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Mark of the Maker

Arts & Culture Podcasts

Mark of the Maker is a panel discussion with renowned custom knife makers Tom Krein, Sean Kendrick and Michael Burch, and hosted by Mark Stheiner. The format is much like a group of friends sitting around in The Pit at Blade Show, talking knives - a look at life from the perspective of the maker as well as the collector. Covering broader topics such as tactical knife history, trends, industry commentary and influences of social media, as well as conversations with other knifemakers, collectors and notable figures in and around the custom knife world. Music: “noir guitar” by Stevie’s Amp Shack, from the Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0

Mark of the Maker is a panel discussion with renowned custom knife makers Tom Krein, Sean Kendrick and Michael Burch, and hosted by Mark Stheiner. The format is much like a group of friends sitting around in The Pit at Blade Show, talking knives - a look at life from the perspective of the maker as well as the collector. Covering broader topics such as tactical knife history, trends, industry commentary and influences of social media, as well as conversations with other knifemakers, collectors and notable figures in and around the custom knife world. Music: “noir guitar” by Stevie’s Amp Shack, from the Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0

Location:

United States

Description:

Mark of the Maker is a panel discussion with renowned custom knife makers Tom Krein, Sean Kendrick and Michael Burch, and hosted by Mark Stheiner. The format is much like a group of friends sitting around in The Pit at Blade Show, talking knives - a look at life from the perspective of the maker as well as the collector. Covering broader topics such as tactical knife history, trends, industry commentary and influences of social media, as well as conversations with other knifemakers, collectors and notable figures in and around the custom knife world. Music: “noir guitar” by Stevie’s Amp Shack, from the Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0

Twitter:

@markofmaker

Language:

English

Episodes

Episode 73: Switchblades and BB Guns

10/24/2021
Author, collector and all-around enthusiast Neal Punchard joins us to talk about two truly fun topics. It seems most knife nerds have many life interests and experiences in common and who doesn't remember their first time using a switchblade or their first BB gun. Part history, part throwback fun, we think there's plenty here for most anyone to enjoy. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:01:56:36

Episode 72: Fall Catch-All

10/10/2021
The weather is starting to turn cooler and we check in with our crew to talk about the art knife show Arts in Metal, adventures, upcoming shows and projects, and plans for this winter. Lots going on for the entire team this time of year. COVID, changes to show schedules and "life" have thrown us all some curveballs. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:01:59:56

Minisode: Back to School - Part 6

9/26/2021
Sean talks wraps up the Back to School series in this final installment post-graduation from his machining program. He gives some insights about the kinds of things he learned, how he's been able to use them and offers some advice to people in similar situations. As usual, we also talk about some cool things we've seen recently and where to find them. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:00:40:17

Episode 71: Tim Reeve

9/12/2021
Tim Reeve of Chris Reeve Knives joins us to talk about knives, life and business. Tim shares some insight about what it was like to grow up as part of this family business, including some history and personal perspective on what it all means. It's a great insight to the current state of CRK, their workflow and some fun projects on the "wish list." Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:02:12

Episode 70: Metallurgy Mythbusters

8/22/2021
Dr. Larrin Thomas joins us again to talk metallurgy and this time we dive into busting some myths around steel and heat treat. This one's definitely a more technical episode, so buckle up for some detailed talk and if you haven't already, check out Larrin's book Knife Engineering and his website Knife Steel Nerds. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:03:22

Episode 69: More Questions, More Answers

8/8/2021
It's been a while since we did Q&A, so we reached out to our Patreon supporters and listeners and they came up with a fine list of questions to walk through. We also had a few questions for one another, talking life, shop and other stuff. Fun chat, you may find something interesting here whether a maker or collector. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:06:34

Episode 68: Boker

7/18/2021
Ricky Ray and Neal Punchard join us to talk Boker history and walk us through the timeline laid out in their book - Boker: Two Centuries and Two Countries Representing One Name in Cutlery Excellence. 150 years of cutlery is quite a haul, so there's plenty for us to talk about to better understand the Boker family and the complex history of this brand. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:01:48:34

Episode 67: Bowie Bonanza

7/4/2021
Just in time for America's Independence Day, we bring you a new picks episode, dedicated to what is probably the knife most synonymous with America. Regardless how you pronounce it, this one's a googler (yeah, we made that word up), you'll want your search engine handy or hit the Facebook group for pics of some of these great knives from great makers. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:01:24:31

Minisode: Blade Show 2021 with Tom

6/27/2021
Mark, Sean and Tom chat about Blade Show 2021 and some of Tom's experiences and goodies from the show. Always great to see friends and makers we enjoy winning awards so we spend a few minutes talking about some of the great custom pieces that makers brought to Blade this year. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:00:36:49

Episode 66: Dave Brown

6/13/2021
We've talked in previous episodes about Dave Brown's work under his mark Vasana Bladeworks, and this time Dave took the time to chat with us about his life and his work. Great insights into his background, this knifemaking process and why his work covers lots of territory and multiple genres. Dave was a pleasure to chat with, we think you'll enjoy the conversation. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:07:20

Minisode: TKI with Sean and Michael

6/6/2021
Mark, Sean and Michael chat about the 2021 Nashville Tactical Invitational (TKI) show and how it went in the new calendar slot and location. We talk makers, special knives and some fun projects we've seen in the last week or two. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:00:46:12

Episode 65: Katar with Rachel

5/23/2021
Dr. Rachel Parikh joins us again, this time for a deep dive into her favorite category of South Asian weapon - The Katar. You'll want to have a web browser handy as Rachel gives accession numbers for each of the pieces she talks about and there are details you won't want to miss. A fun and informative discussion, just like when she joined us last. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:26:42

Episode 64: Knives of Summer

5/9/2021
It's almost here, and who doesn't love summer? We put together a "picks" episode for a few categories and as usual, end up taking the long way around the barn. Customs, production, obscure - we're all over the map. What would YOU pick for each of these summer knife categories? We'd love to hear your picks too, we always miss a few good ones! Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:04:37

Episode 63: Dr. Larrin Thomas

4/25/2021
Dr. Larrin Thomas, author of Knife Engineering and the Knife Steel Nerds website joins us to talk about his life and his studies in metallurgy. Larrin brings some interesting insight and a technical perspective to an area that is often steeped in tribal knowledge. We also talk a bit about Larrin's new steel CPM-MagnaCut and its design specifically for the knife industry. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more...

Duration:02:28:21

Minisode: ICCE with Tom

4/18/2021
Mark and Tom get together to talk about the recent ICCE 2021 show in Fort Worth, TX. Tom tells us about his experience at the show and at the Stockyards. We also talk a bit about the "elephant in the room" with shows restarting around the country. Great chat about what sounds like a great show. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:00:43:13

Episode 62: Rick Hinderer Pt.2

4/11/2021
Rick Hinderer joins us again to continue our conversation about his knifemaking journey and going from a converted chicken coop to the factory he's in today. That journey isn't always easy, and sometimes it doesn't look like you thought it would when you get there. Another great chat with Rick, hope you enjoy it. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:36:23

Episode 61: Rick Hinderer Pt.1

3/28/2021
Rick Hinderer joins us to talk about his life and his knifemaking journey. In the first part of our discussion, we talk about Rick's early life, challenges he faced growing up, and his long path around to becoming a knifemaker. We only scratched the surface, so this one will continue in Episode 62 for more of the story. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:38:41

Episode 60: Three MORE Knives You Should Know About

3/14/2021
We revisit a theme from an early episode and pick some knives and makers that we think may be under-appreciated or or lesser known to chat about. Historical knives, art knives, modern knives - you name it. Give it a listen and hit us with your own picks, we'd love to hear about them. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:08:40

Episode 59: Dr. Rachel Parikh

2/28/2021
Dr. Rachel Parikh joins us to talk about her own personal journey and some insight into the world of arms and armor from the perspective of curatorship. Really fun chat that we think you'll enjoy. We've talked about her before, but be sure to check out Rachel's excellent Instagram feed @rachel.parikh for fantastic details and insights on some special pieces of arms and armor from collections around the globe. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our...

Duration:02:37:51

Episode 58: Sheffield with Grace

2/14/2021
With the help of special guest and Friend of the Show Grace Horne, we take a deep dive into the history of Sheffield, UK and Sheffield knives. Grace lays this history out for us in the context of eight objects in her collection. We will share the bibliography for this one and photos of the objects in our Facebook group. Check out our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.

Duration:02:09:45

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