I guess you might say that making pocket knives is in my blood. When I was a kid, my Pawpaw would use old sawmill blades to make pocket knives, and from an early age, I’d spend countless hours out with him, watching, and eventually making a few of my own.

My grandfather was a hard working crane operator, reloaded ammo, and made slipjoints as a hobby. When I was 12, I made my first slipjoint, and by the time I was 18, I’d made probably about 15 in his shop.

I’d been working from an early age as well, and at 18 I was working full time in construction building bridges, and operating heavy equipment. There wasn’t a lot of room for knives at that time, and I didn’t really touch them again until a few years after my Pawpaw passed away.

In 2019, I set out to make the first 100 slipjoints under my Pawpaw’s nickname, “Duck Leg” to honor him. Once I completed those, I started making slipjoints under my own name, Collum Custom Knives LLC.

Since starting back up, I’ve made over 300, and the drive to continue to push my boundaries has not ceased.

When I got started, my knives were modeled off of my Papaw’s and some old Buck 110s. Now, I build knives off what catches my eye and I particularly like the challenge of multi-bladed slipjoints, especially my muskrat model.

I work full time as a superintendent for an excavation company, and make slipjoints full time as well.

My favorite materials to work with are micarta, stag, bone, horn and wood. Any natural materials that have a history, and I can bring out in my work, hold a special place to me.

To me, traditional slipjoints remind be of my Pawpaw. They’re the knife that grandfathers carried. What gets me excited is the “Walk-n-Talk” and the fit and finish of a well-made custom.

I am currently a probationary member of The Knife Makers’ Guild, my first real knife show was at Bladeshow Atlanta 2022, and I have several more scheduled for the year.

Honestly folks? I just love making knives, and the joy it brings my collectors. Me and my family are blessed by them every day. What more can you ask for?