Why Cutlery, Why Now
After 12 years in uniform, I chose to make knives people actually use
— tools for the table, not toys for the mantel.
I get it. when you see a former servicemember making blades, the immediate assumption is tactical: blacked‑out combat knives, hatchets, bayonets. That was the easy route. They sell well, looks cool and photographs well, but they’re also mostly useless.
In service we learned to lighten our load whenever possible; even down to the gram in some cases. Big axes, two‑pound “survival” knives and glossy tactical pieces quickly stopped being practical and became props — literal paperweights, display pieces, or swag. I can count on one hand with three fingers cut off the number of times a blacked out tactical knife left it’s sheath for anything other than opening an MRE or cutting cord. If they weren’t useful to me in the field, why make them for civilians who won’t use them either? The customer is wasting their money and I am wasting my time.
So I made a different choice: I build knives that matter in real life. I make chef, utility, and steak knives meant to be used every day in the kitchen. They’re handmade, so they aren’t perfect , there will always be tiny flaws because I am human but that’s the point. Each imperfection is a lesson. Each blade is the result of experience, not an automated program running to a tolerance. Machines can meet specs; humans add soul, and you feel that when you pick one up or use any handmade product not just knives.
Practical tools get used. When customers send knives back for sharpening and they look worn, that’s not a problem — that’s success. It means family dinners, home cooking, and time at the table. It means someone is investing in food, and time with family or friends not photos. That’s the kind of utility I want to build; craftsmanship that earns its place in daily life.
If I’d followed the predictable path and made tactical showpieces, I’d be producing items that neither serve my life nor most people’s. Instead I get to make things that get used, improve with age, and fit into how people actually live today.
I build blades for work you do every day, cooking, prepping, and feeding family. If you want a knife that’s made to be used, not just admired, I’d love to talk about what you need. Learn more about our approach and shop the collection https://
