ABANA Featured Forgings
Online Exhibition of Forged Work
Tools as Art
Blacksmiths, artists, and makers often love great tools. In Tools as Art, we explore tools as the medium, the meaning, and the content itself. This online exhibition is a curated showcase of selected works. Many of the entries received will be posted on our social media accounts over the coming weeks. Thank you to all the participants in this Featured Forgings Online Exhibition.
On view June 1, 2024 – September 1, 2024.
Richard Giacobetti
Armorer’s Calipers and Hand Vise.Two hand-forged armorer’s calipers made of steel and brass measure 11 inches and 9 inches, respectively. Right and left threaded axis allows for symmetrical expansion and contraction by turning either right or left wing. Hand forged wire pulling hand vise measures 5 inches.
Leah Aripotch
Baba Yaga Forge. This sculpture is built around a functional forge designed and built by Jorgen Harle.
Sam Gleeson
Slice first, ask questions later. April 2023, Mixed Media. Laminated blade of 1095 and 15n20 high carbon steel blade. Handle is a 300-year-old, wind-felled Irish oak burl from the Ballymaloe Estate, with vintage micarta and antique cow horn detailing.
Established in 1852, The Cambria Iron Company, later becoming The Bethlehem Steel Company, stretched for 12 miles along the Conemaugh and Little Conemaugh Rivers in Johnstown, PA. This industrial behemoth grew to America’s largest foundry, supplying the steel that shaped iconic skylines across the nation and weaving the country together with its vast railroad network. Renowned for its pioneering innovations in steel production, the surrounding countryside boasted a “perfect storm” of raw materials essential for this endeavour: abundant iron-rich ores, a pristine coal deposit, limestone, and expansive woodlands to fuel the furnaces.
The workforce mirrored this diversity, comprising of migrant workers from around the globe. Johnstown, a small sleepy backwater soon found urban sprawl dotted with numerous churches representing the various nationalities and religions, thrived as a melting pot of cultures. This knife serves as an homage to the pinnacle of modern forging technique – a masterpiece born from a meticulous process of multiple forge weldings, heated manipulations and intricate contortions, culminating in tessellated mosaic tiles. Inspired by my time at The Centre for Metal Arts, now housed within the historic blacksmith workshop of the Cambria Iron Company. This piece embodies the spirit of craftsmanship and innovation that defined multiple generations.
This work has recently been acquired by the Arts and Industry department of the National Museum of Ireland, where it will reside in their permanent collection, a testament to the enduring legacy of the artistry within industrial heritage.
Roped Chasing Hammer. “Chasing Hammers offer a diverse number of shapes to play with. I make quite a few every year and no two are the same. This is forged from 1045 with hardened faces and a soft body, which allows me to add hand-engraved details such as the roped borders and engraved flowers on the sides. The wood handles are sculpted by hand and antiques to give a vintage feel.”
Nicholas Downing
Miniature Tongs. “This was the first miniature tool I ever made. It was forged from the wire from a campaign sign wires abandoned from the last election. It was important to me to forge it as close to shape as possible. Even the holes for the rivets were punched and drifted.”
David Lammers
Self-portrait. Bronze half anvil and life casts in cast iron and bronze. The finishes are as much of the piece as the form. The cast iron is polished and heated at 800 degrees F for two hours, then rubbed with oil. The bronze face is polished, and the half-anvil shot is blasted with minimal removal of the cast texture.
Don Henley
If Madame Blavatsky had a pizza slicer this would be it. Hand forged from brass stock, reclaimed tropical hardwood with object trouve. Every Blacksmith needs a pizza slicer in their toolbox.
Dustin Small
Wrought Iron Driving Hammer. My goal in recent years it to produce quality tools intended for use in the field. With that said, I find a number of my hammers serve as display pieces in people’s homes versus the workshop. As a toolmaker I am a bit conflicted with that as a piece should be both beautiful and functional. I have made almost 30 wrought iron award/trophy hammers in the last two years which truly blend an artistic approach to functional tools. It has been incredibly humbling to have my tools referred to as art. This farriers driving hammer was awarded at the 2023 Blacksmith’s World Championships farrier competition for best shod foot. The body of the hammer is solid stacked wrought iron sourced from wagon tires. The face and claws are a single piece of 1045 which has been inserted into the wrought and foegewelded. This hammer is sporting a blind socket and is hung on a laminated lacewood over hickory handle and pinned with brass. The spacers are black G 10 and copper. The overall length if this piece is 17″. The head is 4 1/2″ long, 2 1/4″ tall with a 3/4 x 7/8″face. The head comes in at 13.5 oz, total weight is 17 oz hung. All of my hammers are made using a coke forge and are forged by hand at the anvil.