Meet the Neighbors: Blades, bullets and books

This article started out as a mystery on who would be the subject. I received many recommendations around town, but one name came up several times. It was the name of an unusual and talented knifemaker, Greg Coker. I began my search for the talented, but elusive knifemaker that no one knew how to find or contact.

Those who know me will tell you that I don’t give up easily, I was eager to meet another man that loves knives as I do. Perhaps, I could pick up a few tips since I have made one or two myself. My first lead came from a former rodeo bullfighter turned local fireman. Jay told me he had Greg’s phone number. Jay assured me that Greg would talk to me, and that I would be amazed by his story.

I called Greg and he graciously invited me to his home to talk and have a look at his shop. As I entered the shop, I saw things I recognized, a large anvil, forging hammers and many others. I asked why he started making knives and Greg began to share his story and things got very interesting very fast, just as Jay said.

Greg said that working the steel helped his mental state and gave him something to focus on and helped him relax. 

The knife he showed me was very special because the blade was made from the barrel of one of the guns from his gunship (military helicopter), which was shot down in Iraq. In fact, Greg was shot down three times, but that’s a story for another day. He made two knives from the shattered pieces of his experience. 

The blades were forged in fire twice, first in the heat of battle and were broken; secondly, by Greg in his shop. These pieces were made whole and given new purpose; gun barrel and chopper pieces, bits of uniform cloth, the cap of a spent casing, even the leather of his boots became the sheath to carry and protect these precious blades.

Greg showed the knives to a friend when he finished them and told him how much the forging and knife making process had helped him. The friend urged him to enter one of the knives in competition, and he finally did; to his surprise the knife earned the “Best in Show” title. 

Greg realized he needed to share this experience and peace of mind with others. He reached out to some ex-military buddies and offered to teach them how to make knives and what he had learned, and found, through the experience.

Greg’s little idea to help others that shared his experiences to find a measure of peace, grew into something greater and expanded to some Gold Star family members. 

Eventually it became a program known as Blades for Brothers. Greg is not one to blow his own horn, he is just a man interested in helping others. 

You may have guessed from the title of this article that there is more to Mr. Coker’s story, and you would be right, there is more to come.