Mick Strider is an exceptional knifemaker who has brought significant innovation to the craft of making knives. He began making specialized knives for military use in 1988 after a short military career that was cut short due to injury.

Strider's approach was to not be burdened by past knife designs, but rather to start with a clean slate informed by his own experiences and knowledge of what soldiers needed in a knife. His early knives were very functional and utilitarian in design - beefy, solid, and with unbreakable features. This innovative approach made them highly sought after by soldiers, police, and others going into harm's way.

Over the years, Strider continued to innovate with his knife designs, constantly trying new ideas and features. Some key innovations included:

• The AR/GB twin folder knives, which created an entirely new category of extremely strong folding knives.
• The SnG/SMF/PT style folder, which combined a thick titanium framelock with an integral G-10 composite handle, representing a major advancement in folder design.
• The SJ75 folder series, introduced in 2012, which featured a new pivot system, revised stop pins, and other unique design elements.

Throughout his work, Strider has embraced a minimalist design philosophy, stripping away everything non-essential to focus on pure functionality. He is described as having an "absolute dedication to making the correct tool for a given task, and nothing more" - this pursuit of perfection and innovation is seen as his greatest contribution to knifemaking.