JOSH SMITH’S AMERICAN-MADE MONTANA KNIVES: A TOP CHOICE FOR BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS 

While I have a fair amount of disdain for the bulk of social media, their insidious algorithms occasionally deliver a golden nugget to my inbox. I first learned of the Montana Knife Company through my Instagram feed. One of their designs, the Stonewall, immediately captured my attention and was the catalyst that caused me to dig deeper into the company. 

What I found was a breath of fresh air. The Montana Knife Company is the brainchild of Josh Smith, a well-known and respected Master Bladesmith with the American Bladesmith Society.

The Montana Knife Company is a 100% American owned, operated, and produced company using premium-grade American made and sourced materials. I was surprised to discover that the MKC had only been in existence for about a year. It had a much more “mature” feel to it. You will see why this is later in this article.

“I felt like we could produce knives that accomplish the goal of being lightweight and effective and also have a quality level that family members would pass down to the next generation.”– Josh Smith

At the time of this writing, four models are in the Montana Knife Company lineup, all of which show Josh’s passion for hunting and the outdoors. What follows is an interview with Josh that will provide some background on his company as well as its trajectory for the future.

KI: Josh, you got a very early start making knives. What was the driving force that led you to start forging while most kids your age were playing sports and video games?

JS: Growing up in Montana, I think it was a natural fit. I liked fishing and hunting, so knives just fit right into that lifestyle. At 11, Rick Dunkerley was my baseball coach and invited me to come make a knife in his shop. It was all knives from that point on.

The ultra-lightweight MKC Speedgoat was designed to be an heirloom grade option to replaceable blade hunting knives.

The ultra-lightweight MKC Speedgoat was designed to be an heirloom grade option to replaceable blade hunting knives.

KI: When did you transition from making knives for yourself to making knives for other people? Who was your first customer, and do you remember what you made for them?

JS: Honestly it was pretty fast.  My science and math teachers bought my second and third knives at my science fair for $20. When I realized I could make money making knives, I think something tripped in my brain. I’ve always been business minded.

KI: Your history with the American Bladesmith Society is very unique. Not only were you the youngest Journeyman, but the youngest to pass the Master exam. Can you tell me about your beginnings in making knives and what sorts of challenges you faced being a 15-year-old Journeyman and a 19-year-old Master?

JS: The American Bladesmith Society and the Masters that helped me along were incredible. I definitely had times of frustration where I felt like I’d never be good enough. I always wanted my mentors’ compliments on my knives, but more often I received critiques. In the end it was exactly what I needed to improve.

The MKC Stonewall was designed to be an all-purpose knife for the woodsman, able to do camp chores, food prep, and game processing.

The MKC Stonewall was designed to be an all-purpose knife for the woodsman, able to do camp chores, food prep, and game processing.

KI: What mentors were influential in that journey?

JS: Rick Dunkerley was definitely the first and most influential. But over time, Tim Hancock, Harvey Dean, Larry Fuegen, and Don Fogg among so many others were huge influences in my work.

KI: The custom knives you have in your gallery are stunning works of art. Do you create them for yourself and offer them for sale or do your clients come to you with an idea or a set of parameters to work toward? 

JS: I generally make knives I want to make and then sell them. I have done a lot of custom orders where customers give me some parameters and allow me to create. Right now, I’m so busy with my company and so far behind in orders that I don’t take them anymore.

KI: What is your favorite style of knife?

JS: My favorite style of knife is the dagger. I love quillon daggers, dogbone, push daggers, and creative art daggers.

Master ABS Bladesmith Josh Smith is the founder and owner of the Montana Knife Company.

Master ABS Bladesmith Josh Smith is the founder and owner of the Montana Knife Company.

KI: I’d have to imagine that it takes a considerable amount of time to create one of your customs. Between the time, materials and levels of craftsmanship, your production rates and accessibility for most people must be fairly low. Was this part of the impetus to start the Montana Knife Company?

JS: That’s exactly right. It bothered me for years that my knives were too expensive and too few for the average person. I always wanted to make knives people could put to use. And, I actually registered the name Montana Knife Company with the state of Montana when I was 19. I always knew I was going to launch this company. Also, I just felt like I had to wait until the time was right. I needed the experience necessary to be successful and my personal life had to be in a place so that I could dedicate the time.

The G10 handles of the Stonewall provide good traction even when bloody.

The G10 handles of the Stonewall provide good traction even when bloody. This knife doesn’t just talk the talk. The Stonewall walks the walk.

KI: With the rise in interest of the “athlete” backcountry hunter, there has been a surge in popularity of replaceable blade scalpel style hunting knives. Your MKC knives seem to be targeting this same audience with lightweight, efficient, high performance fixed blade knives. What advantages do your knives offer to the backcountry hunter and adventurer?

JS: There is a place for replaceable blade knives. But the idea of it bothers me.  We live in a throwaway society. Knives have historically always been revered and passed down. I felt like we could produce knives that accomplish the goal of being lightweight and effective and also have a quality level that family members would pass down to the next generation. Knives and guns hold the experiences of the users in the patina and scratches of the blades and handles. Those tell the story of the people who used them.

There are many good hunting knives on the market, but the Stonewall appeals to the author’s traditional sensibilities.

There are many good hunting knives on the market, but the Stonewall appeals to the author’s traditional sensibilities.


SPECS

The Stonewall Skinner

Blade Steel:   52100 ball-bearing steel
Construction: Full tang
Handle Material: G10
Sheath: Black Kydex with modular belt loop
Finish: Black Parkerized
Overall Length: 9 ¼ inches
Blade Length: 4 ¾ inches
Weight: 5.5 ounces
Origin: USA
MSRP: $325


KI: You have chosen 52100 steel to make your knives. This steel is more often seen in custom forged knives. Most production knives use 1095, O1, 440C or any of a number of the super steels that seem to be appearing on a monthly basis. Why did you settle on 52100 for the MKC lineup? Are there any plans to introduce other steels into the lineup?

JS: 52100 has always been an incredibly impressive steel to me. It’s wear resistant, tough, and easy to sharpen. It also takes a fine edge. There are a lot of great steels out there, but I feel 52100 is perfect for the knives we make.  We are coming out with stainless steel knives soon for the people that want that look and lack of maintenance required.

The Beartooth Pro-Skinner was designed in conjunction with professional Alaskan Bear Guide Cole Kramer.

The Beartooth Pro-Skinner was designed in conjunction with professional Alaskan Bear Guide Cole Kramer. Despite its size, it weighs only 8.7 ounces.


SPECS

Beartooth Pro Skinner

Blade Steel: 52100 ball-bearing steel
Construction: Full tang
Finish: Black Parkerized
Overall Length: 10.5 inches
Blade Width (at widest point): 1 ½ inches
Length of Blade: 6 1/8 inches
Blade Thickness:  0.099 inch
Weight: 8.7 ounces
Handle Material: G10
Sheath: Black Kydex with modular belt loop
Origin: USA
MSRP: $350


KI: When I first saw your Stonewall, I knew I needed to have one. After I looked at your marketing videos and saw the tests you put it through, I expected it to be delivered with a fairly robust edge. To my delight, the knife I received had a thin grind and perfect edge geometry. I didn’t have to do anything to it to get it how I wanted it. Do you do anything special to your steel to impart the level of toughness your knives are famous for while maintaining that thin geometry?

JS: That’s good to hear. This leads back to steel selection. 52100 has the ability to be thin and still hold up to abuse. Proper heat treat is absolutely key to getting the most out of the steel and I think we’ve got that part nailed.

KI: How much hand finishing work goes into each MKC knife?

JS: Every knife design is different, but every knife does get worked on by hand.  We bead blast, Parkerize, wrap paracord, assemble, and sharpen all here by hand.

The author used the Speedgoat to cut out a section of rubber to use as a fire starter. It was remarkably easy.

Cutting through the sidewall of a tire is usually no easy task. The author used the Speedgoat to cut out a section of rubber to use as a fire starter. It was remarkably easy.

KI: Your current MKC lineup appears to focus heavily on hunting knives. Do you intend to expand the lineup to include other blade styles?

JS: Yes, we do, and behind the scenes we are already working on finished chef’s knives right now. I’m incredibly proud to have added Mareko Maumasi to MKC as our lead designer of chef’s knives. I competed against Mareko on “Forged in Fire” and became friends with him through that. Mareko is going to give MKC credibility in the chef’s knife world that I wouldn’t otherwise have.  As a company we also have a lightweight hatchet coming out and plan on moving into folding knives as well.

KI: I see you have partnered with some other knifemakers to do some Veteran’s outreach programs. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

JS: I have ultimate respect for those who have served. This spring I brought in a couple celebrities and we made a knife together. We then raffled that knife off and used the proceeds to fly 14 veterans to our shop here in Montana where we taught them how to forge. As knifemakers like Joe Maynard can attest, forging can be incredibly therapeutic to someone struggling with various demons from service. Once the forge is lit, it’s easy for them to escape life and their thoughts for hours on end and just work. Joe and Steve Koster came and generously helped teach these men and women about forging. It was incredibly impactful and is absolutely something we’ll continue.

Josh Smith is not a newcomer to making knives.

Josh Smith is not a newcomer to making knives. He is renowned for his handmade custom knives. SharpByCoop photo.

KI: What is your vision for the future of MKC? 

JS: First and foremost, I want MKC to represent knifemakers and the people who support us well. We fully intend to grow as large as we can, but never at the expense of quality. Everything we make is American made. I was told last year I could never succeed making knives on a production scale without going overseas. In less than a year we’ve blown away all goals and expectations of revenue and quality that anyone could predict. I’m very proud of the company we are building. We’ve had so much great support from amazing people, and I feel like we haven’t even begun yet.

HANDS ON

My personal experience with MKC knives began with the Stonewall Skinner. The design intent and aesthetics of the Stonewall spoke to my inner-frontiersman, and I knew I needed to add one to my personal collection.

After waiting for them to be restocked, I was fortunate to be able to successfully purchase one. Following the online purchasing advice proved to be invaluable as they sold out in about five minutes!

Josh designed the Stonewall to provide the hunter with everything they could need in a knife. This meant that in addition to being a good game processing knife, it also needed to be able to carve, split, and chop wood.

The Stonewall needed no sharpening or tuning right out of the box. The blade is 0.135-inch thick at the spine and tapers with a full flat grind to a thickness of 0.015 inch at the edge. And that edge was hair-splitting sharp. Despite its size, the Stonewall is fairly light at only 5.5 ounces. The G10 handle is slim, yet hand-filling and is well textured and contoured to provide a solid grip. The custom Kydex sheath is well made and provides very positive retention of the knife. It is not going to fall out on its own.

The MKC Speedgoat is the perfect choice for the small game hunter.


SPECS

Speedgoat

Blade Steel:  52100 carbon ball-bearing steel
Finish: Black Parkerized
Blade Length: 3 ¾ inches
Overall Length: 7 ¾ inches
Blade Thickness: 0.095 inch
Handle: Paracord wrapped (7+ feet)
Weight: 1.7 ounces
Sheath: Ultralight sheath (2 ounces) with retention screw for custom lock, removable MKC pack/belt clip
Origin: USA
MSRP: $225


My first outing with the Stonewall was taking it hiking. I used it to split some smaller pieces of wood into kindling and make feather sticks for a campfire. It handled these chores easily and was a pleasure to use.

My real test of the Stonewall came while bow hunting whitetail deer with my Fred Bear takedown recurve. I was blessed to be able to harvest a mature buck and use the Stonewall to process it in the field. The razor-sharp edge allowed me to make a precise incision in the hide without piercing the body cavity.

From there, the broad blade design enabled me to choke up on the knife and cleanly remove the entrails and internal organs. While I often prefer a smaller knife for this duty, the Stonewall’s design and thin, sharp edge worked so well that I would have no qualms about using this as my sole large game processing blade.

SPEEDGOAT FOR SMALL GAME

After receiving a Speedgoat for testing, I immediately took it out for some small game hunting. After shooting a big gray squirrel with my .22, I decided to cook it for lunch in the woods. I had seen an old tire during my hunt and used the Speedgoat to cut out a small section of the sidewall to use as a fire starter. The knife’s ability to pierce the thick rubber was impressive and cutting out a section was nearly effortless.

“I used the Speedgoat to field dress and skin the squirrel, as well as to process some wood for a makeshift spit. Like the Stonewall, it performed flawlessly.”

Working with the Speedgoat in the field is like using a scalpel. It is capable of extreme precision.

Here, the MKC Blackfoot is shown in the hands of a first-time hunter with her first big game harvest. Nick Roush photo.

The Blackfoot provides many of the same functions of the Speedgoat but adds a G10 handle and a slightly different blade design. Nick Roush photo.

The Blackfoot provides many of the same functions of the Speedgoat but adds a G10 handle and a slightly different blade design. Nick Roush photo.


SPECS

The Blackfoot

Blade Steel:  52100 carbon ball-bearing steel
Finish: Black Parkerized
Construction: Full tang
Overall Length: 7.75 inches
Blade Length: 3.5 inches
Weight: 3.6 ounces
Handle Material: G10
Origin: USA
MSRP: $300


I used the Speedgoat to field dress and skin the squirrel, as well as to process some wood for a makeshift spit. Like the Stonewall, it performed flawlessly. Its thin profile, razor sharp edge, and acute point meant that very little effort was expended in making any of the cuts.

PART OF MY LINEUP

While my time with the Stonewall and Speedgoat have been limited, I can tell you that they are now a permanent part of my lineup. These knives exhibit excellent build quality, their designs are timeless, and they take a scalpel-like edge and are easy to maintain.

These knives are not designed to be a “one-tool-option.” They are knives, first and foremost. When paired with a saw and a quality axe or hatchet, they are very nearly the perfect complement to the loadout of the modern-day woodsman.

While the Stonewall excels at game processing, it’s tough enough to process wood for the cook fire.

While the Stonewall excels at game processing, it’s tough enough to process wood for the cook fire.


SOURCE

Montana Knife Company

MontanaKnifeCompany.com