Seven Embers Forge is owned and operated by Sam Halote, a full-time bladesmith and cutler with over a decade of experience. His shop is currently based out of Chicago, Illinois.

Sam grew up in Los Angeles, California, where he was fascinated with swords and sword making from a young age. He started forging his own blades in 2010 at Hampshire College, where he graduated in 2014 with a degree in Sword History and Manufacturing. In 2015, he moved to Colorado to further his forging career. He apprenticed under master cutler Dennis Graves, eventually taking over his shop in 2018.

Sam has been studying martial arts of various styles for as long as he has been forging blades. He has focused on studying Italian historic swordplay since 2016 with the Rocky Mountain Swordplay Guild and the Chicago Swordplay Guild.