Full Blast

After years of looking for direction, Noah Vachon found it and gained happiness. From a young man in a band, to guitar building, and a degree in industrial design Noah came into knife making later in life and everything clicked. You can clearly see how his experiences formed the way he makes his beautiful culinary knives. It was great talking with him and he’ll definitely be back. Follow Noah on I...

Keith Johnson is a custom woodworker, Youtube sensation and podcaster. I met Keith a few years ago and we became fast friends. Talented, funny and engaging. So much so, we thought about doing a podcast together a little over a year ago. I had my chance and I blew it..He’s now on the widely popular Shop Sounds Podcast. This episode was so fun, we talked about our love of radio, this-and-that and ab...

Jessie Uyeda returns to catch up on what she’s been up to in Joshua Tree. We talked about famous visitors, the role of content makers and new opportunities in the pandemic. Talking with Jessie is always fun and we had a great time on this episode. Follow Jessie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ijessup/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.c...

Niko Tavernise joins me for another installment of The Downward Spiral Podcast; a podcast we resurrected after 10 years. We talked about what it's like working on a film set with Covid-19 preventions. First hand reactions to the Vaccine, then we went into some weird news about butts and Genital defense classes. Perfect Downward Spiral to end 2020: totally unnecessary. Follow Niko on Instagram:...

 If Buckingham Palace calls will Alec Steele answer the call? Fresh off a trip back to the UK - Alec Steele joins the show and gives some insight on where his incredible drive comes from. From the early days leaving school to learn blacksmithing to starting a super successful Youtube channel with over 2.28 Million youtube subscribers Alec has done it all; even creating Alec Steele Co. a maker cent...

How a huge Child became a Giant Bladesmith Nick Anger (pronounced 'On-Jay) is my favorite bladesmith. His construction, composition and contrast is backed up by strong philosophic understanding of what he is doing and what he wants to do. His technical understanding is so engrained, that he transcends the execution of the build and allows himself the ability to be spontaneous like a sculptor....

Mert Tansu started as a college Basketball player who switched gears to the surprise of his family and started a career as a chef in fine dining. His passion for cooking brought him from Turkey to the US and on to his final destination in Australia. The natural progression from cooking to knifemaking made him one of the most respected knifemakers among his peers. It was a great talk and we covered...

Emiliano Carrillo is the Bladesmiths' Bladesmith. Respectful, mindful and determined to learn.  Emiliano is bright, charming and very conscious of history and his own intention. As a young child playing with clay he was looking for anatomical accuracy and his completion of truth. As he grew he gained the skills to make what his mind wanted including pursuing his fascination with swords. From i...

Jonathan Porter & Ben Snure Join the podcast to tell Cowboy stories and and horse around. This Black Friday Special has been in the works for months and we prevailed against technical issues and rescheduling to bring you Ben Snure and Jonathan Porter! Both working Cowboys who two told stories about all the real things that Cowboys do. I sat back and asked normal questions a city person would a...

Leah Aripotch: Mother of Monsters brings the heat and complexity to a complicated world.  Leah Aripotch is an extraordinarily talented Sculptor. Her detailed work in steel allows the viewer to shed the shackles of the craft and dive head first into the narrative. Her hyper-realistic depiction of the nature being punished by humanity begs the question: 'who is the real monster'. This was a...

Andreas Kalani has had a harrowing voyage to be such a positive spirit in the knife making community.  Born in Tehan after The Iranian Revolution, Andreas Kalani made his way to The United States to become an extraordinary Knife Maker, Artist and American Citizen. This episode covers a lot of ground including the Golden Kalani, and fleshes out my good friend who never gives up and has one of the m...

Don Nguyen is one of the most well regarded knife makers in the United States. The lines, style and execution defines Don's very recognizable work. We talk about his love of car design and his time in Engineering school on a formula 1 student race club where he became the project manager for the team. How did his time there inform his current direction and methodology to become a knife maker t...

Set Photographer to the Stars and my old podcast partner arrives to bring me to tears and set me straight! Niko Tavernise is the Hollywood Set Photographer who has taken the still shots on films like: Joker, the John Wick movies, Spiderman 2, The Irishman, The Post, Moonrise K ingdom and Black Swan to name a few. Before his rocket ship career took off he and I had a dopey podcast about 10 years ag...

Tyler Bell is a unique young man who works for an Aerospace company as a problem solver-and in his spare time is a Youtuber where his focus is split between trying to solve a problem of a direct nature, like how to put toothpaste back in a tube, and designing furniture. His enthusiasm is infectious and his methods are approachable. Based on the materials & techniques he uses you can see he&#39...

In this episode, I’m all alone after losing John & Cliff’s audio! I recount the funny crazed cook-off with one of the best chef’s in America: Charlie Palmer! Plus my self-sabotage and wriggling out of humiliation when real perspective hits. Don’t worry- I know what I’m doing.  I’m also doing a giveaway with this week’s sponsor Isotunes! Listen to the episode for details!  Follow: @chefcharliep...

Adam Balkovic has had a life of self-determination. One foot in front of the other, Adam made choices that led him to be the Owner & Head Knifemaker at BiltSharp MFG with his Awesome wife Jackie. He is one of the most talented people in Knifemaking whose knives combine elegance of form, contrast of color and excellence of execution. It wasn't easy in the beginning....just ask Sister Edward...

The early days leading up to Alex Pole being one of the United Kingdom's premier blacksmiths was turbulent to say the least. From a child watching his mother make jewelry in the kitchen, to traveling the world as blacksmith and metalworker, Alex packed in a life or two. Now he runs a successful forge specializing in Kitchen utensils, classes and sometimes an Axe or 2. I had a great time listen...

Brett Mcafee (@skullandspade13 on instagram) has had an adventurous life so far. From his upbringing in Kansas to his first circle of Hell in Las Vegas and on to a 4 month circle of Hell filming a reality show traveling through the southern hemisphere- Brett has made it through with plenty of more circles of Hell to go! He embodies an adventurous hero joining crews, seeing the world and giving it...

Jeremy Spake (@jspake on instagram) is a great friend I met a few years ago at The Blade Show in Atlanta. He has become someone I admire for his purity of focus and execution. Everything his does he is very deliberate, calculated and held under the scrutiny of his own high expectations. As with most makers, it all comes from somewhere and Jeremy's story is filled with rock bands, Hollywood ani...

Chris Cash's first 18 years of of life was moving from one military base to another with no roots, limited childhood memories or possessions. He is building an empire with his two hands, a smile on his face and the determination for success. A blacksmith and sculptor he's building a huge facility for hammer-ins & meet ups, creating ties with the best in the field, and talks to most of...

Steven House AKA @Moonshinemetalworks is a Blacksmith and podcaster on the international sensation called "Fools with Tools" (@Fwtpodcast on Instagram) He joins the show and tells his tale of being a miserable IT worker who found a new life as a blacksmith working for Alex Pole, the UK's best Blacksmith shop (@Alexpoleironwork). They discuss the Hospitality business, world weirdness an...

Cliff Dufton (@cjdufton on Instagram) is an accomplished welder, fabricator, blacksmith and toolmaker that has a unique history. We talk about his youth and growing up with an engineer father who cant sit still, his multiple day jobs and his drive to constantly innovate and evolve his work. Never totally satisfied Cliff does have a couple hours a week for "Dick Around Time" with the the gr...

Jonathan Porter (@doghouseforge on Instagram) is one of my heroes in business and is a great friend. A Boy Scout from Florida led out west to work a cattle and horse ranch, JP learned how find satisfaction from hard work and how to help the welfare of horses, their owners and possibly himself. Visit DogHouse Forge https://www.doghouseforge.com/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands P...

John Erianne (@sunsetforgenj on Instagram) returns to pinch hit for a guest, What's so overwelming? The origin of "Karens", Awful restaurant stories and general jaw flapping. This was a fun, relaxed episode for me, with zero helpfulness and one hammer question was kind of answered. Perfect . Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/pr...

Jesse Savage (@Jessesavageblacksmith on instagram) joins the show and tells of his obsession with family history and what led him from Poetry to Blacksmithing. Jesse is a wealth of information and is truly one of the best people I know. We joke around and answer some questions too. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy