SigMT

38 | SIGNATURE MONTANA "I had a prey smart uncle that helped me out on some basics of how to get started, the bare minimums of heat treatment and steel," says Watkins. "I just had to go on my own from that point. I didn't get any special classes or training, just a lot of trial and error." Using primarily scrap iron salvaged from the ranch, Watkins honed his skills. By age 15, his crasmanship had notably advanced, bolstered by additional guidance from Joel Olson, an experienced knife maker in the neighboring town. "Joel was a hell of an artist and just a brilliant knife-maker," says Watkins. "I was fortunate enough to have him show me a few things." Knife-makers oen reach a crossroads in their cra, choosing between creating functional, utilitarian knives or pursuing the path of artistic knife-making. e laer tends to be more lucrative, as art knives command higher prices. Whether displayed prominently or kept safely hidden, a knife craed as an art piece oen holds significantly greater value. SHOW & TELL "Although there is more money in that, probably more prestige, the way I grew up out on the ranch, the thing was always, who had the best pocketknife? Which kept the edge the longest?" says Watkins. "I was always motivated from a performance aspect. I always wanted to make a knife that was going to be a real handy, useful knife, that's going to hold an edge beer than most, that's going to survive my uncle beating on it with a pair of fencing pliers." Craing working knives was the clear path for Watkins. "Somewhere along the way, they started to look kind of nice as well," he adds. However, looks always take a back seat to functionality. ough he began by using whatever materials he could find, from worn-out files and leaf springs to lawnmower blades, Watkins is now much more particular about his steel. Depending on the project, he uses several different alloys, but one of his favorites is 52100, a ball- bearing steel with good corrosion resistance. "It has incredible edge performance, and it's just a great workhorse of a steel," adds Watkins. "My other favorite is W2, which is an older tool steel and a lot of fun to forge," he says. "It allows me to do things like adding a clay hamon." A hamon is a visible line that forms on a knife blade during the tempering process, delineating the harder and soer steels in the blade while enhancing its aesthetic appeal. For years, there was significant interest in stainless-type blades that never mark or show any wear. "Personally, I don't appreciate that," adds Watkins. He oen shares an example from his own life, where he was fortunate enough to inherit a hunting knife from each of his grandfathers. From his Grandpa Watkins, who died long before he was born, he received an old Western knife. From his Grandpa Anderson, he inherited a Ruana, which had been given to his grandfather late in life and didn't see much use. "e blade is spotless; it's as good as the day it was made, not a mark on it. It even still had the made-in-Montana sticker loosely aached to the sheath," reflects Watkins. However, his Grandpa Watkins' hunting knife holds a special place in his heart. "It's been sharpened on a wheel grinder, the sheath has been put together with some stitching thread, it's got corrosion, it's got patina," shares Watkins. "I know he used it, and that's such an important feature to me that I love it much more. It tells a story." When craing a knife for himself, Watkins prefers to use W2 steel. "I like to use a steel that's going to show a story," he explains. He envisions a legacy where his sons, and hopefully his future grandchildren, inherit knives from him that bear the marks of use and history rather than pristine blades that reveal no evidence of their practical application. Watkins loves to see his knives come back. He adds, "If you ever need it sharpened or cleaned, mail it to me. I service all of my knives free of charge. I call it my lifetime warranty, not yours. Because when I'm dead, I'm done." At work in the shop, Watkins fires up the forge.

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