The Makers


 

 


ZACK WORRELL  -  Founder, Creative Director, and Knife Maker 


Zack grew up surrounded by a talented and creative family of entrepreneurs and artists from Virginia. Each of them creative, progressive, and successful in their endeavors.  As a child, he spent countless hours building cities and machines with legos, later transcending into everything from building tree forts, large fish aquarium projects, elaborate stereo systems, modifying motocross dirt bikes and mountain bikes, customizing cars and vintage motorcycles. All things he learned working with others, or just by trial and error. As a young entrepreneur, Zack gained knowledge of technology and business through exposure to his family's 50 year foray into newspaper publishing.

 

 “I come from a family of men and women who were adventurous, entrepreneurial, thoughtful and creative. These folks were Virginians through and through, and their sense of pride, history, creativity, culture, and “can do” attitude has given me the tools and traits that have led me where I am today.”  - Zack Worrell

 

His exposure to working artists, visual art, design, architecture, music, and culture through travel developed and informed his world. As a young graduate of Elon University in 1995, he turned his eye to desktop publishing and graphic design which later transformed into an interest into more hands on work such as industrial design, photography, film and music production. In 2006, he co-founded a community arts organization named The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative, which seeks to bridge diverse communities through the arts. They promote dialogue and discourse using art as the catalyst.

The work in the nonprofit arts sector inspired him to pursue his own goals as a working artist, to make a career as artisan and operate at a professional level. His love of materials like wood and metal collided in furniture making and eventually evolved into the craft of knife making and forge work. 

"I just make stuff, it's what I do." -Zack Worrell 

In 2013, Zack formed Monolith Knives from a vision which he had maintained for many years. It began with the concept of building modern furniture and home goods, but quickly shifted with his first exposure to the process of knife making. From there he fell in love with the culture of blade smithing and the craft of making handmade products for everyday use which were also objects of beauty. His quest has been to make everyday objects and tools with purpose and performance, coupled with the honesty, soul and beauty. This philosophy has extended through his work at Monolith and is a core value of the company. The thought of handcrafting an heirloom quality tool, which could transcend generations, continuing to be both useful and beautiful, is truly captivating to Zack and created a unique challenge which to pursue.  Zack strives to build meaningful and lasting relationships with the end user to fulfill his desire to share his craft and experience with others. Zack continues to find this work full of new challenges and rewards, learning how to refine the products and capabilities of Monolith. 

“It is my desire to leave people with more than just a purchase, but to build a more direct relationship between maker and user. I want to fulfill the promise of commitment to quality and service, and restore some level of doing fair and honest business, in a time of threes second sound bites and online consumerism. It is for this reason that we warranty and service our products for as long as we continue to make them.”  -Zack Worrell

 

 


                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

NICK WATSON  -  Design and Production Manager, Lead Knife Maker

Nick Joined Monolith Knives in 2016 after graduating from the studio art department at The University of Virginia. After four years of helping develop the business’ products and craft, he left to attain a masters degree in architecture from his alma mater, and went on to work at an award winning architecture firm. Nick returned to Monolith Knives is 2025 to build from where he left off and to follow his passion for craft after gaining crucial knowledge of design, collaboration and execution through the study and practice of architecture.

 

Nick became fascinated with pocket knives as a child when his mother gifted him a Swiss Army Knife, knowing it was a tool he could rely on and always have with him. Simultaneously his love for cooking grew while making meals with his parents. Nick’s passion for the culinary arts and the tools essential to creating a meal, knives, come together in his work at Monolith Knives.

Beyond knives, Nick’s curiosity extends to furniture, architecture, fashion, and personal objects—always guided by the belief that great design is rooted in craft and a marriage of history, place, and use.When he’s not in the shop, Nick is a dad to two wonderful girls, always learning and creating in new ways.

 


 

 Monolith Staff Emeritus:

Alan Bates - Knife maker

Ryan Evans - Knife maker