Seth and Scott Perkins, aka the Bearded Butchers, are proud owners of a second-generation butcher shop and outdoor influencers with thriving ecommerce ventures. Now, they’re also outspoken ambassadors for Montana Knife Company.
I recently sat down with the Perkins brothers to discuss family, work ethic, and what makes a great knife. Here’s what they told me.
From Custom Butchers to Online Influencers
Before there were the Bearded Butchers, there was their father, Freddie Perkins. Freddie saw a classified ad in the paper looking for a bison rancher for hire. The Bearded Butchers’ legacy started with that classified ad.
From that day forward, Freddie and his family grew the operation. Eventually, the Perkins family purchased the bison herd and began selling the meat it produced under the name “Whitefeather.”
Another butcher shop was located down the road from theirs. Competition between them was fierce. Eventually, Freddie purchased the competing shop, and the Perkins family entered the custom butchering industry.
Thereafter, Whitefeather Bison Company became Whitefeather Meats, selling more than bison.
The Bearded Butchers’ Story Begins
Running the shop wasn’t easy, so Seth and Scott quit school at a young age to work full-time and learn the tricks of the trade. Whitefeather’s custom butchering waitlist grew as its products rose in quality, especially after it became a USDA-certified facility.
In 2016, Seth and Scott made a life-altering decision: They would raise and sell only their own meat, ending their custom butchering service. However, they didn’t want to discontinue an aspect of their business without adding a new offering. To thank their loyal customers, they created a unique spice mix to include with each purchase.
The spice was so well received that the duo decided to sell it separately. In honor of a local facial hair club they founded, they named the spice the “Bearded Butchers Approved” seasoning mix. They included Freddie’s face in their logo, as he was the “original” bearded butcher.
Soon after, the brothers posted a deer butchering how-to video on Facebook to give back to their community. It garnered a lot of positive attention, and thus, the Bearded Butchers influencer brand was born.
Today, the Bearded Butchers are renowned online, especially on social media. Most of their content teaches viewers how to butcher meat.
Building a strong and inclusive community is much more important to them than protecting trade secrets. We at MKC support this “can-do” message of dedication and encouragement.
Running a Family Business
Family is important to Seth and Scott. They’re grateful for the opportunity to work together as brothers and involve their children in the family business. Those relationships keep them humble, even as their ecommerce ventures take off and their YouTube videos garner millions of views.
Seth says his relationship with his brother wasn’t always peaceful, though, especially when they were children. “Our egos got in the way a lot,” he says about their tendency to fight and argue. “We quickly realized... we had to put those stupid differences aside and focus on our goal.”
Now, Seth can’t remember the last time he and Scott argued. He attributes their strong working relationship to how they balance each other out: “I’m the sledgehammer, and he’s the piece [of] precision.”
The brothers can’t discount their father’s role in building the family business. Freddie was a Vietnam War veteran, and failure wasn’t an option for him. Seth and Scott strive to instill a strong work ethic in their children, as their father did in them.
Scott cites loyalty, discipline, and respect as the core values he’s passing on to the next generation. He wants his and Seth’s kids to understand the effort required to excel, regardless of their chosen field.
“The balance of understanding hard work while avoiding complacency is our challenge, especially as our business grows,” he says.
The Bearded Butchers’ Favorite MKC Knife
The Perkins brothers learned about MKC through a mutual friend. Seth was pleasantly surprised to learn how strongly their values of hard work and authenticity aligned with MKC’s. The brothers also appreciate MKC’s support for blue-collar work and American jobs.
“A brand collaboration just made sense,” Seth says.
Seth says the Stoned Goat is his favorite do-it-all MKC knife. He likes the blade’s light weight and versatility — it’s always right on his pack and easy to reach when needed.
Now, the Bearded Butchers have launched their long-awaited knife line with MKC. These purpose-built blades meet the demands of hunters, processors, and chefs alike.
They incorporate the most praised traits of MKC knives: durability, sharpness, and American craftsmanship. Created with the Perkins’ butchering experience in mind, it’s a masterful line.
Our first Bearded Butchers collab, the Boning Butcher knife, is the ultimate butchery tool. Designed for cutting and portioning meat, the Boning Butcher is right at home at your meat processing station, whether it’s next to the campfire or in your kitchen.
The Breaking Butcher processing knife is the Boning Butcher’s big brother. It’s the first knife you should reach for if you need to break down a carcass. It’s also great for tough kitchen tasks like carving turkey and roasts.
The Boning Butcher and Breaking Butcher come with custom-fit Kydex sheaths. We’ve also emblazoned the Bearded Butchers’ logo on the knives.
What Do the Bearded Butchers Do in Their Spare Time?
Time off is scarce for the Bearded Butchers. When they’re not hustling, they sleep, hunt, and spend time with their kids.
Every year after Thanksgiving, the brothers travel to their cabin in southern Ohio and hunt with family for an entire week. “We can’t get cell reception; we kind of turn the world off,” says Seth. “Take the kids down there, take the family down there, and slink off into the hills and just detox.”
After the hunt, they love to prepare their wild-caught meat. Their website has no shortage of recipes and guides for cooking the perfect roast and cutting the best steaks. In addition to operating a brick-and-mortar store, they offer signature sauces, seasonings, apparel, DIY kits, cheeses, and meats online.
In addition to that precious week in the woods, the brothers take 52 other days off every year — Sundays. That’s their time to rest, recover, and connect with their faith. “That allows us to hit the ground running. It allows us to power down and spend that day with family. And then we go ham outside of that.”
The Bearded Butchers have no plans to slow down anytime soon. Their future is full of fantastic opportunities for their family and businesses. We’re thrilled to have them as friends and brand ambassadors here at Montana Knife Company.
