Jody Samson
Encyclopedia
Jody Samson was a knifemaker and bladesmith
from Burbank, California
who designed butterfly knives for Benchmade
and the sword
s used in such movies as Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer
, First Knight
, The Mask of Zorro
, Blade, Blind Fury
, Batman & Robin, Batman Forever
, and Streets of Fire
.
) as a knife designer. Les deAsis credits Samson with grinding every custom balisong
knife produced by Benchmade, Pacific Cutlery, and Bali-Song from 1979 to 1994. Samson's first design won Blade
magazine's Knife of the Year award in 1979. The following year, Samson unveiled his "Wee-hawk" blade profile which was made by Benchmade for years.
, Blind Fury
, and Streets of Fire
while he was working for Benchmade.
Samson left Benchmade in 1994 to return to Burbank to produce movie swords and props for Tony Swatton's Sword & Stone in Los Angeles, California. He designed and built the weapons for the films First Knight
, The Mask of Zorro
, Blade, Batman & Robin, Babylon 5
, and Batman Forever
.
In 2001 Samson went to work for Albion Swords
in New Glarus, Wisconsin
where he made replicas of the swords he originally made for the Conan films.
Samson was found dead of pneumonia in his workshop on December 27, 2008 after complaining of cold symptoms for a week.
Bladesmith
Bladesmithing is the art of making knives, swords, daggers and other blades using a forge, hammer, anvil, and other smithing tools. Bladesmiths employ a variety of metalworking techniques similar to those used by blacksmiths, as well as woodworking for knife and sword handles, and often...
from Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
who designed butterfly knives for Benchmade
Benchmade
The Benchmade Knife Company is a knife manufacturer run by Roberta and Les de Asis in Oregon City, Oregon, United States. Its products are geared toward many niche markets, such as outdoor sporting cutlery, rescue, law-enforcement, martial-arts, and military...
and the sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
s used in such movies as Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer is a 1984 American action fantasy film directed by Richard Fleischer, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mako returning to resume their roles as Conan and Akiro the wizard, respectively. The cast also includes Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter and Olivia d'Abo. It is...
, First Knight
First Knight
First Knight is a 1995 American medieval film based on Arthurian legend, directed by Jerry Zucker. It stars Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere, Sean Connery as King Arthur and Ben Cross as Malagant....
, The Mask of Zorro
The Mask of Zorro
The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 American swashbuckler film based on the Zorro character created by Johnston McCulley. It was directed by Martin Campbell and stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stuart Wilson...
, Blade, Blind Fury
Blind Fury
Blind Fury is a 1989 samurai/action film directed by Phillip Noyce. It is a loosely based, modernized version of Zatoichi Challenged, the 17th film in the Japanese Zatoichi film series. The film stars Rutger Hauer as Nick Parker, a blind, sword-wielding Vietnam War veteran, who returns to the...
, Batman & Robin, Batman Forever
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
, and Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire is a 1984 film directed by Walter Hill and co-written by Hill and Larry Gross. It was described in previews, trailers, and posters as "A Rock & Roll Fable." It is an unusual mix of musical, action, drama, and comedy with elements both of retro-1950s and 1980s...
.
Early life
Samson learned knife making and bladesmithing from John Nelson Cooper, a knife maker from Burbank, California in 1969. Samson began making knives full-time in 1974. Soon after, he was hired by Les DeAsis of Bali-Song (now BenchmadeBenchmade
The Benchmade Knife Company is a knife manufacturer run by Roberta and Les de Asis in Oregon City, Oregon, United States. Its products are geared toward many niche markets, such as outdoor sporting cutlery, rescue, law-enforcement, martial-arts, and military...
) as a knife designer. Les deAsis credits Samson with grinding every custom balisong
Balisong (knife)
A Butterfly knife, also known as a fan knife or Balisong, is a folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles. It is sometimes called a Batangas knife, after the Tagalog province of Batangas in the...
knife produced by Benchmade, Pacific Cutlery, and Bali-Song from 1979 to 1994. Samson's first design won Blade
Blade (magazine)
Blade is a long-running consumer magazine about knife collecting.First published in 1973 under the title American Blade by Southern House Publishing Co. with Blackie Collins as the editor, the magazine's title was changed to Blade in 1982 after its purchase by Jim Parker and Bruce Voyles...
magazine's Knife of the Year award in 1979. The following year, Samson unveiled his "Wee-hawk" blade profile which was made by Benchmade for years.
Movie swords
Samson designed and built the swords, knives, and daggers used in a number of films including Conan the Barbarian, Conan the DestroyerConan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer is a 1984 American action fantasy film directed by Richard Fleischer, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mako returning to resume their roles as Conan and Akiro the wizard, respectively. The cast also includes Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter and Olivia d'Abo. It is...
, Blind Fury
Blind Fury
Blind Fury is a 1989 samurai/action film directed by Phillip Noyce. It is a loosely based, modernized version of Zatoichi Challenged, the 17th film in the Japanese Zatoichi film series. The film stars Rutger Hauer as Nick Parker, a blind, sword-wielding Vietnam War veteran, who returns to the...
, and Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire is a 1984 film directed by Walter Hill and co-written by Hill and Larry Gross. It was described in previews, trailers, and posters as "A Rock & Roll Fable." It is an unusual mix of musical, action, drama, and comedy with elements both of retro-1950s and 1980s...
while he was working for Benchmade.
Samson left Benchmade in 1994 to return to Burbank to produce movie swords and props for Tony Swatton's Sword & Stone in Los Angeles, California. He designed and built the weapons for the films First Knight
First Knight
First Knight is a 1995 American medieval film based on Arthurian legend, directed by Jerry Zucker. It stars Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere, Sean Connery as King Arthur and Ben Cross as Malagant....
, The Mask of Zorro
The Mask of Zorro
The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 American swashbuckler film based on the Zorro character created by Johnston McCulley. It was directed by Martin Campbell and stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stuart Wilson...
, Blade, Batman & Robin, Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
, and Batman Forever
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
.
In 2001 Samson went to work for Albion Swords
Albion Swords
Albion Swords is a company based in New Glarus, Wisconsin manufacturing European sword replicas. The company was started in Washington D.C. by Howard and Amy Waddell in 1998.-Products:...
in New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus is a village in Green County, Wisconsin, United States at the intersection of Wisconsin Highways 69 and 39. It has a population of 2,304 according to the 2010 census. Since 2000 it has had a population growth of 9.09 percent. The village, as well as the town that surrounds it, was named...
where he made replicas of the swords he originally made for the Conan films.
Samson was found dead of pneumonia in his workshop on December 27, 2008 after complaining of cold symptoms for a week.