About Us
Meet the Crew · Visit Raven Forge · Shop the Collection
Our story
From a cupboard full of axes to a forge full of nerds
Brothers Sam and Tom Ive grew up on science fiction, fantasy and everything in between, the kind of childhood that was always going to end in swords.
Long before Raven Forge existed, the brothers founded Tree of Shields, a historical sword-fighting club, while still holding down proper jobs. Sam worked in NHS mental health and learning disability services, while Tom looked after historic buildings for the council.
Raven Forge began as all respectable businesses do: with a dream.
That dream was to stop working for "the man," build something of their own and have the freedom to drop off and pick up their kids from school.
One thing led to another, and the dream quickly became a cupboard full of axes in Tom's living room and a website held together with Year 11 HTML knowledge, blind optimism and gaffer tape.
After six rigorous months of failing forwards, the brothers took the leap. They left the NHS and the council behind and began building something truly mad.
But danger was afoot…
COVID-19 was upon us all, and after some stern words from Tom's wife, it was finally time to move the axes out of the cupboard. The brothers found their first proper shop, moved everything in and prepared to open the doors.
Three days later, lockdown hit.
The shop became an "office," and Sam and Tom began going live on Facebook every day, talking about what they'd been doing, making new friends and waving freshly arrived swords at the camera.
Then came the legendary Friday-night livestreams. Starting at 7pm and sometimes carrying on until four in the morning, there were drinks, quizzes, ridiculous conversations and even an agony-aunt segment called Dear Raven Forge.
What began with five or ten regulars eventually grew to nearly 10,000 viewers. For a while, Raven Forge became the pub everyone could get into when all the real ones were closed.
That sense of community never went away. You'll still find us at conventions most weekends, running ridiculous competitions, giving things away and generally causing a ruckus.
Along the way, we've supported charities, helped build a Viking longhouse, worked with local schools on their Viking studies, helped a nana move house, rescued an owl, stormed Conwy Castle and even paid the vet bill for a German lady's cat.
And let's not forget the time we tried to buy a school…
We set out to have a good time, share what we love, look after people and make some new friends, and somehow, we did it all. It was a wild, wild time.
Now, Raven Forge is an unstoppable force: we get to create officially licensed replicas, collectibles and merchandise for worlds we grew up loving, including Assassin's Creed, The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Trek. Working alongside companies such as Ubisoft, CD PROJEKT RED and Paramount means we get access to the stories, artwork and tiny details that make those worlds special.
We are Raven Forge, a cherry-picked team of collectors, gamers, makers, sword fighters and lifelong nerds, designing things we genuinely love for people who love them too.
Designed by geeks. Made for geeks.
In pictures
Bits and pieces from the journey
Our first shipping container — ‘a big metal box of swords’ — it was a day to celebrate.
The day we moved into our new warehouse — all our friends, family and kids helped us move from our tiny shop in Silsden to what is now Raven Forge HQ
The Pineapple King (if you know, you know)
Some dreams do come true
In the midst of COVID-19, Sam and Tom acquired Star Trek uniforms and hosted a live sci-fi quiz till the early hours of the morning
The roof that Raven Forge built
The cupboard of axes, accompanied by the Haribo treats that went out in every order
A sword designer at work
Friend of the forge, John Worsnop – Bringer of pies, coffee machines and most importantly Jacob – till we meet again, RIP John.
A meeting with Warhammer
Setting up for a livestream — behind the camera was always a major trip hazard
Our first licensed sword going live, whilst we were live
Summer holidays were never the same again
New warehouse
Helping a grandma move house — here's Sam, (Sam's daughter) Rory, and Tom proudly displaying their surname 'Ive' in the halls of the care home they helped their grandma move to.
Sam mid karaoke outburst, probably murdering some Frank Sinatra classic
That time we tried to buy a school
Tom with our first ever pallet delivery, we were super proud
Before we had a shop, a warehouse and a photography studio, we had “this field” with a tree stump.... All Raven Forge (or as it was known at the time, Old Ways Wares) photos were taken in the wild.... We saw some weather back then...
The cupboard of axes, back when it was Old Ways Wares
Filming Facebook videos, hidden in a forest during lockdown
Witcher delivery day
Yet another good day at the forge
Conwy pirates, the day Raven Forge stormed a castle
Why is the rum gone? Tom and Sam rolling out to Conwy Pirate Festival...
Somebody sent us this, we lost a few hours here.....
The mighty Tree of Shields, Sam and Tom's HEMA club when they were younger men
We promise it's not a tiki hut
It's not every day a Klingon visits Raven Forge
Not sure what's going on here — it's approximately 1am at the end of a 6-hour livestream.... somebody sent us temporary tattoos.... so we put them on.... live
The day we got the keys to our first shop
Not sure what's going on here, but it's definitely a mess
There was a time, a long time ago, when there was a great war between the Pineapple King and the Iron King..... It created much silliness
Sam handing his notice in at the NHS — looking back, he could have looked more pleased about it
The day the whole crew helped Sam and Tom's grandma move house
The longhouse that Raven Forge built
Before the warehouse, and before the little shop, we had “Tom's House” — this was the Raven Forge stock room
Sam and Tom at Tree of Shields, long before Raven Forge
Eleven of us, and counting
Fancy popping by?
Whether it's a quick question or a chat about your next piece, we're easy to find, and every customer gets treated like a mate, not a ticket number. Come and meet the crew, book a visit, or dive straight into the collection.
