5 from the Grinder: Adam Thomas (Goose Creek Knives)

Hey folks, it is 5 from the Grinder time once again, and today we bring you Adam Thomas of Goose Creek Knives. I don’t know Adam, but he responded to our open call for 5ftG participants, which you can find here. Adam is an up an coming smith, on the cups of testing for ABS Journeyman, but I do not want to steal his thunder. So here is his feature. Our queue is fairly manageable at the moment, so if you are a maker yourself, please consider participating.

Please introduce yourself and let us know what led you to making/designing knives

My name is Adam Thomas and I am the owner of Goose Creek Knives. By day I am a superintendent at a pulp mill, by night I am a husband, father of two, and a knifemaker. I love making knives and it has become a real passion. In my spare time, I would rather be making knives than most anything. I got into making knives starting with a trip to the Smokey Mountain Knifeworks in Pigeon Forge, TN. I was looking for a filet knife when an employee showed me a hand made knife. I bought it, took it home, looked it over and decided that I could make that…and it started. Several years later, I’ve now passed the performance part of my journeyman test and I’m preparing my 5 knives to be juried for my JS stamp.

What knifemaker(s) or designer(s) have had the biggest influence on you? Do you have any mentors?

Peter Kohler, Adam Desrosiers, Claudio Sabral, Claud Bouchonville

What is your favorite knife pattern or style from history?

My favorite knife to make is my hunter style model. I’m mostly into hidden tang knives; I hope to get into making pocket knives at some point.

What is the next big thing in knifemaking? / What direction do you see the industry going?

The big thing right now seems to be copper mai. I really think the next thing is more and more intricate mosaic Damascus patterns.

Is there a knife from your lineup that you feel best exhibits who you are as a knifemaker/designer in terms of design elements, aesthetic or techniques used?

Yes…I call it the Goose Hunter, which fits with my company name. It’s a hidden tang Hunter style knife that is consists of features from several my favorite my favorite makers. It’s a great knife for looks or use.