Inside King's-Edgehill School
I attended KES from 1982 until I graduated in 1987. I was one of the original Buckle House Boys. As a restless boy in public school, we were looking for a better educational "fit", and when I toured the campus and saw the students walking around in their cadet uniforms, I couldn't wait to attend. I thoroughly enjoyed the Cadet Corps programme over the next five years, and benefited immensely from the academic programme as well. A couple of the life-long skills I honed at KES were time management and how to efficiently study new subjects. After graduating from KES, I applied those skills to learn my trade as a Master Bladesmith, learn to speak two new languages, became a published author, produced commercial Videos, and learned to fly helicopters and airplanes, along with a few other noteworthy skills. My whole adult life I have been constantly reminded of the value of my experience at KES.
After gradution, I travelled to Japan and studied karate while teaching English and apprenticing under a 16th Generation Yoshimoto Bladesmith. (Click here to see the video "History of the Yoshimoto Bladesmiths"). I am owner and operator of Carter Cutlery, a ten employee company producing the world's best performance cutlery, in Hillsboro, Oregon. What are my plans for the future? Professionally, I plan to continue to slowly grow the company to about 30 employees, and eventually pass it on to my most capable Bladesmith Journeyman. My advice to current KES students is: don't worry or fret about what the future holds. Just focus on the studies before you and get in the life- long habit of giving every task your best effort. The habit of putting forth your best effort is invaluable in life, and is a skill that transfers across every discipline. My best friend from KES, Tim Curnew (1981-84) once shared his grandfather's favorite quote with me: "If a task is once begun, don't leave the job until it's done. Be the labour great or small, do it well, or not at all".
