Ep 10: Aaron Gough on Quality & Sustainability in Knife Making

Aaron Gough is a custom knife-maker based in Toronto, Canada. He has been making knives full time for the past 6 years and approaches knife-making in a modern way by trying to blend automation and craftsmanship. 

His love of electronics, programming, machining, CNC, and knives has hugely influenced his work. Before his knife making career, he worked as a software engineer . 

Gough’s signature Resolute knife is designed as the ultimate outdoor utility knife to handle your hunting and camping tasks with ease. "Sculpted with CNC and finished by hand" is the motto of Gough Custom.

Quote: "Buy once, cry once"

Topics Discussed:

How Aaron got into knife makingHow he used Reddit to market, promote, and sell his first knivesWhy designing one knife model and perfecting it is the ideal business strategyThe tradeoff of knife steels, edge retention, corrosion resistance, heat treatment, and other knife making criteriaKnife design principles of shape, profile, grind, materials, and moreAaron's favorite outdoor activities and most memorable experienceThe finiteness of nature, materials, and sustainability in businessWhy understanding supply chains and verifying material sourcing is so importantHow perverse incentives are hurting our environment and business practicesWhy Aaron may start manufacturing his own steelBest options considerations for knife handle materialsFavorite gear to carry when in the outdoorsWhy in the future garbage dumps could become the most valuable resource we have

Resources Mentioned:

Gough Custom KnivesEsee KnivesEcoEncloseEcoVative DesignCRKT M16 knifeKwaiken Mini Flipper knifeJohn Grimsmo KnivesBook: The Design of Everyday ThingsBook: The New Science of Strong MaterialsBook: How to Change Your MindPaul StametsXYZ PodcastAaron Gough's InstagramAaron Gough on FacebookAaron Gough on YouTube

The Adventure Made Podcast is sponsored by Rewild Gear. Essential gear built for the great outdoors, designed to fuel your next adventure. Come find your wild at RewildGear.com!