About the Maker

My relationship with blades began early. Around the age of five, my grandmother gave me my first knife—a small gift that quietly set the course for a lifelong obsession. Like many kids of that era, I was drawn to Conan, ninja/samurai films, and anything involving swords or edged weapons. While I was always good at drawing & art, I wasn’t passionate about it, yet the edges of my sketchbooks seemed to always fill up with countless knife sketches.

In the late 1980s and early ’90s, I poured over knife magazines, fascinated by the amazing work of the craftsmen of that time and seeing the advertisements for bladesmithing classes in Arkansas/Texas. Names like James Black, Bill Moran, Bill Bagwell, and Jimmy Lile carried a near-mythical weight. Arkansas felt like a distant place tied to a level of craftsmanship I admired but never imagined I could one day be exposed to, or a part of.

In 1993, I attended the University of Nebraska to study architecture, later shifting to fine arts before leaving school in 1995. Though uncertain of my direction in life at the time, the pull and desire toward hands-on creation never faded.

In late 1996, I joined the United States Air Force and married the love of my life, Tanya on Christmas Eve that year. We welcomed our sons, Seth in 1999 and Logan in 2001. Through every move, deployment, and transition, I’ve been incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of my wife, children, family, and friends—especially my wife, whose belief and encouragement made this path possible.

Around 2002, I began assembling knife kits and building Kydex sheaths, followed by experiments with G10 and carbon fiber knives in 2003. During this time, I became active in the online knife community and began developing what would eventually become SHANKnives. The name itself came from my wife—a fusion of my first and last name—and also proved a perfect fit for the improvised-style blades I was making.

In 2014, my military career brought us to Arkansas—the same place I had read about decades earlier in knife magazines. Immersed in a region rich with bladesmithing heritage and surrounded by a modern community of world-class makers, my passion was reignited. I’ve been fortunate to form lasting friendships with many exceptional bladesmiths and Master Smiths here, now valued friends and mentors.

In 2020, I retired from the Air Force and used the federal SkillBridge program to apprentice under Daniel Casey of Casey Arms. After a brief transition into law enforcement in 2021, medical issues reshaped my path, and in 2022—with the continued support of my family—I committed completely to becoming a full-time bladesmith.

Today, I bring decades of experience, service, and family support into every blade I forge as a full-time bladesmith in Arkansas. One of the most rewarding parts of this work is collaborating directly with customers to create truly one-of-a-kind knives—often intended for a milestone, a legacy gift, or someone special in their life. Being trusted to help tell that story through steel is something I don’t take lightly.

When I’m not at the forge, some of my favorite moments are spent sharing this passion with my granddaughter and grandson—letting them watch, asking questions, and proudly showing off the cuts, burns, and scars that have become part of the craft and, somehow, a source of endless fascination for them..