I was raised in a neighborhood that had forty or so boys and two girls. Needless to say, I played with the boys most of the time and learned to whittle and throw knives at trees.

We played mumbly-peg and stretch ( throwing a knife at your opponents feet to make him stretch as far as he could without falling over). I remember when I was about twelve, my older brother bought a machete and I couldn’t wait to borrow it and try it out. He threatened my life if I touched it so I waited until he wasn’t home one day and took it into the woods and chopped up everything I could.

I started collecting pocket knives and fixed blade knives every time I could get my hands on one even though my mother didn’t approve of a girl carrying knives.

My first boyfriend gave me a bowie knife which I still have after 40 years.

I met Wally Hayes MS through my daughter a few years ago and developed an interest in making knives. He has been a great help in my learning process and his vast knowledge has been very useful.

My goal is to make a fine working tool that is both useful and pleasing to the eye. I believe a knife can be both. I try to blend the design of the blade, handle material, and other embellishments to compliment each other in a way that the purchaser can feel he or she has a one of a kind knife.

I have found the knife making community extremely helpful in learning this art form and would like to thank each and every one of them for the help and assistance I have received.

Thank you for considering the purchase of a Tomey Custom Knife.