Sitting behind the burning fire, one of the Man At Arms: Reforged team creates the Ulfberht Viking Sword. Image: Screenshot 

ART NEWS

Stars of Man At Arms return to Otakon to share stories about forging awe-inspiring weapons and armor from movies and videogames.

BY KAZAD

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Matt Stagmer, Ilya Alekseyev, and Bill Collison, the trio behind the popular web series Man at Arms will return to Otakon this year to share their craft and what drives their passion.  Otakon 2019 will be held from July 26-28, 2019 at the Walter Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

 In their shows, the craftsmen and women take up the challenge of creating weapons from movies and from different periods. Some of the weapons have never seen before.

During one episode, they forged an Ulfberht Viking Sword, one of the legendary swords of the Viking history. Made from crucible steel, the process was challenging when the team set out to create this weapon.  However, in the end, they created a sword that matches the best of its kind. Making the Ulferht Viking Sword is a careful and painstaking process.   From forging to smiting, hammering, and casting, it was remarkable to watch the craftsmen and women create their masterpiece. However, the creation is not just about forging a sword. It is also about history. As the creation process continued, the team tells the history of the origin of the weapons they are making. 

When Matt Stagmer, Ilya Alekseyev, and Bill Collison return to Otakon 2018, they get the opportunity to share their passion, what drives them and their experience. Stagmer, for instance, has a whole world of experience and stories to share with the audience at Otakon.

Matt Stagmer: Reforging New Weapons and Stories

For more than 20 years, Stagmer has been making swords. He is the lead blade grinder at Baltimore Knife and Sword. In the summer of 2014, he began hosting the hit web series Man At Arms: Reforged. Working with a team of experienced craftsmen, he gives life the most requested fantasy arms and armor from your favorite video games, anime, and other pop culture genres. The show was an instant hit. Even as the show grew, Stagmer continued to take advantage of every opportunity.  In 2017, he became the host of the TV show Man At Arms: The Art of War. Together with Danny Trejo and others, the make history’s most devastating weapons. Stagmer is currently creating his own content on YouTube for the channel That Works.

Ilya Alekseyev: The Historian

Like Stagmer, Alekseyev returns to Otakon with even greater experience.  Born in Troitsk, Russia, he began developing an interesting in the art and craftsmanship of bladed weapons from an early age. For those interested in history, especially regarding the weapons created by the Man At War team, Alekseyev is the man.  In many of the series, he brings his background in art history, Asian studies, and philosophy into his craft. Currently an armorer working with Baltimore Knife and Sword, as well as one of the product designers, Alekseyev will enrich intellectually guests to this year’s Otakon.  Among the skills that he brings to the Man At Arms project are his expertise in armor, Damascus steel, bloomery steel, and engraving.

Bill Collison: Exceptional Casting Skill

At the Baltimore Knife and sword, Collison is held in high regard. He has been working with Baltimore Knife and sword off and on for the past 20 years and has worked with them on a full-time basis for the past two years grinding blades.

Although well-known for his exceptional skill in casting, mold making and heat-treating, Collision’s craftsman background started in armor making and progressed in a different direction soon after, including prop armor and costuming.  A martial arts expert and member of SCA, Collison has worked with the Freelancers as their jousting armorer for 17 years. Furthermore, Collison is a contributing smith on both the Man At Arms series (TV & YouTube) and on the YouTube channel That Works.

Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture. It celebrates popular culture as a gateway to a deeper understanding of Asian culture. It draws thousands of fans who share the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East to Washington every year.

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