Acknowledgements
About me
Metheny handmade knives are based in Spotsylvania, Virginia (near Fredericksburg). I started making knives as a hobby in 1991 out of the shop in my basement. When I started out, I mostly just wanted to see if I could create something high quality and useful enough that my friends and family would consider spending their hard-earned cash to possess. I was surprised and happy with the quality of the first ones I made, which made me all the more excited to make more and improve my technique.
Historically, I have produced approximately 10-15 knives per year. When I started out, I gave many of these away gifts to family and friends. As I started improving and refining my technique, I started selling some to friends and colleagues. After encouraging sales, I decided to start going to knife and other craft shows in and around Virginia.
Even after all this time, knife making still feels like a hobby with me. I put far more time and energy into making a high quality knife than I ever sell them for. My main goal is just to make and sell enough knives to satisfy my personal feeling of accomplishment. And, of course, to support my other two personal vices: golf and Weatherby Rifles!
I would like to thank my immediate family for putting up with me when my limited knifemaking skills aren't performing up to par and for quietly accepting the noise and sometimes weird smells that permeate the house while practicing my "hobby". There are three specific individuals who have had a positive influence on my knife making activities: Bill Blakely took a person (me) who had no skills whatsoever and taught him the fundamentals of the trade; Larry Beverly who has provided me with helpful hints over the years; and Ron Wilson who made my equipment (belt and disc grinder) and shared his house and family for a weekend to show me the finer points of knife making (particularly his tried and true method of mirror polishing).