The Catch Bit Show: Recent Episodes
Mike Moran | Jason Ritchie | Neal Punchard
Join Jason Ritchie, Mike Moran and Neal Punchard as they talk about the ups and downs of making traditional pocket knives by hand as well a healthy dose of pocketknife history!
Mark joins us on this episode and we cover:
- The 50th anniversary of Knife Magazine!
- The Natchez Bowie knife show
- Antique Bowie Knife Facebook Group
- Bill Adams tribute
- Alamo Update
- The state of knife collecting
- Update on Mark's trip to the Little Valley Knife Show
- Selling a knife collection
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We're back after missing a week (sorry about that!) We talk about Jim Taylor in this episode. Jim was a great write in the cultery arena for a long time and we take a look at some of his writings in this episode.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Philip Faiers joins us to give a weather report from the south of France and talk about his new book "An Encyclopedia of English Fruit Knife Makers 1770 - 1930".
Be sure to check out Philip's website for a sweet deal on pocket fruit knives!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We cover:
- Daniel won the "Best Custom Slipjoint" of 2025 at Blade Show Atlanta.
- Warther Cutlery
- Daniel's Instagram
- The deer mentioned in the podcast
- Video of color case hardening
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Friend of the show, "Mike," wrote in and asked how to get started collecting older knives. This has been a recurring question, so we asked our friend Charlie Campagna to join us to tackle the topic!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Bob Jeche, an early, prolific, American knife collector and Neal's friend and mentor.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
This might be our longest episode ever! Neal traveled to Little Valley New York to soak up the history and attend the knife show - and it did not disappoint. A big thank you to Brad Lockwood for helping us with the logistics on this podcast and we hope we made the town, and those interviewed, proud with this episode.
RSVP for the 2026 Show!
https://www.villageofknives.com/
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Allright friends and supportes. The day this episode airs, you'll be busy thinking why you didn't start the smoker earlier, or why you forgot to get the propane tank filled, or why you didn't sharpen those lawn mower blades. But Fear Not! The work is endless and the struggle is real. That's why we are are here to help. Put in those air pods, turn up the volume, and listen in as Austin updates us on his first year full time running the business. He holds nothing back and you get the insider's view of tarrifs, knife industry trends, and everything in between!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
A lot has happened in Sheffield in the past year since we last had Steven on, so we were glad to have him on to talk about the news of Egginton selling the rights and marks of Rodgers, Wostenholm, Ibberson, and others. He assures us they are in great hands and breaks the news that he and his team are moving into Stan Shaw's old shop!
Link to Steven's latest exhibition piece.
Link to Steven's "new" Engine Turning machine
Link to the Dog Knife
Brewery Tap Handle Drama
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal and Mike catch up and talk about the upcoming Blade Show in Atlanta before diving into one of the seminal books on combination weapons: Blades and Barrels by H. Gordon Frost.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal and Mike catch up on shop talk and Mike gives an update on the 2nd Annual Grand Knife Adventure. We talk about the most recent Knife Magazine issue and dive into to the topic of gear-driven knives.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Friends, this episode's a little different. Mike and Neal put away their folding knives to talk about forging, fixed blades, and Forged in Fire with Jason Kraus of Northstar Forge. It was a lot of fun getting the inside details on the show and how Jason is growing his thriving business.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We're back from Eugene, Oregon and the Oregon Knife Collectors Association's Oregon Knife Show and Rhidian joins us to talk about all the fun we had!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We're back with Brad and more stories. Join us as we talk about growing up in Little Valley, walls full of knives, the legacy of Dean Elliot Case, and even possible midnight excursions into the "back 40" to look for old knives!
Be sure to check out Brad's knife show happening July 11 & 12, 2025. Link to the website: https://www.villageofknives.com/
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
This is one of those must-listen episodes chock full of humor, lore, and downright fascinating history. The Case Family had their hands in 32 cutleries over the years and Brad joins us to separate fact from fiction and he might even introduce new stories - you'll just have to listen to find out. From the early days, to the family fights, to horse thieving and factory fires...we've got it all in this one and it's only part one!
Be sure to check out Brad's knife show happening July 11 & 12, 2025. Link to the website: https://www.villageofknives.com/
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Tom Cosgrove joins us for a second episode and this time we dive into New Britain.
If you are a knife history nerd, you are going to love the cross talk on this one!
Thank you to Tom for the below notes:
To talk about Landers, Frary & Clark you must talk about New Britain Connecticut history first.
At the turn of the century, New Britain CT factories produced one-sixth of the nation’s hardware, earning its title of the “Hardware Capitol of the World” with familiar names like:
- New Britain Machine
- Stanley Rule & Level/Stanley Tool
- Fafnir Bearing
- P.F. Corbin Lock
- Russell & Erwin Locks
- North & Judd
- Landers, Frary & Clark
1829 George Marcellus Landers (1813–1895), left his familial home in Lenox MA at the age of 16 for the small town of New Britain CT where he took employment as a carpenter’s apprentice. Landers meets Josiah Dewey, a manufacturer of furniture casters and cupboard catches.
1842 Dewey & Landers is formed to produce cupboard catches. They operated on East Main Street in New Britain CT until the company’s dissolution in 1847 due to Dewey’s death. This led Landers to form his own foundry to produce brass hooks and eyes, and wardrobe hooks.
1853 Landers partnered with Levi O. Smith to form Landers & Smith Manufacturing Company with working capital of $30,000.
1862 Landers partners with Colonel James Darius Frary (1833–1890) of Frary, Carey & Company of Meriden CT join forces. Frary & Carey produced various metal and hardware products including the Turnbull Patent Dial Scale, which was a scale for home/kitchen use.
1865 Incorporated as Landers, Frary & Clark, the name that they maintained for about 100 years. At the time of incorporation, the company had $250,000 in working capital and employed 300 people.
1866 Purchased the Meriden Cutlery Company and with it the “right to be called the first manufacturer of cutlery in the United States” and immediately began manufacturing kitchen cutlery and opened a factory called the Aetna Works, on Center Street to make a variety of cutlery, including carving sets and the Anvil Brand line of putty knives with tropical hardwood handles.
The Aetna Works stone and brick buildings with slate roofs were located on a 4 ½ acre parcel and included a main shop, a grinding and finishing shop, a forging shop, and buildings wings for sawing and tempering.
1869 Began manufacturing housewares: products that were meant to ease household tasks, which were most often performed by women. Their products included: meat choppers, coffee mills, apple parers, hooks for various purposes, window pulleys, door handles, and tools.
1909 Purchased the trademark “Universal” from Levi T. Snow of New Haven CT
1912 Purchased the Humason & Beckley Manufacturing Company of New Britain CT and began manufacturing pocket knives and razors. The deal was brokered by Martha A. Parsons who was the secretary of LF&C. So uncommon was it for a woman to hold such a high position that Martha would sign her name as M. A. Parsons to hide that fact.
1916 Ceased using the H&B name on all pocket cutlery.
1918 Purchased all Meriden Cutlery Company and continued to make Meriden Cutlery pocket knives until 1924.
1925 The last year that LF&C used the Meriden Cutlery Company “Anvil” brand as a second line on all cutlery
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Tom joins us for part 1 of a 2 part series. We talk a little about Tom's past collecting and spend a good deal of time hearing about the story of the Remington Scout Heroism knife. A must listen for all Scout and Remington fans!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We are joined on this episode by Mark Erickson, who runs a large Facebook group: Old Switchblade Knives. We talk about Mark's early years of collecting, his book, and his Facebook group. Mark gives advice to those new to switchblades and he tells some great stories. If you love switchblades, this is the episode for you!
Mark's Links:
Old Switchblade Knives Facebook Group
Book - Antique American Switchblades
Apple Valley Knives Website
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We made it to the future once again friends! After stealing a couple of weeks off, the boys are back with our good friend Charlie to catch up on his latest knife release and to play show and tell.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
In our last episode of 2024, it was only fitting to invite a guy on the show who we both know, and who on previous episodes, have had a bit of fun at his expense. We had a great time with Grayson on this episode. He is one of the youngest makers of traditional pocket knives today and he also has some of the highest production numbers of any custom maker. We hope you enjoy the show and we thank everyone for the listens and support through the year!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
This was a fun episode! We had self-described "knife enthusiast" Alex Mazer on the show to talk about how he got into knives and what he collects. We also spent some time talking about Alex's Discord server that is focused on modern traditional pocket knives. Along the way, we got an insider's view on the world of autobody repair and even gave advice to Alex on starting a new business.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We are joined on this episode by Ken Erickson. Ken is a famous name in pocket knives and we catch up with Ken on what he's up to these days as well as take a little dive into his past. If you have one of Ken's knives or appreciate his work, you won't want to miss this one!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal and Mike spend some time talking about the Grand Knife Adventure that occurred on October 18 & 19 and talk about how the show might look next year.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Eric is back a week later to rejoin the conversation on his journey in knives. On the last episode, we left off with Eric recounting his Canal Street Cutlery days and so that's where we pick back up. We get to hear Eric's perspective on the closing of Canal Street, some personal stories, and Mike tries to get to the bottom of the Schrade factory conspiracy. We (Mike) did get a little excited about shop talk, so we dive into some of the particulars of making knives. Neal does his best to get Eric to agree to do a set aside of "Maker's Select" knives - we'll have to see if that happens! Hope you all enjoy this one as much as we did.
Eric's website: https://alberscutlery.com/
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
You guys are gonna love this episode. Eric joins us from upstate New York and talks about how he got into knives and eventually found himself at Canal Street Cutlery. We do our best to keep a chronological order to things, but our excitement got the best of us! One thing to note is that Eric may be the last in a line extending clear back to early Sheffield cutlers. From those famous and brave guys who got caught up in the Chartist Movement in England, to Matteawan, to New York Knife Co, to Walden Knife Co, to Schrade, to Canal Street, and perhaps the last man standing - Eric Albers.
Eric's website
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Charlie's with us at the close of summer. As he starts his 80th year he joins us to talk about his new knife called the City Stock Knife. Of course Charlie couldn't help but meander into what knives he's picked up over the summer. Lots of pocket knife history "tid-bits" were thrown out in this episode by Neal and Charlie for us to gobble up!
Neal even makes a bold statement on the "perfect" pocket knife and Mike tries to claim that the old Schrade factory sat on a toxic dump site. You guys listen and decide!
One note on this episode - Neal came out strongly against GEC's "faux pas" of calling a knife with a smaller bolster a "Barlow." While we all agree with Neal, we don't endorse him in fear of Bill canceling our podcast!
Thanks to all our listeners!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Great chat on this episode with David Valdivieso (Slipjoint_spa) on the socials. We talk about knife recovers and modding and get to know David a little better. Listen in to find out why he still parks his car in his shop!
Also, we mention Lone Wolf McQuade, Mike was wrong regarding the town the movie was based on, but he was in the ballpark!
Links:
David's Instagram
David's Youtube
Lone Wolf McQuade!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Mike and Neal catch up a little and we talk about two hammer ins that Neal attended the weekend prior.
Links:
https://www.northstarforge.com/
https://irontraditions.com/
https://gearheadgettogether.net/
https://traviswuertz.com/wuertz-hammer-in/
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
You guys just had to suspect that we would eventually have our friend Bill on the show. Bill is the great-grandson of George Schrade, one of the finest American knife inventors that there ever was. Bill carries on the knife-making legacy, and continues to make one of the switchblades that George invented. We had a nice chat with Bill on what he's up to today and we even hear some great stories from his childhood.
During the show we referenced both Bill's website and a video he was featured in by the current iteration of Schrade.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Mike updates Neal on the Grand Knife Adventure and we talk through the 1922 edition of American Cutler.
2024 Grand Knife Adventure Tickets
American Cutler 1922
Norton's "Grits & Grinds" from 1909
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Crossing the threshold into our next 50 episodes, we had a well-known collector and all-around great guy - Myron Tupa on the show. Myron is known for his elaborate and themed displays at knife shows and he joins Mike and Neal to talk a little about how he got started, his love for Navajas and switchblades, and the ins and outs of displays. And if that wasn't enough, we even delved into the world of automata!
Links:
One of Myron's inventions featured by Automata Magazine
The Franklin Institute - Maillardet's Automaton
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal and Mike wade into the waters of switchblades. Along the way, we cover book publishing and some of Neal's past books. Links below!
Art of the Switchblade
Switchblades of Italy
The Latama Legend
Neal's first switchblades.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Join us for a nice measure of laughs on this episode as Rhidian Gatrill and Evan Nicolaides both join to talk about all things Blade Show 2024. We cover the leadup to the show, goings on, how they managed to sweep almost all of the awards, and we even get an inside scoop on what's next for these two guys!
Rhidian's website
Evan's website
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal and Mike haphazardly talk about the state of knives and social media in 2024.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
This was a fun one:
- Mike made a kitchen knife and took a stab at making a small knife.
- Big announcement: Truck talk has come to an end.
- Charlie gets banned from the podcast .
- We talk all things miniature knives.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
The trio are back again. We find out how the 2024 Eugene show went this year and Neal and Charlie talk about their "five" favorite custom knives.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
If you enjoy traditional pocket knives, this episode is for you. Steven Cocker is a pocket knife cutler in Sheffield, England. He was trained by the last of the "old guard," and he joins this episode to talk about his family's history in cutlery and his desire to keep it alive. Most of the items and knives discussed in this episode can be found on Steven's Instagram account.
Other Links for this show:
Egginton
Shepherd Wheel Workshop
Hawley Collection
Shepherd Wheel Miniatures
Sheffield Miniatures
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Thanks all for tuning in to the podcast. In this episode, Neal gives an update on the happenings of the recent Badger knife show in Janesville, WI. We talk shop happenings, Richlite, YouTube rabbit holes, and Mike announces he is starting his own knife show.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Friends, we've got a great show today. Ever-popular Charlie Campagna returns to talk with Neal about 5 of his favorite knives. While somewhat of a visual show, you will want to tune in to here about stories including:
- Henkels using Damasacus in their knives
- How Charlie got Case to make the "Arkansas Hunter"
- What is Third-cut stag?
- Charlie invents a new term on the show: "tortured gunstock"
- Charlie pulls out knives from custom makers such as Tony Bose, Rhidian Gatrill, and Ken Erickson
- and much, much more!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Rhidian Gatrill joins us again and updates Mike and Neal on what he's up to. Rhidian almost broke the internet with his latest knife, so tune in to hear all about it. And not to disappoint our listeners - Rhidian gets inducted into the Tacoma Knife Makers' Club.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal and Mike are back to talk whittlers and upcoming knife show plans. Listen in and hear Neal try to sneak in truck talk right at the end.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Alright friends - you're gonna want to listen to this episode. We've got our friend Austin Jackson here for this episode and Austin pulls back the curtain for us in regards to selling pocket knives. Did he reveal too much? You be the judge.
- A little glimpse into the operations of TraditionalPocketKnives.com
- Want to know how to get an advantage when buying GEC knives?
- Austin talks about his grandpa Clarence getting into knives.
- We deep-dive on what exactly happened with the Queen trademarks.
- Why aren't brands making knives in the USA? Hint - it's more than just cost.
- Is China saving the traditional pocket knife?
- WHY IS BILL HOWARD SUCH A LEGEND?
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal and Mike are joined by knife modder Glenn Trowbridge. We had a great time talking about Glenn and Neal's trip 10 years ago to Canal Street Cutlery and dive into Glenn's history of repairing and modifying knives. Listen in to find out which pocket knife brand Glenn least likes to work on.
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We're back at the beginning of January, 2024 after a bit of an absence. Jason has left the show, Mike moved to Arizona, and Neal managed to hit a deer with his brand new Toyota Tacoma. That's right, a lot has changed! So join us to catch up with what's going on with Neal and Mike, and maybe, just maybe, we'll even talk about knives!
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Mike Moran: @moranknives and on the web: moranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
- Neal updates us on his current bathroom remodel - hint - it's not going well.
- Mike and Neal ask Jason what it's like being world-famous after his upcoming appearance in Blade Magazine.
- Mike and Jason answer a question they get asked every week: "how do I get started making pocket knives?" If you want to know what we think the best way to get started and the mindset you will need - be sure to listen in!
Support the showIf you enjoyed the episode, be sure to give us some of those stars in your podcast app!
Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Friends - we've got a crazy episode for you. Mike and Jason update each other on what's happening in the shop. Neal covers the recent David Hayden-Wright auction. And we give you a real look at what we spend most of our time talking about - trucks!
We mentioned in the podcast Ford and GM's despicable operations in Nazi Germany. You can read up on that here and here.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We're a man down for this episode as Jason is out riding the rails. Our guest today is Nick Duggan of the Ken Hawley Collection Trust. This trust was born out of the collection of Sheffield-made tools that Ken Hawley had collected over the years and continues today to promote the collection as well as foster a connection with the past for Sheffield residents and visitors. So join us as Nick tells us some great stories! In this episode:
- How Nick got involved in the collection
- Background on Ken Hawley
- The Kelham Island Museum
- Name on a Knife Blade Project
- What did Sheffielders do with Mother of Pearl dust?
- Ken Hawley Collection Trust YouTube Channel
- The Rodgers Year Knife
- New "Little Mesters" statue at the museum
- Stan Shaw
- Finding knives from the 1600s in the Thames River
- Grinder's Consumption
- What's next for the Trust?
- And much more!
Support the showIf you enjoyed the episode, be sure to give us some of those stars in your podcast app!
Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Fresh off our Blade Show recap, Charlie Campagna rejoins the show to give us the insider's view on what went down in Titusville this year! We also talk about the rumor that Waynorth Cutlery has another harness jack in the works this year. And if that wasn't enough for our fellow GEC enthusiasts - Charlie breaks down for us how the labels for GEC tubes are produced.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
The boys are back to talk about all of the glorious wonders they found at Blade Show in Atlanta this year. But first, Jason shares with us the beauty that is "The Tortilla Burger." So be sure to catch the beginning and set yourself up proper to be a hero on the grill.
While we tried to cover many of the highlights, we of course left out countless folks and knives - because we are getting old and forgetful! Listen in to hear about those stories and friends we did manage to remember as well as our thoughts on the future direction of large knife shows.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Jason is out this week and Neal and Mike are a bit jet lagged from Blade Show Atlanta. Listen in to find out why this is such a short episode and hear a Jim Bowie story.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal, Jason, and Mike talk 2023 BladeShow Prep and Figural Knives. We also cover the recent Kelham Island Museum theft.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We've got a great show today as we're joined by Duncan Morgan - all the way from New Zealand! Duncan and Neal wrote a tremendous article in 2022 on the history of Sears pocket knives, and the boys spend some time talking about all the details. But before they wade into the history of Sears knives, a fight breaks out between Neal, Jason, and Mike over Craftsman tools.
You won't want to miss this one!
- A few knives were referenced during the show and most can be found here.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal, Mike, and Jason are back with some more banter. Neal is fresh off the Eugene Show, we talk wood covers - again, and Jason has a beef with rice beer.
Note, in the show, we mentioned the amount of drinking that went on in Sheffield in the 1850s. There was a beer tax repeal in the 1830s that created a boom and zero hindrance for consumption. That coupled with poor sources of drinking water, low life expectancy rates (especially in cutlery) and you had the makings of an environment that would make today's craft brewing scene look like child's play. There were 1,303 "drinking shops" in Sheffield in 1859.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We've got another entertaining and informative show. After dispensing with a little shop talk and updates by Mike and Jason, we get into the Cause du Jour: Slot Knives. You may also know these knives as picnic knives or hobo knives. Listen in and forget your troubles for an hour - you'll be better for it!
Link to Evan's award-winning knife
Emperor of the North
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We've got a fun episode featuring the talented pocket knife maker Rhidian Gatrill. Learn how Rhidian got started, how he goes about reproducing a knife, and many other intriguing and entertaining stories.
Blade Forums Thread on the "Sheep's Last Dip" Knife
Follow Rhid on Instagram
Rhidian's website
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We've got a great episode today with lots of inside baseball for those that like to be in the know! Neal, Jason, and Mike are joined by Mark Zalesky, publisher of Knife Magazine for a fun and fact-filled episode.
- Jason is laid up with a bad wrist.
- Mike talks about the traditional Eureka pattern he made.
- The 4 guys pontificate on pocket knife nomenclature.
- We go a little deep on the history of the "Eureka" pattern.
- Mark talks about how he came into running Knife Magazine.
- We get the scoop on the digital strategy of the magazine.
- Get the the inside story on Goins!
- Find out how you move a seven foot knife across the country.
- and many other fun stories!
Get signed up for Knife magazine!
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Jason, Neal, and Mike are back for more nonsense. and after catching up on shop talk, Neal gives an excellent primer on camp knives.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
The gents are back and in rare form:
- Both Jason and Mike are trying to heat treat steel and record the podcast at the same time.
- Mike pontificates on the craftsmanship involved in keeping the screw heads aligned on all wall outlet and switch covers.
- Jason is working up a new pattern!
- Neal talks about the history of the easy opener.
- Mike and Jason agree to a historic knife reproduction competition
- The boys learn that the Seven Eagles Motel and Campground does not have a lazy river.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Charlie returns with Jason, Neal, and Mike to talk harness jacks. We take the deep dive into the history of the knife and the name itself. Is Charlie responsible for today's main-stream use of the term "Harness Jack?"
In this episode, we also hear from Charlie why "there's no genius like Bill Howard."
Long live Great Eastern Cutlery.
Some of the fine specimens of Harness Jacks we covered can be found here. Also:
GEC #15 with Punch
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Our guest on this episode is the well-known and well-loved Charlie Campagna. If you have a GEC knife, and honestly, why would you not - this is a must listen! Interviews of Charlie are rare and we're delighted to have him on the show to talk about his history of collecting and dealing knives.
Links:
Oregon Knife Collectors Association
46th Annual Oregon Knife Show
Terry Davis and Eugene Shadley Book with Tony Bose Forward
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
In the first episode of 2023 Jason, Neal, and Mike are back to talk about what they've been up to in the shop. In this episode:
- Jason shares about his first time working with mammoth
- We talk about buffers
- Mike gets a laser for the shop
- Neal visits with collector Bob Jeche, who shares a story on a Stanhope knife
- Neal shares with us the history of Stanhopes and their use on knives
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
We get into long pulls and our methods in the early part of the show and Mike spills the beans on how much time he has into perfecting long pulls and nail nicks.
The boys see out the new year with a little review of the podcast and talk of where it's heading. Neal tries to ruin the steel industry with talk of obsidian and Jason learns what censorship in 2022 feels like.
Thanks everyone for listening!
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
The guys are back with a jam-packed episode and wrap it all up with a little bow by with a few book picks ahead of Christmas. In this show:
- Habits and knifemaking.
- Jason recaps his Nashville Custom Knife Show experience.
- Jason is back into fixed-blade production. Is he making the jump?
- Mike has decided to delete his Facebook account and we talk about the current state of knife forums.
- Each of the guys recommends two books that every knife guy needs on his Christmas list this year.
Links to the books we talked about:
Jason:
Sheffield Exhibition Knives
Boker: Two Centuries and Two Countries Representing one Name in Cutlery Excellence
Neal:
Blade's Guide to Knives & Their Values
Goins' Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings
Mike:
Sheffield Steel and America
The Workshops of the Cutlery Industry in Hallamshire 1750-1900 Vol 1
The Workshops of the Cutlery Industry in Hallamshire 1750-1900 Vol 2
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
The gents are back for another show. Jason is getting a "new" pantograph and we take a dive into the history of shields and inlaying them into knife handles.
Knives and shields reviewed on the show are here.
As reviewed in the show - if you want to see Stan Shaw use a two-legged parser to inlay a shield - there's a nice little video on YouTube!
Link to Chris Sharp's Instagram.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
The guys are back in this episode and after dispensing with current weather forecasts, Jason provides a litany of reasons why he can't pour his own concrete. We talk a bit about the upcoming Nashville Custom Knife Show, and quickly get into the topic of helping others. We talk about the philosophy of sharing knife-making information and the free exchange of ideas. Neal brings a fun dose of history to the episode by showing off some of his knife tool sets and and the history behind them.
Be sure to check out the accompanying photos for this episode!
We mentioned a few knife-making resources in this episode which we heartily endorse:
Chris Crawford Videos and specifically - Luke Swenson's intro to making pocket knives.
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Jason, Neal, and Mike are back and we are wearing our French berets today! After dispensing with a little shop talk, Neal provides us a French cutlery primer and then we are joined by our friend Stephane Bultez, who runs the Knives of France website and its blog companion. Stephane spends some time talking about the genesis of both of his websites and we spend some time exploring different French pocket knife patterns and their stories. If you listen to this episode and get a knife from Stephane, be sure to tag The Catch Bit Show on Instagram so we can see what you got!
This episode is somewhat of a visual one, so check out our photos from the show!
Stephane's links:
Website
Blog
Instagram
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Jason Ritchie: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike Moran: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knive...
Jason, Neal, and Mike are back for more knife talk. We start with a little Blade Show West recap, catch up on some shop talk, and get an injection of history on the venerable Boys Knife! A little detour is taken to talk about the virtues of the Necco Wafer and the fact that corporatist "private equity investment" is always the death knell for any company.
Want to see some sweet Boys Knives Photos?!
Check out Mike's past article on Boys Knives.
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Jason, Neal, and Mike are all in the studio for this episode. Mike is fresh back from vacation in the desert while Jason tells us about playing basketball on a donkey. In this episode, we are joined by our friend Evan Nicolaides and we talk about what he is up to just a week before Blade Show West.
We called out a few items during the show and below are links in order:
Pics of Evan's knife we talked about on the show
Links to Evan's website and Instagram
Want your own copy of the Sheffield Exhibition Knives book?
TheApostleP YouTube Interview of Evan (July, 2017)
TheApostleP YouTube Shop Tour of Evan's Shop (July, 2017)
TheApostleP YouTube Interview of Tony Bose and Evan Nicolaides (November, 2016)
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Jason, Neal, and Mike are back for more nonsense. Neal is fresh off a trip to the dentist, Jason is on a staycation, and Mike is making popcorn in his Robeson Cutlery popper. There's a little bit of everything in this episode, including a cricket!
We called out a few topics during the show and below are links in order:
Queen Cutlery History
Knife Magazine on YouTube
Beaver Falls Cutlery
Robeson Cutlery Popcorn Makers on Ebay
HobieonYouTube
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Featured in this episode is Neal's book: Art of the Switchblade
Jason, Neal, and Mike dive into the topic of knife packaging and shipping. Jason spells out - in excruciating detail - how knives made in the countryside get packed and shipped. Mike makes his case for why everyone should try Pirate Ship. Neal dives into the history of packaging and we talk about some splendid examples of cases from the mid-late 1800s into the early 1900s. You can check out some photos of these cases here.
We also mention Rhidian Gatrill in this episode and his excellent representation of a "Sheep Castrator." You can read along on the build of this knife and packaging with this nice thread on BladeForums.
Interested in hand-made, custom cases that protect your knives like no other? Robbins Custom Cases. We also mentioned leather knife slips by Hulen Wilhite.
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Featured in this episode is Neal's book: Art of the Switchblade
Jason, Neal, and Mike ease into the topic of blade shapes. Mike makes his case for the working man's blade - the sheepsfoot, while Neal argues that if a blade doesn't have a curve - it's inferior. Neal takes us into the history of some commonly recognized blade shapes and along the way we do our best to alienate our listeners!
Be sure to check out the photos of the blades/knives covered by Neal!
If you enjoyed the episode, be sure to subscribe and give us some of those stars in your podcast app!
You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Featured in this episode is Neal's book: Art of the Switchblade
Jason, Neal, and Mike dive into the topic of marking blades. We talk about stamping, etching, and engraving. Jason vows to only stamp his name on his blades, but by the end of the show, he gives serious thought to adding a rainbow and unicorn to his mark. Neal takes us down memory lane on the topic of trademarks and we have a good time hearing stories about his last trip to Sheffield.
Be sure to check out the photos of the trademarks that Neal covered!
The Ken Hawley video featuring Basil Walker making a mark by hand is here.
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Featured in this episode is Neal's book: Art of the Switchblade
Jason, and Mike catch up on what they're working on and Mike tosses a few knives into the woods. Neal talks about folding fishing knives and we repeatedly find ourselves distracted with fishing stories!
Be sure to check out the photos of the knives that Neal covered!
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Featured in this episode is Neal's book: Art of the Switchblade
Neal, Jason, and Mike take the deep dive into the topic of bolsters. We cover methods used by both Jason and Mike to attach and dress bolsters. Neal then takes us down the road of historic bolster production and we take a look at several historic examples. In this episode, we reference both the "Art of the Cutler," "Smith's Key," as well as other makers and photos. All the reference material can be found here. If you are interested in how fancy bolsters had become by the early 1800s - be sure to check out Smith's key!
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Featured in this episode is Neal's book: Art of the Switchblade
Neal and Mike are back from Blade Show and we are joined by Jason for this episode to recap all the great things we saw and some of the amazing people we spoke with. Along the way we talk about hemp wood, induction coils, Ameribrade grinders, Knife Magazine, and Latama switchblades!
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal, Jason, and Mike are back and we are talking about our thoughts ahead of Blade Show and Neal fires up the wayback machine to talk about knife display cards. Along the way, we argue about frog stickers and Neal declares Minnesota a sovereign nation.
Link to all of the knife display cards reviewed on the show.
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal, Jason, and Mike take the deep dive into the short-lived, but productive life of Remington Cutlery. From the genesis to the bitter end...and the many reincarnations - we cover some of the best that was Remington Cutlery.
Link to all of the knives, advertising, and other ephemera reviewed on the show.
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Jason and Mike are back this episode talking about shop organization. They cover the genesis and growth of their shops as well as some lessons learned along the way. Mike can't help himself and drives the conversation straight back to Sheffield to talk about the old cutlers' workbenches.
Link to Victoria Beauchamp's PhD thesis.
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
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Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
Neal finally joins Jason and Mike for episode 3 and we have a fantastic time diving into the topic of barlows! Neal walks us through the history of the knife, Mike tells a few ridiculous stories about barlows, and Jason makes a go of becoming a comedian.
The knives reviewed on the show can all be seen here!
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Check out Neal's latest latest book on J.A. Henckels Knives
After getting past our podcast jitters, we find ourselves in episode 2. Jason talks about heat treating CPM-154 and A2 steel, we wind our way into talking about makers' marks, and somehow get to talking about pantographs and World War II. And all in 15 minutes for your listening pleasure!
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You can find Jason Ritchieon Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com
Thanks everyone for listening in! In our first episode we talk about Mike's new Ameribrade grinder and we dive into the ins and outs of using wood for folder covers.
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You can find Jason Ritchie on Instagram: @ritchie_handmade_knives
Mike is on Instagram: @mikemoranknives and on the web: mikemoranknives.com