Terzuola Bob

The father of the tactical knife, Bob Terzuola

Robert (Bob) Terzuola is a legendary American knifemaker with a 40-year professional history, creator of customs (mainly tactical) with amazing design and quality. Every Bob’s work is a delight for a collector. In the world of international knifemaking, the craftsman has been called “the father of the tactical knife”.

Bob’s merits and rewards allow him to manage his schedule according to his wish. Not long ago the knifemaker announced he stopped taking orders for knives. The news caused a high price rise for his customs.

Perhaps no one could compare with the Italian knife masters in their finest work. Paying attention to the details is in their genes. At the beginning of the 20th century, Bob’s grandfather left Italy and sailed to New York seeking a better life. Future knifemaker was born in Brooklyn – a borough of New York City where the middle class was always looking admirably and enviously at Manhattan.

After school Terzuola went to New York University to study Industrial Design. Bob was 22, he was eager for discoveries and victories. Right after getting a diploma in 1966, Terzuola went to Panama as a Peace Corps volunteer where he has served for 2 years as a financial consultant. As a next step, he moved to Puerto Rico then to Guatemala in 1971. Bob joined the United States Agency for International Development and was playing a role in disaster relief in different fields: from furniture to radio receivers.

Bob Terzuola had been working for USAID’s Office for 7 years when got offered a job of a jade mine director. During his years in Guatemala Bob got seriously interested in local Indian tribes’ culture, including weapon and jade carving art. Terzuola started making his first knives actively using minerals from the mine. Beautiful daggers decorated with jade and gold came out as a result. In 1980 Terzuola sold his first knife. In the same year, he entered The Knifemakers Guild (these days Bob is its Chairman). The craftsman gradually introduced into the assortment less expensive but more functional tactical and household models.

During his work in Guatemala Bob married Susie (she was from New York) and became a father of 2 boys. The family moved to the States in 1984. They settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bob invested savings into the house and workroom on the outskirts of the city. Since then he is completely dedicated to knifemaking.

Master keeps to the side of discreet and functional design, his main principle is “as easy as it’s possible”. That is how craftsman’s famous tactical knife Combat was born, it was later reincarnated as a folder. In 1989 on a spine of ATCF (Advanced Technology Combat Folder) the master for the first time put the legendary thumb disc for knife opening (some kind of thumb stud). 

That was the moment when Terzuola coined the term “tactical knife”. In his numerous articles and best-seller “The Tactical Folding Knife” Bob sets the definition of this type of tool. The maximal comfort of using a tactical knife goes through all the characteristics of the tool.

Master is open to new trends. He was one of the firsts (after Spyderco) who added a pocket clip to a knife. Besides that, Bob almost at the same time as Michael Walker started using titanium in 1986. Nowadays Terzuola produces almost all the main details of his knives from titanium. Master boldly experiments with new and unusual materials, you can meet modern composites and exotic alloys in his products.

For the blades, Bob uses ATS-34, CPM440V steels more often than others and author Damascus. By the way, it was Bob who offered ATS-34 for serial production of Spyderco knives. This steel grade was used for the first time in design by Terzuola C15 model. At Spyderco’s request Bob created a design for a model series, he also collaborated with Microtech and Meyerco.

Besides knives master also invents and produces belt clips and multitools in the shape of a dragon head – brand’s logo.

Bob’s business card and knife cases feature craftsman’s trademark “Nunquam Secundum” the Latin for “Second to None”. Terzuola set the bar very high for the professional standards and met them. If you are looking for the best American folding knives, you are looking for Robert Terzuola.