James Sponaugle

Visit this maker’s website here: https://www.jesknives.com/

Growing up deep in the mountains of West Virginia, hunting has always been not only a passion of his, but also a way of life. His father, being an enthusiastic outdoorsman himself, taught his brothers and himself the skills of living off the land that had been passed down for generations.
He attributes his respect for nature and love of the hunt to him as he was an excellent hunter and a World War II veteran. James crafted his first knife while in elementary school and still has it today. It is a sentimental piece to him because it reminds him of his father and hunting in the mountains as a boy.
Today he hand crafts knives for the common hunter as well as the avid collector. He takes into consideration the needs of the active hunter and adds a mirrored finish and rare handle material for a knife that any outdoorsman would be proud to call his own.
He has come a long way from that wooden carved knife in elementary school. Today he uses a Bader grinder to hollow grind. His knives have a full tapered tang and nickel silver or stainless steel hand guards. They are professionally heat treated in an atmospheric controlled furnace. His favorite steels to work with are ATS 34 or 154CM.
He has also spent the past 39 years as a tool maker at TRW in Lebanon. This has been a great asset to his hobby as a knife maker. He makes each knife with great attention to quality and detail as if it were his own. After seeing the knife go from raw material to finished product he is very proud to have the Sponaugle name on it. He believes that it represents all that is desired in a true hunter’s tool.