Watch this video about the swordsmith of Baltimore.
Video Transcript
Matt Stagmer: Ever since I was a little kid, I loved Star Wars, loved the Jedis, big Excalibur fan, that kind of thing.
I've been making swords for 16 years now.
My brothers are 18 and 21 years older than I am. They were into a lot of role-playing, and as a little kid, you know, in diapers, watching people fight with swords and armor out in your front yard was pretty inspiring.
When I was in high school, I needed a job, and I started basically sweeping the floors, cleaning rusty armor.
It wasn't so cool when I was in school. The weird guy making knives in the basement is what they kind of pictured.
Nowadays, all the movies and video games related to swords, seems to be the cool thing.
Our swords are really well known for the way they sound. They ring and they resonate really loud on stage.
Actor: You'd have me think you're made of sterner stuff.
Matt Stagmer: The coolest historical swords are going to be the Viking weaponry. They got beautiful patterning. And they were just some of the most talented craftsmen on the earth.
Not only is this my job, it's also, you know, my life. I do a lot of reenacting, mostly pirate stuff, because I love to be in warm climates, and a lot of pirate stuff's on beaches or on a ship somewhere, so it all interacts.
I was recently asked to be a guest artist on Man at Arms, which is a reality TV show on the web, where we focus on making whacked-out crazy swords where the public chooses what they want to see made, and we bring it to life.
I picture myself making swords for the rest of my life, I really do. If not swords or knives, it'll certainly be metal-related, and I'll be making something for the rest of my life.