Forging Year: 2013 In Review

So, it has been almost a year to the day since I have posted to this blog. That is mainly due to until the second half of 2013, I didn't have a whole lot to post about. However, around summer time, things really began to take off here at Hall Ironworks.

In late spring, we acquired a fence construction job. This project, like all of our projects, was pretty unique. The house that the fence was to surround was an old (1800's) two story brick school house that had been converted to a residential house by a wonderfully intelligent woman living in New Harmony, Indiana. She told us to get creative with the design, and her only stipulation was that she wanted to look like it was part of the building in that it was to look very old, like the fence had been there for a century. Wayne observed some older fence styles around the local tri-state, and we came up with the beautiful design posted below. No paint, no finish, the fence will rust and fight in quite beautifully.

We really had a lot of activity this year, arguably as big as last year. It is amazing how with all of the technology and automation that is available to our ever progressing society that people still love things of old that are hand-made and not machined. Another event of 2013 that we were so lucky to be apart of was the Artisans of the Lower Wabash Tour of Indiana and Illinois. It was a two day event on December 14 & 15 that exposed us to a lot of wonderful people who truly appreciate quality hand made art. We were lucky enough to set up at the Indiana Glass Barn, ran by the ever so energetic and creative master glass blower Dave Powell (not to mention he has one of the most impressive beards you've ever laid eyes on!). We set up outside the first day, and inside the second. People could see our work, how we made it, and even made their own metal Christmas ornament!

As of late, I have been taking to making knives and axes. I have found that there's no greater enjoyment than crafting something by their own hands.My cousin, Mr. James Poag, was a very well reknowned knife smith for close to 40 years, and after my final capstone studies project of interviewing him and other blacksmiths and metalsmiths,  I decided to try my hand at making knives. What a wonderful mistake that was, for now I'm hooked, and it is on my brain at all hours of the day. I almost have my second knife and my first solo ax finished. What I am most proud of is that my first solo ax is a little craft axe for kindling and carving, but it's also my first successful forgeweld by myself, which I am very, very pleased and proud of, for it is not an easy thing to do. Pictures of that will follow once completed.

Wayne has come up with some brilliant ideas for the outdoor cooking community. He has developed a tripod for cooking in dutch ovens over the fire in which free stand, but can be collapsed and folded with one hand. Some can be seen in the photos below, along with some of the previous photos above. 

That's all for now, folks. Stay tuned, as I will be posting more photos of our work. Right now, between Wayne and I, we have some pretty impressive things in the works. Three different styles of knives, two hatchets, more outdoor cooking gear (tripods, trivets, and cooking grates) and maybe a new fence job soon. Which, of course, any of the above listed could be yours ;)

Cheers! 

Benton