| As a young man growing up in rural South Carolina, Bobby Branton developed a passion for knives that has stayed with him throughout his adult life. Growing up around his Uncles Slaughterhouse gave Bobby his first insight into the use and care of knives. Safe handling was also taught to the young Branton early on. In his younger years, knives were tools used for skinning game, filleting fish and throwing as a means of entertainment. Then in 1983, edged weapons took a different perspective in Bobby’s life when he discovered some custom knives in a local shop. He was amazed at the beauty and craftsmanship of these handcrafted blades and started his own collection. His interest grew so readily that he read every book he could locate on the subject and decided to try his hand at knife making. After constant reading, research and collecting of knives, Bobby reconstructed his shop in order to create these treasured handcrafted knives Through his research he discovered one common factor, a man named George Herron. He was a master craftsman who had a seven year wait for his custom knives. Mr. Herron soon befriended Bobby and soon a close bond formed between the two craftsman. Bobby purchased knives from him while gaining much advice and valuable pointers. Bobby makes his working knives by the “Stock Removal Method” and by hand forging various metals. His style has obviously been influenced by George Herron and Walter Brend along with forging techniques from well known Master Bladesmith, James Crowell. Bobby and Walter Brend collaborated on four different designs that were licensed to Bobby’s knife company by Walter. Those four designs were very popular. Bobby met legendary blademaker Harry K. McEvoy in 1987. McEvoy taught Bobby the fine art of handcrafting throwing knives, he also helped design Bobby’s first series of throwing knives. Bobby has since designed several models of throwing knives that have been used to win major knife throwing competitions across the country. Bobby has become an expert knifemaker and at the age of 35 was awarded his “Journeyman Bladesmith” stamp at the 1992 Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia by the American Bladesmith Society under the tutelage of James Crowell. Another turning point in his career was when Bobby met knife throwing legends Paul LaCross and Kenneth Pierce (Che Che Whitecloud). LaCross was billed as “The Worlds Foremost Knife, Axe and Tomahawk Thrower”. It was Paul who taught and motivated Bobby to put together a throwing exhibition which he performs throughout the south east. LaCross retired in 1990 due to health reasons and passed away in 1992. In 1996 with the help of Stephen McEvoy, Kenneth Pierce and his wife Nancy and a few close friends, Bobby was instrumental in reorganizing the American Knife Throwers Alliance and held what has been arguably the first knife and tomahawk throwing only contest in over 20 years. Bobby and his wife Brenda opened up their home and Property and held annual knife throwing contest with attendance for knife throwers from all over the United States and one or two competitors from over seas. In 1996, Bobby was asked by Blade Show, Atlanta which is the largest knife show in the world, to be the exhibition knife thrower and to put on a knife throwing seminar each year that continued until the year 2020 for a total of 24 years consecutively. At Blade Show, Atlanta, Bobby’s focus was to educate the attendees in the safety of handling knives, how to hold the knives and to explain and demonstrate the different styles of knife throwing from multiple distances. During the seminar, Bobby was able to guide them in the process enabling them to be able to go back home with the knowledge to safely handle the knives and how to set up a target and begin their journey in knife throwing. Bobby was also past president of (SCAK) South Carolina Association of Knifemakers. Bobby has been promoting the art of knife throwing by giving seminars on the subject of knife throwing since 1996 traveling around the country at various shows and gatherings. Also, in 1996 Bobby at the age of 39 Bobby was awarded the South Carolina State Folk Heritage Award for the work in Bladesmithing and for preserving the traditions of South Carolina. Bobby has assisted numerous individuals in starting their own knife throwing contest around the world. After Bobby decided to stop holding the tournaments Kenneth Pierce and his wife Nancy still stopped in for annual visits down to visit until their passing. While promoting knife throwing to the general public, Bobby has taught thousands of Boy Scouts as well as a few celebrities in the fine art of knife throwing. Bobby was also asked to train Army Rangers and guests which ranged from their family members which included grandmothers and even a few Army Colonels during the Best Ranger competition in the early 2000’s at Ft. Bennington in Georgia. In 2004, Bobby was hired by a production company to be a technical advisor and to train actress Salma Hayek for a role in a new movie “Bandidas” to be released in January, 2006. Bobby was flown to L.A. to train Miss Hayek for the role of a bank robber who happens to be an expert with knives. After the training in L.A. Bobby was flown to the movie set in Mexico City to further train Ms. Hayek and to act as a technical advisor during filming. A couple of weeks later after leaving Mexico City, Bobby was then flown to Durango, Mexico where he performed the actual throwing on location for the more difficult throwing scenes. Bobby also designed and crafted some very special throwing knives for Miss Hayek and actor Sam Shepard to use in the film. In 2015, Bobby wrote a book on knife throwing titled, The Ultimate Guide To Knife Throwing. In 2017, Bobby purchased the world famous Tru Balance Knife Company from Stephen D. McEvoy. Bobby sold Tru Balance knives in 2022 and it now no longer taking orders, but still working and making fewer knives and other projects as he enjoys semi retirement. Bobby has been sought out by a few knife production companies to license Bobby’s designs to add to their existing production line to enable more customers to obtain a Branton designed knife. Over the years Bobby’s knives have been featured in most of the Knives annuals and he and his work have been featured in other publications such as Knife World, Blade Magazine, Tactical Knives, Knives Illustrated, The World of Art Knives lll and South Carolina Wildlife and has made numerous appearances on television Including the History Channel’s series, Weaponology. In 2020, Bobby brought his knowledge of and passion for the history of custom knifemaking movement in the Carolinas as an advisor to help the McKissick Museum in Columbia, South Carolina to supplement the development of The exhibit, Carolina Knives, the roots of a revival that ran from July 2021 until December 2021. The exhibit only ran five months as opposed to the twelve months due to the Covid 19 virus. Bobby has handcrafted knives for such greats as Paul Lacross, Che Che Whitecloud, who is billed as “The Fastest Knife Thrower in the World”, Knife Throwing great Larry Cisewski, rock star, Alice Cooper and Former Governor of South Carolina Carroll Campbell and The former Governor of Texas George W. Bush, who would soon be President of the United States . Bobby’s knives are sold and exhibited all over the world with avid consumers in England, Germany, France, Israel, Australia, Japan and Canada. One of Bobby’s throwing knives now resides in the world famous Randall knife museum in Orlando Florida. Over the years, Bobby has been a consultant to a number of production companies who sought out his expertise in knife throwing for shows such as Guinness book of world records, Fear factor, That’s Incredible, Maxim magazine and Men’s Health magazine. Bobby has authored four articles on the subject for Blade Magazine® and one article for The 5th annual Levine’s guide to knives. In addition to making and throwing knives, Bobby has become proficient in the western arts of whip cracking and traditional archery. As a result of the deaths of Che Che Whitecloud, Sylvester Braun, Paul LaCross and Harry K. McEvoy, a great loss is felt in the brotherhood of knife throwing and traditional archery. Therefore, Bobby vows to preserve and promote the dying arts of the old West. During his career Bobby has become involved in educating others and promoting his craft while keeping tradition alive. Bobby is also a three time inductee into the International Knife Throwers Hall Of Fame |
Branton Knifeworks 