Bill King

Bill King is a legendary Florida-based custom knifemaker whose four-decade career was forged under the mentorship of industry icons Frank Centofante and Mel Pardue. Specializing in high-end art knives and precision liner-lock folders, King is renowned for his mastery of "old-school" custom techniques, including hand-rubbed ATS-34 stainless steel blades and intricate, sole-authorship Damascus. His work is defined by a commitment to luxury materials, featuring presentation-grade Mother-of-Pearl, fossilized mammoth ivory, and meticulously anodized titanium liners adorned with decorative file-work. As a founding pillar of the Florida Knifemakers Association, Bill King’s knives—ranging from the sleek "Wasp" fixed blade to gemstone-inlaid folders—are highly sought-after by collectors for their flawless mechanical action and their heritage-rich connection to the pioneers of modern custom cutlery.