Walter Brend Handmade Knives

Earle Marvin, Kyoshi began his training is Shotokan karate in 1967. He continued training at Montreat Anderson Jr. College until 1969 with a Taiwanese karate stylists. Kyoshi at this time also met his wife Sherry and were married by the time Kyoshi was 20. Over the next few years Kyoshi Marvin continued his education at Clemson University and then settled back in Walterboro where he began his work in the nursery. Earle Marcin, Kyoshi received no formal rank during this period of his life, but did build a strong foundation. This was realized and rewarded in 1978 when he began to study the Soke Albert Church. 

Under the Nippon Kobudo Kanda Ha Kamishin Ryu system, Earle Marvin, Kyoshi, on May 1 1985 was awarded his shodan in Kempo-Karate by Catherine Church and Ronnie Jessup, Sensei. By the next year Kyoshi had left Kamishin Ryu to start training with Soke Church’s top student Ron Cherry, Soke of American Kempo Karate Association, International.

Kyoshi Marvin on September 1, 1986 obtained the rank of Sandan in Kibudo and Jujitsu and a Yondan in Kempo through AKKI. Twenty one days later, on the 22 of September, Kyoshi was formalized by Soke Cherry an an instructor in UPC-Kempo. But the real circle of Kyoshis martial arts and the start of Sogo Goshin-Do had started several months prior to Kyoshi earning his Yondan in Kempo.

On April 15, 1986 Earle Marvin,Kyoshi under Seishin-Kia earned the rank of Yondan. For this rank Kyoshi was both tested and awarded by Soke Shogo Kuniba. A person that becomes very important in a few years time to the founding of the style of martial arts that Kyoshi inherets from Soke Kuniba. In August of 1986 under Master Miller, Kyoshi is awared Sempai Senior Most Dan in Koga Ryu Ninjistu.

 Even though Kyoshi was studying under Soke Kuniba, he continued his training with Ron Cherry, Soke and was awarded his Godan in American Kempo Karate, Sogoken Kempo on July 4 1987. Kyoshi Marvin continued to seek knowledge and has trained with the likes of Danny Inosanto in Filipino stick fighting and Master Kilinda in African Arts.

A little over two years had passed since Kyoshi had left American Kempo Karate that he was awarded his

This was on September 30, 1989, and was presented by Juniba, Soke, who introduced Kuniba Ryu Goshin-Do to Kyoshi Earle Marvin.

Kyoshi Marvin through the Shiho-Karano Kai International on August 14, 1992 was promoted to Shodai of Sogo Goshin-Do and Nanadan by Clement Reidner, Soke. This was a little over one month after the passing of Shogo Kuniba, Soke. Ten months later on May 1st of 1993 Kyoshi was promoted to Soke of Sogo Goshin-Do. This was a title that Kyoshi Marvin never took though. 

In January 31st, Kyoshi was promoted to 1st Dan with title of Sifu in Kaju Bujutsu Kwai branch of Aka Ryu Shakai Kempo. This title was once again presented by Soke Clement Reidner.

In June of 1995, during a tragic farming accident, Kyoshi Earle Marvin was taken from Sogo Goshin-Do and the many scores of people that he had touched over the years of his life. Early in Kyoshi’s life a poem was read at Kyoshi’s baptism by his Grandfater Carrington that stated Earle would someday touch the lives of men. This came true when hundreds of friend and relatives watched as is spirit returned to the land and water he loved.

 Earle, visited Walter when he moved to Walterboro. And thru the years Walter and Earle became good friends.

One day Earle went to Walters shop. Earle had watched the movie Blind Fury. Earle asked Walter if he could build a cane sword, on the same order of the one in the Blind Fury movie. Walter’s reply was give me some time and I will work on it.

It took Walter several months to build the first cane sword for Earle. Earle told Walter he and several others at the Karate school practiced with the sword. In fact a sheet of paper was thrown in the air, and tried to cut the paper. The paper landed and you could not see a cut. However when you picked the paper up, it was cut into. 

Walter built several more cane swords for Earle, and other knives. Walter and Earle talked a lot about hunting and guns. Walter’s son attended Earles karate school.

Walter is amazed at the different people who have bought his knives thru the years. They have come from ever walk of life. He is grateful he has been given the creative ability to build knives for great men.           Psalm 133:1  Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. 

Today the trip starts in Dawsonville, Georgia. Ben Mathes since 1978, has traveled the world on behalf of International health development, explorations, and Christian missions. He works extensively in the Congo, Kenya, Cameroon, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, El Salvador, Brazil, Belize, Ecuador, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. He serves in a different country almost each month. Row has recently completed new ships in Congo and Brazil. The ships serve 150,000 in the Lusambo Health Zone of Congo and an average of 27 villages a year. Staff members Congo Staff Omba, Akula, and Shamba, are responsible for a program that has treated over 1 million cases of river blindness and immunized over 500,000 children against polio, and every one treated by ROW staff hears the Gospel.    

Ben Mathes

In addition to serving in Congo and Brazil, Row actively ministers in Kenya, Vietnam, Belize, Honduras, Peru, and Bolivia. Ben is a regular on K-Love Christian Radio, reaching over 3 million listeners with a twice daily feature about his mission adventures. Ben was recently honored by Rotary International with an Honorary Membership in appreciation for his work fighting polio and river blindness. As an avid sportsman, he hunts and fishes around the world. He enjoys tennis running, music and is an often published photographer. Ben received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Hampden Sydney College in May of 1999, and an Honorary Paul Harris Award from Rotary International during the same month.  Ben’s wife Mickie is from Nagoya, Japan. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in Special Education. She is actively involved in tennis at all levels, is a harpist, a water color artist, and a professor at Brenau University in Gainesville, Ga. Ben has two sons, Benjamin is 26, an actor, who lives in Irvine, Ca. and Lt Adam Mathes, USMC, 25, is stationed At Camp Pendleton, Ca and has returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq.  The Mathes have one dog, Winston, who travels with Ben. Ben Has used Walter’s knives in over 20 countries to do everything from open MRE’s in Iraq, to defend himself against bandits in the Congo, to dispatch fish on the Amazon- and chickens in the Congo, to dig my outhouse on a sandbar in the Sankuru River of Congo, to pithing iquanas with  the May in Belize. Ben has reported cleaning deer, turkey and wild boar with his Brend. An amazingly preached in “I dont know how many villages along the worlds most remote rivers.“

Dear Mr. Brend,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for you thoughtfulness (although a few years after the fact) and let you know what has become of one of your knives.

In 1986, while serving as a young Captain in the Army Special Forces, I had a friend hightly recommend your knives so I called you and inquired about your Model #2. You informed me that you had a two to three year waiting list. When I told you that I was on orders for overseas and that I was leaving in three weeks, you said that you could have the knife in maybe three months. I asked for some special features (no teeth and no markings) and was extremely pleased when I received my knife in just three weeks (just before I left)! My first “thank you” is for your efforts to get me my knife before I departed. (more…)