Ford trained initially as a goldsmith in the European tradition, completing his apprenticeship in 1985. Early on in his training he became entranced by Japanese metalwork as used to embellish the sword and in 1993 made his first journey to Japan to begin his long journey into the world of classical Japanese decorative metal work. Since 2010 his work has been recognised at the highest levels in annual competitions in the World of the Japanese Sword in Japan. He is now considered the leading authority in the West on the technical aspect of the tradition. In 2013, in New Hampshire, USA, Ford ran his first formal teaching courses in his art-form.
