Butch Vallotton has been a full time knife maker since 1984, and, along with the "Michigan Three", Judy Gottage, Jim Serven, and Chuck Stewart, is largely responsible for the resurgence of automatic knives in modern collecting. He is known for his unique designs and a wide variety of mechanisms. He makes mostly folders, and his designs include tactical, hunters, fighters, daggers,and art knives. Butch uses a wide variety of steels, carbon, stainless, damascus, and spectrum metal. He co/designed the Appelgate Fairbairn folder along with Bill Harsey, and has several factory collaborations with his assisted openers and automatics. Those manufacturers include Gerber, Spyderco, Timberline, LoneWolf, and Microtech. Butch's Vipers, Chameleons, and SOF knives are known by many collectors, and his art knives are always in demand.