Mark of the Maker

Here's Part 2 of Sean's interview with his friend and mentor, Mike Franklin of HAWG Knives. Such a great conversation, this one digs deep into the world of knifemaking and Mike's position at the center of a seemingly innumerable number of critical points along the path of tactical knives and their emergence on the scene. Sit back and enjoy more of Mike's story and his incredibly interesting journey. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

This time around we bring you Part 1 of Sean's interview with his friend and mentor, Mike Franklin of HAWG Knives. Mike shares some great stories from the earlier part of his life and his own personal journey. Super interesting insights and Mike is a great storyteller. Give it a listen, this is a special one for Sean. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

As we talked in the Blade 2025 Wrap-Up show, we took a second swing at it and this time we get into the Blade Show 2025 Custom Knife Awards! There are some amazing pieces and details to check out. Definitely join our Facebook group and we'll try to put up a companion post with links to all of the very talented makers we discuss. Really outstanding pieces all around. We also talk about Tom's pile of goodies he brought home from the show, needless to say we're all a little jealous. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We're chatting with Tom Krein and special guest Jarrod Franklin to give you the inside scoop on Blade Show Atlanta 2025. Tom and Jarrod share their thoughts on this year's show prep, the coolest things they saw, what they picked up, the Blade Show Knife of the Year awards, and a whole bunch more. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

The crew chats on a topic that is near and dear to Sean's heart - Knives in Music. This one is a picks episode that goes in a few directions, which is very on-brand for us. Some of these are specific knives, some are a style and some are actual physical knives related to music. Eclectic? That's us! Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

We managed to get the band back together to revisit an old favorite topic of ours - knives of the movies. Some of you will remember Episode 10, wayyy back in 2018? We take another run at this topic and make some picks of more cool knives from the world of the movies. Super fun, and a few laughs along the way as usual. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Matthew Patton joins us for a wrap-up of the 2025 New Orleans Custom Invitational show. We discuss the origins of the show and how the somewhat unique format works. Michael gives us some insight into the knives he got together for this invitational and what he and his family's experience was like in New Orleans. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Mark and Sean chat with Tom about his experiences at Blade Show Texas 2025. Tom's always got some great stories about his trip, the things he comes across at shows and what manages to find its way home with him. Always a fun conversation. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Mark and Michael sit down with Sean to discuss his transition from a student to an adjunct instructor. Sean shares his experiences, the lessons he's learned, and insights into the growing demand for skilled trades professionals. A great chat we hope you'll enjoy as we continue our series on Sean's journey. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Season 8 seems crazy, but here we are! We talk about what's happened since we wrapped Season 7, what we're looking forward to, and shows planned for the year. There's even a stealth picks episode buried in here, talking about some great spots to find deals on some classic pieces. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.