About Us

Bear's passion for knives started when he was a wee laddy. He started making knives and axes in his back yard as a young man in Flagstaff, Arizona. They were terrible... All of them. For the next few years he dabbled with smithing occasionally at best. In 2016, he picked up the smithing bug again and started it up as a "hobby" at first. Now self-employed since 2017, he remains a loving father first and enthusiastic blacksmith second.  ERC was founded and remains in the great State of Iowa.

Ash started making knives in 2019 but her work with leather is what people know her for! As a new maker she has been an unbelievably strong and integral part of ERC.  Ash makes things when she can but currently she is focusing on being a mom to our beautiful boys!