Biography of Rob Weber
Rob Weber
Robert E. Weber Jr., lives in Dewey OK. He is a Christian man and has been married for over 15 years. Rob feels his wife is like royalty. “It took me awhile but, I finally figured out if I treat her like a queen she treats me like a king.” With the exception of four years, Rob has lived in Dewey his entire life, During his four years of absence from Dewey, he was serving his Country in the USAF as part of the 2854 Civil Engineering Squadron as HVAC Specialist He received an honorable discharge in 1992 as an E-4.
He says, “The most influential men in my youth were my Dad and Doc Davis. I learned tons about life and work ethics from Dad and Doc. I still consider those two to be the best friends I could ever hope to make, but there are lots of good people here in Dewey, it’s just a great place to live and raise a family.”
Rob has been excited about knives his entire life, and has been collecting them from a young age. Around age seven he recalls asking for a pocket knife, “When anyone asked what I would like for Christmas the answer was without a doubt, “a pocket knife.” My dad thought I would lose it, but I still have it in my chest of treasures.
In 2002, Rob decided he wanted to make a knife “I bought a couple of blades at a local gun show and proceeded to put handles on them. After completing the knives I felt no satisfaction, because I had not built the whole knife.” He then scrounged around, found an old rusty file, and set to work to build his own knife. When it was finished, Rob said he knew he could do better. After completing two more knives, Rob caught a glimpse of a knife made by Bob Livingston, a local knife maker in Dewey, and started asking questions. Bob introduced him to Joe Ryker, also a knife maker in the area. After watching him work, Rob decided he needed a belt grinder. He didn’t even have a shop yet. He foraged for parts, rolled around in the gravel with a torch, a 4 ½” grinder, a portable welder, and he built his first 2"x72" belt grinder.
Rob proceeded to make a few stock removal knives, and then learned about the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing. He enrolled in the April 2003 basic forging class. Harvey Dean and Michael Conner were his instructors at the school and Rob feels, “They are an awesome team when it comes to teaching the art of forging and grinding knives.” Upon his return from Bladesmithing School Rob reports, “I came down with a contagious disease I caught in Old Washington Arkansas called, forged blade of the brain. With knowledge in hand, Rob couldn’t wait to get his shop assembled so he could play. “I started making knives and making mistakes, but I learned something new on each one.”
For a plain carbon blade, Rob enjoys working with 01 tool steel or 5160 for their abilities to sharpen and cut – it’s the cutting Rob likes best! For damascus blades, he prefers using 01 and L6 or 1080 and L6. His favorite handle material is almost anything natural. “If it fits the look I am after... it is my favorite at the time.” He especially likes the look and feel of stag, although he said, “WOW! Tiger tail maple with the right finish is hard to beat.” Stabilized wood is also among his list of favorites. While he sometimes indulges in stainless, Rob said, “I like the ole faithful - traditional silver and brass for guards and pommels.”
Rob really enjoys building fighters and Bowie Knives, “. . . especially when you get one that wants to dance in your hand, the knives which seem to “come alive” when you pick them up,” and that’s what he strives for in each knife he makes. Customers appreciate all of his styles, but most of the knives he has sold in Dewey are his Hunters. For function and practicality...well... they do a nice job.
Achieving the Journeyman Smith Rating with the ABS is one of the most satisfying things Rob says he has accomplished to date and aspires to achieve the rating of ABS Master Smith. “I feel as if I have finally found my calling. Barring death or injury I can’t see ever giving up making custom knives. When I am not building a knife in the shop, I am building one in my mind. There is nothing like the feeling of handing a knife to a pleased customer. God gives everyone of us gifts. How we use them is up to us. I just hope He is pleased with me.”