MY FIRST THIRTY YEARS!

It’s hard to believe! Though I’ve been making knives since my father first let me sit up on his workbench when I was four years old and craft my first pen knife… I have always looked at the year 1975 as my “year one” in knife making. That was the year I took a dozen years of knives that just reeked of sweat and blood (and many bandages and curse words!) to my first Shot-Show for display. I was more nervous than when I walked up the aisle with my soon-to-be-wife, or when the twins were born! Though people seemed duly impressed with what they saw on the table in front of me, I brushed it off to the usual wonderfully good-natured and classic manners of “Shot-Show” participants. And near the end of the evening when I was called up to the stage, I was all too ready to have the “knife police” haul me off for impersonating a knifemaker and my works destroyed before they got into the “general population” and populated the “real” knife works forever! 

The last thing I expected was to be award “Best In Show” -- not just for the knife category, but for the whole friggin’ event!! And to top it off, two men who I’ve respected for years bought knives of mine. So that became the watermark. I guess then I realized that years and years of refining my craft, first at the hands of my amazingly patient and overwhelming talented father, and then simply by trial and error had finally paid off. You are always learning, and boy did I continue to learn, and I still have a hundred years to go… but I guess I did pretty good for a guy from Glendale, California who’s only claim to fame before that was being All-City Ping Pong Champion in High School! Soon, I was winning awards wherever I went, and then Hollywood discovered me, and suddenly I was not only making knives for motion pictures, TV series, video and commercials, but some of the top celebrities from all factions of the Entertainment Industry were buying my knives, along with serious personal collectors from all over the world, along with many international art galleries and museums. And even after all that, I still see myself as that terrified “boy” sitting behind a lopsided table at my very first Shot-Show, sweaty hands in my lap, and a voice three octaves too high from nerves. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. 

As soon as you begin to “believe your press”, or think you’ve learned everything you can, or stop listening to criticism from the plethora of amazing knife makers throughout the world, who have been so kind to me… then you might as well pack up! 

Of course any special anniversary makes one step back and look at their life. Not to worry… I won’t bore you with all my revaluations and resolutions! However I do want to say that you will notice a few changes. First of all there will be less one-of-a-kind knives for sale. I’ll be spending more time with my new love: sculpture, and I also want to make knives that truly challenge me in new directions. And that takes time! The good news is that these will make the one’s you have, and the one’s that do go up, worth a whole lot more. And I am trying to make several at prices that will make it easier for first time collectors to obtain them. I’ve discovered ways of using special techniques and strong but more popular materials, to make this happen. Of course all these knives are uniquely designed, hand-crafted, with the same care as all my works, and also come with a signed certificate of authenticity. I’m also making more knives that will help others, by giving a portion of the purchase price to such worthy causes like the “Paralyzed Vets” and “Project Angel Food”. I’m also going to make more limited editions. There are other projects that have come my way that will make the next thirty years even more exciting. 

For the first time in their history, for example, the Smoky Mountain Knife Works Network has asked a knife maker to make them an exclusive series of limited editions. And they’ve given that honor to me. Turns out that the owner of this, the largest knife store in the world, was inspired by me when he was young! You can check out their site to see when I’ll be on their show, and see what I’m going to offer! I will also be doing some interesting “cross over” projects, including some with Baron California Hats, “Hollywood’s Hat maker™”.  Since they made the hats for some of the most famous movies and TV shows of all time… shows that I also made the knives, it’s a great collaboration. Besides, the Owner and Master Hat maker of Baron’s, Mark Mejia is a great friend, and there’s nothing like working with people you respect!

And it’s time I also pursue other dreams. I’ve started to sing and play the guitar at Viva’s, a local nightclub in Burbank, California, and to my shock and awe, people have stopped throwing burritos in my face when I open my mouth, and actually stop and listen! In fact, I’ve been asked to make a CD, which I may thrust upon all of you. However I’ll give you a whole lot of warning. And since I’m spending more and more time at my studio in Maui , I may subject them also to my “musical talents”! So if you hear about Hawaii succeeding from the Union, you’ll know who to blame.

But most important, I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who have made a life-long dream come true. I still don’t believe it. Every time I get an order, or go on a movie set, or see my knives written up, or talked about on TV or the radio, or have someone I respect and admire tell me how much they love my knives, and ask to have a custom made for their home or office, I have to pinch myself to see if this isn’t all just some grand dream! I’ve made so many friends. No only among the “celebrities”, but more important among the “rank and file”. The real folks. I’ve and the honor of being accepted in so many places on this globes. To help in charities, and events. And to have been made “family” by hardworking and generous people. And of course I’m blessed with great children and grandchildren. It’s been a wild and glorious ride, these thirty years… and as the “gondola” comes back down to Earth and the tour guide motions for me to get out and go to the exit, I simply tighten my seatbelt and say: “Why not turn it loose again for another ride around the block!”

Thank you one and all. I hope I can live up to your kind words the next time around!


January 1st, 2005
Glendale, CA