Larry Franklin Interview with USAKnifeMaker.com

• Are you a full time or part time knife maker?
• part time
• Generally, what kinds of knives do you make the most of?
• fixed blades.
• Do you forge, stock remove or both?
• Both 80% stock 20% Forging.

• What made you decide to start making knives?
• I broke a factory blade hunting and could not afford a custom at the time.
• Do you sell your knives?
• If so, how do you sell the majority of them via internet, dealer, shows, word of mouth, etc?
• Badger knife shows and word of mouth.
• What advice would you give to a brand new guy just getting into knife making?
• Don’t go it alone find someone to help you or go to a knife forum to see how things are done you will save time, money.
• Whose shop would you like to spend a day in and why?
• I think I would have to say between two makers Art Summers and Peter martin, Art for his awesome hollow grinds and Peter for his great looking san mai I could not pick!
• Who has influenced you the most?
• I would say no one person did I think it was KnifeDogs.com in general where I was able to learn and stay true to what I wanted to make.
• If you are part time, what is your “day” job? If you are full time, what was your job previous to knife making?
• Beer warehouse
• What do you like most about knife making?

• To see something I made be used and enjoyed, and passed down one day to a family member.
• What do you like least about knife making?
• Steel dust my blood is 50% iron :)
• Do you make the sheaths also?
• Yes
• What is your Every Day Carry?
• My own small fixed blade.
• Which shows do you attend to sell at?
• Badger Knife show.
• It seems every knife maker is working on a new skill, what are you working on that is new or you are just working to get better at it?
• Liner lock folders.
• What has been the hardest lesson to learn about knife making?
• Slowing down, and doing things one step at a time.
• Do you have any knife making heroes? Who are they?
• No
• If you actively sell your knives, how do you market them? What has worked best for you?
• Just shows and word of mouth.
• Do you take orders or commissions? If you take commissions, what is your current lead time? Do you charge a deposit?

• Will take an order if it is something that’s pushes me or I really like the design/ Lead time 3-6 months.
• Is there a knife you are most proud of? (why, if so)
• My first its ugly but I stayed at it and made what looked like a knife that drove me to make another.
• How long have you been making knives now?
• Around ten years, 6 learning on my own, and 4 really making knives!
• Do you make anything else you sell?
• Bow strings, leather bow straps, sheaths.
• Do you have a quick shop tip to share?
• Always grind with lots of light
• What would you suggest to anyone wanting to learn how to make knives?
• Learn everything you can from forums and WIPs (works in progress tutorials-ed.) they are great place to start.
• What are you working on now?
• Very big camp knife with a 12 inch blade.
• Have you gotten hurt making knives?
• Once by cutting a bar of steel with a hacksaw when I picked up the piece that fell I came up and cut myself on the piece in the vice 10 stitches.
• What equipment does your shop have?

• 2x72 grinder and a wood band saw, buffer.
• Most makers love their shop tools.
• Which is your favorite shop tool?
• No kidding my files I use for a ton of stuff.
• What is your design process?

• Do you draw it first or just go with the force?
• Draw for stock and wing it forging unless I have something in my head.
• How long does it take on the average for you to make a knife?
• Around 10 to 15 hours it really depends on the knife.
• Can you give us an idea of what some of your knives sell for lately?
• $150.00 and $200.00 last 2
• Knife making isn’t always great every day. What was the lowest point in knife making for you? How did you bounce back?
• One of the best grinds I ever did with a great hammon on it, after starting to hand sand found a stress crack in it was mortified , then bounced back buy grinding the same knife out the very next day.
• If you could only use one steel the rest of your days as a knife maker, what would it be?
• D2 love the stuff.

Now for some Either/Or Questions. Pick only of each of the following:
* Flat or hollow grind? Flat
* Carbon or stainless steel? carbon
* Big Mac or Whopper Whopper
* Forging or stock removal? stock.
* Damascus or non-Damascus blade? Damascus
* Folder or fixed blade? Fixed
* Coke or Pepsi? Mnt dew baby!!!!
* Man made (g10, fr4, Micarta®, or natural handle material (bone, shell, wood, antler)? Linen Micarta.
* Hidden tang or full tang? Full tang
* Leather sheath or kydex®? Kydex
* Tastes Great or Less Filling? Trick question Over 40 less filling :P
* Tip up or tip down carry? Tip down.
* Pocket clip on that folder or no? Pocket clip.
* Tactical or gents look? Gents.
* Thumb stud or nail nick? Thumb stud
* Bolsters or no bolsters? Bolster