Josh Smith Montana Knife Company is the story of a utility lineman and master bladesmith who started selling limited batches of hunting knives from a garage in 2020 and ended up running a 51,000-square-foot factory in Missoula, Montana. Smith is the founder, president and CEO of Montana Knife Company, known as MKC, which he started with co-founder Brandon Horoho. According to the Buy American Campaign, the company’s Missoula facility represents a $19 million investment and supports 105 American jobs. Here is how Smith got there, what the company sells, how it has grown without disclosed outside funding and what questions remain.
Josh Smith Montana Knife Company: Who Are the Founders?
Montana Knife Company was founded in 2020 by Josh Smith and Brandon Horoho. The company’s About page says it builds working knives for working people in Missoula, Montana, and lists Smith as president, founder and master bladesmith and Horoho as co-founder, vice president and chief marketing officer. A podcast listing calls Smith the founder, owner and CEO.
The Montana Department of Commerce’s groundbreaking announcement describes Smith as owner and founder and Horoho as co-founder and co-owner. The photo caption in that release spells the co-founder’s first name “Josh,” while the company’s own page says Brandon, so the company page is the safer spelling.
The company says Smith has dedicated his life to making knives for 30 years. That depth of craft, paired with a co-founder from the marketing and web side, is the core of the Josh Smith Montana Knife Company story.
Growing Up in Lincoln and Becoming a Master Bladesmith
Smith’s story begins in a small town. The About page says the company’s foundation began in Lincoln, Montana, where he learned to make knives at age 11 under the guidance of his little league baseball coach. The company’s page on Smith adds that he grew up on the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The coach’s name appears as Rick Dunkerley on the About page and as Rick Dunkley in a founder interview, so spellings vary.
According to the company, Smith earned his rating as an American Bladesmith Society Master Bladesmith at 19 and is the youngest ever to do so. That is a company claim, and the ABS rating is a demanding certification that involves testing knives for performance. In a ValiantCEO interview, he says that after about a year of learning, he put together his own shop and joined the ABS.
Smith’s craft background is unusual for a founder of a company this size. Most large knife brands are run by executives who commission designs. Here, the founder is a hands-on maker, and that credibility is part of the product. His early years are the craft foundation of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
A Company Name Registered at 19
One detail shows how long the idea waited. Smith told Knives Illustrated that it bothered him for years that his custom knives were too expensive and too few for the average person, and that he wanted to make knives people could put to use. He also said he registered the name Montana Knife Company with the state of Montana when he was 19, because he always knew he would launch the company and had to wait until the time was right.
A Gear Patrol profile tells the same story slightly differently, saying his mother registered the name with the state while he was still honing his skills, and that the success he enjoys now would not come for another two decades. The versions probably describe the same registration from different angles, but the sources do not agree on who filed.
The takeaway is patience. Smith held the brand name for roughly two decades before the market, his experience and the right partner lined up. That long wait is part of the character of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
From Lineman to Founder
Smith did not leave his day job right away. In the ValiantCEO interview, he says that after he met his wife, she encouraged him to start a knife company. While he was not ready to quit his job, he started making prototypes and networking, which led him to an event called WinterStrong in South Carolina.
The About page tells the same turning point from the other side. Smith connected with Brandon Horoho through a mutual friend at that event, and what began as a conversation about website development evolved into a shared vision for American knife manufacturing.
In the summer of 2020, they officially launched the company, and Smith quit his job as a utility lineman that December to go all in, according to ValiantCEO. The Buy American Campaign also describes him as a former lineman who did not set out to disrupt an industry but to build something real. The lineman years are the working-class foundation of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
The Garage Era, Limited Drops and Steel Shortages
The early business was small. The About page calls the beginning “the 2-car garage era,” and the Montana Department of Commerce says the company began as a small operation in Frenchtown before growing into a standout in the American outdoor and tactical gear economy.
The company sold knives in limited drops, a model more common in streetwear and sneakers than in cutlery. Smith told ValiantCEO the company started with limited knife drops, like the now-iconic Speedgoat, while navigating COVID-era steel shortages and supply chain challenges. Despite that, the team kept prototyping new models, growing the size of its drops and figuring out how to scale.
The drop model is still visible on the website. The homepage carries a “Never Miss a Drop” sign-up, a countdown to the next blade drop and a note that the pocket knife line is restocking on a stated date. Limited releases create anticipation and let a small factory match production to demand. The drop model is the launch engine of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
The Speedgoat and the Product Line
The product that put the company on the map is the Speedgoat. The homepage lists the Speedgoat 2.0 and a Mini Speedgoat 2.0 among its featured hunting and everyday models, alongside the Blackfoot 2.0, Stoned Goat 2.0, MKC Whitetail, MKC Elk Knife and others.
The MKC homepage organizes the range by use: hunting, culinary, everyday, bushcraft, fin and feather, and an ops category of utility and tactical blades. There are also special editions, including Blood Brothers, an Ultra series, a Damascus series and blaze orange knives.
The range has grown well beyond the first model. Culinary sets include the Meat Church Chef knife, which the site says was designed by Matt Pittman and Josh Smith, a boning knife, a cleaver, a santoku and a paring knife. There are also hatchets, choppers and fillet knives. The range is the product backbone of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
Working Knives for Working People: Pricing and the Generations Promise
Pricing sits in the premium but reachable range for hand-finished American knives. At the time of review, the homepage listed the Mini Speedgoat 2.0 at $200, the Magnacut Speedgoat 2.0 at $225, the Blackfoot 2.0 at $300, the MKC Whitetail at $315, the Speedgoat Ultra at $375 and the MKC Chopper at $575. Prices change, so check the site.
Review counts are unusually high for a knife brand. The same page shows 4.9 and 5.0 star averages, with roughly 1,768 reviews on the Blackfoot 2.0 and about 1,473 on the Mini Speedgoat 2.0. These are ratings displayed by the company’s store, and they have not been independently audited.
The company also backs its knives with a service promise. The Generations Promise offers free lifetime sharpening and maintenance: MKC will clean, sharpen, repair and even reshape blades when necessary, and rewrap handles, free of charge. The site frames it as a promise that knives are made to be used hard. That promise is part of why customers keep buying from Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
Apparel, Gear and the Creator Partners
MKC is also a lifestyle brand. The homepage lists a large apparel range, with hats, tees, hoodies and jackets, plus a USA-made cut-and-sew line and performance wear. Gear and accessories include sheaths, leather goods, knife care products, cutting boards, drinkware, seasonings and a collaboration with YETI.
The site lists “Backed By Industry Legends,” naming Cameron Hanes, The Bearded Butchers, John Dudley and Remi Warren. These are hunting and butchering personalities with large audiences, and the homepage also sells a Cameron Hanes pack-out tee and a Bearded Butchers tee. The exact commercial arrangements, such as equity, endorsement or licensing, are not described in the sources reviewed.
Collaborations extend to conservation groups. The apparel catalog includes tees with the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Wild Sheep Foundation, the Mule Deer Foundation, the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance and Mossy Oak. Merchandise and partnerships extend the brand beyond knives, and they feed the community that supports Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
The Missoula Factory: $19 Million, 51,000 Square Feet and 105 Jobs
The most visible sign of growth is the factory. The Montana Department of Commerce reported that its staff attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Missoula for a major expansion, joined by a senior vice president of Bank of Montana. The department’s director called the company a Montana business that started small and became a standout in the American outdoor and tactical gear economy.
Smith summed up the meaning in that release, saying it is proof you can build something in this country from the ground up. The Buy American Campaign reports that the company now operates from a 51,000-square-foot facility in Missoula, a $19 million investment that supports 105 jobs, and that MKC is in the third phase of its expansion: a garage startup, then rapid demand and scaling, then a full-scale manufacturing operation.
Those numbers come from an advocacy group’s profile of the company rather than a financial filing, so treat them as reported figures. The expansion is the manufacturing milestone of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company, and it reflects the decision to scale in the United States instead of moving production overseas.
Financing Without Disclosed Outside Capital
The financing story is unusual for a company of this size. In the sources reviewed, there is no disclosed venture round, no named equity investor and no valuation. The Buy American Campaign says that in 2020 there was no massive operation, no big facility and no corporate backing, just skill, demand and a willingness to do the work.
The expansion involved local financing. The Commerce Department’s photo shows a Bank of Montana senior vice president at the groundbreaking, which suggests bank lending was part of the project, though the sources do not state the terms. Smith and Horoho are described as owner and co-owner.
Revenue is not public. The company has not disclosed sales, profit or how the $19 million was financed. For comparison with companies that publish funding rounds, see our story on Nopalera’s Series A, and for more on how funding shapes young brands, see our Funding News section. Growing on customer revenue and local financing is a defining feature of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
Community and Conservation
The company ties its brand to causes. The homepage navigation lists “MKC Gives Back,” a community giving page, and a Missoula referral and GovX program for military and first-responder discounts. It also lists the Black Rifle Coffee Company in its links.
Smith described an early example in the Knives Illustrated interview. He brought in a couple of celebrities and made a knife together, then raffled it and used the proceeds to fly 14 veterans to his shop in Montana to teach them to forge. The magazine’s interview dates from the company’s early years.
The collaboration tees with wildlife and conservation groups also support causes, though the sources reviewed do not say how much of the proceeds goes to each partner. Community giving is part of the identity of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company, and it reinforces the brand’s rural, working-class roots.
Where Montana Knife Company Stands in the Market
The knife market is crowded. Large mass-market brands sell inexpensive knives, heritage American makers sell high-end pieces, and a wave of direct-to-consumer brands sells online. Gear Patrol described MKC as one of the fastest-growing brands in the world of knives, which is a journalist’s characterization, not a measured ranking.
MKC’s differentiators are clear. It is made in the United States. It is founder-led by a master bladesmith. It sells through drops that create demand. It offers a lifetime sharpening promise that builds long-term loyalty. And it has extended into culinary, apparel and gear, giving it multiple revenue lines.
The risks are real. Demand for drop-based products can be uneven. Steel, labor and energy costs affect margins in a factory business. Competitors can copy popular designs. A large factory raises fixed costs. In a crowded field, Josh Smith Montana Knife Company competes on craft, American manufacturing and community.
Risks and Open Questions
A fair business profile should name the open questions.
Financial transparency. The company has not disclosed revenue, profit or the financing of its $19 million facility.
Facility numbers. The $19 million, 51,000 square feet and 105 jobs come from an advocacy group’s profile, not a company filing.
Growth model. Limited drops create excitement, but a larger factory needs steady, predictable demand.
Product mix. Apparel, gear and culinary lines depend on the knife brand staying strong.
Regulation. Knife laws vary, and some products fall into categories regulated differently in different places.
Key-person dependence. The brand is closely tied to Smith’s craft credibility.
None of these is unusual for a fast-growing manufacturer. Naming them is part of an honest look at Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
Leadership Style and What’s Next
Smith leads as a craftsman-founder. His public comments are practical and modest, framing success as the result of hard work and patience, and he has been consistent about the mission: make knives people can actually use. His co-founder Horoho, who came from web development and marketing, handles the brand side.
The company’s own slogans, “Working knives for working people” and “Built to be used. Hard,” show a clear identity. The visible roadmap includes new blade drops, a restock of the pocket knife line, a growing set of collaborations and the continued ramp-up of the Missoula factory. A careers page signals ongoing hiring.
The test will be keeping quality and the Generations Promise intact as production and headcount grow. That discipline will define the next chapter of Josh Smith Montana Knife Company.
Lessons From the Josh Smith Montana Knife Company Journey
The Josh Smith Montana Knife Company journey offers five practical lessons for founders.
First, build craft credibility first. Smith’s master bladesmith rating gave the brand authority before it had a marketing budget.
Second, find the partner who complements you. Horoho’s marketing and web skills balanced Smith’s craft.
Third, use scarcity thoughtfully. Limited drops built demand while production was small.
Fourth, back the product with a promise. Free lifetime sharpening gives customers a reason to keep and recommend the knife.
Fifth, scale where your story is. Building a large factory in Montana kept the American-made story intact as the company grew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Josh Smith?
Josh Smith is the founder, president and CEO of Montana Knife Company. He is an American Bladesmith Society Master Bladesmith and a former utility lineman.
What is the Josh Smith Montana Knife Company story?
It is the story of a master bladesmith who launched limited knife drops from a garage in 2020 with co-founder Brandon Horoho and grew the business into a 51,000-square-foot Missoula factory with about 105 employees.
What is Montana Knife Company?
Montana Knife Company, or MKC, is a Missoula, Montana company that makes hunting, culinary, everyday, bushcraft and other knives, plus apparel and gear.
Who founded Montana Knife Company?
Josh Smith and Brandon Horoho founded the company in 2020.
What is the Speedgoat?
The Speedgoat is MKC’s best-known hunting knife, now offered as the Speedgoat 2.0, Mini Speedgoat 2.0 and other variants.
What is the Generations Promise?
It is MKC’s offer of free lifetime sharpening and maintenance, including cleaning, sharpening, repair, reshaping and handle rewrapping.
How much funding has Montana Knife Company raised?
The sources reviewed show no disclosed venture funding or outside equity round. The company says it started without corporate backing, and a bank representative appeared at its factory groundbreaking.
How big is the Montana Knife Company factory?
According to the Buy American Campaign, the Missoula facility is 51,000 square feet, a $19 million investment that supports 105 jobs.
Where are MKC knives made?
The company says it builds its knives in Missoula, Montana.
How much do MKC knives cost?
At the time of review, featured models ranged from about $200 for the Mini Speedgoat 2.0 to $575 for the MKC Chopper. Check the website for current prices.
Conclusion
Josh Smith Montana Knife Company shows how patience, craft and a clear promise can turn a one-man shop into an American manufacturer. By waiting two decades to launch, pairing with a marketing-minded co-founder, selling through limited drops and building a Missoula factory instead of moving production overseas, Smith has made MKC one of the better-known names in hunting knives. The open questions are how steady demand stays as capacity grows and how transparent the company becomes about its finances. If it keeps its quality and its promise, Smith may have built a lasting American brand from a garage.
For more founder journeys in consumer brands, see Freddie Martignetti’s Rosaluna, Marcos del Pilar’s Pro Padel League and Dorsia’s Series A on Denote Press, or browse all Founder Stories.
