A little over a year ago, I had the opportunity to review one of Tom Bender’s blades, which you can read here.

Tom is an amazing Connecticut Yankee now living in Van Nuys, CA. There’s probably not an action film worth watching where Tom has not had a hand in both its armament and explosions. The man has more Federal and ATF licenses than anyone I’ve ever know; if that’s not enough for you, he’s also an accomplished blade smith.

The picture above is of a knife he made for Roque  Wincker, Co-founder and Senior Vice President of Global Operations at C-T Watch, Inc. ( COUNTER-TERRORISM WATCH, INCORPORATED,) Los Angeles, CA.

Mr Wicker is actively engaged in all aspects of Global operations as well as delivering the strategic vision of C-T Watch, Inc. With an extreme emphasis on quality services and people, Mr. Wicker strives for 110% customer satisfaction & employee satisfaction. Mr. Wicker is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and has worked with the Naval Special Warfare Community, EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), and VSW (Very Shallow Mine Countermeasures Detachment) and has consulted with Specialized Diving Communities within the Federal government and state agencies.

Prior to starting up C-T Watch, Mr. Wicker came from healthcare contracting and management where he was actively involved with management contract retention, hospital financial auditing, facility start-up, program management, and regional operations. He started his healthcare career at UCLA then transferred to a national management company owned by a global private equity firm (Jordan Industries). Mr. Wicker moved up to Regional Vice President in less than 3 years. Mr. Wicker is a member of the (AFIO) Association of Former Intelligence Officers, Honorary member of the National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association of (NATEODA), Associate member of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS), Member of National Academy of Police Divers (NAPD) and sits on several City Boards in the Los Angeles area.

I’ll sum up Tom’s goal for knife making by expressing his view  – “a desire to produce a tool that’s not fancy but will punch through a ribcage” He meets that objective in Roque’s knife and it will undoubtedly serve him well.