HAVRE — In a small shop on the Hi-Line, the steady clang of steel and the hiss of heat fill the air. At Montana Hammer Knives, owner and bladesmith Lincoln Holt is forging more than custom blades; he’s shaping a legacy rooted in craftsmanship, community, and memory.
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“This really turned into a memorial art project for my brother,” Holt said.
Holt began making knives more than a decade ago, eventually turning the craft into his full-time career in 2014.
After losing his brother in a car accident, Holt was searching for a way to carry his memory forward. What started as a personal project soon became a long-term goal: to handcraft 5,800 knives, a number inspired by a sticker showing the weight on his brother’s old farm truck.
“I was like, you know what, I’m going to try to make 5,800 knives for my brother,” Holt said. “That’s going to be his art project.”
Today, Holt has completed around 4,000 knives, a milestone he once wasn’t sure he would reach.
Inside the shop, each knife follows an intensive process. From raw carbon steel to finished blade, Holt estimates there are more than 40 steps involved, including forging, grinding, normalizing, heat-treating, polishing, and final assembly.
On a good day, he can complete a knife in about seven hours, but he says efficiency comes only after years of trial and error.
“I wish I could take my first 500 knives and pile them all up and burn them,” Holt said with a laugh. “They’re awful compared to today’s, but I had to take those steps to get here.”
Holt works alone, handling every part of the process himself. It’s a point of pride that customers know exactly whose hands shaped their knife.
“I’ve always really liked knowing I’m the only one that touched it,” he said. “When people get something, they know exactly who made it… and that means something.”
Many of Holt’s knives are deeply personal. Customers often bring in materials tied to family history, antlers from a first hunt, steel from an old tool, or metal from a loved one’s belongings.
Holt incorporates those materials into the blade or handle, turning the knife into a lasting keepsake.
“It becomes powerful,” Holt said. “You’re making something that will probably outlive me and be passed down to other people. That means a lot.”
While Montana Hammer Knives ships blades across the country and even overseas, Holt’s roots remain firmly planted in Havre.
Giving back to the community has become a defining part of his work. Over the years, Holt has donated knives and proceeds to help families facing medical emergencies and other hardships.
“If I’m proud of anything, it’s not making 4,000 knives,” Holt said. “It’s helping people when they’re in the worst place in their lives.”
He says he also supports conservation organizations like Ducks Unlimited and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, causes closely tied to the outdoor lifestyle many of his customers share.
“I like to be kind of a lantern in the dark,” Holt said. “To remind people they’re not alone.”
Every knife Holt makes is designed as a working tool, built to be used, not just admired.
“All of my knives are meant to work,” he said. “When someone comes back and tells me they’ve used it season after season, that’s the best compliment.”
Looking ahead, Holt hopes to continue making knives for as long as he can. He has considered pursuing Master Bladesmith certification someday, but for now, his focus is simple: providing for his family, serving his community, and keeping the craft alive.
“I’d love nothing more than to just keep doing what I’m doing,” Holt said. “This is my life.”
To learn more about Holt’s story, click here to visit his website.
