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.