Calling himself Bandit Blades, George Roberts has been making his handcrafted knives for over 30 years, most recently in his well-equipped shop in the McCrae area in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.

George started making knives in 1978, primarily for hunters, fishers and collectors. At that time he was based Parkhill, Ontario, a small community near Sarnia and running a fishing lodge near Wawa, in the Northern part of the province. He couldn't find knives made of high quality steel for cleaning fish, so he started making his own.
Now George makes knives for clients all over the world. As a founding member of the Candian Knifemakers Guild, he was instrumental in the Guild establishing a web site for its members.

From time to time you will see enhancements of other artists incorporated in my work. I take great pride and carefully chose who I will work with me on my pieces, only those people that I would consider a benefit to the recipient of my work would I use to accomplish our main goal that is to produce the finest of the finest in a custom knife and sheath known to man-kind.

I have collaborated on a regular basis with other fine artist of the CKG Guild to make some outstanding knives to help support our guild and our makers. I believe this type of collaboration is a real boost to the new makers of the knife making craft. Providing them with a goal, of one day being the maker of a guild knife. Collaborating with other fine knife makers.

Just for an example I myself had the great fortune to collaborate with one of my mentors, the one that took the time to share his knowledge, to teach me the mechanics of the locking liner folding knife. The time I spent with this man I will never forget. I still to this day believe that he is one of the finest folder makers on the planet, that man is the Great Steve Linklatter. Thanks so much Steve.

Twice I have been fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of working with leather artists. I call them artists because that is exactly what they are. The first ones were a couple of gals I met over 25 years ago, that had a saddle & tack shop in Ontario . Sandy & Wendy of Quarter Ridge farms, it is those ladies that are responsible for teaching me the basics of fine leather craft that I have been using for over twenty years. I have been producing my own handcrafted sheaths to house the knives I make, one at a time each one designated to the knife it was made for.

In 2008 I started to work with this man Moe G, a leather worker. I wanted to develop and take the leather sheath making to an all new and higher level of the common knife sheath. Our work tries to use animals -fish and related objects- to coincide with the knife to be housed inside the sheath. This process is being done by hand carving the leather to bring forth the features of the related object being carved .We have also been altering and enhancing the texture of the cow-hide leather we use, to allow the sheaths to take on a real different looking appearance to help them stand alone. This combination of a well fitted / formed, hand carved and tooled knife sheath is then Hand sewn with a double saddle stitching. To complete the sheath it is then dyed to color and all of the exposed edges are rolled round and the whole thing is sealed in our special non glaring leather sealer. We sincerely hope that you all enjoy our collaboration and the new twist we offer the world to the common knife sheath, enjoy!

If you were to drop into his shop and ask him to make you a cutting tool, he would insist on discussing exactly what design suited your hand and needs.

George and Moe G