Gill is a North Carolina native who returned to his home state after retiring from the US Coast Guard in 2018. His interest in blacksmithing was first sparked by the History Channel show, "Forged in Fire." Gill has a vast respect for and some knowledge of bladesmithing and knifemaking, but he does not focus on making knives. Instead, Gill's passion rests in forging a wide variety of items fitting for hearth, home, and garden. These include hooks, hangers, jewelry, bbq utensils, drawer pulls, key chains, steel art, railings, and much more. As a persistently curious person, Gill is always reading, watching, and listening to other smiths in a continual pursuit of his craft. Just as each day begins with building the forge fire, Gill is constantly building his own professional knowledge in accordance with his self-created mantra: "Be a good person. Be a good student. Be a good athlete. In that order."

Why the name Old Door Forge?
In a word: Sustainability. He uses preowned or reclaimed materials where time and resources allow; one of his first fuel sources was charcoal which he made himself. Many of his beginner and continuing projects were and are made from reclaimed or salvaged steel. The building he works in is built largely from reclaimed wood. Many of his own personal tools are recycled or salvaged from other tools. Both of the doors to his shop are made from what would otherwise be in a landfill.