“Today, I’m fortunate enough to build knives for people all over the world,” says Brent Smith, founder of Bald Man Knife & Tool. “But at the end of the day, it’s still the same mission: make tough, functional, handmade knives that people are proud to carry and use.”
Like many creators in many different fields, Smith’s journey began because he needed something no one else in the field was offering. “Bald Man Knife & Tool started out of an obsession,” he says. “I spent years collecting knives and using them in everyday life, and eventually I found myself searching for things in a knife that I couldn’t find.” Thus, Smith made his way out to his shed and started working on a knife with those things in mind.
What things? Well, if BMKT is known for one thing above all else, it is, to use Smith’s own term and punctuation, “THICK KNIVES!!” Flagship pieces like the Thicker Clipper and Thick-a-Tross showcase Smith’s preference for 3/16″ blade stock. “I love a thin and slicey knife when I’m staring at a pile of cardboard boxes that need to be processed down or I need to cut some fruit,” Smith tells us. “But let’s face the facts – we all have a collection full of them and we have all found ourselves in more situations where we need to pry, scrape or do some other tough task ‘we shouldn’t do with a knife’ and the only thing on us was our EDC.”
The common argument against thick blades is that they don’t slice as well, but Smith says this is a problem with edge geometry, not thickness. “A thick knife can perform many ‘slicey’ tasks extremely well with proper edge geometry, and still be robust enough to beat on and do hard tasks like prying, scraping or popping the top off your favorite beverage – all while putting a smile on your face.” That last point is a key element in the BMKT ethos: “I’ve always believed that function and personality can coexist,” Smith says. “A knife should absolutely perform, but it should also make you smile when you pull it out of your pocket.”
The most recent BMKT model, the LP-1, has been gaining traction with users and Smith says that it, along with the Thick favorites mentioned above , will be his priority through the end of 2026. “The next year will be focused on doing my best to keep The Thicker Clipper, Thick-a-Tross and my newest model the LP-1, which has quickly become a customer favorite, in stock.” However, it isn’t, and never has been, just about moving pieces. “I’ve always believed that a knife should be a tool first and foremost—something you can depend on and pass down,” Smith tells us. “Every knife I make is built with that mindset.”
Knife in Featured Image: [Top to bottom] Bald Man Knife & Tool Forager, Thicker Clipper T, Thick-A-Tross
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