - The Katar. You'll want to have a web browser handy as Rachel gives accession numbers for each of the pieces she talks about and there are details you won't want to miss. A fun and informative discussion, just like when she joined us last. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

It's almost here, and who doesn't love summer? We put together a "picks" episode for a few categories and as usual, end up taking the long way around the barn. Customs, production, obscure - we're all over the map. What would YOU pick for each of these summer knife categories? We'd love to hear your picks too, we always miss a few good ones! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Dr. Larrin Thomas, author of Knife Engineering and the Knife Steel Nerds website joins us to talk about his life and his studies in metallurgy. Larrin brings some interesting insight and a technical perspective to an area that is often steeped in tribal knowledge. We also talk a bit about Larrin's new steel CPM-MagnaCut and its design specifically for the knife industry. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Mark and Tom get together to talk about the recent ICCE 2021 show in Fort Worth, TX. Tom tells us about his experience at the show and at the Stockyards. We also talk a bit about the "elephant in the room" with shows restarting around the country. Great chat about what sounds like a great show. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Rick Hinderer joins us again to continue our conversation about his knifemaking journey and going from a converted chicken coop to the factory he's in today. That journey isn't always easy, and sometimes it doesn't look like you thought it would when you get there. Another great chat with Rick, hope you enjoy it. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Rick Hinderer joins us to talk about his life and his knifemaking journey. In the first part of our discussion, we talk about Rick's early life, challenges he faced growing up, and his long path around to becoming a knifemaker. We only scratched the surface, so this one will continue in Episode 62 for more of the story. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We revisit a theme from an early episode and pick some knives and makers that we think may be under-appreciated or or lesser known to chat about. Historical knives, art knives, modern knives - you name it. Give it a listen and hit us with your own picks, we'd love to hear about them. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Dr. Rachel Parikh joins us to talk about her own personal journey and some insight into the world of arms and armor from the perspective of curatorship. Really fun chat that we think you'll enjoy. We've talked about her before, but be sure to check out Rachel's excellent Instagram feed @rachel.parikh for fantastic details and insights on some special pieces of arms and armor from collections around the globe. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

With the help of special guest and Friend of the Show Grace Horne, we take a deep dive into the history of Sheffield, UK and Sheffield knives. Grace lays this history out for us in the context of eight objects in her collection. We will share the bibliography for this one and photos of the objects in our Facebook group. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

This is part two of our interview with Derrick Obatake of Steel Flame. We talk about the challenges that creative people face in business, the real root and meaning behind "HGR," the origins of the Killbox, and Derrick's own journey into knifemaking. A great wrap-up to a fantastic interview that will hit hard with people who create things for a living. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Our first guest of Season 4 is jeweler, craftsman, artist, knifemaker and all-around badass, Derrick Obatake of Steel Flame. Derrick explains the core of Steel Flame and the community around it. We chat about how he got into the industry and some of his perspective on growing a small business. This one was long enough that we split it into two episodes, so stay tuned for Ep.57 where we finish our discussion. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Whew, what a year! We kick off Season 4 of MotM with a bit of reflection on 2020, talk about some makers and projects that got our attention, and give some thought to what we are looking forward to for 2021. There was no shortage of things to talk about with a bit of an introspective from the crew. Hope you enjoy it! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We check in with Sean on what may be the last of the Back to School Minisodes...or is it?!? Sean tells us about his most recent classes and things coming up, as well as how he's been able to use some of what he's learned. We spend a fair bit chatting about some cool things we've seen around the 'net and folks we wanted to point out. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We always have fun with "picks" episodes, so with the holiday season upon us, we put one together around road trip essentials as well as some gift picks for one another across a few price ranges. We share some very cool things we spotted since our last episode and pay some respects as well. Fun conversation as always and ended up turning into our longest episode to date. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Richard Rogers joins us for a chat about his knifemaking journey and some of the challenges he has had to work through both in life and in knife making. Richard and his wife Sally are friends of the show, so it was a pleasure to have him take the time to chat with us. You can find Richard in his Facebook group Richard Rogers Knives or on Instagram @richardrogersknives Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Our latest knife history installment is on W. F. "Bill" Moran. We were honored to have Jay Hendrickson join us for this episode, an ABS Master and legendary maker in his own right. We walk through the Moran timeline together with Jay and after this one, you'll have a clear understanding why many consider Moran to be one of the greatest makers of our time. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Traditional knife maker Luke Swenson joins us for a conversation about life and knifemaking. We talk a bit about the South Texas slipjoint scene, his move to Idaho and how Luke came to be a traditional slipjoint maker. You can find Luke in his Facebook group Swenson Handmade Knives or on Instagram @swensonknives Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

To celebrate our 50th (wow!) episode, we take you on a journey into the wild and wide-ranging world of Fantasy Knives. We did this "picks" style, and each selected some examples from a few different categories. Get your inner knife geek on and join along with us! Be sure to share your own picks in our FB group or via IG and tag us. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Grace Horne joins us for a chat about her work and how she came to be part of the Sheffield cutlery world. We've talked a few times in previous episodes about Grace's work and her fantastic scissors. She tells us about her personal history and her path from other forms of metalwork to knives to scissors and why she finds them fascinating. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

It's been a weird year, so we check in with Sean for an update on his journey back to school. Sean gives us an update, we pay our respects to damascus and knife maker Chris Marks, and we chat about some very cool and interesting stuff that we've come across lately. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

It's that time of year when some of you are sending off a loved one to college or off into the real world. We talk about our picks for proper send-off in a few different categories, all with a sub-$100 price point in mind. It's certain that we missed some good ones, be sure to share your own picks with us, we'd love to hear them! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

This one's been a long time coming, our friend and knifemaker Gerry McGinnis joins us for a great interview about his life and how he got into knifemaking. Gerry has a unique story, having gotten into knife making at such an early age. He tells us about his various projects, his love of hunting and fishing, and a new venture he's working on that many of you will find interesting. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Here's another "picks" episode where we talk about how we'd set one another up in the event of a doomsday scenario. We're not experts, we just thought it would be fun and let's face it, we're nerds and we just like to talk gear. Hope you enjoy it! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Chad Nichols of Nichols Damascus Steel joins us for this episode. We talk about Chad's background, how he got into knives, and ultimately what led him to become of the key suppliers of damascus steel and other materials to the knife industry. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Yes, we're back! We chat quarantine, knives and take some listener questions in our first episode after a bit of a hiatus. It's been a crazy time and we hope you are all staying safe and healthy. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Knifemaker and all around good guy Sal Manaro joins us for some good conversation about his path into knifemaking. We talk history, shop and techniques and still manage to have a few laughs along the way. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Feeling a little weirded out about what's going on? We are too! One thing is certain: We're all in this together. Mark and Michael chat about some of the challenges we are all facing and check in with you all. Wishing you all the best and much love from the MotM crew! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.http://www.markofthemaker.com

We recap our experience at this year's Tactical Knife Invitational in Nashville and fill out the episode with some Q&A. This one's all over the map, with lots of laughs and maybe a little helpful information as well. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

This one started out with the working title "Knife Mythbusters" and just sort of rolled off into a series of rants mixed in with some myth busting. The topic evolved as we went along but hopefully you find it somewhat entertaining and maybe a little bit educational as well. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

This time we walk through some knives and makers that we think you should know about. Some of you will be familiar with some of these knives or makers, but hopefully there's something in here for everyone. Get your Google lookup ready, this one had the working title "The Rabbit Hole Episode." Hope you enjoy it! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We chat about some noteworthy trends, things and experiences from 2019 and spend some time talking about things we are looking forward and makers to watch in 2020. This one kicks off Season 3 of Mark of the Maker, thanks for coming along with us on the journey! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We wrap up Season 2 with an update from Sean on his journey back to school, as he finishes up his second semester of study. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We're joined by knifemaker and all around good dude Brian Efros for some conversation about life and knives. Brian went on an interesting path to knifemaking, a little different than anyone we've spoken with so far. Some of you might be surprised at how far back Brian's knifemaking goes, so find a comfy spot and listen along with us. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

It's that time of year again! We kick this one off with some silky smooth tones from the one and only Sean Kendrick. Then we head off into making some Christmas gift picks for one another from three categories, from under $50 stocking stuffer to full custom. You or your significant other might just hear a great holiday gift idea in this one, there are some cool picks and we might just include one or two that you aren't familiar with. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We had way WAY more stuff to talk about, so Bob Terzuola graciously joins us for a second episode to chat about a little more history and some Q&A. This time, the conversation gets much deeper, from shop talk to collaborations to the impacts of social media on the knife world to the debate about handmade vs. CNC and more. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We know he feels a little uncomfortable with these kinds of terms, but to describe knifemaker Bob Terzuola as anything other than a "living legend" would be a disservice, in our opinion. Bob leads us through his personal timeline and shares many fantastic stories along the way. We also get some insights into the upcoming release of the much anticipated 2nd Edition of his book about knife making, "The Tactical Folding Knife." Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We asked our listeners to submit questions for the crew - and we got a BUNCH from you! This episode is dedicated to working our way through a pile of listener Q&A. Knifemaker stuff, business stuff, thoughtful stuff and a couple fun things as well. Give it a listen, your question might just have made the cut! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We chat about what makes a "good knife," and offer some tips on what to look for when checking out a knife at a show or from a maker that is new to you. We hit both folders and fixed blades, in this mini that turned into a "halfisode." Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We decided we needed to spend a bit more time talking with Billy Cho about some of the challenges newer makers face in today's custom knife world, and Billy was gracious enough to join us for some additional conversation. This one turned into a 2-way Q&A, so there should be something in here for just about everyone. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Knifemaker Billy Cho joins Mark of the Maker for a discussion about his life, his knives, what inspires his work and his perspective as a newer knifemaker. Billy has a pretty wide-ranging personal story, which helps paint yet another version of the story about where a knifemaker can emerge from. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

The incredibly talented Nick Rolfe joins us to chat about knives, his life, and his own journey from collecting knives to using them in Search and Rescue. We have a very frank and open conversation about people of color in and around the knife world and Nick shares his own picks for a Three Knife Collection. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

If you could only keep three knives from your collection, which would you keep and why? We chat about this as well as the fun version of it - if you could add three knives of unlimited budget or attainability, what would you pick and why? We'd love to hear your own picks, please share them with us! Tag us on IG or use the hashtag #threeknifecollection to share your own pics. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

In Episode 29, we welcome David Sharp back to Mark of the Maker. David was kind enough to help us with our Loveless history episode and this time we talk with David about his own knifemaking journey. We talk about David's background, his unique path into knifemaking, his preferences in design and style and a bit about what makes him tick outside the knife world. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We chat about our Blade Show 2019 experience and some differences in the show this year. Some good, some not so good, but always a fun time overall. Like last year, we share some sound clips from the floor and some words from some Friends of The Show Jeremy Marsh, Brian Efros, Billy Cho, Chris Taylor and Luke Swenson. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

In the second installment of this minisode series, we talk with Sean Kendrick about how his first semester of college wrapped up and what he's taken away from the experience so far. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Blade Show is coming up fast, so we wanted to revisit the topic of show etiquette. Knife shows are a great experience, both for knives and for the social aspect. The first 30 minutes of this episode is new content and the addition of some topics we didn't catch last time. The remainder is a remastered version of Episode 11, dedicated to show etiquette. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

The crew digs into the history and work of one of the world's most influential knife makers, Bob Loveless. Special guest and knifemaker David Sharp joins us, a student of the Loveless Knives style and a friend of Jim Merritt and the Merritt family. David shares some additional insights into the "how" and "why" behind the Loveless Knives formula, as we walk through the timeline together. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

With the solitary world many custom makers function in, sometimes the need for a bit of maintenance goes beyond the machines and into the mind. Michael and Sean discuss some of these challenges and how they try to deal with them. Many of you may find similar things rattling around upstairs, knifemaker or otherwise. This one gets a bit personal, hope you find it enlightening or helpful in some way.

In this minisode, Tom talks about his love of hatchets, axes and tomahawks. We chat about both traditional and tactical styles and discuss a few great makers and designs out there today. This minisode ran a bit longer than usual, but we expect it's one you'll enjoy. Did we miss your favorite axe or tomahawk maker or design? Let us know! Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.