Arguably R.W. Loveless is one of, if not the most influential knife maker and designer in the last century. Bob's designs are some of the most copied and reproduced in the market today, and you can see his impact on knife making in a majority of knives made as well.

Bob was an enigmatic man, as notable for his generosity as his tantrums, and those who knew him personally either loved, loathed, or did business out of love and trepidation.

It's hard to decouple the man, the myth, the legend of Bob Loveless from the personality, but I think that's why I needed to talk to John Denton about his long relationship with Bob, his dad J.W. Denton's legacy in business, and John's personal history of collecting. With Bob passing away in 2010, John is the closest we get to the horses mouth, as he and his father not only were close to Bob, but were the foremost collectors and dealers for his work. Today, John still deals in Loveless knives, and has handled probably more pieces of his shops work than anyone on earth.

You can find available knives and John's book on Bob Loveless on his Website.

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Aaron Lawvere: Website, Instagram
Podcast: Instagram

I find that every time I talk to the old guard of knifemaker, how fortunate I am to be in a time where knowledge is so accessible.

For the pioneers in custom and handmade knives, every ounce of knowledge could be attributes to an egregious amount of "want to", in order to get anything done.

For the OG knifemaker that's stood the test of time like Jim Sornberger, that want to has been married with an undying passion for knives and art, that's managed to weather a lot of storms since the 70s.

Probably best known for his California gold rush period style, San Francisco dress knives, canes and native gold and quartz work, Jim has carried a legacy of an aesthetic that could have easily died out had it not been for him, and a few like him.

Additionally, Jim has been a bastion of supporting the craft through his historical research, documentation and education for the better part of 50 years. Magazines, books, video, social media, podcasts, he's adopted whatever medium he can to breath renewed life into the craft, and that's why I wanted to talk to him so much.

We all as knifemakers take for granted the information we can get on learning how to make things, but we often forget that context of information matters a lot, and someone line Jim, even for growing older, has a mind like a steel trap for details.

You can find Jim's extraordinary work on his Website, and some of his writing archive for Knife Magazine on their Website, as well as the writeup to his induction into The Cutlery Hall of Fame on Blade Magazine's Website.

Text me your feedback, suggestions or recommendations!

Aaron Lawvere: Website, Instagram
Podcast: Instagram

The world of knives has taken me down a lot of rabbit holes, which I just consider paths to a destination I'm not aware of yet.

On the road to understanding the universe, I stumbled into Matt Martin, knife maker at Vehement Knives.

I've had Matt on the podcast before, but in a much earlier stage, where I think he was just doing me favor to help give the show street cred, but it turned into great conversation, a deeper understanding of him, and I'm eternally thankful.

He's been a constant companion to me as I figure out how I want to heighten the experience of the podcast, and his critiques have helped make the show what it is.

Like layers of an onion, on the exterior, you may see a pierced and tatted dude who is unapproachable, but if you spend a little bit of time to deconstruct him, you'll realize he's animated, full of life, and has a big heart. If you're willing to go the extra mile, you'll see the true gem he is, and the deep thinking that drives his push of the craft.

I can't even say that Matt and I are peers, his skill and attention to detail is immaculate, and I admire everything he does. We're friends, which is more important to me, and I get to sit down and talk to him about a lot of esoteric topics within knives, staying motivated, thinking creatively, and discussing some of the many plagues that afflict the knife making industry, on this episode.

You can find Matt's work through Vehement Knives on his Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Text me your feedback, suggestions or recommendations!

Aaron Lawvere: Website, Instagram
Podcast: Instagram