From the Oil Patch to the Forge: Faith, Family, and Finding Your Edge

: In this episode of Behind The Anvil, host Michael Peterson sits down with James Pockett to talk about a life shaped by hard work, faith, and the courage to take a chance. Born in San Angelo, Texas, and raised in Andrews, James shares how growing up in a small West Texas town led him straight into the oil and gas industry, stepping onto his first drilling rig at just 19 years old and eventually working every position on the rig. He reflects on nearly 35 years of marriage, the values that grounded him, and how a chance encounter with a knife maker at a gun show in Odessa changed the direction of his life. James opens up about seeking out mentors, learning the craft from local makers, and finding purpose and brotherhood within the knife-making community, including his growing involvement with the Texas Knife Makers Guild. He also shares his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, how it shaped his journey, and how simply asking a local blacksmith for guidance led him into the art of bladesmithing—and into a new family forged by fire, steel, and shared belief. This episode is a powerful conversation about taking risks, honoring tradition, and finding meaning both at the forge and beyond the anvil.