The famous reality star is married to his long term wife, Beckie Allen-Neilson. He is a member of Balcones Forge Central Texas Blacksmiths, holds a Lonestar Member rank in the Texas Knifemakers Guild, and is a member of the American Bladesmith Society. J. Neilson is an American knife and sword expert. Youre kinda left on your own to find your education, although we do offer some classes and seminars to help you along. Journeyman and master bladesmiths are generally more than willing to help pass along their knowledge and techniques, but it is up to the aspiring bladesmith to seek out their wisdom. A bladesmith who has attained an ABS Master Bladesmith rating is recognized worldwide as possessing some of the highest skill levels in the craft. It may seem a bit tragic to destroy a knife immediately after proving its superior quality, but as Dean says, If a guys going to really get serious about it and wants to make sure he passes, hes gonna have to destroy some before he gets to a master smiths shop. If the apprentice does pass the performance tests, he or she must then brave the judgement of a select jury of peers that only convenes twice a year, at either the Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia, or the International Custom Cutlery Expo in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2008, Neilson was awarded the title of Mastersmith by the American Bladesmith Society. We had a great time!Follow J. Neilson:https://www.mountainhollow.net/https://www.instagram.com/j.neilsonknives/https://www.facebook.com/j.neilsonknives/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SEND US A VOICE MESSAGE:https://anchor.fm/fans-of-the-forge/messageAlso available in podcast form, just search your podcast app of choice for Fans of the Forge!Our Social Media:Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fansoftheforge/Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/FansoftheForgeOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fansoftheforge/ Guys, we did it! To achieve journeyman status, an apprentice must forge a simple carbon steel bladeno Damascus steel or fancy patterning, not even the hilt needs to be anything fancy. He and his wife Doris reside in Odessa, Texas where he now works as a full time knife maker. Because of his signature style and technique, James' blades are highly sought after. James Neilson, who goes by his first initial professionally, holds the rank of Mastersmith with the American Blacksmith Society (ABS). He later met Johnny Stout and Harvey Dean and started attending a hammer-in they hosted. Jason Knight Bio - Winkler Knives All aspects of the knife making are done by me, using both forging and stock removal methods, including on site heat treating and both laminate and canister damascus making. No! While you will get to watch Paul build a more complex sheath from start to finish. This video focuses on the building process and does not cover pattern design. No matter the outcome, the knife is ruined. He instead talks about his own YouTube show. Bill Ruple is a traditional pattern slipjoint maker living in Pleasanton, TX. In this video, J. demonstrates how to forge weld two different types of canister damascus. An Interview with ABS Master Smith and Forged in Fire Judge, J. NEILSON! Knifemakers - Texas Select Custom Cutlery Event He has not offered any information about his parents' names and whereabouts. I had the opportunity spend a day in Bruce Evans knife shop, and I watched as he forged out a spike tomahawk from a round bar of 5160 spring steel. Our passion is crafting knives featuring forged blades in the pursuit of the ultimate high performance cutting tool. Back in 2015, during the shows early years, a reporter visited J. Neilsons house to record some exclusive footage on his life. I offer fixed blade knives, mostly bowies, daggers, hunter/skinner styles, everyday carry and historic replicas as well as the occasional tomahawk and sword. This is a follow-up to his first video Slipjoints With Craig Brewer. The American Bladesmith Society, or ABS, is a non-profit organization composed of knifemakers whose primary function is to promote the techniques of forging steel blades.The ABS was founded by knifemaker William F. Moran, who came up with the concept in 1972 when he was Chairman of the Knifemakers' Guild; the following year, he introduced Damascus steel blades at an annual show. In this video, J. takes the bar of ball bearing damascus that he made in the Canister Damascus with J. Neilson video, and he forges out a Bowie knife. J. Neilson is an ABS Mastersmith who works from his shop in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. He underwent a hand surgery in 2016. j neilson forged in fire injury 2020 According to the official testing guidelines, Enough hair must be shaved to demonstrate that the edge remains keen and shaving sharp.. He possesses a decent height and maintains a healthy body. He puts a great deal of effort into his wares, and he takes considerable pride in the finished products he produces. Steve started forging blades in 1972, and his Master Bladesmith papers were signed by William F. (Bill) Moran in 1981. Dont Miss Out on Forged in Fire news, behind the scenes content, and more. ABS Master Bladesmith and Forged in - Brodbeck Ironworks - Facebook if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'wikinetworth_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',172,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-wikinetworth_com-medrectangle-3-0'); The sword and knife expert is relishing the field of more than 20 years. Grady Powell replaced Willis for season eight onward. These differences aside, the blade must still cut rope, wood, and hair before being bent into oblivion. Given how small the master bladesmith crowd is, it will probably be someone you already know. When asked about his comments on set, Neilson commented, He has more than twenty-five years of experience in making knives and different types of edged weapons. What he does use are tools and supplies that can be picked up at your local scrap yard, thrift shop, and big-box store. J. Neilson is a master bladesmith and a reality tv star. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Thanks again to J. for having us over and answering our questions. The Judges of 'Forged in Fire' Haven't Changed Much Over the Years There he met many other knife makers willing to share information on all aspects of knife making. What does J Neilson do for a living? Copyright 2023 Chris Crawford Knives109 Bridle Cove, Saltillo, MS 38866, Canister Damascus with Steve Schwarzer (New). He was back for the fourth season but made numbered appearances during the fourth and fifth seasons. Forging blades professionally, out of his shop in the woods in the endless mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, has made J. an expert in sole authorship blade-making, a total mastery of every element of weapon design and manufacture. The next step in the test involves cutting a much softer target: hair. During Season 3, fans worried that J. had decided to leave the show when he was missing from the judges' panel. Using that tutorial, I completed my first knife in mid February. Hewas recognized in 2008 when he achieved the rank of Mastersmith in the American Bladesmith Society, a title held by less than 115 people worldwide. What happened to J Neilson? Accident, age, surgery, biography As one of the only bladesmithing organizations left in the world that gives out official ratings, they are seeing an increasingly international membership, to the point that Dean says they are even considering changing the name of the organization to be more inclusive. It was a great pleasure to sit down with him and hear about how he became a Master Bladesmith, what it's like to work on Forged in Fire, his preferred bladed weapon in a zombie apocalypse, and much more. Tobin Nieto has been forging in the primitive aesthetic and style since 2002. Romania: Castles, Ruins, and Medieval Villages, Iceland in Summer: Journey Through a Fabled Land, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Mokele-Mbembe, Accidental Discoveries: A Celebration of Historical Mistakes, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Stories from the Collection of Ryan and Regina Cohn, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Satanists, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilgyi, Gourds Gone Wild: Growing and Crafting Gourds With Gourdlandia, Playing Ancient Games: History & Mythology With John Bucher, Secrets of Tarot Reading: History & Practice With T. Susan Chang, Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake. Its got a lot of different stuff that you normally wouldnt use if you made hunting knives, or bowie knives, or pocket knives.. From the time time you sign up with the ABS you are considered an apprentice. Mastersmith Dagger Even though the number of official bladesmiths is small, the designation is not going away. This time I took my mini-dv camera with me, and as a result, I was able to produce this DVD. J. Neilson (@j.neilsonknives) Instagram photos and videos This is the show that turns the craftsmanship, legend and excitement of weapons-building into an against-the-clock battle of wits, resourcefulness, and ingenuity.HISTORY, now reaching more than 98 million homes, is the leading destination for award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive, and entertaining manner across all platforms. The knife expert cant afford to be clumsy as they live life on the thin ice. Watch him as he shows everything from the lighting of the forge to applying the knifes final finish. J Neilson ABS Administrator 2021-05-28T09:17:45-04:00. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands. Steve Schwarzer is an ABS Master Bladesmith working out of Crescent City, Florida. But as per his Instagram account, he is a married man and has a wife with whom he shares a strong bond. I spend my time now making pieces I enjoy building. Joining this elite class of swordsperson requires accreditation by theAmerican Bladesmith Society,one of the largest bladesmith organizations in the world. He has proven that almost all reality TV shows follow the same formula when it comes to the selection of judges. The reality TV star has also not provided any information about his siblings and educational background. More info on the testing procedures can be found at www.americanbladesmith.com. 2023 Atlas Obscura. He starts with an explanation of the tools used, and then he moves into three basic blacksmithing projects that are great for anyone new to blacksmithing. The networks all-original programming slate features a roster of hit series, epic miniseries, and scripted event programming. Then get another saying besides, Im gonna do it anyway. Driven by a love of history and a background in archaeology, he picked up blacksmithing as a hobby in order to connect with old world methods of craftsmanship. He has over 20 years' experience in making knives and edged weapons. Even on his Instagram, there's no mention of his time on Forged In Fire. 136K Followers, 159 Following, 541 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from J. Neilson (@j.neilsonknives) 133k Followers, 158 Following, 539 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from J. Neilson (@j.neilsonknives) . On 12thMay 2015, hegifteda split RR spike heart to his wife and daughter. You can bring this blade to any Master Smith willing to oversee the test. In this video, J. demonstrates how to build a hidden tang hunting knife with a guard. The path from journeyman to master is essentially the same as the path from apprentice to journeyman, but youll also have to train apprentices under you. www.mountainhollow.net . A bladesmith who has attained an ABS Master Bladesmith rating is recognized worldwide as possessing some of the highest skill levels in the craft. The title is held by less than 120 people globally. In addition to the geometric mosaic pattern that is created in this DVD, Chad also explains and demonstrates how to prepare a Spider Web mosaic can. He even handed out pamphlets about making Damascus steel to awestruck convention-goers in order to spread around his technique. The society itself is rather young, having beenstarted in 1973 as a reaction to the dwindling number of bladesmiths crafting quality blades. The injury restricted him to taking the judging role in the show, and ABS Master Smith Jason Knight briefly replaced for season 3 and 4. Forged in Fire: Bonus: All About J. Neilson (Season 3, Episode 5) | History HISTORY 11.5M subscribers Subscribe 2.1K 246K views 6 years ago #ForgedInFire J. Neilson talks about how he got. At the en you are bleeding mire than your pice of meat. Paul Long started working with leather while attending Texas A&I back in 1951, and it remained a hobby of his until he retired in 1995. I had the opportunity to spend the day with Chad Nichols and watch as he demonstrated how to forge weld mosaic damascus. The blade itself can be no longer than 10 inches, and it had better be pretty sharp. Please note: Many of the operations covered in the first video are only touched on or mentioned in this one. In early February of 2001, a friend of mine sent me to a web site that showed how to make a knife with hand tools. In this video, Luke demonstrates how to take your traditional knives up a notch by adding classic embellishments. During these panels, each apprentice must bring five carbon steel blades to be judged. The quiet setting and scarcity of neighbors has been the perfect background to allow J. to develop his skills. No purchase necessary. He lives with his family of three in Pennsylvania. DVDs & Digital Delivery - Chris Crawford Knives J. Neilson is one of the judges alongside Doug Marcaida, David Baker, and Ben Abbott. In this video, John demonstrates how to make two rawhide neck sheaths. During his early years, Neilson experimented with different techniques and started honing his skills as a bladesmith. One of the judges of the reality TV series Forged in Fire, J. Neilson has been forging blades for more than 25 years. He then returned alongside in Knight for season 4 and resumed his judging role since 8thepisode. The Master will sometimes run their fingernail down the blade to detect any imperfections invisible to the eye. His dad read him stories by Edgar Rice Boroughs, while his mom made cost Paul Long specializes strictly in knife sheaths, and with nearly 60 years of experience in working with leather, he has become one of the leading sheath makers of our nation. Many practitioners of the craft had moved away from solid pattern welded construction (which forms a blade out of multiple pieces of metal forged together), opting to practice the quicker and cheaper process of stock removal blademaking (simply cutting the pattern of the blade out of a piece of metal and sharpening it). I have also started adding my own versatile Kydex sheaths for some of my "basic utility" and "bug-out" models as well as neck knives. This DVD covers the steps involved in making mosaic bolsters. As a knifemaker for over 20 years, Neilson is one of the best in the trade. The organization dates its history back to 1972, when they were founded by knifemaker William F. Moran, who was at the time Chairman of the Knifemakers' Guild. Either you pass or you fail. There is no room for nepotism in the world of blademaking. They have 3 daughters and 1 son that are active in sports. He did stock removal for a while, but he now primarily forges. The main judges include Historic Weapons Re-creation Specialist David Baker, Edged Weapon Specialist Doug Marcaida, American Bladesmith Society (ABS) Master Bladesmith James Neilson, and two-time Forged in Fire champion Ben Abbott. Despite becoming a parent at an early age, Trinidad beat all odds of failing in life. He makes blades and other weapons and is a judge on the reality TV. John Cohea was a frontier style knife maker and leather worker from Nettleton, Mississippi. Four past champions will do bladesmithing battle under the watchful gaze of a panel of judges enhanced by the addition of yet another ABS master smith in the third-season premiere of HISTORY's hottest competition series, Forged in Fire.