A.G. Russell, III
August 27, 1933 – October 12, 2018
I can’t remember a time the name A.G. Russell was not part of my lexicon. After getting into the Survivalist series, many year ago, by Jerry Ahern… I was enthralled.
Fast forward many years and many of his knives. Balad Air Base, Iraq… 2005. I sent an email to A.G. and said I understood he supported our troops with care packages and asked if he could send a few to my men and women (about 250 to be exact). He did!
Christmas that year as I visited my “kids”, complete with battle rattle and a Santa Hat (definitely outta uniform but heck… it was Christmas) slung over my shoulder were some duffle bags with packages from A.G. Russell and company.
Each one had a knife (with a couple of band aids – it didn’t take long to figure out why the band aids… sharpest knives you ever saw) and several magazines and a pocket Constitution and Declaration of Independence. My troops were thrilled.
Fast forward a couple of more years Missouri 2007. Pam and I came up to buy the home we are in now and passed his store. We made plans to stop in when we went home and did. He was an absolutely a gentleman and made us feel so incredibly welcomed. Toured his facility and I decided that a Doughnut shop, the Jack Daniels Distillery and A.G.’s knife store were the three places I could never work.
A couple of years later, we stopped back in and he and his lovely wife Goldie took us to lunch and before we were through the A.G. RUSSELL SURVIVALIST STING was born.
Meeting one of your heroes is a dangerous business these days. It is soooo very easy to be disappointed when you meet the man and he is not the legend.
I have been blessed to speak with and talk to a few of my legends. I can tell you that Roy Rogers, Jerry Ahern and A.G. Russell were the real deals and the world is a little sadder right now. But I have a sneakin’ hunch that somewhere along a Happy Trail, Roy and A.G. are sitting around a campfire whittling while Jerry is trying to show A.G. a new design.
So sorry to hear about your friend A.G.
Sending HUG your way.