The Georgia Custom Knifemakers’ Guild is a non-profit entity dedicated to fostering and furthering the passion for custom knifemaking and related activities in Georgia. The Guild believes in promoting the craft through education and training and welcomes members of all skill levels.
President: John Shore
More information coming soon…
Vice President: Eddie Ray
More information coming soon…
Secretary: Nola Costin
More information coming soon…
Treasurer: Cindy Acker
I joined Georgia Custom Knifemakers’ Guild in February 2021 as a Friend of the Guild and became Treasurer in May 2021. I was juried in as a Full Member on November 13, 2021 and am only the second female to be juried. I live in West Georgia with my husband, who is also a juried member of the Guild. We enjoy making knives in our basement workshop.
Member-At-Large: Dirk Loots
I am currently living in North Georgia where I spent half my time making knives and the rest I am a part owner of Pops Knife Supplies, I also do some knife photography.
I make one of a kind art knives, from fixed blades to folders, and spend a lot of time on my creative designs. I will use many different steels, from carbon damascus to high end stainless steels and use exotic handle materials like mammoth ivory, mother of pearl and burls. I am a stock remover but will utilize heat and a hammer from time to time.
Website: www.dirkloots.com
Instagram: @dirk.loots
Director/Chairman, Poythress
Scholarship Fund: Andy Roy
Fiddleback Forge was started by Andy Roy in his garage in 2007. What began as a passion project quickly graduated to a real business in May of 2009 when Andy was laid off from his job as an antenna engineer. With his new basement shop, he began turning out 6 knives per week and was able to make ends meet.
More than a decade after Andy’s first knife was made from a file and some leftover hickory was made in his garage, Fiddleback Forge is housed in a professional shop with several full-time employees & apprentices. The current operation has successfully created thousands of beautiful handmade knives. In addition to the beloved handmade models, there’s been countless Mid-Tech Production Field Knives made.
In early 2018, the shop also started to manufacture a new line of knives featuring designs by Andy Roy, as well as other popular knifemakers like Dylan Fletcher of Fletcher Knives, and more to come. This new company is known as Cumming Bladeworks USA…named after their previous shop location in Cumming, GA. The shop has since moved to Braselton, GA into a facility that’s more streamlined for efficiency. It’s meant to be an entry level knife at a lower price point than the Fiddleback Forge lines.
Website: www.fiddlebackforge.com
Instagram: @fiddlebackforge