INTERVIEW: Messer Made in USA - RUSTICK KNIVES, LLC

Jack Stottlemire makes knives by hand in the USA. Wonderful blades that have a very unique style, solid aggressive beauties. He operates under Rustick Knives - you can get his knives in Germany at G-Gear. We wanted to know how he got into knife making and what drives the US Army veteran.

SPARTANAT: What is the idea behind Rustick Knives? What is your motivation?

Jack Stottlemire: As a craftsman, I made archery equipment (longbows and recurves) in the military for 17 years. After retiring, I took up knife making and it became a success overnight. The name Rustick comes from my nickname "Rusty" and the "Stick" bows I made. Combine them and you have "Rustick". When I started making knives, I changed the name from Rustick Archery to Rustick Knives.

SPARTANAT: If you had to choose a Rustick knife for military use, which one would it be and why?

Jack Stottlemire: That's a tough question. I would carry a Kraken with a 6" blade and a tactical Ripper Flipper Folder. A knife for a soldier today is a tool, not a killing instrument as often seen in movies. A knife is used to open meals, ammo cans, paint brushes, paracord, etc. It needs to be strong and able to hold a sharp edge. My knives are built to endure abuse, hold an edge, and be easily sharpened in the field. In fact, my youngest son is an infantryman in the US Army and carries a Kraken and a 4" Utility/Fighter on his kit.

SPARTANAT: What sets Rustick Knives apart from other tactical knives/brands?

Jack Stottlemire: Every knife I make is hand sharpened by me. I don't outsource my knives to a machine shop to do all the work, and I don't have CNC milling machines in my shop to do all the work. A Rustick knife is truly a handmade cutting tool. Also, every person involved in the making of each knife is a veteran, including my leatherworker Donnie Harper of Harp Leather.

SPARTANAT: How did you get into knife making? Which knife maker/brand has inspired you the most?

Jack Stottlemire: I have always made things with my hands. After serving over 30 years as a soldier, marine, and government contractor, it was clear to me that I wanted to start my own business to continue working with my hands. I learned from Chris Williams of Wilmont Grinders/Knives for about six months. Chris said I was a natural talent, gave me a grinder, and told me to go home and make knives. So I did! I love the old hunting knives with bone and antler handles that were sold in my hometown when I was a kid in the outdoor shop. Those are still my favorites.

SPARTANAT: Which knife did you carry while in service?

Jack Stottlemire: I carried the trusted Marine Combat Knife (KaBar) for almost my entire time in the military. For the last 10 years or so, I also had a handmade Horrigan Fighter given to me by my dear friend Robert "Bob" Horrigan, who was killed in Iraq in 2005.

SPARTANAT: From your experience, what are the main tasks of a tactical knife used by soldiers in the field today?

Jack Stottlemire: As I mentioned before, a knife for a modern soldier is a cutting tool, a crowbar, a shovel, a hammer, used daily for countless tasks. In my opinion, daggers and other stabbing knives are useless on today's battlefield. A soldier needs a strong cutting tool that he can rely on to complete any task without fail.

SPARTANAT: What role do Rustick Knives and Conflict Forge play in helping veterans combat PTSD?

Jack Stottlemire: I founded Conflict Forge with Chris Williams of Wilmont Grinders/Knives. He and I served together and are close friends. We wanted to give back to the veteran community by making functional art from steel from the battlefields of our nation. All funds raised through our artwork go to veteran charities.

RUSTICK KNIVES is a one-man shop run by Jack Stottlemire. Jack served 26 years as a US Marine, Army Paratrooper, and Special Operations Soldier, retiring as a Sergeant Major. He uses his military experience - including twelve deployments - to design knives that work. Each blade is painstakingly handmade by Jack, 100% Combat Veteran made in the U.S.A.

RUSTICK KNIVES at G-GEAR: www.g-gear.com/de/marken/rustick-knives-llc/

RUSTICK KNIVES on the Web: www.rustickknives.com
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