Blair Metzler Knife Smith

I have always been interested in knives  and  hunting, even as a  young boy growing up  on  a  farm.    My brothers and I would shape knives out of wood,  not  swords  but  bowie  knives, that  we  would  shave down  from  a  2x4.  Using  our  Dad’s  hand  planes, and wittling  with  our  dull  pocket  knives.   

A  good  friend  of  mine,  and  I  hunted  on  our  parents farms  using  BB  guns,  and  as  we  got  old  enough  we  started using  22  rifles,  and  then shotguns during  pheasant  hunting  season. I  remember bringing home  rabbits and pheasants, after  hunting  in  the  fields of  the family  farm.  Our  mothers  would  always have  us  dress  what  we  brought  home,  and our  mothers  would  cook  them  for  the  family.

   As  I  grew  up  I  have  a  memory of  trying  to  sharpen my  mother’s  kitchen knives.    She  finally tired  of  my  attemps  and asked  my  father,  to  please  show  me  how  to  put  an  edge  on  her  knives,  before  I  ruined  them.   This  was  another  early  lesson of  knowing  that   a good  knife,  with a  sharp  blade, is  a  necessary tool  every  person needs.

Reshaping steel stock, into a beautiful and useful tool, has been a goal of mine for many years.  I  started making knives  out  of  farrier  rasps, and  for  that  matter, about  any steel that  I  could find.   Learning different  steels  and  knowing  their  strengths  in  a  knife, is  a  never ending  goal,  while  making  knives. 

While living  in Alaska,  a good friend and I ran,  and operated an outfitting company.  We took hunters  into the back country on horse back. At that time we used brand name knives. Even the knives that claimed to be harder steel,  could not hold up to daily  heavy use.  I was always looking  for a better knife  that would hold an  edge  under  that  type  of  usage.   I now make my knives to meet that need.

It is an additional pleasure to make them more comfortable in the hand,  and a pleasing to look at.  But the cutting edge is  always  the most important. 

My  brother  told  me  once  that  the  most  useless items  are: an  empty  gun,  a  dull  knife  and  a  dishonest man. It  was  something  like  that  anyway,  It  sounded  good  at  the  time.

Wayne  Gorst  of  Whiskey River  Gear  makes  all  of  my  sheaths  and  leather  work.    He  is  a  true  artist in  his  trade.

My  wife  is  Sonja  Metzler.   Her  web  site  address  is  at  the  bottom of  the  home  page.    She  is  one  to  the  best  Bronze  artist there  is.  Well  that is my  opinion anyway.    Take  a  look,  she  is  amazing