Burch (Burchtree Bladeworks), Michael

"I’m not sure where my love for knives came from – but it’s always been there. I started collecting knives from flea markets or garage sales. I even built a few blades in my father’s workshop when I was about 12. I had no idea what I was doing, but it was fun nonetheless. As I grew, so did my collection. After high school, I joined the United States Marine Corps as a reservist and went on to play soccer and attend college. I settled down in Springfield, Missouri and started working as an editor and writer for the internet department of a large outdoor retail company. Around 2002, the bug to build knives hit me hard. I spent hours upon hours reading the internet asking questions, and talking to as many knifemakers as I could. My first “adult knife” turned out about as well as the knives I built when I was a kid, but I kept at it and have been a full-time maker since 2007. I build most of my knives out of 1095 and W-2. I also use CPM-154 if a customer requests stainless and I use Chad Nichols’ stainless damascus. I also make my own damascus with my friend and fellow knifemaker Jody Muller."