Montana Knife Company Master Bladesmith Josh Smith | Mike Drop Episode 220

About this video

Josh Smith, founder of Montana Knife Company and the youngest master bladesmith at age 19, discusses his journey in knife making with host Mike Ritland. Smith recounts how he started making knives at age 11 after his little league baseball coach introduced him to the craft, eventually building his own shop as a teenager. He describes learning from established knife makers at shows across the country, the challenges of building a knife company, and his philosophy of prioritizing quality and customer service over competing on price.

Key takeaways

• Smith began making knives at 11 years old after his little league baseball coach showed him the craft, and became the youngest journeyman smith at 15 and master smith at 19
• Smith learned his craft by traveling to knife shows as a teenager and learning from established makers who critiqued his work and shared techniques before the internet era
• Smith advocates for prioritizing quality, using proper materials and heat treating, and providing strong customer service rather than competing solely on price when running Montana Knife Company

Episode details: published December 31, 2024 · 13K views · 2:17:37 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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