Dirk Pinkerton

North Carolina knife maker Dirk Pinkerton had an interest in knives from a very young age. Initially in his formative years, he was fascinated with traditional hunting knives and general outdoor knives. When he grew up, he spent nearly twenty years in the private security industry, where he began to take notice of small, concealable knives meant to be carried for self defense, along with general utility knives. Pinkerton says, “I strive to make the most versatile knife system I can. This system isn't just the knife and sheath, but the individual parts of each component and how they work together.” Working in private security afforded Pinkerton the opportunity to work with, and train with many various law enforcement agencies, as well as fire & emergency response departments and various military and government agencies & organizations. Pinkerton credits those experiences, along with his day to day interactions with those professionals as key in the development of his knives. Dirk Pinkerton’s designs have his unique look about them. Upon closer inspection, they reveal themselves to be simple, straightforward knives, with purposeful, clean design elements. Dirk’s designs tend to deliver an excellent blade to handle ratio, which permits the use of multiple grip positions safely, and comfortably. Pinkerton’s knives tend to emphasize compactness and conceal-ability for the law enforcement & public safety professional. Soldiers, policemen and defense minded citizens have all taken notice of Dirk’s designs, when choosing discreet, yet highly effective knife options for personal defense. “My design philosophy is simple and straight forward, a design big enough to get the job done, but in the smallest package. It should have a comfortable but versatile grip. It should be able to handle whatever task you would expect a knife to handle.”