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Raleigh AVery - Craftsman & Founder of Avery KNifeworks
I made my first knife when I was fourteen years old — a hunting blade crafted from an old sawblade and a whitetail antler, gifted to my grandfather.
In 2014, I was introduced to the world of knifemaking by the late Preston Roberts of Mountain Men while learning traditional skills at Turtle Island Preserve. I spent several years there studying hunting, forestry, blacksmithing, horsemanship, and the kind of hands-on mountain skills that root a person to the land. Those years shaped me, and eventually my own development was chronicled in Seasons 8 and 9 of Mountain Men from 2018–2020 — a chapter of my life now streaming on Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
When the world shifted in early 2020, I made the leap to knifemaking full-time. What began as a craft show hustle and small online presence quickly grew into something far bigger than I imagined. The support from people who connected with my work made it possible to open a flagship showroom in Banner Elk, North Carolina — a town close to my heart, just over the ridge from where I grew up. It was the place I always pictured myself retiring to someday; instead, I planted my business there long before retirement, and it’s been one of the most fulfilling decisions of my life.
The High Country isn’t just where I live — it’s the foundation of everything I make.
Hunting, fishing, cooking, and mountain living are woven into my everyday experience, and the knives I craft flow directly from that way of life. My work is functional art: built to be used, built to last, and built with purpose.
Avery Knifeworks is the result of a lifetime spent outdoors, a deep respect for the craft, and a commitment to making blades that feel as honest and capable as the mountains that inspired them.
Malea Avery - Showroom Director & Customer Experience Lead
Though western North Carolina was where I laid my head at night, most of my growing up was done in the woods, hills, swamps, and coastlines of places like Montana and Florida. My dad is a lifelong hunter, trapper, and angler, and even works part-time as a Wildlife Damage Control Agent, so carrying a knife was just part of everyday life. The outdoors wasn’t something we just visited — it's what we live for.
When Raleigh and I met, we connected quickly over that shared background. As Avery Knifeworks began turning from an idea into an actual business, I found myself helping wherever I could. While finishing my degree at Appalachian State, I balanced online classes with working in the showroom, talking with customers, and helping make the sheaths that went out with our knives.
In 2024, Raleigh and I got married — and two weeks later, Hurricane Helene came through and turned everything upside down. It wasn’t the start we imagined, but my life has never followed a predictable script. I’ve never cared much about what’s considered “normal” for someone my age. I just show up, work hard, and jump in wherever I’m needed.
Today, I manage the showroom and most of our customer communication. I genuinely enjoy helping people find the right knife and welcoming them into what we’re building here. Whether you stop by the showroom in Banner Elk or reach out from across the country, I hope you feel supported and at home with us.
We like to go anywhere there’s a good hike, good food and drink, fish to catch, golf to play, or history to explore. We’re parked here in Western North Carolina by design — all of the above are right in our backyard.
Most days, our cravings are satisfied with a quick trip down the road: dinner at Stonewalls, a hike in the Linville Gorge, fishing in Nunya Bizness Creek, watching deer from a tree stand, or dodging them on the golf course.
Even with all that just minutes away, we’re often happiest at home after a long day in the shop — lounging with our GSPs (German Sofa Pups) and unwinding with a bourbon and a cigar. If the temperature calls for it, we finish the evening with a plunge in the hot tub and call it a perfect High Country night.
the Avery's
