The Master Blacksmith

Nicholas Wicks is an artist blacksmith based in Maine. His family has been metalworking for five generations, starting with Nick’s great-great-grandfather, who worked on the Statue of Liberty. After apprenticing under the master blacksmith Jim Whitson in Scotland, Nick started Wicks Forge in his grandfather’s garage using homemade tools and his great-grandfather’s anvil. Wicks Forge quickly expanded as audiences responded to Nick’s products and philosophy—everyday pieces that combined a formal background in blacksmithing with an accessible, DIY mentality. Nick started helping others join the Maker Movement as a contributing editor for Popular Mechanics, where he writes how-to articles and reviews about which work pants are least likely to catch on fire. Wicks Forge has been featured in numerous galleries and publications, including Yankee Magazine and Connecticut Magazine. Nick is a member of the New England Blacksmiths Guild and the Artist Blacksmith Association of North America. He is the author of The Everyday Blacksmith.