Whoever said the road to succes is a lonely one is partially right. East Compasso Knivery is a one man operation that has been trudging through the metal dust and quenching oil since the summer of 2012.

     

        Born out of the boredom of my 13 year old self while sweating through the summer under the shade of the monstrosity that is our favorite Texas live oak. In dire need of entertainment I grabbed a piece of wood to try my hand at what would be a very short attempt at carving something. I had it all laid out in my mind, a little less wood here and a shave or two off over there and I would be done. I was ready to start when I realized, I had no knife to work with. Down to the barn I sulked to see what I could scrounge up when suddenly I thought to myself "Hey! I'll just make my own knife!" I spent the next hour or so staring down at our bench grinder attempting to make some sort of knife/shank out of a hacksaw blade. Needless to say I finished it, however, "it" was terrible. Blinded by my own pride of what I had accomplished, I began to make more.

 

         Like my first knife, the next dozen or so would be made out of what I could find lying around. Needless to say, they were all pretty bad. However, it is that starting knife and the ones to follow after it that have made me the knifemaker I am today. Still young and foolish, but always looking for ways to improve a skill I love.

       When people ask where I learned to do this I always say "personal experience, the internet, and YouTube". However when people ask what my inspiration was to start this, the answer is always "my grandfather". My Papa Roger was a truly remarkable man. From designing and welding the VLA in New Mexico to always knowing which breaker to switch when his wife and six daughters would trip the circut box while getting ready for Sunday mass. Always going by instinct rather than plans on paper he was truly a gifted man.

 

       He was always there to teach me a new skill from sharpening a knife to brazing peices of metal together. He is truly an inspiration to me and is the reason I try my hardest on every knife I make to hopefully continue on the legacy to the best of my ability.

 

 

  In Loving Memory: Roger Clendenen 1921-2011