About the Maker

                                                            

     James Crowell began making knives in Mt. View, AR in 1980 and is a past Ozark Folk Center, State Park, Resident Blacksmith and Knife maker.  He earned the distinction of Master Bladesmith from the American Bladesmith Society in 1986 and was certified as the first, non founding father, Instructor for the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) that same year. 

     Jim is a long time faculty member of The Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing at Texarkana College and teaches all over the country at seminars and “Hammer-Ins”.  His flawless work regarded by many as among the best hand forged knives produced has appeared in every trade publication and is in collections throughout the world.  He has won many awards including the first American Bladesmith Society Bill Moran Knife of the Year, the Blade Magazine Best Forged Knife and was the winner of numerous American Bladesmith Society Cutting Competitions. Jim won the first World Championship ABS cutting competition in 2003 at the Blade Super Show in Atlanta Georgia.

     Jim has demonstrated at many symposiums and Hammer-Ins including the Scagle in Michigan, Batson Bladesmith Symposium in Alabama, Haywood College in NC and the Spring and Fall Hammer-Ins at the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing in Old Washington Arkansas. Jim wasa the featured demonstrator for the  North Texas Blacksmiths Association April 2010.

     Jim has made two TV commercials featuring his smithing skill and was a featured guest on “Arkansas Today” TV shows hosted by Beth Ward.

     Jim has lived in Mountain View Ark. Since 1978 and made his first knife in 1980. In the following years he has made knives for people all over the world. Always striving for better craftsmanship and performance, Jim is kept busy creating knives for people who insist on meticulous craftsmanship and outstanding performance.

JIM'S WORK HAS APPEARED IN:

Knives: Points of interest - Book II

Knives: Points of interest – Book V

Longbow Magazine

Traditional Archery Magazine

Muzzleloader Magazine

The Ozarks Mountaineer

SWAT Magazine

Gung Ho Magazine

Southern Magazine

Knife World Magazine

Knives Illustrated Magazine

Sky Magazine

Blade Magazine

Levine's Guide to Knives and their values

Gun Digest Book of Knives 4th edition

Knife and Life Magazine (Taiwan)

La Passion des Couteaux Magazine (France)

Cibles Magazine (France)

Visier Magazine (Germany)

 Knives Annual publications (To include the cover of Knives '91)

Wall Street Journal

Barbecue and Beverage Magazine

Tactical Knives

Garden and Gun Magazine

Rural Arkansas Magazine

Muzzle Blasts Magazine

AWARDS/ ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1988    First annual "Bill Moran Award" ABS Knife of the year

1990    Blade Magazine award: "Best Handforged Knife"

1997    ABS Texarkana College: "Spring cutting competition" Winner

1998       ABS Texarkana College:  "Spring cutting competition" Winner

2003    First ABS World Champion cutting competition winner- Blade Super Show - Atlanta

2004    ABS World Champion cutting competition second place – Blade Super Show - Atlanta

2005    Central Texas Knife Show – Austin Texas  “ Best handmade fixed blade”

2005    Spirit of Steel Show – Grapevine Texas “Best fixed blade”

2005    Spirit of Steel Show – Grapevine Texas “Best of Show”

2006    Lone Star Cutting School and Clinic - cutting contest winner

2006    Jim had one of his designs in the 2006 Browning catalog: Mastersmith series

2007    Blade World Champion cutting competition third place – Blade Super Show – Atlanta

2007    Spirit of Steel Show - Grapevine Texas “Best folder”

2007    Spirit of Steel Show – Grapevine Texas “ Best Bowie”

2007    Spirit of Steel Show – Grapevine Texas – cutting contest winner.
 

2007    Two designs in the 2007 Browning catalog.

2008    Ozark Folk Center/ BladeSports Cutting Competition winner

2008    Blade World Champion cutting competition third place – Blade Super Show – Atlanta

2008    Spirit of Steel Show – Grapevine, Texas “ Best Fixed Blade”