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
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
Website:
http://www.markofthemaker.com/
Email:
info@markofthemaker.com
Episodes
Episode 143: Rob Baptie
11/23/2025
Our buddy "Farmer" Rob Baptie of The HateDust Project found a few minutes to sit with us and chat about his knife collecting journey, the origins of the project and its evolution. Rob and his wife Andrea have generated over $2.5 million in charitable funding for a huge array of causes over the last 10+ years. If there's one thing we're even bigger fans of than knives, it's people being good to other people, so it was high time for Rob to join us and reminisce for a minute. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:02:17:27
Episode 142: Blade West 2025 Recap
11/9/2025
Mark and Sean sit with Tom to hear about his experience at Blade Show West 2025. Pretty eventful weekend for Tom, winning Best MAC Knife and some cool stuff that he brought home with him. Join us to hear more about the show and whether you may want to add it to your schedule next year. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:13:46
Episode 141: Halloween Monster Picks
10/26/2025
For this year's Halloween episode, we put together a picks episode about what you'd use to battle a monster (or monsters!) from the movie of your choice. As usual, we each went in a little different direction with our picks but we have a great time doing so. We'll share photos or links to our picks in the Mark of the Maker Facebook Group. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:02:00:58
Episode 140: Isaac at Springfield EDC
10/12/2025
We sit down with Isaac Roessler to learn more about his adventure in starting a knife and EDC shop in Springfield, Missouri. Springfield EDC has been around for a few years now and Isaac shares some insight into what it took to get this business rolling and what it's like trying to launch a brick & mortar knife shop today. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:31:52
Episode 139: Three Card Monte
9/28/2025
We managed to get the whole crew back together for a picks episode, each finding three knives with "wildcard" as the only rule. Some of us made predictable picks, but some took the wildcard assignment seriously and colored far outside their usual lines. Super fun one and some gems we found, so watch our FB group or have your search engine warmed up! Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:44:57
Episode 138: Giant Mouse Jubilee Wrap-Up
9/14/2025
Mark and Sean recap their participation in the Giant Mouse Grand Opening and 10 Year Jubilee. We talk about the event and share some clips from discussions with some friends at the event. It was a great time, the folks at GMK know how to host a fine party. Big thanks to the GMK team for providing us a space at the Jubilee and for the hospitality! Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:21:03
Episode 137: PNWCI 2025 Recap
8/31/2025
Mark, Tom and Sean recap the 2025 Pacific Northwest Custom Invitational show. Mark and Tom recorded a bunch of clips from the show floor so this one's got lots of great interviews and fun stuff inside. It's a great show, be sure to check it out next year! Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:59:10
Episode 136: Mike Moran
8/17/2025
Traditional pocketknife maker Mike Moran joins us to talk about his work, about moving a shop across the country, and about his podcast and knife show he's hosting. We had a fun chat, and covered lots of territory. Give it a listen to learn more about this great maker. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:58:58
Episode 135: Mike Franklin Pt.2
8/3/2025
Here's Part 2 of Sean's interview with his friend and mentor, Mike Franklin of HAWG Knives. Such a great conversation, this one digs deep into the world of knifemaking and Mike's position at the center of a seemingly innumerable number of critical points along the path of tactical knives and their emergence on the scene. Sit back and enjoy more of Mike's story and his incredibly interesting journey. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:02:04:36
Episode 134: Mike Franklin Pt.1
7/20/2025
This time around we bring you Part 1 of Sean's interview with his friend and mentor, Mike Franklin of HAWG Knives. Mike shares some great stories from the earlier part of his life and his own personal journey. Super interesting insights and Mike is a great storyteller. Give it a listen, this is a special one for Sean. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:26:57
Episode 133: Blade 2025 Bonus!
7/6/2025
As we talked in the Blade 2025 Wrap-Up show, we took a second swing at it and this time we get into the Blade Show 2025 Custom Knife Awards! There are some amazing pieces and details to check out. Definitely join our Facebook group and we'll try to put up a companion post with links to all of the very talented makers we discuss. Really outstanding pieces all around. We also talk about Tom's pile of goodies he brought home from the show, needless to say we're all a little jealous. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:02:08:10
Episode 132: Blade 2025 Wrap-Up
6/22/2025
We’re chatting with Tom Krein and special guest Jarrod Franklin to give you the inside scoop on Blade Show Atlanta 2025. Tom and Jarrod share their thoughts on this year's show prep, the coolest things they saw, what they picked up, the Blade Show Knife of the Year awards, and a whole bunch more. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:37:32
Episode 131: Knives in Music
5/25/2025
The crew chats on a topic that is near and dear to Sean's heart - Knives in Music. This one is a picks episode that goes in a few directions, which is very on-brand for us. Some of these are specific knives, some are a style and some are actual physical knives related to music. Eclectic? That's us! Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:35:53
Episode 130: More Movie Knives
5/11/2025
We managed to get the band back together to revisit an old favorite topic of ours - knives of the movies. Some of you will remember Episode 10, wayyy back in 2018? We take another run at this topic and make some picks of more cool knives from the world of the movies. Super fun, and a few laughs along the way as usual. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:37:39
Episode 129: NOCKI 2025 Wrap-Up
4/27/2025
Matthew Patton joins us for a wrap-up of the 2025 New Orleans Custom Invitational show. We discuss the origins of the show and how the somewhat unique format works. Michael gives us some insight into the knives he got together for this invitational and what he and his family's experience was like in New Orleans. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:00:54:08
Episode 128: Blade TX 2025 Wrap-Up
4/13/2025
Mark and Sean chat with Tom about his experiences at Blade Show Texas 2025. Tom's always got some great stories about his trip, the things he comes across at shows and what manages to find its way home with him. Always a fun conversation. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:22:22
Episode 127: Sean the Teacher
3/30/2025
Mark and Michael sit down with Sean to discuss his transition from a student to an adjunct instructor. Sean shares his experiences, the lessons he’s learned, and insights into the growing demand for skilled trades professionals. A great chat we hope you'll enjoy as we continue our series on Sean's journey. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:00:59:52
Episode 126: Season 8 Kickoff
3/9/2025
Season 8 seems crazy, but here we are! We talk about what's happened since we wrapped Season 7, what we're looking forward to, and shows planned for the year. There's even a stealth picks episode buried in here, talking about some great spots to find deals on some classic pieces. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:01:38:57
Episode 125: 2024 Holiday Picks
12/22/2024
It's time to wrap up 2024 and Season 7! We reflect a bit on the year, with its ups and downs and many changes. Then we dive into a holiday picks segment with both price point gift picks, but also one focused on makers. Fun discussion as always, and you'll want to have your Google Fingers ready to go enjoy some of these pieces - or just join us in our Facebook group at the link below, as we'll be sharing photos there. Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:02:15:15
Episode 124: Brian Fellhoelter
12/8/2024
We sit and chat for a bit with "maker of things" Brian Fellhoelter. From knives to pens, yo-yos to flashlights, Brian has just about made it all over the years. We walk through his past, his meteoric rise to recognition in knifemaking, and on into other products in the EDC world. An insightful conversation with Brian about his process and his mindset. Join us in our Facebook group at the link below, interested to hear what YOU thought! Find us at our Patreon and follow us on Instagram @markofthemaker or join our discussion group on Facebook for more conversation.
Duration:02:16:02