CityView Magazine

arts IronSharpensIron M A retiring soldier forges a new career as a craftsman By Kelly Twedell any fine knifemakers exist in the world. Some excel at making weapons, others at creating art. At his Tactical Combat Tools studio in Fayetteville, Darrin Sirois does both. Officially in the blade business since 2008, Sirois makes knives, many featuring custom handles, for collectors — and for local folks who pride themselves on knowing how to use a knife. While many military guys retire into jobs they don't have a passion for, Sirois, a soon-to-be retired soldier from the special operations community, is living out his dream in the time-honored tradition of knifemaking. With a 25-year military career under his belt serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment, 7th Special Forces Group and culminating at Fort Bragg's U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Sirois has found his niche as a master knife craftsman. Tactical Combat Tools became official around five years ago when Sirois' custommade knives became popular as word quickly spread about the quality and craftsmanship behind them. "It's rewarding to hand over the finished product, and seeing that smile at my work," he said. "Mission complete. That's my motivation, right there." Sirois has been fashioning knives since boyhood and recalled the first knife he crafted from a popsicle stick in kindergarten. He carefully sharpened the wooden stick down on a curbstone, working on it for days, and the rest, as they say, is history. At the age of 8 he received his first pocketknife from his father and used it to carve bigger knives out of wood. It seems a love of knives is wired into Sirois, something that shines through in his work. His particular skill set and military experience equip him with the knowledge of just how a knife should function and feel in the hand, giving him an edge, so to speak, in the industry. In 2005, following the loss of a highly respected soldier named Bob Horrigan, Sirois found inspiration to pursue his passion more fervently. Horrigan had been the go-to craftsman knife maker inside his Fort Bragg unit and Sirois decided to continue the tradition. Originally working out of his garage, he now works in a custom-designed workshop where he takes raw bars of steel and fashions them into finely polished works of art and function. From farewell or retirement gifts to be prominently displayed, to more practical uses for hunting, in the field, or just to be CityViewNC.com | 29

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