Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Arrabito.
Andrew , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started out in Northern Ca on the hillside above Napa Valley. I made knives with my older brothers that were big into the outdoors and wilderness survival. From a young age I wanted to be in the SEAL Teams and after high school and right after 9/11 I joined the Military and went into the SEAL Teams out here on San Diego. I spent the next 10 years at multiple SEAL Teams going to war.
I got out the end of 2012 and started trying to figure out what I was going to do next. It took some time but I had gotten back into hunting and the outdoors and I had used blades and tools my entire life and knew what worked for the end user. I did my research on steels and grinders and the equipment to make the best blades. I started idea the awning in my back yard late 2014. I just started making a simple camp blade for buddies and by the time I had made 50 I had a large demand for more. I hired my roommates and a SEAL teammate to start helping me and learning with me.
We grew substantially over the next 5 years till now we are 25 strong and have a shop off Miramar Rd. Now we are looking to purchase a place here in San Diego to move into a larger spot. We have been making blades for the military, special forces, movers and tv shows. People like Ozzy Osborne and secret service. Also making pieces for chefs around the world and steak knives for restaurants such as The French Laundry in Napa Valley.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing is smooth about growing a business. But with making personal tools that will help you with your mission in life and whatever you do we have had such a great demand that we are blessed to continue to grow and learn the market. Design new tools for people and get them into their hands for their work.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Being an end user has been the greatest asset into making these tools for people. From the Navy SEAL in the field to the chef in the kitchen we have we have been able to have so much input from other end users that we know what works and what tools can truly be an asset to whatever work you do. Also, we wanted to make custom blades that resonate with you and your personal life.
Customizing these tools to what you love and care about such as using old military clothing and making the grip out of it. Also inlaying north stones. We have had many people send us ashes from their loved ones that have passed away and we inlay those into the grips as well. We try to be as creative as possible to come up with personalizing these tools fo the end suer and making them special to the individual.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Start simple and get good at each step of the way. No matter what you do, don’t quit.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@halffaceblades.com
- Website: www.halffaceblades.com
- Instagram: @halffaceblades
Image Credits:
Bane Visnjic
Matt Lingo
