To my customers, collectors and friends,
After much thought, I have made the decision to retire the Arcadian Forge name and continue my work under a new identity: Akitsu Forge.
This is not a decision I have taken lightly. Arcadian Forge has been the banner under which I hoped to rebuild my career as a knifemaker, after Ironside Edge Works. But it is has merely served as a transition to ultimately what needs to come. My past as a knifemaker has served me in the refinement of my skill and creative ideas. Every knife and customer who trusted me to deliver has helped shape who I am as a craftsman.
The change comes not from a desire to leave that history behind, but because my work is increasingly moving in a new direction.
Over the years I have developed a deep appreciation for the craft, philosophy and artistry of the Japanese sword. This has always been evident in my work and what began as an interest gradually became a calling. As my focus has shifted from knifemaking toward bladesmithing, I felt the need for an identity that more accurately reflects the path I intend to follow for the rest of my career.
The name Akitsu is an old Japanese word for “dragonfly.” The dragonfly has served as my personal emblem for many years and represents qualities that I strive for both in my craft and in my life: persistence, forward movement, precision and dedication.
Akitsu Forge is therefore not simply a new name. It is a public declaration of intent.
As many of you know, I am not a traditional Japanese swordsmith, nor do I claim to make true Nihonto. I am a self-taught Western bladesmith whose goal is to create faithful modern interpretations of the Japanese sword while developing a style and body of work that are distinctly my own. My aim is not to replicate the past, but to engage with it respectfully and contribute something meaningful of my own.
For those who have supported my knifemaking journey, nothing important is being left behind. I will continue to produce limited knife collections from time to time, and the same commitment to quality and craftsmanship remains at the heart of everything I make.
What is changing is the destination.
The years ahead will be increasingly devoted to the study and creation of Japanese swords and the pursuit of a coherent artistic lineage that I hope will define the rest of my working life.
This website will stay live and active until August 2026 while my new online presence is under construction at www.akitsuforge.com
Thank you to everyone who has supported my work thus far. Your encouragement, patronage and friendship have made this next step possible.
I look forward to sharing the journey with you.
Gavin Coleman
Akitsu Forge
