Forged In Britain: The Secret World Of British Blacksmiths
By Danny Baggott @Dan_Baggie
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CREDIT: HISTORY® / Barcroft Productions
As part of the advertising for a brand new series of the hit American show, FORGED IN FIRE – five incredibly talented Brits have allowed us a sneak peak into their fiery forges for Forged in Britain.
Hammering and moulding their finest choice of weaponry, Alec Steele, Joshua Burrell, Owen Bush, Rod Hughes and Grace Horne wow us with their spectacular blacksmithing expertise.
Whether they are crafting a Damascus cleaver or a pirate cutlass, FORGED IN FIRE brings to life the fascinating history of the most forgotten weapons that were popular in past bladesmithing times.
At just 19 years old, full-time blacksmith Alec Steele is part of the British team aiming to galvanise the all so traditional industry.
Based in Norwich, Alec runs his own forge and is the only blacksmith who ‘vlogs’ his crafting work on a daily basis – broadcasting his 21st century approach on his YouTube channel that has more than 200,000 subscribers and receives seven million views a month.
Alec said: “I think blacksmithing is badass!
“I started blacksmithing at a very young age and when I was just 16 I left school because I was so entrenched in this passion.
“I was completely convinced and knew I would make it work – honestly, it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
“Blacksmithing is something that is surging in popularity, I would argue, faster than ever.
“What Forged in Fire does, is it shows how awesome and cool it is to make knives and have awesome, creative fun.”
Father and son duo, Joshua and Graham Burrell, specialise in forging woodworking axes and other traditional British edged tools.
Working from his forge in Loughborough, Josh is very much following in the family footsteps and is trying to revive the industry with his knowledge of past times - his father has been working in the trade since 1983 and has taught him everything he needs to know.
Josh said: “Forged in Fire has shown people that bladesmithing and blacksmithing can be a viable career.
“It’s a continuation of tradition and heritage.”
Two of Britain’s more experienced blacksmiths, Owen Bush and Rod Hughes, are also passionate about trying to galvanise the trade in the 21st century.
Owen, 45, runs his very own school on the London, Kent border and is hoping to pass his knowledge to the youth of today.
The full-time bladesmith and swordsmith specialises in making Saxon pattern welded swords, the seax (Saxon long knife), Viking axes and kitchen knives.
Appearing as an expert on various television networks over the years, Owen is widely regarded as one of the best blacksmiths in the country.
He said: “I’ve been a bladesmith for 22 years. For me, it’s really important that I’m still an active maker, so that every year I’m setting myself challenges and walking the walk.
“I love hammering hot metal, as a bladesmith it’s the best part!
“It’s dangerous in all sorts of ways; we’ve got fire and power hammers and sharp edges. To work successfully with these dangerous things you have to have a combination of having confidence and then also respect.
“It’s very, very easy to become completely obsessed, you can get absolutely lost in the craft.”
Rod Hughes, 60, describes himself as a bladesmith and has been practising the trade for the last 10 years – he has now earned a reputation as a master craftsman of ‘historical original’ reproductions.
Rod works from his very own Viking-style forge in Surrey that he constructed from local timber on the side of the Golden Valley.
His swords, ranging from the Bronze Age to the fourteenth century, are showcased in a selection of museums throughout the country.
And bringing a different spin to proceedings is 46-year-old mother of two, Grace Horne who specialises in knife making.
Living in Sheffield, the one-time centre of British steelmaking, Grace identifies with the city’s long-standing tradition of women working in the industry whilst also dealing with the responsibility of being a wife and mother.
Grace added: “I’ve been a knife maker for the last 23 years; I like making objects that are useful.
“Forged in Fire is great. I think the programme introduces a whole new audience to the complexities and intricacies of working in steel.”
Forged in Britain launches 1st June on HISTORY® during the premiere episode of FORGED IN FIRE at 9pm. HISTORY® is available on channels Sky 529, Virgin 270, BT 327 and Talk Talk 327.