Hello from Lake Nebagamon Wisconsin! My name is Bobby Matherly, I have been in the ABS for a couple of years now. I have been lurking around the forums for quite sometime. Im still very thirsty for all knowledge related to bladesmithing.

I retired from the Navy Seabees in 2008 and taught Water Survival for the Department of Defense until 2012 when I moved to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. I'm now the maintenance supervisor for a school district. My passion has always been bowhunting and fishing but I'm quickly realizing that knife making and building my knife shop has taken over. To put this in perspective, I have been putting in for a bear tag for seven years now and I actually drew a tag this year and I'm thinking about passing on it. Partly because I'm more interested in knife making and I'm also signed up for a Wootz class that runs 1 week during the 3 week bear hunt.

I'm really into take down hunting knives, and I really like San Mai Laminated blades, so you can imagine my excitement when I talked to Karl Andersen and he agreed to help me out. That was last summer and I can assure you I have been a pest ever since! Thanks Karl for your generosity and time you have given me!

I also had the privilege of riding to my first hammer-in in Troy Ohio last year with Karl and Brian Thie. As a newbie, I can't put into words what an awesome experience that was and how much I learned both at the hammer-in and in the car.

I went to my first Blade show this year and got to meet a lot of people, some I knew from the Troy hammer-in and a whole lot of new people. The thing I love most about the ABS besides everyones willingness to share information is the friendships and a sense of family. I hope we keep it that way!

Wish you all the best,

Bobby