Meet the knifemakers who worked hand-in-hand with CRKT to translate their creative and innovative designs into affordable production knives.

Columbia River Knife & Tool is exceptionally proud to introduce the leading knifemakers who work with us. They are among the most respected craftsmen and artists in our industry. We work to carry out their creative and innovative designs to the highest quality standards possible, enabling you to own, use and collect affordable, performance-driven production knives. You’ll see many of our knifemaker friends at the CRKT booth at major shows and we invite you to meet them, ask questions, and exchange ideas. They take great pride in their custom and CRKT production work, and they look forward to visiting with you. Here’s an introduction to our friends.

Jim Hammond was the first knife maker to work with CRKT, beginning in 1994. His designs for CRKT folders set new standards of construction for production folding knives. After graduation from Clemson University in 1977, Jim became a full-time knifemaker, and is noted for his exquisite and prized work. He is a Knifemakers’ Guild member. When not making or designing knives, he fishes, skis, and flies gliders. He holds a private pilot’s license for sailplanes and has earned the FIA International Silver Badge for Soaring. Jim says about knife design: “Excellence, flair, function—three fundamental keys of quality I strive for in each knife. Doing whatever it takes to aspire toward perfection, making each line a celebration of style, while maintaining the vision of a design’s purpose and application.” His company, Jim Hammond Knives, is in Arab, Alabama. He is the designer of the Hammond ABC, Cascade Folder, and Cruiser series, all simple, strong, and graceful statements.

Ed Halligan was the second noted knifemaker to work with CRKT. After 37 years as an aircraft technician with Delta Airlines, he founded Halligan Knives in Sharpsburg, Georgia in 1985—when he says his background in scrimshaw and leather working fell in line with his interest in stock removal knifemaking. In 1996 he earned a Mastersmith rating from the American Bladesmithing Society and won the B.R. Hughes award for Best Knife by a Mastersmith. He does all his own work, including heat treating, forging, and making Damascus steel for his own use in various patterns. In addition to three-dimensional carved knives, he makes self-defense, military and folding knives. He is the inventor of the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Super Simple) knife series, and has been translating his custom versions of it into CRKT production knives, which have proven to be exceptionally popular with knife enthusiasts and the general public. He teaches bladesmithing seminars and knifemaking at the college level.

Kit Carson of Vine Grove, Kentucky, is a retired professional soldier, rising to the level of Sergeant Major. He has made knives for 29 years and has been a full time knifemaker since 1993. He is a voting member of the Knifemakers’ Guild. Kit has been an avid hunter and fisherman for over 40 years, growing up enjoying the woods and trout streams in the mountains of north Georgia. About his philosophy of knife design, he says: “I strive to follow form and function in the knives I design and build. My reputation has been built around solid working knives, both fixed blade and folders. All the time spent outdoors as a young man and the time spent around the world with the Army has strongly influenced the knives I create.” Nothing reflects this approach more than the Carson Design of CRKT’s M16 series, which is built for function, not to follow fads. This highly successful knife series was recently named one of the Top 10 Factory Tactical Folders of the Decade by Blade magazine.

Russ Kommer of Anchorage, Alaska has been a commercial hunting guide since 1980. He started making knives when one of his hunter clients brought a custom knife and dressed an entire moose without sharpening it. He began working with noted Alaskan knifemaker John Shore, who took Russ into his shop and showed him how to grind. He began making his own line of knives in 1997, and today his custom catalog shows a range of fixed blade knives, including Bowie and Camp Knives, Fillet Knives, Hunters, Fighters and Boot knives, all available with a variety of exotic handles and with engraving. He is the designer of the CRKT Bear Claw, Big Eddy, Alaska Bwana (International Knife Award Winner) and a growing number of hunting knives including our Pro Hunters. He says, “I set out to make a quality knife that would perform and be comfortable to handle. I have found knifemaking to be my calling, and would like to thank all the people who have helped me along the way!”

Pat Crawford and his son Wes are recognized as leading practitioners of the bladesmith’s craft. Their company, Crawford Knives, is located in West Memphis, Arkansas. Pat, a pioneer in the combat folder genre, has been a member of the Knifemakers’ Guild since 1973. He was among the first to integrate titanium into his folders, and to skeletonize his frames and handles to reduce weight and enhance the grip of the knife. He uses the stock removal method, specializing in high tech, self-defense tactical folders, favoring different and unique knives. Crawford handle materials include wood, ivory, stag horn, micarta, and other exotic materials which are available. They also offer options such as file work, inlays, fancy pen work and special customer requests. Pat says, “The reason I make knives is for the personal satisfaction I receive in being my own boss, and producing a thing of beauty that will stand the test of time.” Pat designed the CRKT Point Guard, Crawford/Kasper Folders and Fixed Falcon series.

Greg Lightfoot of Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada is Vice President of the Canadian Knifemakers’ Guild. While owning a body building gym, he developed an interest in knives, bought David Boye’s book, built a grinder, and started to make hunting knives. Beginning in 1985, he would make a collection of knives and ride his Harley Davidson throughout the western states, selling his wares along the route. Soon he turned his attention to tactical and folding knives. Blade magazine has identified him as one of the Top 10 Tactical Knifemakers in the world. The Blade survey participants made comments such as: “Greg Lightfoot was one of the first to put the chisel grind on the right side of the blade so the knife would cut straight.” “Lightfoot’s work has evolved over the last few years as he builds and refines it.” With Lightfoot it’s not one knife design, but the fact that he makes so many different and innovative designs that makes him so good. Greg is the designer of CRKT’s Lightfoot M1.

Ron Lake is a custom knifemaker in Eugene, Oregon. He joined the Knifemakers’ Guild in 1971, and has been a full time knifemaker since 1972. He has received numerous awards, has been featured in national knife, shooting and general interest magazines, and has conducted folding knife seminars around the world. He co-authored the book How to Make Folding Knives in 1988. He was elected to the Cutlery Hall of Fame in 1998, and was labeled by sportswriter B.R. Hughes as the “Father of the Modern Day Folding Knife.” He is a partner with Michael Walker in Lake & Walker Bullfrog® Knives, developer of the patented knife blade lock safety known as LAWKS®, Lake And Walker Knife Safety, which is used on a growing number of CRKT knives. Knives made by Ron are included in the collections of the the Smithsonian Institution, the National Metal Museum, the National Knife Museum and the Randall Knife Museum. He is the designer of the Lake Signature and new P.A.L.

Michael Walker is a knifemaker in Taos, New Mexico. He is designer of the CRKT BladeLOCKs, and of more than 20 knife-locking systems, including the Lake And Walker Knife Safety (LAWKS®) developed with Ron Lake and used on many CRKT knife series. He was listed in Who’s Who of American Inventors in 1992. Walker’s pieces have received more than 20 awards in the U.S. and internationally. He says, “Having the idea, getting the idea to actually work and seeing the finished object; that is where it’s at for me,” he explains. “Everything in-between is just work.” The work of almost 20 years shows his mastery of design, technical expertise, and the innovative use of different materials. “It is the achievement of balance between form and function,” Walker says. His work has been the subject of magazine articles and books worldwide. He says, “I will always make knives, although branching out into other forms of art, furniture and jewelry making again is a possibility. I am a designer and craftsman.”

Steve Ryan is a leading California knifemaker who has practiced the art of knifemaking since he was 14 years old. He has developed a broad line of custom tactical folders, hand made in his Southern California shop. They are based on principles of martial arts design, and he is a serious student of the history of knives. Ryan blends his knowledge of go gyu, an Okinawan martial art, with time-honored classics. His designs are noted for their brawny construction and functionally slotted handles. The handles themselves are modern variations of the time honored bag-handle style which fits the hand quite well due to the design’s characteristic swelling at the palm. He says, “If I had to make knives that look like everyone else’s, I wouldn’t make them at all.” His hard nosed individualism comes through in every knife he designs. Pat Covert said in American Handgunner magazine, “Ryan considers knifemaking to be a functional form of art rather than—pardon the pun—a daily grind.”

Al Polkowski has been called “The Defenseman’s Knifemaker” and is regarded by many as the ultimate maker of knives for personal defense. The Chester, New Jersey knifemaker is known for his fixed blade designs, many designed in collaboration with noted teacher and writer Bob Kasper. Al says that before he met Bob, his knives “were much like anyone else’s”, but he was already making knives of intelligence and distinction prior to that. His designs such as the CRKT Kasper sheath knife feature wide but thin handles, which give them a distinctively “full” but not bulky feel in the hand, for an extra degree of control. Polkowski states “I don’t make outlandish claims about my knives. I don’t have ‘special’ methods or ‘secret’ steels. My philosophy is simple: Design knives and carry systems that work, with quality materials, proven designs and the workmanship you expect . . . which can be produced at a reasonable price.” We are delighted that he has joined the CRKT design team.

Bud Nealy began knifemaking in 1979 after a 35-year career as a musician. He is a member of the Knifemakers’ Guild, the Deutsche Messermacher Guilde, the AKTI, and the Corporazione Italiana Cotelliana. Since obtaining a patent on his Multi-Concealment Sheath system, he has focused on tactical knives, which are carried by special forces and law enforcement teams worldwide. His knives have been the subject of feature articles in Blade, Fighting Knives, Knives Illustrated, Tactical Knives, Gun Digest, and American Handgunner, plus many international publications. He says, “I design knives to be slim and light. If they are too bulky or heavy, they’ll remain at home in the ‘sock and underwear drawer’ and not be available when needed.” His knives are in the collections of artists Deborah Harry, Phil Woods, actor Scott Glenn, Judge Lance Ito and Russian Major General Korzhakov. He participates in knife shows worldwide, and his knives are featured in numerous specialty shops.

Steve Corkum is a Littletown, Pennsylvania custom knifemaker who is recognized as one of the America’s leading makers of Japanese traditional knife designs. As a former student, competitor, and instructor in Japanese martial arts, he made his first knife at the suggestion of his wife, and became a full time maker in 1996. He credits three years of “telephone tutoring” by Don Fogg, plus influence from Bill Moran and Bob Engnath for his advanced skills. He is a member of the American Bladesmith Society, and has been featured in Knives Illustrated and other leading knife publications. He says, “I regularly test my blades to destruction to ensure their durability, flexibility, and functionality, along with a correct balance. My mission is to build an outstanding blade with strength, beauty and durability. In following the Japanese tradition I strive to use the correct materials and techniques.” Individuality is also important: “My least favorite piece is one that is too similar to another maker’s knife.”

Grant Hawk and his son Gavin of Idaho City, Idaho started making knives in 1994. Grant had just ended a 20-year career as a prospector and manufacturer of mining equipment. “I spent years making everything I needed out of anything I could find,” Grant said. “I believe those experiences helped me to see solutions lying below the surface. To me, designing a knife is much like prospecting because it seems more a matter of discovery than an act of creation. The art of the prospector is to discover the unknown through the application of logic, hard work and luck. Whenever unrelated ideas are found to mesh perfectly, luck is playing its part and every prospector knows, it’s better to be lucky than smart.” After attending the Oregon Knife Collectors Association Show in 1994, Grant and Gavin were not only inspired to become knifemakers, but were determined to make a better folder, the result of which is their custom D.O.G. folder. New this year is the Hawk K-AT sheath knife system.

Allen Elishewitz is an acclaimed young custom knifemaker, whose studio is in New Braunfels, Texas. He has a degree in Criminal Justice and has lived throughout the Far East. His early interest in knives, combined with his background in the martial arts and as a Recon Marine, caused him to become a full time knifemaker in 1988. Self taught and blessed with an inquiring mind, he has designed a wide range of defense and utility knives, as well as watches, jewelry and fine art prints. He became the youngest member of the Knifemakers’ Guild in 1994. He is also a member of the Italian Guild and the American Bladesmith Society. His work has been awarded numerous prizes, including Best Utility Knife, 1992 Lone Star Knife Show; Beretta Award, 1995 Guild Show; Knifemaker of the Year, 1996 Fighting Knife Magazine; and Best High Tech Knife, 2001 SICAC, Paris, France. He and his wife Valerie travel to knife shows throughout the world. Allen is the designer of the CRKT Rollock and E-Lock series.

Mike Franklin is a long-time custom knifemaker whose company, HAWG! Knives is located in Aberdeen, Ohio. His slogan is “Knives With An Attitude” and his catalog proves it to be true, presenting a line with truly unusual blade and handle shapes. After graduation from Moorhead State in 1969, he taught high school music and began making knives. He first joined the Knifemaker’s Guild in 1973, when he became a full time knifemaker, specializing in fixed blades. In the 1980s he began making custom folders, including those of his own “double action” design. He credits his friend A.G. Russell with much of his success, saying “A.G. had faith in me and featured my knives in his catalogs many times.” He is an active bow hunter, and features a photo of a trophy wild pig on his web site. Mike has developed what his customers call the most “distinctive” line of custom folders today. His Serengeti folder was named innovative folding knife at the 2001 Knifemakers’ Guild Show, and is now a popular CRKT production model.

Barry Gallagher is a custom knifemaker whose workshop is in Lewistown, Montana. He began making knives part-time in 1993 for local sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts who appreciated high performance tools and handmade craftsmanship. In 1994 he began hand-forging carbon steel blades and making basic Damascus steel, and in 1995 he became a full time knifemaker. He says, “My tastes, talent and technique have continuously evolved since the first knife I made. My passion for my work is stronger and more alive than it has ever been. Nothing is compromised in the making of any of my knives—nothing.” His knives have been featured in many knife annuals and magazines, including Blade and Knives Illustrated. His knives have received awards including Best Art Knife and Best of Show, Oregon Knife Collectors Association; Best Damascus and Best Folding Knife, PKA Show. He is the designer of the CRKT Montana Gentleman, inspired by his custom Hummingbird folder.

Ed Van Hoy has been making custom knives since 1975, specializing in folding and fixed blade Damascus designs. His home and studio are in Abington, Virginia. Ed is a member of the North Carolina Knifemakers’ Guild and a voting member of the American Knifemakers’ Guild. He received a degree in the art of metal engraving from Montgomery Community College. He has received multiple awards for his highly creative and unusual knife designs, including Best Hunting Knife at the Southeastern Custom Knife Show in 1999, and Most High Tech Design at the Paris, France Knife Show in 2002. He was winner of the A.G. Russell award for the Most Innovative Knife at the Knifemakers’ Guild Show in 2002 for his custom Snap Lock, the inspiration for the CRKT production R.S.L. Snap Lock. A patent is pending for it’s lock design. He also won the Most Innovative Knife award at the 2002 Blade Show. When he is not busy in his studio or attending knife shows worldwide, Ed also enjoys hunting and fishing as hobbies.

Aaron Frederick is a young custom knifemaker whose workshop, Frederick Knifes, is in West Liberty, Kentucky. He began making custom knives in 1993, when he became a student of John W. Smith. He is now a full time knifemaker who is gaining increasing notoriety in the knife world. He is a member of the American Bladesmith Society and a full member of the Knifemakers’ Guild. He says, “I make most types of knives, including tactical knives, but as for now, I specialize in the Damascus folder. I do all my Damascus and forging of the steel. I also prefer natural handle material such as ivory and pearl.” His custom work often features 14 karat gold screws, file work on blades, spacers and liners, plus carving and engraving, with a focus on providing the best possible quality and value. His awards include Best Folder at the 2000 Oregon Knife Collectors Show and the Art Boggs Memorial Award at the 2003 Knifemakers’ Guild Show. Aaron designed the new CRKT Convergence.

Columbia River Knife & Tool is dedicated to producing knives of uncompromising quality and selling them at affordable prices. CRKT products are distributed through specialty retail, sporting goods and cutlery stores that offer customers knowledgeable service.

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