Mark of the Maker
by Discussion of knives, knifemaking, and knife collecting with makers Michael
Mark of the Maker is a panel discussion with renowned custom knife makers Tom Krein, Sean Kendrick and Michael Burch, and hosted by Mark Stheiner. The format is much like a group of friends sitting around in The Pit at Blade Show, talking knives - a look at life from the perspective of the maker as well as the collector. Covering broader topics such as tactical knife history, trends, industry commentary and influences of social media, as well as conversations with other knifemakers, collectors and notable figures in and around the custom knife world. Music: "noir guitar" by Stevie's Amp Shack, from the Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0
Episodes
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Episode 166: TACC Show 2026 Recap
Tom and special guest Michael Miller recap the 2026 TACC Show. The Ancient City Continental show is a newer one to the circuit but sounds like one to put on your show schedule if you're looking for something family-friendly and close to other activities. Tom had a great time at this show and…
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Episode 165: What Are You Listening To II
Mark, Michael and Sean sit down to chat about one of their favorite pastimes: Listening to audiobooks. Sean and Michael share their current and recent faves and make some some suggestions (and cautions!) about some things they have enjoyed. Please join us in our Facebook group and share your...
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Episode 164: David Kramp
Traditional knife / slipjoint maker David Kramp joins us to talk about his award-winning knifemaking journey. David shares insights on his personal background, his influences, and how he came to make knives. Like most, his path is unique and his work speaks for itself. We are fans and after...
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Episode 163: BYOT
Let's give one of our favorite episode types a little twist! This time, we're doing BYOT—Bring Your Own Topic. We'll each share a few pieces that fit a theme or topic we're interested in. We'll explore a wide range of subjects, from spectacular art pieces to the most cringe-worthy. Will do our…
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Episode 162: Ryan Johnson Pt.2
Ryan Johnson of RMJ Tactical and Gold Point Forge joins us again to continue with the story of the evolution of his brands and his craft. We talk business, strategy, design, mentality and more. Ryan is a joy to chat with, another great conversation and one we're quite sure you'll enjoy. Find us…
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Episode 161: Ryan Johnson Pt.1
Ryan Johnson of RMJ Tactical and Gold Point Forge joins us for a chat. In Part 1, we talk about Ryan's interest in blacksmithing as a kid and how that developed thanks to some great mentorship. We also talk about the early days of RMJ Forge and how his career developed over time into the…
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Episode 160: Blade Show 2026 Wrap-Up
Mark, Tom and Michael get together to talk about Blade 2026 and the Arts in Metal show. Show prep, how the two shows went, and some crazy cool stuff Michael and Tom saw on their Saturday walkabout together. You'll definitely want to check out the companion pics in our Facebook group! Find us at…
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Episode 159: Summer Picks
This time around, we pulled together an episode with picks we thought were perfect for this glorious time of year - Summer! There's quite a variety here and we had fun with it as we always do with the picks shows. Give it a listen when you have some time. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on...
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Episode 158: STARKO
The whole crew gets back together to chat with Donnie from STARKO Gear. Donnie shares his unique path into the world of EDC and gear and how the brand came to be. Like many, he wasn't a "natural" maker and found is way through his own path. Great chat, one we think you'll enjoy. Find us at our...
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Episode 157: Influences - Punisher Comic
Sean and Mark dive into another Influences episode, this time about the Punisher Comics and specifically the short Punisher Armory series. These were a big influence on Sean and we spend some time talking about the knife-related content in these comics and the artist Eliot R. Brown. Fascinating...
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Episode 156: Visit to Randall Made Knives
Mark continues his knife road trip adventure with a visit to Randall Made Knives in Orlando, Florida. This was a special treat as he was able to walk through the Randall Museum with Jason Randall, who shared some fantastic detail and insight behind some of the knives in this truly vast…
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Episode 155: Visit to Arizona Custom Knives
Mark heads out on the road and makes a visit ot our friends and sponsors, Arizona Custom Knives. In the first segment, he chats with Andrew McMichael, Director of Consignment Sales about a crazy selection of knives from their inventory. Some fantastic pieces, from historic to art, to tactical and...
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Episode 154: 2026 Blade TX and NOCKI Recaps
The four of us chat about some recent shows, Blade Texas and the New Orleans Custom Knife Invitational. Tom shares his experiences in Texas and the great list of stuff he brought back home. Michael gives us some insight into the NOCKI show and the new venue. We talk knives, projects, and some...
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Episode 153: David Ellis of Exquisite Knives
Mark and Michael have a chat with purveyor, collector and Mastersmith knifemaker David Ellis of Exquisite Knives to talk about his knifemaking journey, collecting and some of the fantastic makers represented in his inventory and in his own collection. Dave's story is unique in that he's an ABS...
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Episode 152: Jim Wirth Pt.2
This is Part 2 of Mark's chat with Jim Wirth from Giant Mouse Knives. We talk knives, watches, and one of Jim's hobbies - metal detecting. His collection is fantastic and he's got some great stories about why he loves metal detecting and what he has done with some of the things he's found over…
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Episode 151: Jim Wirth Pt.1
Here's another in our growing series of live on-site interviews. This one's with Jim Wirth, one of the founders of Giant Mouse Knives. Jim came into the knife world as a collector of many things before he, Jesper Voxnaes and Jens Anso launched Giant Mouse. His story is a good one as Jim has been...
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Episode 150: Fighters II
We're back with Part II of our deep dive into Fighting Knives! This time around we all make picks for Dagger, Art or Ceremonial and Anything Goes. This one, like most picks episodes, is one where we'll each have companion posts in our Facebook group to help guide you along. Some fantastic pieces…
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Episode 149: Sean's Afterschool Fighter Special
Sean had some special fighting knives he wanted to talk about in light of our recent deep dive into Part I of Fighting Knives, so he got together with Mark and Michael to have a look together. Some great pieces in here and with some interesting history to boot. Late in the episode, Burch takes us...
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Episode 148: Fighters I
Join us for a discussion about one of our favorite styles of knife: The Fighter! What makes a fighter? What fighters really get us spun up? Give this one a listen and you'll find out. We had so much fun with this, it's going to be a multi-part adventure. Be sure to check our Facebook group for a...
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Episode 147: Tyler Holden
Our buddy Tyler Holden sat down with us to talk about his life and his collecting journey. Tyler brings an interesting perspective that we think you'll find insightful. Like many, his interests have evolved over the years and you eventually find your niche and your people. Give it a listen when…
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Episode 146: Season 9 Kickoff
It's the start of Season 9 for Mark of the Maker so we look back a bit at 2025, talk about some challenges we all faced and then look forward to 2026 and our goals for the new year. 2025 was kind of a rollercoaster! We dig into shows, touch on trends, and chat about plans for where we all plan to...
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Episode 145: 2025 Holiday Picks
We wind out the last of Season 8 with a Holiday Picks episode, as we often do. Four categories, three picks each, and lots of laughs as well as some amazing knives to check out. Some are stinkers, some are gems but all will likely make you say "oh yeahhhh" or "oh no..." Hope you have as much fun...
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Episode 144: What are you listening to?
If there's one thing that knifemakers consume faster than candy or gas station burritos, it's audio content. Many like music, others prefer to fill their earholes with audiobooks or podcasts. This time we nerd out over audiobook selections as well as a few podcasts to the guys are enjoying and…
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Episode 143: Rob Baptie
Our buddy "Farmer" Rob Baptie of The HateDust Project found a few minutes to sit with us and chat about his knife collecting journey, the origins of the project and its evolution. Rob and his wife Andrea have generated over $2.5 million in charitable funding for a huge array of causes over the…
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Episode 142: Blade West 2025 Recap
Mark and Sean sit with Tom to hear about his experience at Blade Show West 2025. Pretty eventful weekend for Tom, winning Best MAC Knife and some cool stuff that he brought home with him. Join us to hear more about the show and whether you may want to add it to your schedule next year. Find us at...
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Episode 141: Halloween Monster Picks
For this year's Halloween episode, we put together a picks episode about what you'd use to battle a monster (or monsters!) from the movie of your choice. As usual, we each went in a little different direction with our picks but we have a great time doing so. We'll share photos or links to our…
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Episode 140: Isaac at Springfield EDC
We sit down with Isaac Roesler to learn more about his adventure in starting a knife and EDC shop in Springfield, Missouri. Springfield EDC has been around for a few years now and Isaac shares some insight into what it took to get this business rolling and what it's like trying to launch a brick…
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Episode 139: Three Card Monte
We managed to get the whole crew back together for a picks episode, each finding three knives with "wildcard" as the only rule. Some of us made predictable picks, but some took the wildcard assignment seriously and colored far outside their usual lines. Super fun one and some gems we found, so...
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Episode 138: Giant Mouse Jubilee Wrap-Up
Mark and Sean recap their participation in the Giant Mouse Grand Opening and 10 Year Jubilee. We talk about the event and share some clips from discussions with some friends at the event. It was a great time, the folks at GMK know how to host a fine party. Big thanks to the GMK team for providing...
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Episode 137: PNWCI 2025 Recap
Mark, Tom and Sean recap the 2025 Pacific Northwest Custom Invitational show. Mark and Tom recorded a bunch of clips from the show floor so this one's got lots of great interviews and fun stuff inside. It's a great show, be sure to check it out next year! Find us at our Patreon and follow us on...
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Episode 136: Mike Moran
Traditional pocketknife maker Mike Moran joins us to talk about his work, about moving a shop across the country, and about his podcast and knife show he's hosting. We had a fun chat, and covered lots of territory. Give it a listen to learn more about this great maker. Find us at our Patreon and...
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Episode 135: Mike Franklin Pt.2
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…
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Episode 134: Mike Franklin Pt.1
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...
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Episode 133: Blade 2025 Bonus!
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...
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Episode 132: Blade 2025 Wrap-Up
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....
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Episode 131: Knives in Music
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…
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Episode 130: More Movie Knives
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...
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Episode 129: NOCKI 2025 Wrap-Up
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...
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Episode 128: Blade TX 2025 Wrap-Up
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...
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Episode 127: Sean the Teacher
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…
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Episode 126: Season 8 Kickoff
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...
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Episode 125: 2024 Holiday Picks
It's time to wrap up 2024 and Season 7! We reflect a bit on the year, with its ups and downs and many changes. Then we dive into a holiday picks segment with both price point gift picks, but also one focused on makers. Fun discussion as always, and you'll want to have your Google Fingers ready to...
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Episode 124: Brian Fellhoelter
We sit and chat for a bit with "maker of things" Brian Fellhoelter. From knives to pens, yo-yos to flashlights, Brian has just about made it all over the years. We walk through his past, his meteoric rise to recognition in knifemaking, and on into other products in the EDC world. An insightful...
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Episode 123: Inspiration in All Things
Mark, Sean and Michael get together to talk about inspiration and how Sean takes some of his from both movies and books. Good discussion about how some of these things impact Sean's work and how they're also applicable to life in general. Mindset and more! Share your thoughts on this with us in…
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Episode 122: So You Want to Make Knives
Tom, Sean, and Michael share their top equipment picks for someone starting out in knifemaking. They cover a couple of price points and offer some helpful advice along the way. This episode is all about getting started as a maker and the tools you might want to consider. Do you have other...
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Episode 121: PNWCI Sounds From the Floor
Mark and Sean walk you through a group of sound clips and interviews from the floor of the PNWCI show in Seaside, Oregon. Some great conversations with folks like Grace Horne, Lucas Burnley, Will Stelter and many others. Makers share their thoughts on the show but we get off on some other…
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Episode 120: PNWCI Wrap-Up
We get together with Friends of The Show Nick Rolfe and Billy Cho to talk about their recent Pacific Northwest Custom Invitational show and how it went. They share some great insight around what it takes to put on a show and how the PNWCI show has evolved over the last three years - what's gone...
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Episode 119: Blade Show 2024 Recap
As they say: Better late than never! Mark, Tom and Michael talk about Blade Show 2024 and share some observations and overall perspective on how the show seemed to go this year. We talk turnout, "feel" in the room and how things have changed in recent years. Share your thoughts with us in our...
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Episode 118: Jarrod Franklin
Sean and Mark get together with Jarrod Franklin of Gunfighter Customs. Jarrod served in the USMC and started out building knives for those who serve and today builds customs in a variety of styles. We talk about how he got started, his path through life and into knifemaking and some of the…
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Episode 117: Andrew Bawidamann
Designer, creator and Friend of The Show Andrew Bawidamann joins us for a chat about his work, how he got into knives, and how he found his way to what he's doing now. Andrew's path is a unique one, from fashion to marketing, to his passion in art, and into knives, holsters, and The Doughboy.…
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About this show
Mark of the Maker is a panel discussion with renowned custom knife makers Tom Krein, Sean Kendrick and Michael Burch, and hosted by Mark Stheiner. The format is much like a group of friends sitting around in The Pit at Blade Show, talking knives - a look at life from the perspective of the maker as well as the collector. Covering broader topics such as tactical knife history, trends, industry commentary and influences of social media, as well as conversations with other knifemakers, collectors and notable figures in and around the custom knife world. Music: "noir guitar" by Stevie's Amp Shack, from the Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0
Hosted by
Discussion of knives, knifemaking, and knife collecting with makers Michael