My testament to the knives Wes custom made for me over the years has strangely led to a lot of emotion. Wes has been my ‘go to’ man for every single oddball blade request I have ever made and has always come through. I’ve even asked for knives I could get through metal detectors. During my military career in special operations command, I have needed survival knives on my gun belt, concealed knives for some low-vis operations and later in law enforcement for daily duties. I have not walked out of the door without one of Wes’s knives strapped to me. I count on his knives to bring me safely home to my family when all else has failed. He has been a huge part of my sense of security in being willing to go into harm’s way and always know I have a plan. His knives have been trained and fought with at Dog Brothers Martial Arts camps where even Guru Mark (Crafty Dog) Denny complimented on them. They have been on my side in survival and bushcraft training with Hakim Isler and at SERE-C school. They have been with me representing Team America in the Middle East and Eastern Europe during deployments. They have been on me during stops with armed and dangerous criminals. Every time I come home to my family those knives played a part in it. If you are looking for a knife your life can depend on by a guy who actually cares about every one of his customers, you need to get your knife from Adkins Wood and Knife.

The work Wes does is simply great. He has his own unique and recognizable style and amazing quality and craftsmanship with extraordinary attention to detail making sure the magical pieces he constructs are just right and, well, perfect. But for me personally the best thing is the process of working with Wes to make the magic happen. If I can dream up something sharp, Wes will make it a reality. And in a very collaborative and creative process, he takes input as just an explanation or a rough sketch, applies his creativity and experience to produce a one-of-a-kind design and is always willing to continue to work on the design until it just right – a combination on an idea made so much more with his unique style and skill is a recipe to make every project truly a dream come. In addition to all this, Wes is a great person, fantastic to work with and just an amazing creator of magical functional art. My collection of his work continues to grow, and I wholeheartedly recommend his work.

My relationship, and it is a relationship rather than a transaction, with AW&K began several
years back. At the time, I was involved in a profession that required my equipment to function each time and every time. Failure of equipment was unacceptable! I was in need of a blade that I could truly trust my life with. After my initial contact with Wes, there was a constant back and forth communication to ensure that the blade would be exactly what I needed. Not a simple, send me some money and you will get something back, as I had experienced with other custom bladesmiths. What I received was nothing short of a work of art! My expectations on the design, materials, and strength of the blade were far exceeded. That first blade still accompanies me each day. While a firearm may be my primary weapon, this blade is there for deployment as protection, utility use, or to open snacks! Over the years, I have added other AW&K products to my collection. Different types of blades and axe. All are the same level of artwork and uncompromising strength. They will certainly outlast me and be handed down as legacy tools to my children. Simply put; there are no more carefully crafted, value for the dollar, satisfying blades available in today’s market. And you will be treated like an old friend each and every time you order something from Wes. Truly a great experience!