My name is Jared

Ever since a young age I...

have enjoyed and collected knives. After many years of using and collecting knives from various makers I felt it was time to start making them myself. I had a few goals when I started making knives. First, I would never call a knife finished until it looked and performed like a knife I would buy and keep. Second, I would make what I like, not what someone else likes. I have been an artist for as long as I can remember. My media of preference has been pencil ever since I was a little tyke. I have studied art and design my entire life and I try to apply the principles I have learned in my knives. I want them to look good, feel good and perform as well as any other knife out there.

I stand behind all of my knives. If it does not perform or you just don't like it contact me and I'll take care of you. Making knives is not my full time business. I am a home builder primarily and make knives on the side. I can't really call it a hobby since I charge people money for what I make but it is still an enjoyable passtime for me and I hope it continues to be for many years to come.

I first decided to try making knives in July of 2011. I approached my long time friend David Lang and asked him to teach me the ropes. My first experience on a grinder was on his Bader with a 14" wheel. Next I made a knife that would be the basis for my Uinta Bushcraft. It was a full convex blade made from O1. I completed that in August of 2011 and the rest is history. Finally in 2012 I made my first slip joint knife which has always been my end goal. I continue to make both types of knives but my main passion is folders. They are something I use and carry every day and remind of the knives my grandpa used to carry. I try to combine modern materials and techniques with the old traditional style of yesteryear.

MY PHILOSOPHY

I build knives for use

whether it's chopping wood for a shelter in the mountains or opening a package at home, I design my knives to perform a specific task. In my opinion knives are primarily made to cut and slice. They are not made to pry, scrape, or hammer. I taylor the geometry of each knife for what I believe it's primary function will be. It is up to the user to let common sense prevail in deciding what the knife should be used for.

After many years of using knives I developed a set of guidlines for different types of knives and how I felt they should be made and designed. My inspiration has been drawn from many custom knife makers. In the end I came to the conclusion that too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing. What that means is that too much convex bevel is not a good thing. The knife becomes useless when it is ground like an ax. On the other hand too much hollow grind makes a knife pretty much useless for anything other than slicing tape, in my opinion. Now don't get me wrong, I make knives with a convex and semi hollow ground bevel, but I put a very slight version of that on my knives. Giving the performance aspect that each type of grind provides without all the negative drawbacks.

MY EQUIPMENT

It doesn't take very many tools to make a knife.

I first started making knives with a Kalamzoo 1SM 1x42" grinder. Today I use a number of tools from belt grinders to surface grinders, mills to ovens.  Whatever will provide the customer with the best end product.