10/30/2026
Some things are worth more than their monetary value could ever reflect.
Today would have been my grandfather’s 107th birthday. There’s nothing particularly significant about that number, but this time of year always brings back memories of him. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 30 years since he passed away.
Papa was one of the hardest-working men I’ve ever known, and one of the toughest, too. He started his painting business in Fort Worth in 1948 and ran it for exactly 50 years, until his passing in 1998. Years of climbing ladders took a toll on his knees, but even after both were replaced, he kept going. He led by example, loved God, loved Mama Dot, and took care of his family.
When I was a kid, my grandmother would pick me up after school, and I’d spend time at their house. Papa would come home every evening after a long day of work. Sometimes I’d be sitting in his chair when he got home, and he’d quietly put his hand on the back of the chair to let me know it was time to move. I still have that chair, where he’d sit and take off his work boots after a long day.
Of all the things I have to remember Papa by, the one I treasure most is his belt buckle.
A Southwestern-style silversmith named Bill Kirkham custom-made it for him in 1976, a year before I was born. My dad says Papa wore it everywhere, and looking through old photos of Papa and Mama Dot traveling, I see it in picture after picture. They made time to travel the country in their RV during the summers, eventually visiting all 48 contiguous states.
I didn’t start wearing the buckle myself until 2025, when I stepped into knifemaking full time while between jobs. As I took on the responsibility of running my own small business, wearing his buckle felt like a fitting reminder of his hard work and dedication.
Now it’s part of my standard gear at knife shows. I’ve even had custom turquoise pieces made to coordinate with it.
As I travel with Steel Dog Knives, I hope to take his buckle to at least half the places he and Mama Dot visited together.
I think about Papa often, especially this time of year. I’m grateful for the reminder he left me and the example he set.
