#169: The Green Beret Dagger - Stroup Knives Founder Chris Stroup

Since 2002, graduates of the U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Course have been awarded the Yarborough Knife; an elite symbol of distinction, identity, and mission. 

Named after LTG William P. Yarborough, who was instrumental in solidifying President John F. Kennedy’s support of Special Forces, the blade was forged to mark the moment a soldier became a Green Beret. Each knife was engraved with a serial number, connecting it to the operator who earned it. 

But in 2015, that tradition ended. Budget cuts discontinued the official presentation, and for nearly a decade, new Green Berets have crossed the stage without a blade in hand; without that powerful, tangible connection to the generations who came before.

Now, Chris Stroup and the Green Beret Foundation are bringing it back. A former Army Special Operations soldier, Chris, like so many who serve in the elite ranks, battled loss of identity and purpose when he transitioned to civilian life. On came a new mission. He founded Stroup Knives; an American-made, family-run company dedicated to building rugged, high-quality blades for hard use.

I sat down with Chris at his shop in Fayetteville, North Carolina to learn just how he started Stroup Knives, why every part of the process is done in-house, and how his military values of precision, discipline, and purpose now shape every product he makes. 

We spoke about his commitment to quality over quantity, employing veterans, and his newest creation: the Green Beret Dagger; a modern descendant of the Yarborough, designed to once again be fielded as a symbol of elite service and brotherhood.

This is about more than a knife. It’s about restoring a tradition, honoring sacrifice, and forging identity through craftsmanship. Watch, listen, or read our conversation from the floor of a veteran-owned shop where steel meets legacy and where a mark of distinction is being brought back.

Head over to greenberetfoundation.org today to get yours. Proceeds support our Green Berets and their families.

Highlights

• 00:00 Introduction
• 03:54 The Green Beret Dagger
• 08:23 Why Enter Special Operations?
• 10:56 How to start a knife company
• 14:28 Family involvement in the business
• 17:02 How hard is entrepreneurship?
• 20:47 Knife skews and design
• 21:22 Maintaining quality
• 23:15 Competitive advantage
• 24:27 Green Beret Dagger
• 25:40 What's next?

Quotes

• “I get to make knives for the most elite." 
• “Let’s go find something hard. So I joined the Army.”
• “That’s what I was looking for, working with the best there is.”
• “If I’m telling my kids they have to do the best that they can, I have to.”
• “Transition was hard in a lot of ways that I never expected it to be.”
• “I think that’s really what we’re trying to build here, is just a place to build a community.”
• “This is fun, making something cool, and I could do it with my family.”
• “We can teach you how to make a knife. I can’t teach you how to be a good human and fit into our team.”
• “You are well suited as a Special Operator to run a business.”
• “Learning in the military, it’s just everything is a problem. We’re just professional problem solvers. It’s kind of what being an entrepreneur is.”
• “Everybody wants the best knife possible to come out of here.”
• “Just because you graduated the course doesn’t mean that you’re going to be a great Green Beret.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by University of Health & Performance, providing our Veterans world-class education and training as fitness and nutrition entrepreneurs.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation.