George Roberts
Calling himself Bandit Blades Yukon, George Roberts has handcrafted knives for over 24 years. Relocating to the Yukon permanently in 1992, George set up a new, well-equipped shop in the McCrae East Industrial area of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. George got started making knives in 1978 while working as a guide and fishing lodge operator near Wawa, in the northern part of the province of Ontario. In the beginning he made fish filleting knives for use at the lodge for him and other guides, but soon the fisherman he guided sought after the knives. One thing led to another and in 1984 George started selling his knives commercially. Today, George makes hunting knives, sport fishing knives, locking blade folders, as well as an assortment of collectible knives for his clients located worldwide.
George has many credits to his name and considers being instrumental in forming the Canadian Knifemakers Guild (CKG) his greatest success. Himself being the inaugural President of the Canadian Knife makers Guild, he passed on this honour to Wolfgang Lockner upon relocating to the Yukon. He now sits on the Board of Directors for the Guild.
In 2002, George was juried into the 14th running of the Great Northern Arts Festival, held north of the 60th parallel in the Land of the Midnight Sun, Inuvik, and NWT. The 10-day show, complete with artists at work and workshops that enable artisans to expand their horizons, was as George puts it; a dream come true. Fine art collectors from around the globe attend this world-renowned show. To sum up his experiences here, George was quoted as saying "Wow, what a rush!" At the 2003 Festival, George was held in honour to close the show by carrying out the ceremonial whale bone.
If one were to drop into his shop and ask him to make you a cutting tool, he would insist on discussing your needs of the design and what materials would best suit your purpose. While all of his knives are “usable collectables” and considered art, George strongly recommends that they be used for their intended purpose. All knives are guaranteed for the working life of the maker, under normal use, workmanship and quality are assured. Working with the patterns and idea’s of his clients adds to the excitement and enjoyment of this masters craft.