by Lisa Backus, New Britain Herald, August 14, 2016
Matthew Parkinson can recall the vivid arc of sparks the first time he saw a blacksmith at work, when his parents took him to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts as a child.
“There were sparks flying everywhere,” the 40-year-old New Britain resident said. “It was just the coolest thing.”
Decades later, Parkinson is awaiting Aug. 23, the date of his second appearance on The History Channel’s “Forged in Fire.” He will appear as a returning champion bladesmith, taking on three other champions who also had won a televised competition for their skill in making bladed weapons.
