Cohen, Norm J (NJC Knives)

N.J.(Norm) Cohen. I live in Baltimore, MD. After High School in 1964, I joined the Marine Corp serving until 1968. I made a 42 year career at several levels of computer programming through design engineer. I am an N.R.A. endowment member and a charter member in the Appalachian Knifemakers Guild. I am a charter member of the Chesapeake Bay Knife Collectors Club where I have been an officer or director since the start of the club in 1980. I also am a continuing member in Knife Right’s and American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI). After the service I joined a gun club where I shot pistol competition for six years. I had started going to gun shows collecting single shot action rifles. I started collecting Bowie knives. I have collected butterfly knives since I was 16 years old. Through contacts with collectors I knew, I was introduced to KNIFE WORLD (Knife Magazine) and AMERICAN BLADE (BLADE magazine). I have been a subscriber from their first year of publication. I also keep the KNIVES Annuals from the first year. After a dry spell in finding butterfly knives and inspired by the magazine articles, I decided to try to make a knife. I made my first butterfly knives in 1981. For several years, I made them exclusively until the overwhelming influx of inexpensive Asia imports. I then switched to fixed blade knives. I have been making them ever since. In 2014 I was privileged to be selected to make the club knife for Chesapeake Bay Knife Collectors Club. It was a variation on my H6 model. I am not artistic. I am a craftsman. My knives are working class knives and they are meant to be used. I appreciate the people who have put my knives in their collections. I get personal satisfaction when my knives are used.