Chute Knife - Cape Buffalo

Jenkins, Mitch

I'm very fortunate to have met Steve Johnson at an early age. He was my Scoutmaster and soon I was sweeping out his shop, and later cutting out blanks and doing some grinding. I made my first knife in my teens with Steve's help and although there have been periods outside the shop like a church mission, college, and grad school I've stayed as close as I could to Steve and knifemaking. I'm also very lucky to be friends with John Young. We all live within a few miles of each other and the help and support I receive from these two great makers certainly helps keep me going. I'm in the shop everyday trying to make the best possible handcrafted working knives after the traditions established by Bob Loveless and Steve Johnson. My knives are bench-made using my hands and my eyes, that’s it. I do my own heat-treatment, and sheath making as well if sole-authorship matter to you. It’s a very special feeling creating something with your hands that has purpose and meaning.