JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Knives made for the “Last Blade Standing” bladesmith competition in Jacksonville last month will now help pair military veterans with service dogs – and you can help make that happen.
Inspired by the History Channel show “Forged in Fire”, local Navy veteran Matthew Martin organized the summer event to not only bring some of the best knife makers in the country to the River City but to create comradery that would benefit former members of the military battling PTSD.
WATCH: Last Blade Standing
Competitors had to use recycled materials, some coming from junked cars and hand tools to make their homemade masterpieces. Submissions came from around the country for judges to test.
Martin’s idea from the start: once the “Last Blade Standing” competition ends, he would put all the knives up for auction – with the money going straight to K9s for Warriors.
“People that have PTSD, or people that are missing limbs, sometimes the wounds are invisible,” Martine told us. “And having a loyal service companion that you can take with you is hugely important.”
Now, all those knives -- nearly two dozen of them – are on the auction block. The auction closes at noon Friday, Aug. 20.