Swamp Dog Forge may have only just had a name put to it, but it has existed in spirit ever since Luke forged his first blade half his life ago at the age of 14.

Blacksmithing is Luke's favourite craft, bringing to mind days of yore where fire, a hammer, a strong arm and a keen eye were all that was needed to create things of both usefulness and beauty. In these times of such global connectivity and fast-paced technology there is something truly captivating and fulfilling in a craft that can still be practised as it was centuries ago. Luke also specialises in forging the chisels he needs for one of his other crafts, wood carving.

His early twenties saw Luke living in Tasmania in Australia's south-east, and that was where he was inspired to learn to work with wood. Small relief carvings and items such as combs, pipes, bowls and spoons were bread and butter when traveling, and this continued when Luke returned to his native Western Australia. Apart from the odd custom request though, in later years most creations have been given away as gifts, so the opening of Swamp Dog Forge is Luke's first attempt in a long while to make a living from his craft.

Our ethos at Swamp Dog Forge is an extension of what we value in our lives in general—that of living as sustainably as possible, upcycling whatever we can and making as little a dent as is feasible on this ancient land that we live.