Hello everyone. This is Woody in the Woody Shop. Being Friday and all, I thought I’d tell you a story. And seeing as how this is the first of our Frontier Stories, I figured we’d start with a fellow who was pretty well known for telling a few himself. His name was Jim Bridger. Although depending on the story, you might know him better as Old Gabe.Bridger headed west while he was still a teenager and spent most of the next half century in country that, when he first saw it, very few Americans had ever laid eyes on. He trapped beaver. Blazed trails. Guided wagon trains. Helped establish a trading post. Found routes through the Rockies that other people...

For six Fridays, Frank “Woody” Bridwell is heading back to the American frontier—sharing six remarkable stories and the six one-of-a-kind handmade knives they inspired. Some names you'll know. Others you may not. Every one left behind a story worth telling.

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Frank "Woody" Bridwell reflects on why the milestone inspired a special collection of custom handmade knives. More than a commemorative series, it's a tribute to four generations of craftsmanship, the customers who carried Woody Brand to all fifty states, and the enduring American spirit of building something meant to be used, treasured, and passed down.