Mountain & Prairie Podcast

Max Wenerstrom is a blacksmith and craftsman best known for creating hand-forged knives that balance a beautiful aesthetic with practical durability. Max started blacksmithing at the age of 15, became obsessed with the craft, and quickly demonstrated an elite talent for creating one-of-a-kind knives. His passion led him to study under a 17th-generation Japanese bladesmith, who began teaching Max the art of forging knives in the Japanese tradition-- a labor-intensive, time-honored method of creating some of the world’s sharpest and most durable knives. - I was introduced to Max by my friends at Ranchlands, one of the West’s most respected ranch management companies. Max was participating in a residency at Ranchlands’ 87,000-acre Chico Basin Ranch, where he was offering blacksmithing demonstrations and forging a specific model of knife developed in partnership with Ranchlands. It’s a knife created specifically for ranchers-- designed to be used on horseback for everyday work and high-stakes situations. So when