Forging ahead: Blades for Brothers provides knife-making instruction for veterans, first responders

Veteran Greg Coker is sharing his passion for forging knives and its positive impact on his life with others. Coker is inviting veterans and first responders to free instructional classes at his home in Graham as a way to build fellowship and give them purpose.

Coker was an AH-6 helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (The Night Stalkers), for 15 years. He conducted 11 combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq from 2001-2007.

His passion for knife making came after his retired buddies encouraged him to get into the hobby. He took the plunge and forged his first knife using a coal forge in 2021. From there, Coker bought a forge, a one-inch grinder and an anvil and started what would become a passion and a purpose.

“Now I know why the vets do this, because it’s therapy and it gives us a purpose, it gives us a mission and that’s how we’re wired,” he said.

Coker had multiple head injuries and after seeing the positive impact knife making had following his annual checkup, he wanted to keep the hobby going.

“I just continued and I absolutely fell in love with it. I sought out top makers in the country... and went to learn because, in my mind, I’m 20 years behind everybody now. ...In this industry, everybody is there to help you and it’s really cool,” he said. “...I continued and I’d travel. I’d go to Oregon, go to Florida (and) work with different master bladesmiths and just learn.”

He made knives, sold them and put that funding into his shop which is located at his property on Finis Road. He told his wife in 2023 that after knife making had helped him with his struggles he wanted to start a nonprofit to help others and Blades for Brothers was born.

“This is for vets and first responders to come. It’s a safe place to come fellowship, to come make something, start something new. I’ve had eight individuals come through my little shop – seven vets and a firefighter,” he said. “Last year, I raised about $6,000 and bought two of the vets that were serious about knifemaking... a commercial 2x72 knife grinder and gifted it to them. Both of them now are full-time knife makers. ...I’ve had four guys that told me that I saved their life. That’s my mission, that’s my path is just to help guys out and it’s a lot of fun.”

Coker’s helicopter was shot down in Iraq in March 2004 while supporting a Delta Force team south of Fallujah. The helicopter caught fire after the crash, but the minigun barrels, main rotor blade, vertical fin, bullets, pieces and parts that remained were given to Coker after extraction.

“We carried two Dillon Aero miniguns and they have six barrels each. Those were given to me, the 12 barrels, and for years I was like, ‘Man, I’ll make something cool out of them one day.’ Several years ago, Greg Medford took some of the barrels and made a Damascus folder (knife) and we only got like 11 or 12 knives out of it, but I gave those (knives) to the guys that were with me the day I got shot down,” he said.

Some of the first knives made by Coker were forged from the minigun barrels of his helicopter along with pieces of steel from the World Trade Center.

“I spent... about 100 man hours just forging the steel. I made four original blades out of it. ...I made them to sell and raise money to help us because, my wife and I, we’ve been paying out of pocket for all this,” he said. “It’s just God’s plan for us and for these guys.”

Since starting, Coker has been able to purchase new equipment for his shop and has also received donated equipment. Additional funding from sales has also benefited organizations that assist veterans, first responders and their families.

Coker hosted seven veterans at his home Saturday, March 4, for a class with instruction from Bill Poor and Benjamin Dean. Every veteran signs the vertical fin from Coker’s helicopter and leaves with a newly-forged knife and the potential for a new passion.

“All these guys, they get on fire, man,” he said. “They’re excited and they’ve got purpose and they’ve got a mission. Those are the things that drive us.”

The organization will continue to see growth as Coker invites top bladesmiths in the country Saturday, Oct. 5, to an event where he is expecting more than 150 participants. As the organization continues to grow, he said he will work to accommodate those who cannot make the trip to Graham.

“My strategic plan is to identify knife makers all over the country and then, say a vet that lives in... California (and) I can’t pay to fly him to Dallas and go get him, I can identify a knife maker in California that’s not far from him and I’ll coordinate with them (and ask) ‘Hey, would you mind if this vet just comes and watches for an hour a day?’” he said.