Steel & Soul

"This story isn't just mine—it’s yours -  Forged in the twilight between ancient tradition and modern technology, I can tell you how it begins... but how it ends my friend, is up to you!"

How It All Began

I was thirteen when I first saw red-hot steel pulled from the forge. The coal crackled, the anvil rang, and a piece of iron became a horseshoe. I was hooked. By 1999, I had formally learned the trade, but it wasn't the horseshoes that captured me—it was the forge itself. I discovered a "flow state" where fourteen hours felt like three; beads of sweat from my brow became steam as they hit the anvil while I hammered steel with purpose into a pair of firetongs. That is the feeling I chase every single day.

The Compulsion to Create

I forge because I have to. It is a compulsion; the only way I can truly live. To stop forging would be like clipping the wings of a bird. Without the hammer and the heat, I would be grounded. When the steel glows orange and the anvil rings, the world disappears. It is just me, the fire, and the rhythm of the work. I spent twelve years in industrial forging learning and honing my expertise and skills, technical knowledge, and resourcefulness, but my heart remained in the simple blacksmith shop. This is live performance frozen in steel—a unique moment of creation that will never exist in quite the same way again.

Legacy and the Masters

I work to recreate legendary patterns from makers like John Stohler and Michael Zeeck. These men have been gone for over a century, yet we still speak their names because their tools transcended time. They took care of their families through this humble craft, and that is exactly what I am doing today. I have six children, and the forge is our common ground. We are building a foundation so my sons and daughter can work alongside me full-time, creating a legacy that will last for generations.

Unique Axes, Not Factory Clones

I have forged hundreds of axes—Taiga patterns, Stohler patterns, and many others. Every single one is an individual. Like humans, they are not clones; they are unique. The forge marks and the subtle variations in the finish are the signatures of the fire—the fingerprints of the maker. Identical axes come from factories and lack soul. My tools bear the birthmarks of fire, determination, and willpower. They are a testament to my resolve to protect my reputation and help you earn yours.

My Promise: A Story Woven in Steel

Every axe that leaves my shop represents my values and over twenty-five years of dedication. Anything less would be a betrayal of the craft I hold in the highest regard. When you hold a Broad River Forge axe, you are holding a testament to a life devoted to the fire.

My part is the heat and the hammer; your part is the high adventure and the honest work. One day, your grandchildren will inherit this axe. As they hold it, they won't just see a tool—they will feel connected to you, your stories, and the adventures you were on. They will remember you. Through this steel, we are all connected—the maker, you the adventurer, and the generations yet to come.

A Technical Pedigree: Ancient Meets Modern

Industrial Forging Meets Japanese Tradition

While my work is rooted in the "old ways," it is refined by a career spent at the highest levels of industrial forging.

• The Japanese Connection: I spent months in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, and Toyohashi—Japanese towns with hundreds of years of blacksmithing history. I worked alongside highly skilled industrial smiths and traditional hand-forgers in training. I earned the respect of my teachers through the results of my work, and on my second trip, I was able to further refine my technical knowledge and share insights I had from developing my skills in the North American forging environment.

• Industrial Authority: Since 1998, I have operated at the intersection of craft and industry. I have traveled across the United States to support and consult for forges, applying technical expertise to solve the complex problems in factory forging.

   The Broad River Standard is a Fusion.  Our forge operates in the twilight between ancient and modern craft. We are dedicated to the traditions that have allowed this craft to endure thousands of years, yet we adopt the technical capabilities and knowledge that allow us to create something that neither can produce alone. The sunrise and a new day in the development of the tools we produce!

Brad Kush 
Master Smith 
Broad River Forge