PennWest California student to appear on History Channel show
Courtesy of PennWest California
Ian Zimmerman at work on his craft.
Courtesy of PennWest California
Ian Zimmerman, a sophomore at PennWest California, is a contestant on Wednesday’s episode of “Forged in Fire,” a show on the History Channel.
Courtesy of PennWest California
“Forged in Fire,” a show on the History Channel, displays the art of blacksmithing in a three-round competition.
Courtesy of PennWest California
Ian Zimmerman with a sword he has made using his blacksmithing skills.
Ian Zimmerman has been blacksmithing for about two years, picking up the trade as he was looking for things to do while quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The skills amassed by the PennWest California sophomore over that time will be on display on “Forged on Fire” this Wednesday at 10 a.m. The History Channel show pits bladesmiths against one another to determine who can forge the best bladed weapon.
“They really put (contestants) through a torture test to see how your craftsmanship holds up,” Zimmerman said. “It usually takes me a couple of days to make a knife if it’s of good quality, and they want you to do it in five hours. It’s very tense and it makes for a good TV show.”
“Forged in Fire” features four contestants each week in three rounds of challenges, which vary from episode to episode.
“The challenges are very difficult,” Zimmerman, of Bedford, said. “They usually put a time constraint on it, usually being five hours for the first two rounds where you’re usually asked to make a blade in your signature style in the first three hours. Whoever is able to do that moves on. They usually eliminate one person per round.”
Those who move on are asked to put handles on the blades in two hours, then go through a series of tests to see which blade performs better. The maker whose blade wins in named that episode’s champion.
For Zimmerman, blacksmithing is what he has done for a job for the last two and a half years.
The 20-year-old also has been working as an intern at MarBills Jewelry in Belle Vernon on weekends to further his trade, as well as taking jewelry courses offered at PennWest California.
The member of the track and cross country teams at PennWest California is pursuing a degree in technical studies, and said his experience working at the jeweler and taking the jewelry classes have nudged him toward that type of career upon graduation.
“That’s kind of where I see myself going at first, working with my hands, kind of getting a foundation laid,” he said. “I’ve always had aspirations of getting into the prop making business for movies. That’s always been a dream.”
He’s had an interest in pocket knives that goes back to his days as a Boy Scout. Plus, like everyone else he found himself with a lot of time on his hands during the pandemic and spent some of that time watching YouTube videos about blacksmithing.
Zimmerman made a wooden sword, enjoyed the process and wanted to make a real metal blade.
“I just fell in love with the art of it,” he said. “I eventually quit my summer job to do just this.”
Zimmerman’s episode of “Forged in Fire” was filmed in April and May in Connecticut.
“It was awesome,” Zimmerman said of the experience. “Just being on was a win. It was surreal. My hometown has been supportive. They can’t wait to watch it.”