Greg Medford is a native Arizonan and an ardent American patriot. He is dedicated to hand-crafting and small-scale manufacturing as a part of the new Small Factory Industrial Rebirth of America. Greg’s early development was deeply shaped by his Mom being 2nd generation Greek immigrant and his Dad being from an old Irish/ American family that hails from Massachusetts, West Texas, and Arizona. The values of pragmatism, hard work, honesty, love of one’s country and treating people right were instilled early. Greg’s Greek grandfather, Christy Nekitopoulos, would get teary eyed talking about his love for this country. The trucking company he established is still family-owned and operated nearly 100 years later (www.acmotorexpress.com). Greg’s grandpa, Ferris Medford, was a scrappy West Texas American forged out of the dust and cattle that surrounded him. He was an avid horseman, and throughout his life he handcrafted fine leather goods for his peers in law enforcement. Greg finds these men and his parents as the principle influences of him being an innovative designer. His designs bring Yankee ingenuity, Western Freedom, and high-tech aerospace to an intersection of form and function that puts smiles on faces.
Greg is relatively new to knife making but attacks the calling with the same intense passion and dedication towards excellence that he brings to everything he does. A life long lover of all things edged, he is no newcomer to the design and use of knives. He has been restoring and using period Japanese swords since the mid 1980s. Greg is a 31-year professional Martial Artist and hand-to-hand instructor, as well as a close quarters master level instructor and has a very strong background in close quarters bare-handed weapon defense and disarms. He holds a Commercial Pilot’s License and is an FAA certified single/multi/instrument flight instructor. He holds a surface level aerobatic competency card for flying airshows and has been a leader in the Warbird Aviation community for years. When Greg flew airshows professionally, he was not only the pilot, but he built his planes, rebuilt their engines, and even imported exotic planes from around the world for restoration and use. All of these experiences uniquely prepared him for the design and manufacture of advanced edged weapons and tools. Greg served in the United States Marine Corps from 1988-1992 as an M.O.S. 0311. He was part of “New England’s Own” and deployed for Operations Desert Storm and Shield in 1990-1991. Greg was part of the augmentation force integrated into the 5th Marines and was a part of ground combat operations in Task Force Ripper in Western Kuwait. He holds a special place in his heart for anyone who needs a knife for the various things required in warfare and brings his first-hand experience to the design and making of these special blades. Greg knows and feels how important it is to have the very best tools to get you back to your loved ones after a mission or adventure. When a knife leaves the studio with the MKT logo stamped into it, all of these influences bear forth in the steel and quality of our products.
