From horses to knives — The story of Steve Watkins and Ironman Forge

Steve Watkins, a 1986 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School, opened Ironman Forge in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.

Last month, Old Town Cape gave the entrepreneur OTC's John Boardman Excellence in Historic Preservation Award for his renovation of 509 Morgan Oak St.

"We gutted (the building) and took it right down to the bricks," said Watkins of the structure, the former Cape Feed and Seed, built originally in 1960.

Here to there

Watkins attended Arkansas State University, where he was a walk-on to the football program. Later, he was recruited to be a long snapper for the Southeast Missouri State University football team under head coach Bob Smith. Playing in an era long before the current instantaneous transfer portal, Watkins had to sit out a year by NCAA rules.

The former Central Tiger left SEMO during his second semester to become part of touring Lippizan shows — beginning a long-term fascination with horses.

Watkins's studies led him to Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre in Parkersburg, West Virginia, where he received a vocational degree.

Steve Watkins displays a quillion dagger he has made in the basement shop of Ironman Forge at 509 Morgan Oak St. on Thursday in Cape Girardeau.Jeff Long

Watkins then spent 20 years training horses in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"I was training horses and shoeing them, too, plus doing some ornamental ironwork," he said.

After two decades, Watkins decided to take a two-week course in knife-making in western North Carolina — a decision that radically changed his life.

"After that, I started making chef's knives and shipping them all over the country," he said, noting he has sent personally-made culinary knives to every state but Alaska. "Knives fascinate me. I'm an artist and knives are my medium."

Desiring to expand his business, Watkins came home to Cape Girardeau.

Billy Brooks, an apprentice at Ironman Forge in Cape Girardeau, is seen doing profiling work Thursday on a tomahawk being prepared for a local customer.Jeff Long

Products

Watkins makes various kinds of metal work in his basement forge — including cleavers, Bowie knives, culinary knives, swords and axes.

On Thursday, Watkins's apprentice, SEMO graduate Billy Brooks, originally from Caruthersville, Missouri, was "profiling" a tomahawk for a local customer.

Watkins himself was in the finishing stages of making a quillion dagger, a blade first appearing in the 12th century, on order from a North Carolina client.

"This is my first dagger and it's complicated to make," he said, surmising the client will hang the blade on his wall and it will become an heirloom.

Potential customers who want knives, the largest share of Watkins's business, may visit www.ironmanknives.com. Watkins said he is also happy to communicate directly with those interested in custom orders by using the "Contact Us" function on the website or calling him at (704) 207-9559.

Steve Watkins of Cape Girardeau's Ironman Forge puts finishing touches Thursday on a dagger he has made for a customer in North Carolina.Jeff Long

Recognition

In 2015, Watkins was recognized in Garden & Gun magazine, which carried this profile of the artisan: "A horse trainer turned bladesmith, Steve Watkins believes that like a champion jumper or prizewinning racehorse, a good kitchen knife must have both style and strength. 'I want my knives to be an extension of your hand,' he says. 'Each one should feel great but also be shaped so that it does its job perfectly every time.' He makes his Ironman Forge blades of carbon steel, works them by hand until they're scalpel sharp, and builds the handles from bird's-eye and curly maple that's been treated to prevent cracking."

Passion

"I Googled the word 'artist' and the definition said a person who needs instant gratification — and that's me," Watkins said. "This work just gives me something. I call it joy."

Watkins, who said his current clientele is mainly in the U.S., would like to tap into an international market someday.

He cites Burt Foster and Jason Knight as influencers of his work.

Both, Watkins said, are American Bladesmith Society mastersmiths. A mastersmith is defined by ABS as a "master of iron," for which the society administers a test to gain certification.

Other interests

• Watkins operates his custom knives business, Ironman Forge, in the basement of his Morgan Oak establishment. On the first floor, he operates an event venue simply called The Forge.
• Earlier this month, Watkins opposed Tameka Randle for the then-vacant Ward 2 seat on Cape Girardeau City Council. Randle won the April 5 race and has taken her seat as a city lawmaker.

Watkins said he remains interested in serving in elective office down the road.

"I will run if I see I'm needed," he said.

Hometown strong

Watkins is a walking advertisement for Cape Girardeau.

"I've lived elsewhere and Cape is an extremely unique place that doesn't exist anywhere else. I know how to navigate the waters here. It was easy to get the business started when I moved back. It's easy living and inexpensive. I love having good restaurants nearby and a farmer's market so close at hand," he said.

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