I'm Jay, the blacksmith behind Old World Forge.

I've always loved making things, but there's something different about working with steel. Taking a piece of metal that might otherwise be thrown away, putting it into the fire, and turning it into something useful and beautiful that can last a lifetime never gets old.

Over the years, I've forged everything from simple hooks and tools to knives and blades. I've demonstrated blacksmithing for crowds, taught people at the forge, and learned plenty of lessons the same way every blacksmith does: by heating steel, hitting it, getting it wrong, and trying again.

That's really what Old World Forge is about.

I don't believe you need the most expensive equipment, a perfect shop, or years of experience before you're allowed to call yourself a blacksmith. You need some basic tools, respect for the fire, a willingness to learn, and the courage to make your first ugly piece of steel.

Because mine wasn't perfect either.

I created Introduction to Blacksmithing to give beginners the kind of introduction I wish everyone could have: practical instruction from somebody standing beside you at the anvil, without making the craft more complicated or intimidating than it needs to be.

If you've ever watched a piece of glowing steel move under a hammer and thought, “I want to do that,” you're exactly who I made this for.

Welcome to Old World Forge.

Keep the fire hot and the hammer moving. 🔥🔨.