Not often do you see a local knifemaker make the front page of the local newspaper.
Travis Weige is a lean, thirtysomething, outdoorsy-looking gent whose real job is in media sales, working for a company based out of New York City. He lives in Sunset Valley in a comfortable older home and has his knife-making workshop set up in his garage. “I like to make things, and when I saw a knife-making video four or so years ago, I immediately thought, ‘I can do that’,” says Weige. “I consumed every knife-making book and video I could get my hands on. I watched countless hours on YouTube, cruised blademaster’s web pages, and went to any knife show that I could. I got some basic equipment and materials, and started making knives until I thought I was getting pretty good. When my friends saw the knives I was making, they wanted one, and that’s pretty much how it all got started. I have a one-year waiting list now,” he says.
Seeing the difference between Weige’s very first knife and his latest creations reveals the incredible progression of his artistry. “Most of the custom knives that are sold are just displayed by the folks that bought them; they never actually use them. For $1,500 to $10,000 they sit in cases and are brought out to look at,” Weige points out. “I decided that I wanted to make kitchen knives, because I wanted my knives to be tools that actually got used all the time. I also wanted my knives to be more affordable.”