Burt Flanagan, an accomplished knifemaker and Paragon’s Product Line Manager. He lives in Whitewright, Texas, but offices in Mesquite, Texas, the home of Paragon Industries. He has become an expert in slipjoint knives and he's now challenging himself to perfecting integral liners, with the bolster and liner in one piece, and multi-blade slipjoints.
Featured Knifemakers
Tanner Dannish
Tanner Dannish has been a full time knifemaker for four years. When asked what he likes most about knifemaking he replied “in today’s world there is something almost primal about using old skills such as blacksmithing to make tools that last a lifetime… it just feels right”.
Roger Hatt
Roger has a “builder’s eye” for design and does not use blue prints instead he draws out the design on the steel and starts to grind. He has a natural ability for grinding blades and adapts as he goes along.
Ed Storch
Ed Storch calls himself a “Master Cutler” because he not only makes specialty knives of exacting workmanship, he also refurbishes, repairs, and sharpens cutlery. It all started in his early teens when he liked making tools. That led him to become a Blacksmith in the mid-1960s.
Ron Otto
Ron's passion for knifemaking comes from a long history of hunting and fishing in Northern Ontario. He enjoys working with natural handle materials like bone, horn, pinecone, warthog, and other exotic materials inspired by his 10 years living in Kenya.
Elliott Reiter
All of Elliott’s knives are his original design. He starts by drawing the concept and refines it until it “feels right” to him. Then he makes the template. He uses his extensive backcountry hiking experience to design knives and he is his biggest critic. He asks himself, “is this useful and beautiful, and would I buy it?” By doing so, he has learned to trust his judgment.
Geoff Titcomb
Geoff Titcomb's been a chef in the movie business for the last 25 years. His passion for knives comes from having one in his hands for hours a day, and wishing for better options. He made the mistake of watching "Forged in FIre" one day and decided that he could make his own.
John Bertrand
Like many knifemakers, John is mostly self-taught. He takes an Engineer’s approach to learning. He first identifies one aspect of knifemaking like choosing a steel or making a type of knife. He then researches everything he can and identifies good resources such as Larrin Thomas’ (The Knife Steel Nerd) metallurgy books and videos and Murray Carter’s books on making Japanese Knives.
Mark Landry-Doran
Mark divides his time between making knives, teaching knife-making classes, making Damascus, engraving, and leather work, and learning advanced skills from other skilled craftsmen, engravers, and Master Smith knife makers whenever he can.
Rich Boughen
Rich's knifemaking skills are largely self-taught, improved through a mix of trial and error and many hours spent watching YouTube knifemaking videos. He finds bladesmiths like Kyle Royer, Walter Sorrels, and Jeremy from "Simple Little Life" to be great virtual teachers and draws inspiration and technical tips from their videos.