Robert Cabrera: Relentlessly Sharp
by Jamin Brackett
I first met Robert Cabrera at a North Carolina Custom Knifemakers Guild meet- ing in Troy, North Carolina during October, 2018. Introduced to me by Darrin Sirois, his demeanor struck me as alert, sharp, and engaging. Rob stood out to me as a driven individual, and passionate about the craft. His alertness intrigued me, I could feel there was a story there. As we spoke over our lunch break I learned he was not just a maker of knives, but a disciplined practitioner of the craft as well as martial arts. I began following him on social media at DoubleStar Tactical and Filo Bladeworks.
At the next Atlanta Blade Show in 2019 I ran into Robert at the DoubleStar Booth. At this show I met his wife Brenda. Rob introduced me to her as being part of his North Carolina family. The way he said family caught my attention. They invited me to meet them and their friends at a meal one evening. Present were many interesting individuals both in the knife industry as well as martial arts. It was not an ordinary meal. Rob and Brenda worked the room as if hosting a family reunion with close relatives. Still getting to know him, I became more intrigued. After the show we stayed in touch, speaking often.
This article appears in the February 2023 issue of KNIFE Magazine. You can read the whole thing by clicking the blue button below.