Mark of the Maker

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 follo...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 co...

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 conversati...

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...

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 ...

Mark, Sean and Michael get together to talk about inspiration and how Sean takes some of his from both movies and books.  Good discussion about how some of these things impact Sean's work and how they're also applicable to life in general.  Mindset and more!  Share your thoughts on this with 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 @markofthe...

Tom, Sean, and Michael share their top equipment picks for someone starting out in knifemaking. They cover a couple of price points and offer some helpful advice along the way. This episode is all about getting started as a maker and the tools you might want to consider.  Do you have other recommendations?  Be sure to share your thoughts with us in our Facebook group at the link below, interested to hear what YOU thought!  Find us ...

Mark and Sean walk you through a group of sound clips and interviews from the floor of the PNWCI show in Seaside, Oregon.  Some great conversations with folks like Grace Horne, Lucas Burnley, Will Stelter and many others.  Makers share their thoughts on the show but we get off on some other tangents as well, talking business, passion, and upcoming projects.  Share your thoughts with us in our Facebook group at the link below, inter...

We get together with Friends of The Show Nick Rolfe and Billy Cho to talk about their recent Pacific Northwest Custom Invitational show and how it went.  They share some great insight around what it takes to put on a show and how the PNWCI show has evolved over the last three years - what's gone well, what hasn't and their constant desire to improve the experience for makers and collectors.  Share your thoughts with us in our Faceb...

As they say: Better late than never!  Mark, Tom and Michael talk about Blade Show 2024 and share some observations and overall perspective on how the show seemed to go this year.  We talk turnout, "feel" in the room and how things have changed in recent years.  Share your thoughts with 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 ...