Mark of the Maker

We are joined by knifemaker Chris Taylor of Taylor Made Knives in this episode. Chris tells us about his life, his work and how he came into the knife making world. Although he isn't a really a new maker, he's new to the "big show" scene and we discuss some of the challenges that newer makers face as their work becomes more well known and in demand. We touch on what the guys are working on, the fancy new tool Tom has incoming and some MotM merch we've got coming. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

In this minisode series, we'll talk with Sean Kendrick about how his experience going back to school later in life is impacting his knifemaking. Sean talks about what got him motivated to head down this path and a little about how it has already influenced his perspective. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We had questions for one another, about life and about knifemaking - so we asked them. These turned into discussions that we thought you might find fun, interesting or helpful. Topics range from music to back pain to knife making processes and belt selection and even a conversation about cars. Definitely a ramble and one that ran longer than any of us expected. We enjoyed the chat, and hope you will as well. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Custom knifemaker Jeremy Marsh joins us this time on Mark of the Maker. Jeremy is a toolmaker by trade and he explains how his experiences as a tool and die maker helped him gain the skills to form the basis of his craft. As seems to often be the case, his background has some common touchpoints with our own but for sure, Jeremy's story is unique. We talk knives, knife shows, and about how the pursuit of perfection is a common thread between craftsmen of all types. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

The Crew rejoins after a long winter break. We discuss happenings over the last few weeks, review our own 2018's, talk resolutions and trends for 2019 and point out some makers to watch as we roll into the new year. Just a casual, wandering conversation to get back into the groove and a look ahead into 2019. Sean's got news, Tom's got a surprise and as has happened on more than one occasion, Michael ends up astounded. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We are joined by knife collector Justin Laffer for another Collector Spotlight episode. Justin shares his perspective with us on a variety of topics relevant to the knife community and the current state of the custom knife scene. As always, Justin is eloquent and well-spoken as we hit some key touchpoints facing both collectors and makers today. It's a fun, rambling conversation and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook.

You know you've seen them before - knives that have "that look" and give pause to even the casual observer. We dig into the topic of scary knives, whether from horror movies or designed with specific scary intent. This one's a bit of a ramble that we recorded on Halloween. Do you have a favorite scary knife? If so, sound off on our Instagram @markofthemaker or join the Mark of the Maker group on Facebook for some conversation.

The crew faces a challenge: What knife would you buy if you had $25 to spend? How about $100 or $300? We won't pretend our choices are the "best" for the money, but each has a reason why they were chosen. A fun episode for us and some choices you might not expect. Join us in our Facebook group "Mark of the Maker" and let us know what your picks are!

In our second Minisode, Tom talks about the Crossada and how James Keating and his iconic fighting knife design have influenced his own work.

We are joined by collector and maker Andy Frankart for a discussion about knives, collecting, and his perspective as the maker of probably the hottest and most collectable non-knife EDC items out there. Andy shares insights with us about how he came into the knife community, some specifics of some great pieces in his own knife collection, and what it was like to see his brand explode. Fun stories, some personal history and a great conversation.

In our first minisode, we explore influences. Sean dives into a savage scene from one of his favorite books and we talk about how the knife in this scene influenced his work at the time. We'll use these short minisodes to help fill in some gaps about influences and their role in forming a knifemaker and their aesthetic.

We dive into the diverse and fascinating world of ethnic knives - knives and designs that come from specific regions or cultures around the world. We discuss the origins of these designs and how many of them influenced knives used to this day in both functional and fighting roles. Also discussed is the upcoming Gathering X show in Las Vegas. We offer advice for Gathering newcomers and some reminders about show etiquette.

Our friend and knifemaker Lucas Burnley joins us for a conversation about life, influences, knives and other projects like his immensely popular Cypop. We go pretty deep on this one and Lucas shares both insights on his creative process and how he works to keep his perspective fresh and skills sharp. You can find Lucas on Facebook at Burnley Knives, on Instagram @burnleyknives or at his website burnleyknives.com

The crew takes on a lengthy list of Q&A, submitted by both collector and knifemaker listeners. We discuss a wide variety of topics from design to motivation to professional courtesy, and a few stories about mishaps in the shop. If you'd like to add a question of your own for consideration in a future episode, join us in our Mark of the Maker Facebook group or follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker.

In our first Collector Spotlight episode, we sit down for a chat with Kevin Devitt. Those familiar with Kevin know that he has a collection of custom knives that is as diverse as it is deep. We talk about his collecting motivation and changes in the scene over time. Kevin shares some insights on a few special pieces in his collection that you won't want to miss. Join us in the Mark of the Maker group on Facebook to see some photos of these special pieces or find Kevin on Instagram @krevman12

In our second history episode, we dig into the early days of Randall Made Knives and how they grew to be known as one of the premier knife companies in the world. We talk about the vision and legacy of W.D. "Bo" Randall, how his brand helped define and shape the knife industry, and about how Randall Made Knives have been favored by our armed forces for decades. The crew each talks about their favorite model and some background on why they find them significant.

The MotM team recaps Blade Show 2018 and some of the the changes to the show for this year - some that were good, and others not so good. We share some sounds from the floor of the biggest knife show of the year and some feedback we received about the podcast during the weekend. The crew discusses a few newer makers to watch, cool stuff we brought home and some advice for makers about how they might reflect on their own Blade 2018 experience.

With Blade Show just around the corner, we decided to offer up an episode regarding knife show etiquette. Some of the tips are specific to Blade, but most are applicable to any knife show experience. We discuss prep, do's and don'ts, and some advice for both collectors and makers, whether veterans of the show scene or new folks to the fold.

Have you ever watched a movie and noticed details like what knife the character was using or carrying? We sure do and this episode is focused on exactly that, a fun look at knives of the movies. The panel goes round-robin like we did with "Five Knives" and if you're a child of the action film genre, we probably end up talking about some of your favorites. We wrap it up with some fun new stuff, Blade Show updates and a little tip about some upcoming merch you may want to get in on.

Our panel of makers discusses pricing of custom knives and how those price structures have evolved over their careers so far. We touch on materials, design, complexity, technology, and how they all impact pricing. As always, there are differences and similarities - some of which aren't obvious until we dig into the topic in detail.

Our friend Nick Rossi joins the show to share insights with us about bladesmithing, blacksmithing and his life. Nick is an ABS Journeyman and is working toward becoming a Mastersmith. We discuss his craft and his perspective, and learn how his inspiration sometimes comes from places you might not expect. Together we field a little more Q&A and talk about what's happening in the maker's shops.

This time, the crew enjoys a fun conversation where we each talk about "five knives" that we think are cool. Some are historically significant, others are grails, and many are just regular knives with personal meaning. Thanks to listener input, we take on a couple Q&A questions on cooking and advice for new makers, and reveal the subject of our first interview.

Our first history episode focuses on a man who many consider The Father of Modern Custom Knives, the legendary and somewhat mysterious Bill Scagel. We discuss aspects of Scagel and his work that any maker or collector should understand, and why he is one of the most important and iconic figures of the knife world.

Our last panel intro is with collector Mark Stheiner. Mark gives us some insight into his background and how he got into knife collecting. We discuss design, knife shows, the knife community, and a shared set of interests that brought us all to a similar place.

Our third knifemaker panel introduction digs into the life and background of Michael Burch. We learn about Michaels influences, what drives him to perfect his craft, and how his love for knives put him on a path to become a craftsman.

The second of our deeper knifemaker panel introductions is focused on Sean Kendrick. Sean shares his background, his long-running love for knives and how his family is not only supportive, but a part of his business. He pulls no punches and is eloquent and well-spoken (as always) in this lengthy conversation with Tom, Mark and Michael.

The first in a series of deeper introductions, this episode focuses on knifemaker Tom Krein. We talk about life, family, knives and history with Tom, and in the end, we all come away knowing a bit more about Tom than we ever did before.

An introduction to the panel and a discussion about the intentions, goals and plans for the podcast. Some insights into what the makers have on their bench and what projects are coming up.