I created Hoffman Blacksmithing from a passion for metalworking and pursuing the American Dream. We're creating legacy tools to be passed down from generation to generation. Growing up in the rural Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, I became accustomed to playing outside in the woods and creeks, opening my mind to creativity. I have always been very hands-on and creative. I would make paper dye with wild violets and mold bowls from clay dug out of the creek banks.
I began blacksmithing in the fall of 2008 at thirteen, starting with a wood fire pit and a trailer hitch for an anvil.
Over the last decade, I've worked my way up by purchasing new equipment one machine at a time and learning about the art of moving steel. My parents were highly supportive in helping me pursue my passion. My dad took on the project of building a small 170-square-foot shop in our backyard. Once we created this foundation, I had my business well underway before graduating high school.
Today, my team and I forge and finish our products from my 6,000-square-foot shop in Roan Mountain, Tennessee. Our ethos encompasses a hard work ethic to produce products a step above the rest. In a world where companies design products cheaply, we stand out by designing and planning for relevance, not obsolescence. We make nearly all of our products in-house to ensure our customers' quality control and supply control. I intend for our product to be made "in a league of its own." I believe in making things by hand and employing local people, not machines, to accomplish this.
Most of the tools we use are old and come from a time when products were built to last. We use mechanical and pneumatic power hammers and presses over 100 years old. Using these tools inspires us to create our own tools that will still be in use over a century later.
Today, I'm twenty-seven years old, the author of my book FORGED a Guide to Becoming a Blacksmith. I've had the pleasure of teaching private lessons to students from as far away as Australia. In June 2016, I traveled to NYC to appear on History Channel's Forged in Fire. There, I forged a Kora sword and became the youngest to win Forged in Fire against ABS Master Bladesmith Josh Smith.
As we advance, I want to continue to grow Hoffman Blacksmithing into the most dominant axe brand out there. I wish to add more axe models and designs over time and branch into knife production. My team and I will accomplish this by continuing our perseverance for quality.