Ben Abbott bio, net worth, relationship, and more

Who is Ben Abbott?

Those interested in the art and skill of bladesmiths might be familiar with the show “Forged in Fire.” Ben Abbott is known as the previous champion and judge of Forged in Fire.

Ben Abbott

He entered as a contestant and won the competition in the early seasons before progressing to the position of a judge in the reality TV show in recent seasons. After proving his skill and prowess by winning the contest twice, Ben Abbott appeared in the show as a judge in the latter seasons.

Let’s get to know Ben Abbott more closely in this article.

Quick facts

Full nameBenjamin Abbott
NicknameBen
BirthdayJanuary 1972
Age52 years old
BirthplaceBethesda, Maryland, USA
Currently residingRichmond, Virginia
NationalityAmerican
ParentsRenee Abbott (mother),
Peter Abbott (father)
SiblingsRich Abbott (brother),
Janis Abbott (sister)
Marital statusEngaged
WifeHeather Rabun
ChildrenAlden James Abbott (son)
EducationWalt Whitman High School,
Binghamton University, (anthropology)
Virginia Commonwealth University (Electronics Engineering)
ProfessionSwordsmaker and Reality TV star
Net worthUnder review
Social mediaFacebook
Instagram

Childhood

Ben Abbott mother Renee and Father Peter
Peter Abbott and Renee Abbott- Parents of Ben

Born in England in 1972, Ben Abbott developed an interest in crafting blades and metals in his early teenage years. He gained his inspiration from the swords he had seen in museums and castles across England.

He has a family that supports his passion for the skill. Ben also has two siblings; brother Rich Abbott and sister Janis Abbott. Furthermore, it is said that it was Ben’s father who helped him learn to craft metals during his early days.

Abbott tried to craft his first sword at the young age of 13. He was fascinated by the swords and weaponry that he saw in the museums and castles, and after figuring out that he couldn’t buy a sword, he subsequently decided to make one for himself.

The young aspirant’s attempts failed as sword-making isn’t child’s play. Nevertheless, little Ben did not give up on his passion entirely and decided to scale things back a little and start by crafting small knives instead as a  beginner.

Thus, at 17, he started making his own knife and began practicing the art of crafting metal. He also made jewelry, ornaments, and small blades during his practice.

Ben brother Rich Abbott with their father Peter
Ben and Rich Abbott (brother) with their father, Peter

Ben’s mother, Renee Abbott, passed away on December 16, 2013. She had Alzheimer’s.

Ben has a brother Rich Abbott and a sister Janis Abbott.

Where is Ben Abbott of Forged in fire from?

Ben Abbott came into popularity after appearing in the HISTORY channel show Forged in Fire in 2016. He resides in Richmond, VA, as of now. Ben Abbott’s age is 49 years. His height and weight aren’t disclosed yet.

He is originally from England and was born there. He later came to America and developed a keen interest in crafting blades that he displayed starting from a young age.

Educational background

Ben with his sister Janis Abbott
Ben with his sister Janis Abbott

Ben graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in electrical engineering. Similarly, he also has a degree in anthropology from Binghamton University. Therefore, we can understand that Ben is well-educated.

However, when it came to craftsmanship, he was his own teacher. Apparently, he didn’t have a master and learned the art by himself.

The internet wasn’t prevalent during his learning years. So, he had to rely on books from the local library and research intensively about mastering the skillset’s details and procedures.

After many attempts, Ben finally started getting familiar with the process. First, he would have to meet the local bladesmiths for advice. Even though he didn’t have quality equipment and machinery, he managed to do whatever he had at hand and continued to practice.

Is Ben Abbott from Forged in Fire married?

Ben Abbott is currently in a relationship with choreographer Heather Rabun. They have a sweet baby boy Alden James Abbott together, who came into this world in October 2020.

Ben Abbott with his family

However, Ben Abbott had a spouse earlier. He was previously married to Mandy Abbott, but the couple separated after some time.

Heather Rabun and Ben have been together for three years. They seem to be going strong, especially with a child in view.

Ben Abbott career

Before gaining fame from the Forged in Fire series, Ben Abbott worked in the electrical engineering field for his university degree. Then, in around 2000, he worked as an electrical engineer at the California Institute of Technology.

He was also working as a part of the group of scientists who were working on LIGO. It is a highly technical apparatus and physical experiment studying gravitational waves and developing observations as an astronomical tool.

LIGO is the world’s largest gravitational wave observatory. Ben had, in fact, volunteered to teach metal works in the project, but he reportedly left the venture to participate in Forged in Fire. He now pursues the work of forging metal, blades, jewelry, ornaments, and knives through his personal business venture.

What “Forged in Fire” is all about?

Forged in Fire is an American reality series that airs on the History channel. It was first aired on June 22, 2015. This competition revolves around the art of forging metals and blades. The bladesmiths are placed in groups of four, and they compete against each other until there is only one last man standing.

Ben Abbott

The contestants should first forge a blade from the specified metal. Second, they should create a functioning handle for the blades, and finally, they are to recreate a historical weapon. The winner walks home with the prize money of USD 10,000.

The judges in the show are J. Neilson, David Baker, Doug Marcaida, Jason Knight, and Ben Abbott. The hosts are Wil Willis and Grady Powell. The show has been running for seven seasons; the eighth season is the most recently aired.

Why is Ben Abbott on Forged in Fire?

Ben Abbott has a great hand and skill in the art of forging bladed weapons, and this skill was what brought him to the stage of Forged in Fire. He first appeared in the ninth episode of the second season of the competition on 12 April 2016.

Later, he went on to win the competition in the second season. He had forged a wonderful Khanda sword that won him the first prize.

Many appreciated his work and talent, and he again appeared in the show for the “Champion of Champions” episode on the 23rd of August that year. He had crafted a Scottish Claymore and once again claimed the first position in the contest.

How did Ben Abbott become a judge?

After proving his exemplary skills as a crafty bladesmith, he was chosen to be on the show again as a later judge in the seasons. He initially appeared as a judge in the 21st episode of the fourth Forged in Fire season.

He filled in the slot of J. Neilson and others as a judge in a few episodes in the fifth and sixth seasons.

Since he has won the contest twice and has been a favorite amongst the viewers, the show creators have definitely realized his potential, so he was invited back to the show in the position of judge.

What episode of Forged in Fire was Ben Abbott in?

Two-time champion Ben Abbott first appeared in the swords-making competition Forged in Fire in the ninth episode of season two, aired on 12 April 2016. He competed with other bladesmiths and was able to win the title with his skills.

Afterward, Ben was also a contender in the “Champion of Champions,” and he won that title too, which led him to be a judge on the show. He appeared in 12 episodes from 2017-2020 as a judge.

Which Forged in Fire episode does Ben win?

Ben Abbott won the second season of Forged in Fire in 2016.

Is Ben Abbott coming back to Forged in Fire?

Currently, the eighth season of Forged in fire is being aired on the history channel. Unfortunately, we haven’t received any news or confirmation regarding the reappearance of Ben Abbott in the series.

Benn Abott’s episodes as a judge in the past include Samurai Showdown (2020), Game of Forge (2020), The Chinese Zhanmadao (2020), and others. However, it is not confirmed whether he has left Forged in Fire or not.

net worth

The exact net worth of Ben Abbott hasn’t been estimated yet, and it is under review. But it is assumed that he has gathered his fortune from multiple appearances on reality TV.

Additionally, he won the first prize money twice in Forged in Fire and later appeared as a judge. He now has a personal business of forging customizable blades, tools, and metal ornaments under the name “Ashgrove Forge.” So he has had a steady flow of income from these sources.

social media

We can see Ben is active on his Instagram account. His handle is @abott_ben, and he has a following of 95.7 thousand on his Instagram account.

Ben has kept his personal life on the private side, but he is not hesitant to show off pictures of his passionately crafted blades in his Instagram feed. He also shares sweet pictures of his girlfriend and little son.

Ben also has a Facebook account to post photos of his family, work, and different events he attends.

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