Episode 397 - Josh Smith - Manufacturing, Tariffs, and Bringing Jobs back to the United States

Cleared Hot

Society & Culture

4.9 • 11K Ratings

🗓️ 25 July 2025

⏱️ 114 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As Montana Knife Company’s Founder and Owner, Josh Smith is the Master Bladesmith behind creating and designing working knives for working people that are built to last for generations. Josh grew up in Lincoln, Montana on the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

At the age of 11 Josh’s baseball coach, Rick Dunkerley, began teaching him how to make knives. In the very beginning, Josh would go to Rick’s shop where he learned to remove stock blades under the guidance of Rick.

About a year later, Josh began putting a shop together at his home. Josh’s Dad gave him room to work in his equipment shop, and at the age of 12 Josh joined the American Bladesmith Society. Over the next few years Josh began forging and honing his craft. Josh turned 14 at the Eugene Oregon knife show where he met other incredible knife makers, all too willing to share their talents and knowledge with Josh.

At 15 years old, Josh passed the Journeyman Bladesmith test in Atlanta, Georgia at the Blade Show. Josh became the youngest bladesmith to ever pass this test. The Journeyman test is a two-part process. A test blade must be forged and heat treated with the capabilities to chop a 1” rope in half, 2- 2x4’s in half and then still shave hair. Once the cutting tests are done the blade must be able to bend 90 degrees in a vise without breaking. After passing the performance test the maker must present 5 knives to a panel of Mastersmith Judges. Each knife is examined closely to ensure the knife is made to the highest standard of craftsmanship. At the Journeyman level a maker is not expected to show perfection but is expected to show a sufficient level of craftsmanship expected from a professional bladesmith.

Montana Knife Company: https://www.montanaknifecompany.com

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Okay, got the red smoke.
0:03.1	Gun runs, north and south, west of the smoke.
0:09.0	Okay, copy, west of the smoke.
0:11.2	I'm looking at danger close now.
0:13.6	I'm all winter, baby.
0:14.5	Give it to me.
0:15.0	I need it.
0:16.0	You're cleared hot.
0:17.2	Copy, cleared hot.
0:19.0	So, be honest with you, you seemed a little whiny on the internet.
0:24.6	Yeah.
0:25.6	Bordering on Cuntish.
0:27.6	Yeah.
0:28.6	Well, I was feeling a little bit.
0:29.6	I'm on a little rucksack march and no podcasters will even host me.
0:33.6	No, I'm going to talk to me.
0:35.6	That part I do regret, but it wasn't even actually podcast. It's trying to get. It's like, hey, man, you have my number. You've been up here a bunch. Well, I'm not going to call and ask you to be on. But. Why? What have I said every, let's pretend that has never happened before. This episode is brought to you by Peak. This is the longest running sponsor so far in the year of 2025. And I have been a pretty heavy coffee guy since my mid-20s, which was the first time I actually tried a cup of coffee. Late to the game. Never thought I'd be a tea person. Hadn't really had any interest until this brand reached out. They sent me a bunch of stuff. And I get this question all the time. Do you really like it? Do you enjoy it? The answer is yes. There's a couple reasons why. First off, convenience, right? For those of you audio only, I just poured out of their beaker one of these sachets, which is what they call the containers that hold their tea. I can travel with these things. I can bring them into the studio. I just need hot water and I can get that in restaurants or from a kettle, whatever it may be.
1:31.4	There's an offer at the end. This beaker is really cool because you can measure it out specifically. And then there's this little frother that is pretty amazing as well.
1:39.9	You combine those things with some warm water and you have an amazing cup of tea. Peak has a variety of different teas for different reasons.
1:46.2	Everything from radiant skin to immune support to digestion to energy.
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	...

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