There are some people who come into your life and leave a mark. And then there are the rare few who help shape who you become—not just in what you do, but in how you think, how you carry yourself, and how you treat others.

Ed Fowler was one of those rare few.

In January, we lost Ed. And while words will always fall short of capturing a man like him, I feel compelled to share what he meant to me—and to so many others.

A few years back, when knife making was a simpler task and did not involve forging steel and power hammers, I offered to repay a favor with a stock removal knife, the only method I knew at the time. The favor was picking up and delivering a Bridgeport mill to my knife shop. That was two years ago!

Working with ball bearing steel will wear out a young arm in no time at all, and I’m not young! Extending the useful life of an “older” arm that seems to relish aches and pains for no apparent reason requires equipment. Sadly, that generally requires money. A power hammer would be my salvation.

Daman Products Co., Inc. wanted to present their top distributor salesperson with a unique and fitting gift. They commissioned me to build a custom knife, which was a great choice since this particular distributor is located in the heart of Texas, where hunting and fishing are a way of life.