James and Alsen, the founders of Umpqua Valley Blades operate a veteran-owned blade-smithing business right here in the Pacific Northwest of Oregon.

James grew up on a farm in Arkansas, raising animals. As a young man, James had a horseshoeing business and worked for a few years in steel construction before opening up his own construction business. James has a vast range of knowledge and is a jack of all trades.

Alsen was born and raised in Oregon. His dad was in the logging industry for 35 years and his mother has been a teacher for over 25 years. After high school, Alsen joined the United States Army and served in Iraq along with serving his community.