Justin Thompson – Heritage Maker
by Jamin Brackett
My first contact with Justin Thompson came at the 2019 Blade Show. One thing that initially struck me about his work was his designs. The examples were simple, clean and extremely well ground with smooth finishes. His grinds were better than many who had been in the craft for years. The quality of his work spoke for itself.
We talked several times at the show and I began following him on Instagram. In time, I would hear respectable makers in the knife world boast about his work. But perhaps the greatest compliment to his skill is the fact that elite and experienced military personnel value his blades – more about that later.
Justin was born in 1981 in historic Pinehurst, North Carolina. The oldest of three, his parents Jimmy and Lynne Thompson are very supportive of him and his craft. Growing up, Justin believed he would end up working in the equine community as he showed quarter horses at the national level from age ten into his twenties. At twelve years of age, he placed as a finalist in the Youth World Championship at Fort Worth, Texas. He went on to win multiple championships including the Dixie Nationals and the Houston Livestock Show.
This article appears in the February 2022 issue of KNIFE Magazine. Premium Online Members can click the blue button below to launch the flipbook