RandyR

I worked as a mechanical engineer for a large aerospace company for 30 years. My primary focus was mechanisms and systems to control satellite attitude and I am proud to have a lot of hardware flying on a multitude of satellites.

I have been making knives since 1988. The early ones left a lot to be desired but through a lot of trial and error (a lot of error) I slowly began to feel pretty good about my knives. I did get some help along the way from Charles Weiss, my neighbor for 15 years in Arizona.
When I retired, my wife and I moved to Oregon to be closer to family and get as far from the desert as possible.
I spent some time setting my shop up and started making a few knives for local customers and friends. I make enough to keep busy but I really don't consider it a business. Really just a significant hobby. In total, I have made about 200 knives, mostly fixed blade with a few lock back folders mixed in. At present, I produce no more than 50 or so a year. Any more is too much like work.
I have a decently equiped shop with a good variable speed Bader and a homemade grinder, two drill presses, a small surface grinder, a variable speed 9 inch disk grinder, a digital furnace and a lot of files and sandpaper. I had a mill in Arizona but was forced to leave it because it would have cost 2 or three times what it was worth to ship it here. I do miss it at times but i make do.

Knifemaking, Leathercraft, gun smithing