5 from the Grinder: Gary Graham (Graham Knifeworks)

Happy Friday Evening Ladies and Gents. It is 5 from the Grinder time. I am traveling next week, so I thought I would refresh the page before I leave town.

5 from the Grinder is KNIFE Magazine’s short format interview series. Today we bring you Gary Graham of Graham Knifeworks, who has been waiting for almost a year from the time he submitted his entry, but since that time, our queue has thinned out quite a bit. If you are a maker yourself, you won’t have to wait too long to be featured yourself. Just click this link for more information on how to submit your own 5ftG entry.

I don’t know Gary personally, but I really like his colorful handles and classic designs.

Please introduce yourself and let us know what led you to making/designing knives

I was in the Army with a job that had me running all over the country training troops for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. We were working with the Virginia Army National Guard in Yuma AZ preparing them to deny for a year OPCON with the USMC. During this train up, I met one of teh aviators that was a knife maker. He told me where to pick up supplies and what I would need to get started. A few days later, I was in Mexico picking up a side of leather to make sheath out of. I went home, ordered some steel from Texas Knife Makers supply and started grinding on a 4×36 Harbor Freight grinder. Fortunately, I bought the extended warranty because I burned up 3 grinders on my first 4 knives. I retired from the Army for 16 days before I went back to work for them as a contractor. That was 19 years ago and I am still making knives. I forge as well as stock removal for my knives. Diring the past 19 years, I won Forged in Fire Season 9 Episode 8 and helped in forming the Alabama Custom Knife Makers Guild where I am the secretary/treasurer. I enjoy demonstrating as well as teaching Knife making for adults and children.

What knifemaker(s) or designer(s) have had the biggest influence on you? Do you have any mentors?

I am mainly self taught, another term for development of bad habits, but last year I won an the Roosevelt / Sheely scholarship Thursday the ABS. I chose a frame handle class from Josh Fisher in Murchison TX. Josh is an outstanding teacher and bladesmith that I highly recommend to anyone wanting to accelerate their knowledge in bladesmithing. Calvin Garland from Leoma Tn was instrumental in teaching me how to properly forge a blade. His hammer skills are incredible. Most of all, attending events such as the Batson Bladesmith Symposium is extremely important in the learning process.

What is your favorite knife pattern or style from history?

My meat and potatoes are paid for by fixed blade hunters. What I really enjoy making are bowies and fighters but the majority of my customers are hunters.

What is the next big thing in knifemaking? / What direction do you see the industry going?

That is a tough question. I feel one of the most popular sellers at shows are single bladed liner locks. My next focus will be slip joints and liner locks.

Is there a knife from your lineup that you feel best exhibits who you are as a knifemaker/designer in terms of design elements, aesthetic or techniques used?

I really like trailing point hunters even though they get over shadowed by larger bowies and fighters.

What is your EDC and why?

I carry a small trailing point hunter with a 3 inch blade. It is small enough that it doesn’t draw unwanted attention but large enough for most jobs. I once skinned 2 Alaskan brown bears with a mini Buck.