Before Sea Island Forge made its first kettle, it was a place that made things by hand. Steve and Sandy Schoettle founded the forge in 2014, out of backgrounds in metalwork, construction, furniture, photography, and art. Every piece was made by hand, with pride and accountability, because reputation and relationships depended on it.

Outdoor fire products at the time were treated as either purely functional or trend-driven. There was little room for longevity, ritual, or the role fire plays in shaping a shared experience. The focus, everywhere else, was on output. Ours was never that.

Through that early custom work, one object kept standing out: the fire kettle. Inspired by the classic syrup kettles of the coastal South, the first kettle (we call it the "OG") was built for the Schoettle's own back yard and made for real use, cooking, gathering, and spending time outdoors.

It became a natural focal point. Conversations lasted longer. Meals were shared. Traditions began to form, and the kettle wasn't just used, it was cherished. Interest grew organically: friends, clients, and visitors began asking for one of their own, not because of any marketing, but because they'd experienced it firsthand. That demand revealed something worth building on.

Today, Sea Island Forge is a manufacturing and retail business centered on handcrafted fire kettles and thoughtfully curated accessories, still built to the same standards that shaped the forge's earliest work: care, integrity, and longevity. Every kettle is designed for real use and real gatherings, from private homes and ranches to the hospitality settings where it earns its keep quietly, over time.

Custom metalwork continues in the background, not as the outward face of the brand, but as the credibility engine that keeps our standards honest. It's the same forge, the same hands, whether the piece is a kettle headed to a coastal Georgia backyard or a custom commission for a luxury resort property, the same care and craftsmanship always applies.

Looking ahead, growth for us means scale without compromise: more relationships, more considered partnerships, a consistent experience, never mass production or trend-led expansion. The aim isn't to be everywhere. It's to be trusted, wherever the fire kettle lives.

As the brand grows, the kettle stays at the center: a place for gathering, cooking, and connection, an heirloom object built to endure, physically, aesthetically, and emotionally, creating memories that get returned to, shared, and passed down, year after year.