Back in March of this your I was finally able to catch a class listed at Goat & Hammer Forge prior to it filling completely up. I felt like I had won the lottery. I’ve been slowly collecting all the tools I wanted to start my own journey into Blacksmithing. I first met them at the 2016 Atlanta Maker Faire. I have been periodically checking their site over that time to see if I could get into one of their 101 classes. Most of the time they are full.
I got to the Goat Farm early, yes thats what the cluster of buildings where their forge is currently is called. It is just blocks away from Georgia Tech Campus and Coca Cola Headquarters. It really does have a goat farm as well. I met the “Goat Farmer” who strangely enough used to go to school with and worked with my friend Eric who was a Forged in Fire runner up. Small world.
Funny thing, we Paul, Jessica and Devin all talked about the show that night. They were very evasive about the possibility of being on the show. Now I know why. They were under a non disclosure agreement until their episode was announced to air.
I took the class on the 28th of March and about a week later they let me know that they were having a Forged in Fire viewing party at a pub that some friends owned and had opened for the occasion. I’ll try to track that down and add it to the description.
The night of the Party was filled with excitement and anticipation. There is something electric about a room filled with 100’s of people all rooting for you to win. Everyone there was either a student or close friend or both. Most of the people there had likely at one point asked them if they were ever going to be on the show. There is no doubt that the show has influenced a lot of people into taking a class or buying equipment to start fooling around with forging it their backyards.
The moment when Jessica and Mark were declared Forged in Fire Champions was a moment to behold. Two people who have been keeping a secret for close to a year where finally able to let the cat out of the bag. They were able to revile in their accomplishment and the adulation of friends and students who where all rooting for them like it was the Super Bowl and their team had made it. The emotion in the room was unbelievable. It was such a joy to revel and share in the moment of their success.
One of the coolest parts was that in secret from assistants and apprentices and students they were reproducing the trench knife that got them into the finals and the Sword that won them the title of Forged in Fire Champions as well as $10,000 with I think went toward their new press.
I will be getting to hang out with them again next weekend at the Blade Show in Atlanta from June 1st – 3rd 2018. There will be a lot of other Forged in Fire Champions, runner ups and contestants. Last year many of the judges were their as well. Who else will make it?
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2 x 72 Belt Grinder
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Blacksmithing hammer
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Anvil
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