Good afternoon,

Yesterday was a somber day for all of us. I needn’t tell you that. There are more talented wordsmiths than I who have impactfully reflected the sorrow and outrage surrounding the attack on 09/11/01. The discourse and skepticism in recent years – regardless of credibility – cannot and SHOULD not mitigate the collective heartbreak the people of the United States felt when the towers fell.

The September 11th terrorist attack took place the day before my 8th birthday. My family was living in Pennsylvania at the time, and my mother commuted into Georgetown every day for work. She was uncomfortably close to the Pentagon when the plane hit it, and even witnessed some of the calamity. To this day, she tells the story with unease when prompted. Of course for her, the most surreal part of the entire thing was being the only soul in Toys R’ Us that evening. Tragedy or not, my birthday was still the next day and she wasn’t about to let the fear and the shocking break from normalcy touch me. Whatever useless over-priced nonsense she purchased for me that day (undoubtedly at my own insistence) kept me from knowing anything was wrong. That alone is worth reflecting on.

Twenty-five years later, nothing has changed. September 12th is ALL about me and I’m not letting anyone forget it. It’s been a couple of years since I built a knife for myself, so this year I sketched out a pattern with all of my standard design cues. I scaled it to fit MY preferences and MY hand. The end result is a highly derivative and selfishly appointed but ultimately VERY sleek pocket-hunter. Since this one is all about me, I’m just going to call it the “Signature Hunter” for the sake of conversation. For this weekend’s offering I’ve built one in jigged bone and another in textured camouflage G10 and orange liners. Beauty on one hand, utility on the other.

I also revisited a one-off I built for a dear friend who owns a roofing company out West. The Rooftop Butcher is wearing black G10 with orange liners and an ultra-slick fuller and swedge combo. It may be profiled like a small cleaver, but the edge is ground razor thin. It would make a stellar camp kitchen knife.

Finally, a combat-centric Echo, my love letter to the BRK Bravo legacy. This thing has jimping and texture everywhere you want it, a crispy fuller, and some gnarly serrations on the heel. The maroon liners class it up without making it flashy. She’s built to work, not draw attention.

It felt good to get into the shop and build a handful of knives based strictly on what I felt like cranking out, and I hope you all find the quality of craftsmanship reflects the joy that went into it. Pick one of these pieces up if you feel inclined. Let it be the bauble you use to mark the beginning of fall, and the long-awaited reprieve from all this brutal heat.

Stay safe,

-Alex