Full Tang Cutlery, LLC
Founded in March of 2010, Full Tang Cutlery is a new business with old foundations. We have two blacksmiths/cutlers on staff with decades of combined experience in the art and blacksmithing industries. At FTC, we believe that form and function both play an integral role in our products. However, function must take precedence. If a knife we create is not usable, no matter how beautiful we make it, it will always be relegated to hanging on someone’s wall like so many imported “art” knives sold at deep discounts.
To us, a good knife is one that will cut, keep on cutting, be comfortable in the hand, AND beautiful to the eye. If you are too afraid to take a knife out into the field for fear of getting it dirty, then that is the wrong knife for you. Please browse our stock for something that looks like it can get the job done and still look gorgeous doing it. Don’t be afraid to use it, it can take the abuse.
The Knifesmiths
Rick has over 14 years of experience in blacksmithing and knife making. He is a member of the Capital District Blacksmiths Association and has taught knife making to the Associates’ members. He also demonstrates every year at the Hancock Shaker Village’s “Age of Iron” in Hancock Massachusetts. Rick was trained in blacksmithing by William Senseney who was the master smith at Hancock for many years. A love of knives and all things bladed drove Rick to specialize in cutlery, focusing on functional design and quality craftsmanship.
As individuals, the FTC Knifesmiths have a long history of collecting, smithing, buying, selling and trading of all things cutlery related. Before meeting his business partner in FTC, Lance always loved knives, swords and other tools of the trade. In his past he has taught fencing and also participated in other forms of sword play.
Lance has always believed that a good knife is a tool everyone should have on a daily basis. In these modern times we often forget how useful one of the simplest tools can be. We never forget to leave for work in the morning with our cellphone or our car keys or even our coffee, but to take your knife is many times overlooked. Whether your daily life is that of a blue collar worker or white collar worker, working indoors in an office or outdoors at a job site, a good cutting tool will always come in handy.
Lance has years of experience as a sculptor and master mold maker in the pop culture art business. His ability to imagine something and make it take shape in steel is rooted in a long past of related artful ventures as well as his love for the industry as a whole.
Company Philosophy
We see many blades these days being sold on the market as “non functioning wall hangers”, not suitable or even safe to use. One of our goals at FTC is to create blades that are not only appealing as artful collectibles, but forged strong enough to be used on any cutting task the user might come up against.
