Rooted In Steel!
Tiger McKee’s dream of making custom knives
was planted at an early age
McKee Model #146
Some people just have it in their blood. Tiger McKee, owner and founder of Shootrite Firearms Academy — and our own Tactics & Training columnist! — spent much of his youth in northern Alabama. There, his father commanded the 20th Special Forces Group, located in Huntsville at the time. Many tactical firearms experts and enthusiasts are familiar with Tiger’s firearms training courses, the articles he’s penned in various publications as well as Handgunner, and other accomplishments. Tiger also has the distinction of being awarded an expert rating with handgun and rifle by none other than Col. Jeff Cooper at Gunsite. But there’s another side to Tiger of which most aren’t aware — he’s a custom knifemaker.
“Knives and guns have always been part of our family,” Tiger tells Handgunner. “I had a toy pistol as a tiny boy my mom said I wouldn’t leave the house without. Knives were the same. It was a great milestone as a young boy when you received that first knife, usually a small camp knife. I wore mine everywhere, including trying to sneak it under my coat when I dressed for church.”
The seed of making knives was planted early on in Tiger’s childhood. “I’ve toyed with knifemaking for a long time. When I was about 10 years old I finally pestered my grandfather, who was a blacksmith and policeman, to help me make a knife. Of course, I had to have a large Bowie blade. He looked over my drawings and we built it, with him doing most of the hard work. I still have that knife to this day.”
McKee Model #139
McKee Model #141
Growing The Dream
McKee’s final impetus to pursue knifemaking came from an itch he’s been scratching all his adult life. “I can’t say there’s anyone specific who has influenced my work,” Tiger notes, “But, like all things, I’m sure I’ve been influenced by work I’ve seen. A big motivation for making knives was, regardless of what knife I handled, there was always something I didn’t think was ‘right,’ ” he confesses. “I’ve studied a good bit about design and function and have strong ideas. It’s the same for firearms and shooting gear — everything I have has been modified. Ultimately, the only way to express my concepts was to bring them to life.
“About eight years ago I decided to make the Shootrite instructors gift-knives for Christmas. After that, I was hooked,” laughed Tiger! “I began making a few. The first year I made around 10 which I sold to Shootrite students. Every year I made more, selling them all. I thought, ‘Hey, here’s a hobby that pays for itself.’ In 2018 I made 72 knives and about half of those were custom orders.
“I sell a lot of knives to law-enforcement, but my main clients are just normal guys and gals,” states Tiger. “A common comment I get is the knives ‘feel good.’ I spend a lot of time on getting a lightweight knife that’s well balanced. To me it’s all about size, shape, weight, and balance.
“This October I got my first commercial account,” Tiger adds. “A knife shop in Huntsville, Alabama ordered 10 of my knives to sell. I’ve known the owner for a long time and had taken some knives in just to get his ideas. I was surprised when he ordered 10 knives to resell. This realization I might actually be decent at what I’m doing, prompted me to expand my knife making, taking some time away from teaching firearms and devoting it to my blade work.”
McKee Smatchets
McKee Model #140
Neo-Retro Designs
Tiger’s fixed-blade designs might best be describe as Neo-Retro. Although they are thoroughly modern, look closely and there’s a hat tip to the zoomy accents found in Art Deco period design. Tiger notes, “One of the most popular knives I make is the Smatchet — based on the WWII Smatchet — but reduced in size for carry. Someone asked me could I make one and I said, ‘Sure, I can do that.’ The Model #45, a small knife with a 4″ blade in either drop point or tanto, and the Model #151, a modern version of the classic Tanto — what my wife Gretchen calls the ‘little black dress’ of knives — are also very popular.”
His Models #139 and #141 are large fixed-blade fighters with traditional profiles. McKee adds spice in the form of Fuller grooves extending off the blade tip and machined patterns in the handle scales, not only adding flair, but enhancing the user’s grip. And those finger guards? Very cool stuff! In essence, Tiger McKee’s desire to modify and improve the knives he designs has paid off in huge dividends.
For blades, handle and sheath materials Tiger has stuck with time-proven materials. “I work in O1 carbon steel,” the knifemaker lends. “I love carbon steel and O1 is easy to work with — especially for a basically equipped shop like mine. I know it’s not fancy, but neither am I. It’s predictable steel, it holds an edge well, and is easy to sharpen. Ultimately I’m looking to make a knife that functions. I’ve also started making sheaths for my knives out of G10 as opposed to Kydex. The G10 is durable, you can do a lot of different things to it you can’t do with leather or Kydex, and the finished work has a unique look.”
What does Tiger enjoy most about making knives? “It’s a mixed media art,” he explains. “You get to work with multiple mediums — steel, wood, synthetics — and incorporate all the different techniques used to work with these materials into one piece of art. It actually has function, and doesn’t just sit on a shelf or hang on the wall. It’s very relaxing and one of the best ways to express creativity I’ve found.”
When a skilled artisan enjoys his work as much as McKee does you can bet you’re going to get an excellent product, and Tiger flat delivers.
For more info: Shootrite Firearms Academy, www.shootrite.org, Ph: (256) 582-4777, Email: [email protected]
