Hand Forged Blacksmith

Back about 1980 or 1981 a friend and I were both really interested in doing some blacksmithing, I have always loved antiques and I’ve been collecting antique tools my whole adult life so we decided to learn how to blacksmith. So, I got me a couple of books and started reading on how to blacksmith and how to build a coal fired forge, the right way to build a coal fire and how to forge! Different tools you can make, all the different things you can do with blacksmithing.

At the time I was a plumber and I set up a blacksmith shop inside my plumbing shop, had my forge, my anvil, a leg vice and some tongs, and started getting some more hammers, swedge blocks and all the different tools you need to do a good job blacksmithing. I begin making dinner bells and fireplace tools, pokers, shovels, rakes, scoops, or just all kinds of little knickknacks and tools, also made some tongs for a special job. I made magazine racks for in the house, little hooks to drive into logs or post to hang stuff on, and just all kinds of fun stuff.

So I’ve been doing that for about 35 years now and the thing I make the most is fireplace tools and stands, Dinner Bells, and the pig tail steak turners. For the Dinner Bells I try to use the old drill steel that came out of the mines around Amador County or something similar to that. It’s a good high carbon steel so it rings real good and a lot of the fireplace tools and the stands that I make are made out of recycled steel that I’ve picked up over the years and can make into something very unique. The Fireplace tools are mostly made to order to the size and design you would like. I try to keep some on hand at Sierra Hearth & Home, but they usually sell pretty fast. They all have a life time guarantee! That guarantee means as long as I am alive, if you bend it, I will straighten it, if you wear it out, I will make you a new one!

Come in and see our mock Blacksmith shop inside our store, chose from one of the custom made items, or place an order for a one of kind specialty hand forged blacksmith item today.