The workshop where my Grandfather and Father worked was just below the house we lived in, so my introduction to the manufacture of iron had been immediate. Since I was a child I would go down and see how my Father worked. It fascinated me to see how he was able to shape this material, so hard and unyielding.
       Our family has worked iron for three generations. I am the third. Grandfather primarily made and repaired agricultural tools for the local farms. My Father started the transition to objects for furnishing the interior and exterior of houses. Today, our production is only for decoration and furnishings of the house. Of course many of these items are usable in a practical way also.

                                               Gian Carlo is on the right

        When my father passed away I left my studies at school and decided to dedicate myself to blacksmithing on a full time basis. I had started with small jobs helping my Father and Uncle in the workshop early on. I remember one of my first works was a railing crafted from two pieces of stock, requiring holes punched and drifted. There were many and this was done by hand, or more correctly hammer, chisel, punch and muscle. Certainly some jobs are very tiring, but it is important to know that if my work is appreciated by a customer then I derive a great deal of personal satisfaction from doing the work. Creating different works, requiring different solutions, different needs gives you the opportunity to make comparisons with your previous works and this makes you improve your skills, renews your enthusiasm. A new challenge small or large, to make something that gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your skill and knowing that, that which you create will be around for a very long time.

       The modern method of working iron certainly has brought large benefits. Growing up with technical innovations, today you can do work that once was nearly impossible, with lower costs and much quicker. Many of these works are not equal though. The modern methods, processing standardized items has lead to a flattening of designs, what is offered is very similar for all. The classic methods requiring more hand work incorporates something, viable, something that the cold iron will communicate to both the craftsman and the customer. The classic methods make a particular subject or work scream of the individual interpretation that the blacksmith has put into it. Each work has its own intricate beauty that is infused by the blacksmith’s skill, producing that which he has envisioned. Of course today we use electric welders and A/O torches to join and shape many objects, but it is the finishing by forge and hand that gives each work its unique characteristics. If the client is appreciative of the finer work we hope that they accept the price of the work required to make the piece unique and truly one of kind.

Much of our equipment is classic blacksmithing tools; we do not have special tools in that sense. We do have various types of pinchers (tongs), hammers, anvils, etc. I prefer the French hammer of 1.5 Kg and 2 Kg to rough out pieces and then use smaller ones all the way down to 0.3 Kg. The main anvil is 110 Kg and the other three of lesser weights between 70 & 90 Kg. Our pneumatic hammer is important as it saves us a tremendous amount of time and effort on larger pieces. From our measuring we make an initial form modeled on the lines of the design, this then aids us in putting the pieces of the project together. We have no preferred special tool that we use more often than another. We might forge weld or electrically weld, use a handsaw or bandsaw, it depends on the best tool to get the best result. We are an old and small workshop much of it remains the same as when my Grandfather worked here. In fact; there is still a hammer so-called “head donkey” of those who that were once operated with the driving force of water with the axis of wood and the drive belts of leather.

                                    Modern Hammer                                              Head Donkey

Surely to work wrought iron, artistic mastery of the design allows us to assess harmony and aesthetic proportions to works. A vision of a finished work permits one to find solutions that can be practical in building the work and have useful and aesthetically pleasing results. A big help is the books by blacksmiths, precious containers of experience of an ancient art, applying these techniques is a good school learning. Our working method imparts an understanding what are the practical needs and tastes of customers, in order to find a compromise that will satisfy the customer as much as possible. After we propose the plan, a full size drawing of the project is made, usually on a sheet of iron with chalk, where we can make necessary changes and find solutions to completing the project. Of course the customer approves the changes. Once we start to realize the individual pieces following the plan on which the pieces are shaped we will assemble the whole work by welding.

In Italy there is no apprenticeship in the shop, there are courses in vocational schools which also contain the classes dedicated to the processing of metals that teach the technical basis, but it is unlikely you will deepen, significantly, your knowledge of wrought iron. I think that these courses are due to people the availability of someone to teach their knowledge on artistic iron, but are not structural initiatives of the school. Unlike the courses by blacksmiths which I think are by you, to my knowledge we do not have in Italy. Those who approach this profession must do so with humility, because you never stop learning. Every time we participate with other blacksmiths, we discover how to do something better. Something that I had thought I performed in an optimal way! Contact with others who do your job is an essential exchange for technical discussions, to learn new visions, new solutions to a process or problem area, there is always room for improvement. Do not be ashamed to ask advice, there are many stages of learning from which you must pass. Advice by someone more experienced many times opens a new road, a new direction, a new way. I think that there is space for those working iron artistically, but blacksmiths proposing something unique and particular are increasing less. It is easier to align with production standards, the result of greater competition and certainly with less personal satisfaction.

The work that interests me deeply is always new ones, in the sense that to study a new realization to be done with new arrangements is a fascinating thing. I remember the preparation of work, maybe not large in size, but large in the drawn plan, remember; a horse with lines in relief, a new railing with decorative floral design, gates with sacred figurines, a picture depicting the craft of basket weaving or structures where simplicity is essential as a staircase with wooden steps. Many times a good preparation of work permits to avoid unpleasant surprises underway. When you put your best thoughts into a plan before hand, then it is possible to strike a balance of aesthetics and practicality. There are times that the hours you devote are not all repaid with money, but certainly a good realization finally repays you very personally, the love you have for this job, the feelings you have when you see the finished project that was once only a vague idea.

      Today it is increasingly important for small shops such as mine to use the Internet to reach a wider clientele. This allows us to work in the way we do in Pieve di Teco, a small village in Liguria, Italy and propose ideas a long distance to where we can find someone who appreciates our work. It is an important instrument for new knowledge and stimulus, exchange of experiences, creating new interest in an old trade and craft to commercial and personal interests. New stimuli can be found not thinking of arriving at a final result, but with experimentation, always with new proposals to be applied to the endless shapes that can turn our precious metal known as wrought iron into an artistic expression, of both the owners and the makers.

Gian Carlo was kind enough to send us a more about the “Head Donkey”. If you like old hammers this is one you will really like.

Head Donkey:

I can explain how it was fed (electricity) until a few years ago our hammer "head donkey"........ Because today the safety laws no longer allow us to work with it, but I keep it out of affection, since this is where my grandfather and my dad worked. I send these photos for your viewing pleasure so that you can understand and see how the system functioned. Everything starts from the engine (or pivot of the wheel operated by water), then the rotation was transferred to the wheel that multiplied the turning ratio, on this axis was the hammer, a drill and 2 grinding wheels, which are not used today.

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Here are the photos and drawings, as was they were during the forging years of my grandfather before moving to Pieve di Teco and the cover of a booklet that is about our family.

Back in Business
The First class held at the new forge
Joe Gentile

Well it’s been over a year since the TBG has lit a fire in the guilds coal forges, but that changed on August 16 with the first Introduction to Blacksmithing class. This class is a condensed version, 8 hours, of the beginner’s class.
The class had mostly new members that wanted to get started hammering some hot iron. We discussed the history of blacksmithing and how the colonials use to smelt iron in a bloomery. Then we talked about modern day smiths and the artistic side of metal work. After a shop tour and tool familiarization we had lunch. Everyone was eager to swing there hammer once we got the fires started. I demonstrated hammer control and a few basic techniques. Then I showed the class how to forge a drive hook and let them at it. It was a bit crowded with 7 students and just two forges. At the end of the day everyone had completed the project and there was even time for them to feel the difference in striking pure wrought iron as compared to mild steel.

“Keep an eye on your iron Evan you don’t want it to burn up.”

Adam Thoroughgood House Demonstration
by Doctor Dan

On Sunday August 24th the Guild gave a blacksmithing demonstration at the Adam Thoroughgood house on Parish Road in Virginia Beach. I wish to thank Michael H. Lambiase, Bob Orcott, and Tony Pirrone for assisting with the demonstration. We had one forge and two anvils which were kept constantly busy for over three hours. Every one had a great time.

Blacksmith Guild of Virginia: by Steve LaPaugh
BGV had their first meeting this month at the new location in Crewe, Va. This Location is also Yesteryear Forge School of Blacksmithing. Yesteryear School of Blacksmithing, 1918 West Virginia Ave, Crewe, VA 23930, (434) 390-6203. Give them a call or check out BGV’s website for up and coming classes. The first one conducted by Mike and Mindy Gardner (www.floodplainforge.com) was a huge success. The new facility is on the grounds of Mike Tanners machine and fabrication shop in Crew, VA, and is great, with lots of space and seven forges for training. This month’s demo was by Mike and Mindy Gardner and I have few pictures of both the site and of them. He was doing a sample of a diamond braid pattern on 1/2" square stock Yes, the guy with the mustache is Mark Gardner Mindy was using the treadle hammer

Yesteryear School of Blacksmithing           Mark Gardner at the sander 
             

Mark doing the Twist, Chubby look out!             Mindy doing repousse on the treadle. 
                 

                                    Some of Mark and Mindy’s impressive work.

A NOTE FROM TONY: THE ANARCHIST AND THE BLACKSMITH IN FRANCE (THE TRADE PERSISTS OVER POLITICS)................TONY P. .....................FINIS

            EDITOR’S NOTE:I Thank everyone for contributing for this issue. I am always looking for interesting items or articles to put in each issue. Please remember that this is our newsletter and the more you contribute the better it is. This issue is particularly good due to contributions by Steve LaPaugh, who also provided the pictures of the meeting, Tony Pirrone and Dan Franks. So keep those marbles loose and keep sending in your articles or items. See ya at the Forge, Vince. OOOPS almost forgot, Larry Ange donated the Dinner Bell for last months Iron in the Hat not Tom Herendeen.

Remember to visit Blacksmith Supply at http://www.blacksmithsupply.com/ for all you tool and supply needs.

Tidewater Blacksmiths Guild Mission Statement 
 “The Tidewater Blacksmiths Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the craft of Blacksmithing and to increasing the public awareness of the history of Blacksmithing while at the same time demonstrating that in this world, things hand made still exist and remain objects of art”

2008 TBG Officers:
President: Travis Covington        (757) 617-9174           travis@covforge.com
Vice Pres: Tom Herendeen          (757) 548-8800           TwoHerons@aol.com
Treasurer: Steve LaPaugh           (757) 877-5684           slapaugh@verizon.net
Secretary: Joe Gentile                 (757) 965-6878           amx-ray@cox.net

2008 Board of Directors:
Diane deBeixedon          (757) 627-9962                  ddebeixedon@cox.net
Bear Short                     (757) 485-5117                  hydraconstinc@aol.com
Eric Hinckley                 (757) 497-6067                  usnbear2@cox.net
Emory Ewell                  (757) 482-1448                  eewell1@cox.net
Rusty Healy                  (757) 484-3054

Demonstrations:                                                Hospitality:
Bob Orcutt rorcutt@cox.net                             Tom Herendeen twoherrons@aol.com
Joe Gentile amx-ray@cox.net                           Scholarship: 
Rob Costello robjeniantim@sprynet.com         Mike Keeney  scforge@cox.net
Librarians:                                                       Website:
Diane deBeixedon ddebeixedon@cox.net        Travis Covington travis@covforge.com
Eric Hinckley usnbear2@cox.net                    Building Fund:
Newsletter:                                                       Joe Gentile amx-ray@cox.net
Vince Nakovics restoreman123@msn.com     Diane deBeixedon ddebeixedon@cox.net
                                                                        Vince Nakovics   restoreman123@msn.com

Tidewater Blacksmiths Guild meets every third Sunday of the month. Location of the meeting is posted on our website: http:// tidewaterblacksmiths.com .