My grandfather gave me my first folding pocket knife when I was about 9.  We sat and whittled on some wood and my fascination with knives began. 

I have worked with my hands all of my adult life, making fine furniture, doing custom carpentry and working in the construction field as a journeyman lather for 15 years. In November of 2000 I had to make a career change due to an injury.  I went to school to become a farrier and I have been shoeing horses ever since. As a farrier, I do a lot of blacksmithing and I have entered shoeing contests and horseshoe making contests. The contest that I am the proudest of is a shoe I entered at the World Championship Blacksmithing Contest at the Calgary Stampede.  This competition was the first contest I entered and I placed 4th in the world in that division.  The division I competed in had nearly 70 entries from 13 countries.  The top 4 shoes had less than ½ point separating the contestants. 

In my trades I have always needed a sharp knife, especially since becoming a farrier. It is very important to have a sharp hoof knife. I have had trouble with store bought knives so I started making my own and in the fall of 2005 my fascination with hunting style knives was rekindled, as I wanted to make one for my stepfather. After completing his knife, I decided to keep going and that became the start of Mike Turner Custom Knives. 

This is the knife that got me started.