Vlad was born and raised on a small farm in central Europe where the use of hand tools and a traditional approach was a daily occurrence. He spent four years undertaking his diploma in Diesel Engineering where he also achieved qualifications in both welding and locksmithing. Although the diploma involved metalwork it was not blacksmithing, which had been his dream since he was five years old. After finishing school he decided to travel and pick up knowledge and experience along the way. Travelling across Europe followed by 3 years in Canada and 14 years in the United States (where he competed as a professional knight in jousting competitions) eventually brought him to the UK where he finally achieved an official qualification in Arts and Heritage Blacksmithing in 2016. He opened a Forge and began his own business in 2017.