Growing up deep in the mountains of West Virginia, hunting has always been not only a passion of mine, but also a way of life. My father, being an enthusiastic outdoorsman himself, taught my brothers and me the skills of living off the land that had been passed down for generations.
I attribute my respect for nature and love of the hunt to him as he was an excellent hunter and a World War II veteran. I crafted my first knife while in elementary school and still have it today. It is a sentimental piece to me because it reminds me of my father and hunting in the mountains as a boy.
Today I hand craft knives for the common hunter as well as the avid collector. I take into consideration the needs of the active hunter and add a mirrored finish and rare handle material for a knife that any outdoorsman would be proud to call his own.
I have come a long way from that wooden carved knife in elementary school. Today I use a Bader grinder to hollow grind. My knives have a full tapered tang and nickel silver or stainless steel hand guards. They are professionally heat treatted in an atmospheric controlled furnace. My favorite steels to work with are ATS 34 or 154CM.
I have also spent the past 39 years as a tool maker at TRW in Lebanon. This has been a great asset to my hobby as a knife maker. I make each knife with great attention to quality and detail as if it were my own. After seeing the knife go from raw material to finished product I’m very proud to have the Sponaugle name on it. I believe that it represents all that is desired in a true hunter’s tool.