Behind The Anvil — Best Of: Brian J. Rognholt Well… Mike has lost his voice yet again! So rather than leave you without an episode, we’re digging back into the archives for a Best Of featuring Brian J. Rognholt. This was a great conversation packed with bladesmithing, craftsmanship, and some good old-fashioned Behind The Anvil conversation. Hopefully Mike will have found his voice again by next week! Until then, sit back and enjoy this Best Of episode.

I’m Done Taking Custom Knife Orders — Here’s Why Welcome back to Behind The Anvil with your host, Michael Peterson! In this episode, Mike goes solo and gets real about the current state of Mike’s Damascus Knives and why he has made the decision to step away from custom knife orders. Mike starts off by reading a Facebook post he came across asking fellow bladesmiths why they stopped taking custom orders. The responses from other makers got him thinking about his own experiences and ultimately led into a bigger conversation about why custom work can sometimes take the fun out of the craft. Between working full-time driving truck, dealing with the demands of running a knife business, social media headaches, and recovering from a nasty two-week illness that has left his voice a little rough, Mike has been doing some serious thinking about what he actually wants from the craft. Mike talks about the good, the bad, and the downright frustrating parts of taking custom orders — from deposits and customer expectations to progress pictures, deadlines, and trying to make someone else's vision while still keeping the passion alive. After years of dealing with an overflowing order book and the pressure that comes with it, Mike explains why making knives for customers started feeling more like a job than something he loved. So what's the plan now? Instead of taking custom orders, Mike wants to make what he wants to make — one-off knives, inventory pieces, experimenting with designs, and eventually playing around with some mosaic Damascus. With six knives currently available and progress updates being posted on Facebook, the focus is shifting toward making knives on his own schedule and enjoying the craft again. Mike also talks about the challenges knife makers face getting their work seen on social media, the restrictions surrounding knife-related content, the economics of batch production versus custom work, and some advice he's picked up from other makers along the way. Plus, there's talk about potential guests, possibly having a fill-in or occasional guest host, and maybe getting Spicy Mikey involved somewhere down the road. Sometimes stepping back isn't giving up — sometimes it's how you get the passion back. Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and join Mike Behind The Anvil! Check out 3rd Day Coffee – Seguin: https://third-day-coffee.square.site/

Blades, Bucks, Gas & Nuclear Power: From Blade Show West to Utah’s Energy Future In this episode of Behind The Anvil, Michael Peterson and Brad sit down for another wide-ranging conversation that goes from knives and hunting to fuel prices, technology, military security, and the future of energy in Utah. Michael talks about his recent trip to Blade Show West, meeting industry contacts, checking out other makers, and gathering plenty of inspiration. They also discuss the upcoming move of the show to Indiana while the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City undergoes its massive renovation. From there, the conversation takes a turn toward the economy and the price of fuel. With gas pushing nearly $5 a gallon and diesel even higher, Michael and Brad discuss refinery closures in California, refining capacity, storage, regulations, and what may really be driving fuel prices. And because this is Behind The Anvil, the conversation doesn't stay on one subject for long! They get into California politics and investigations, Iran, military security in Britain, warning labels and safety regulations, technology's effect on dating and relationships, and the differences they're seeing between generations. Brad also shares the story of his recent pronghorn hunt, including a heart-stopping moment when his bow limb delaminated during the shot. The guys talk hunting techniques, exotic hunts, whitetails, and even the debate over introducing modern technology to indigenous communities. Finally, they turn their attention to something hitting close to home: Utah's energy future. Michael and Brad discuss Valor Atomics' plans for small modular nuclear reactors near Price, Utah, the decline of Utah's coal industry, solar manufacturing, and whether nuclear power could be part of the solution to America's growing energy needs. It's another episode where you truly never know where the conversation is going to go! Listen in as Michael and Brad talk blades, bucks, gas prices, technology, politics, and nuclear power—all from the perspective of two guys just trying to make sense of what's happening around them. Behind The Anvil with Michael Peterson From blades to comics and everything in between.