Ben Abbott was born in England. Although the world has evolved to no longer need blacksmiths to make knives or even commission metals in our kitchens and homes, the art of bladesmith is still relevant. There is an ever-increasing fascination that comes with olden days weapons. History channel discovered that the art of bladesmith could be an asset to them, which gave birth to Forged in Fire.
Ben Abbott came into the show by engaging in a competition with four bladesmiths, although he quickly became part of the judges because of his abilities. Abbott taught himself how to make blades due to an innate desire. He is an expert in making blades, but aside from being an expert, he has used the opportunity to invent a significant weapon in history.
Early Life and Education
Ben has not revealed his actual birthday but judging from his looks, and we believe he should be in his mid or late forties. Ben Abbott was born in England to his parents. However, his agents relocated to California in 1975. Abbott has a brother based in the UK, Rich. Ben mentioned how he paid a visit to his brother in the U.K., which exposed him to ancient weaponry and castles. He picked interest in them, not mowing that someday it would become his career.
When Abbott was twelve, he tried to make a sword with a leaf spring he found lying around in the house. Ben invented a hairdryer, Kingsford Briquets and a galvanized steel buck. Unfortunately, his inventions were unsuccessful, but he had found a passionate career in bladesmithing.
He didn’t give up but went into researching, although at first, he found little or no resources. He eventually discussed it with the curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Although the man was also at a loss, he gave him the needed materials because Ben was trying hard to create a chain mail.
When the internet was rampant, Ben took advantage of the resources online. He also contacted other experts, took classes and also observed other blacksmiths. Even though Ben took several courses in blacksmithing, Ben did not take any courses in bladesmithing. He mentioned that it gave him an edge because he crafts tools as a blacksmith, which helps him do the work of a bladesmith proficiently. Ben went to Binghamton University, where he finished with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. Abbott also earned himself a degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Top 10 facts about Ben Abbott
- Ben Abbott is a metalworker whose expertise in bladesmithing turned him into a T.V. star.
- He competed alongside four contestants in Forged in Fire. His outstanding performance made him the winner.
- Ben has a British accent, although his nationality is American and his ethnicity white.
- He started a career in blacksmithing and bladesmithing when he was seventeen.
- Mandy Abbott was Ben’s previous wife before he began dating Heather. We don’t know if Ben and Mandy are still together.
- Ben won $10,000 twice in the competition Forged in Fire.
- He is a social media person with more than 100k followers on Instagram.
- Ben has accumulated a net worth of $500k due to his diligence in his chosen career.
- Although he is a star, he has kept information about his family private.
- From his Instagram posts, he is engaged to Heather Rabun, a professional choreographer.
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Career
Ben Abbott started a career in blacksmithing out of curiosity when he visited his brother’s family in the U.K. even though he began by creating things like jewellery, furniture, tools and ornamental ironwork to satisfy the burning passion inside him.
While testing his skills, he worked at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as an electrical engineer. He also joined a group of scientists who worked on LIGO- a technical apparatus created to identify the effects of related waves and gravity.
A group of students requested for a smith to be built on the premises after a student, Tom Harris, finished his research. Abbott decided to teach metalwork, which the Institute accepted. However, he left LIGO to pursue a career on Forged in Fire.
Ben in Forged in Fire
His participation in the Forged in Fire elimination competition made him famous. You may be wondering what it means. Forged in Fire is a match that shows on History Channel. It is a competition where four contestants run through different tests to determine their bladesmith abilities. The contestants craft out unique weapons that the judges test on ballistic dummies during the last round of the competition.
Ben Abbot as a Contestant
Ben Abbott joined the competition in April 2016 in season 2, episode 9. Even though it was Abbott’s first time creating a sword, he did it excellently well and won the competition by creating a khanda sword. He went home with the prize of $10,000. Ben’s outstanding performance made the judges invite him for episode 23 of the show “Champion of Champions.” He won the show again and got away with more money.
Ben Abbott becomes a Judge.
Usually, after the show, some judges take some time off to do other things or pursue other careers. They invited Ben to become a judge in season four, episode 21. After then, he continued sitting as a judge in subsequent seasons.
Ben establishes his business.
After winning the show, Ben had enough funds to start his own business, Ashgrove forge. His company does not produce products and keeps but makes based on demands. He continued to process and upgrade until he had a workable forge. He combines smithing with woodwork to create jewellery, beautiful knife handles etc. His wife gives him accolades for his works, from carving pots to knives, pans and other kitchen elements. He stretched his creativity to the food industry, as chefs praised his kitchen elements for functionality and efficiency.
Personal Life
Ben has a well-carved bard with a bit of grey on the beard. Maybe due to the long hours spent in the forge, he has a strong masculine figure.
His Relationships
Ben was once married to a woman, Mandy; although they divorced, he has not disclosed details about their marriage. He still referred to her as his wife in 2017. Ben met Heather Rabun, who is a choreographer. They became close and started a romantic relationship. Ben declared in an Instagram post in May 2020, with the caption, “I’m getting tired of making things all by myself, so Heather and I decided to make this one together! He won’t be ready until October 25th. However, we’re over the moon!”
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Who is Heather Rabun?
Heather Rabun, aka Dancin Rabun, is a choreographer who grew up in Texas. When she was 8, she started choreography, where she and her younger sister performed in their living room. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and a degree in Modern dance from Texas Christian University.
Heather performs in live concerts, music theatres, live entertainment, weddings and auditions. She performed in a short movie Allegro Scratch produced by Cindy Quijada. Rabun is well-known for dancing while painting. She has Tife’s Donald danced for companies like Dallas Neo-classical Ballet and L.A. Choreographers and dancers. She has also danced for several productions, performing in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Japan and London.
Social Media
Ben Abbott is @abbott_ben on Instagram with over 100k active followers, while on Facebook, he is @benabbott with 47k followers. Recently, Abbott posted a photo of a woman and her son on Instagram. The caption “Why is this guy smiling? Because that’s my amazing son, and my scorching hot fiancée… that’s why.”
Net Worth
Ben’s career is unique, a blend of bladesmithing and electrical engineering. His career has given him money from his winnings, shows, and blacksmith works. As of 2020, he accumulated a net worth of $500k.
Conclusion
Ben Abbott is one man who has a unique career in blacksmithing and bladesmithing. He developed a passion for blacksmithing when he was young. Even though he studied engineering at the university, he still found a way of going back to his love for smithing, which earned him fame and money.
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