MY STORY

For as long as I can remember I’ve always been around trade shows. The first shows I can remember took place at campsites like Lake Waccamaw. I was four years old, and my dad was selling items he made in the blacksmith shop. He brought my mom, my brother, and me along for the weekend. We got to meet all kinds of new people while he interacted with customers and fellow blacksmiths. Eventually these kinds of shows led him to participate in the craft shows in North Carolina during the 1980’s. During this time, I was with my family learning about pride in one’s work, displaying a craft, and interacting with customers.

In 1991 Dad started buying knives that he bought wholesale so he could resell them at gun and knife shows throughout the state. That year, he gave me my first knife, a Remington UMC R5 pocketknife featuring hunting dogs and deer on the brass handle. At that time, I didn’t think much of the knife he gave me, but now I realize how special it was … not because it is a collector’s item, but because it showed that he trusted me enough as a preteen to do the right thing even when no one was watching.

As I grew into a young adult, I continued helping Dad and my family with gun and knife shows. I was expected to do more with the business such as setting up and breaking down the booth as well as helping customers whenever possible. I had graduated from high school, yet I yearned for more. Dad must have sensed that because he could see I had no hope of attending college or choosing a direction for my life.

One night as my dad and I were eating dinner, he gave me an ultimatum I’ll never forget. He said, “Things are going to change around here. I’m going to give you three options. You can stay here and pay me rent, you can move out and pay someone else rent, or you can join the Navy like you always said you would.” I knew right then what I was going to pick. I was going to join the Navy. In May 1998, I raised my right hand with my dad by my side and enlisted in the United States Navy.

I’m grateful for the “kick in the butt” that Dad gave me because it allowed me independence and the ability to grow as a person. In the Navy, I learned the value of problem solving and dedication. I combined these traits with organization that I learned from my mom, creativity that I learned from my brother, and attention to detail that I learned from my dad. All these lessons helped shape me into the person I am today.

After being honorably discharged from the Navy, I spent many years lost. I was working dead end jobs that left me without any foundation upon which I could build. One thing remained constant through those years and that was attending gun and knife shows with my dad. I learned so much from Dad in not just how he helped customers, but how he approached life. I took his welcoming spirit, work ethic, and resourcefulness and applied them to my life.

As I learned the art of blacksmithing, I knew welding would be critical for my development. In 2015, I enrolled in community college to learn the skills needed to become a professional welder. In 2021, I was accepted to North Carolina State University as an aspiring Industrial and Systems Engineering student. I expect to graduate in Fall 2027. Today, I run the knife business and blacksmith shop in my spare time. It started as Deerfield Forge under the tutelage of my father, but today Deerfield Cutlery thrives. It lives up to the slogan, “Cutting Edge Tools for Everyday Life.”

My family deeply influenced me to become a professional welder and blacksmith, but most of all as a good person. They helped me understand that continuing to grow both emotionally and spiritually will impact every aspect of my life. Because of these lessons, I value spending time with my family and friends.

I also hold dear my crew of critters. I have 2 dogs: Annie and Jack, 3 cats: Tony, Olivia, and Sonny, and one ball python, Sylvester. The dogs keep me on my toes. The cats help me contemplate the meaning of life, and Sylvester makes me appreciate my uniqueness in the world. They are my little family that I come home to every day. Each day comes with gratitude and a smile because of what I’ve learned along the way.