Neels van den Berg | Black Dragon Forge

Neels van den Berg | Black Dragon Forge

From his forge in Lanseria, South Africa, Neels van den Berg brings Renaissance weaponry to life with unrivaled precision and poetic craftsmanship. As an American Bladesmith Society (ABS) Master Smith, a decorated artisan, and the founder of Black Dragon Forge, Neels has become one of South Africa’s most respected voices in the global bladesmithing community.

His introduction to knifemaking came in 2009 during a class with Stuart Smith, sparked by a demonstration at a Medieval Festival. That moment lit a fire that would evolve from curiosity into vocation. By 2013, Neels was forging full-time, drawing from a diverse background in Art, Graphic Design, Marketing, and Business Analysis to carve out a singular space in the world of edged weapons.

Neels is renowned for his high-end Quillon Daggers, Stiletto Daggers, and Main-Gauche Daggers, each piece echoing the elegance and martial refinement of 16th-century Europe. His approach isn’t to replicate history, but to continue it. Each blade is a sculptural narrative that could stand alongside museum-quality artifacts, shaped with reverence, function, and precision.

His materials of choice tell their own stories: Aged Bronze, Fine Silver, and Mosaic Damascus speak to heritage and detail, while Fossilized Mammoth Bark Ivory offers an ancient, organic luxury few makers dare to touch. From CAD-designed components to hand-forged Damascus, every detail is obsessively refined, often invoking the Japanese principle of "Kodawari" or “uncompromising attention to detail.”

Notably, Neels is the recipient of numerous accolades, including multiple “Best Art Fixed Blade” and “Best Dagger” awards, as well as the prestigious B.R. Hughes Award for Best Master Smith Submission at Blade Show Atlanta (2022). In 2025, he became an official ABS Master Smith Judge, further cementing his role as both standard-bearer and mentor in the field.

Yet for Neels, mastery is a journey, not a title. Whether crafting a complex Main-Gauche Dagger or guiding a student through their first grind, he approaches each task with discipline, humility, and intention. “What I create is meant to outlast me,” he says. “Every piece is part of a larger story, of Craftsmanship, of Tradition, and of the enduring connection between Maker and Tool.”

Follow or contact:
🌐 Website: blackdragonforge.com
📧 Email: neels@blackdragonforge.com
📞 Cell: +27 (0)83 451 3105
📸 Instagram: @blackdragonforge
📘 Facebook: Neels van den Berg
▶️ YouTube: Neels van den Berg