“For men, it is something that often holds sentimentality,” explains Brent Stubblefield, “not to mention it is one of the oldest tools used by man.” Stubblefield is talking about knives, something he knows a lot about. His company, Join or Die based in Richmond, makes custom handmade knives. On the website it says they are “making knives the hard way” - meaning by hand.

Stubblefield has always been interested in knives and came about making them in Chicago. “I lived with a bunch of people that worked on various hobbies and it blew my mind that I could make my own knife,” explains Stubblefield, “It incorporates metalworking and woodworking and instead of jumping around and doing a lot of hobbies, I could do the best I can with just one thing - making a knife.” He continued working on his skills until, eventually, someone took notice. “I made one good enough where someone wanted to buy it and that’s how it started,” he explains. He started in a shed, then moved to a small space, and then moved to even a bigger space.

During the process, his wife and him were looking to get out Chicago into a city more manageable. “We wanted a place with more access to nature and my wife is from Virginia and we knew of Richmond,” he recalls, “and we like it more everyday. They have first Friday art walks and an emphasis on local products.” This kind of atmosphere was perfect for his knife company. “There are a lot of coffee shops and breweries. I often do pop up shows at breweries and it is a great setup.”

The name, Join or Die, is as American as it gets. It comes from a political cartoon published in 1754 by none other than Benjamin Franklin. The cartoon had the words “Join or Die” and a snake cut into 8 pieces representing the colonies. The point of the cartoon was simple - the colonies need to unite against British rule, or die. Stubblefield’s message is similar, though it isn’t against British rule, but instead a call for community amongst small business and craftsman. He says, “Community is the difference between life and death for small makers.” Stubblefield feels that if craftsman and small businesses get together and work together, a new economy can form based on quality and support. He also chose the name because it is bold, like a knife, his love of history, and because he wanted something that wasn’t his name.

His knives are all custom made. A lot of times, clients bring something special from their life to incorporate into the designs. “People bring in random things like an old family baseball bat and the knife becomes an instant heirloom,” Stubblefield explains. Although his knives are more than able to handle any sort of outdoor adventures, Stubblefield recognizes that his knives are meant more for an heirloom. “They are a bit more expensive than factory made knives,” explains Stubblefield, “So usually people approach me with more sentimentality than if they were just buying a knife for outdoors.” He says that he doesn’t have any problem with good quality factory knives, in fact he owns several, but he feels he is on the craft side of knife making.

As such, he usually finds his clients at craft shows and the brewery crowd, as opposed to knife and gun shows. “I could probably do well at a knife and gun show,” he says, “but I have had a lot of success doing craft shows and setting up at breweries.” One show he participates in is the Renegade Craft Show in Chicago. “I still get a lot of orders from Chicago because that is where I started,” he says. He also gets clients through instagram and in the Richmond area. “I teach classes on knifemaking at my shop,” he says, “And my shop is open for visitors to see how knives are made.”

Brent Stubblefield is a craftsman who continues to grow in his passion for knife making, as attested by his interesting blog on the Join or Die website. In it, he discusses different kinds of knives and how they are made, as well as personal stories of making a specific knife - such as a making a knife out of an old muzzleloading rifle. As for future products? “I am working on a folder design at a more affordable price point,” he says. With his emphasis on history, hardword and community for the craftsman, he will certainly find a way to do it.