#builditright

[threeriversforge]

This is the kind of thing that really makes my day!

Last week I was perusing another forum when a gentleman asked about shaping steel into a bowl to make a ladle.  I shared what I knew, including the Steel Puck of Awesomeness that my father made for me, and the guy was very kind in his thanks.  End of story, right?!

Usually when you give advice about stuff on the internet, you never hear back about it.  Or if you do, it’s weeks or months down the road.

Imagine my surprise when JW posted a picture the very next day to show off the Steel Puck of Awesomeness that he made for himself?  Yea, just hours after talking about it, he actually made one and forged a dish on it!!

And if that wasn’t enough, as we were talking about hammers to use for shaping he steel, he mentioned how he didn’t want to buy an expensive doming or reppouse hammer for what would be rather limited use.  Could he make a hammer out of some car half-shaft that he had?

After the appropriate encouragement, he was off to his shop to tinker and posted this picture of his happy family of tools!

I have to say, I couldn’t be more proud.  JW showed initiative, which is a blessing, but also demonstrated great skill and a keen eye for design.  He saw what he needed to accomplish, dishing the steel, and came up with a way to make it happen.  And, be honest, isn’t his hammer is a real sight to behold?  Great lines, lots of attention to detail, wholly functional while also being pleasing to the eye.... you truly couldn’t ask for more.  That hammer is one of those tools that will be earning him accolades for years to come, and rightly so.

We can all learn from JW’s tale, and I hope we do.  Grip the reins firmly in your hands and get the job done!

If you’d like to support the work here at Three Rivers Forge, t-shirts and such are available at the online shop.  Your patronage is greatly appreciated.  https://www.storefrontier.com/three-rivers-forge

[azws]

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[threeriversforge]

A very lovely little church in Scotland.  You can see that they appreciate quality ironwork, but let's not overlook the wonderful work of the stonemasons, carpenters and plasterers.  Craftsmanship at this level will always be strike a chord with the soul.

Merch at: 

https://www.storefrontier.com/three-rivers-forge

[threeriversforge]

When I speak of ‘art in the everyday’ this is what I’m talking about.  A street in Bucharest, it’s filled with visual splendor that celebrates the tradesmen who built it. We could have streets like this everywhere if only we refused to settle for mediocrity like we too often do.  If only we’d not worship at the altars of lowest possible price and quickest turnaround. Quality craftsmanship speaks to the soul and lasts through the ages.  No society ever benefits from turning their backs on such as this.

Feel free to grab a t-shirt while you ponder deep thoughts on the nature of humanity....  

https://www.storefrontier.com/three-rivers-forge

[threeriversforge]

The Palau de la Musica -- you just don’t get much better than this.  

We used to adorn our buildings with art, to reach for the very heavens.  Looking at the details, even the basic red bricks are placed in such a fashion that they compliment the stone carvings.  We might never know the names of the craftsmen responsible for this glorious example of what is possible, but they’ve more than earned their place in history.

[threeriversforge]

Wood and Iron really is the best combination.  Throw in a little stonework and you have a little piece of paradise!

No idea who the craftsmen were, but you can see that they took pride in their work.  And lets not forget the wonderful customer who demanded quality rather than quantity, bringing art to life all around them. 

[threeriversforge]

A little Thurisaz Thursday!

One of my favorite runes to carve, it’s actually quite a challenge to get everything ‘just right’ while still keeping with that ‘forged by hand’ uniqueness and asymmetry.

 https://www.subscribestar.com/three-rivers-forge

[threeriversforge]

Many years ago, my brother gave me my first cordless drill as a Christmas gift.  The whole family thought it was an awesome innovation and I used it all the time.  It was just so handy!

Imagine my dismay, then, when years later the batteries just stopped holding a charge.  Not long after that, the batteries wouldn’t take a charge at all.  Years after I got it, I finally had to throw the gift away because the manufacturer no longer supported that model and the second-hand batteries I had bought weren’t working properly.  

I could tell you were every nick and ding in the body had come from.  I had stories, memories, in that drill.  It was a gift from a dear brother, something that should have lasted me until my last breath.  But, no.  It became landfill material simply because the batteries died and the manufacturer decided to re-design how their newer batteries clipped into their tools. 

Compare that to my latest purchase - a 70′s-era die grinder.  All-metal body, with easily accessed brushes, and a nice long electrical cord to plug in.  Not the handiest thing in the world, but it looks good and functions perfectly even though it’s at least thirty-five years old.  When it has a problem, I can disassemble the whole thing, repair the entire mechanism, and have it back up and running before the day’s out.

Of the two tools, which do you think is better for the environment and for our culture?

As a blacksmith, my work revolves around the central idea that iron abides.  I make things that are solid, that will last a thousand years.  There’s a spirit of peace about the work because you know that it will endure.  If you take care of it, your grandchildren will be able to enjoy it just as much as you do.  As nice as the ironwork is, it’s the memories they evoke which makes them a real value.  

https://www.subscribestar.com/three-rivers-forge