Yesterday I took an introductory class in blacksmithing at the Minnesota School of Horseshoeing in Ramsey, MN. The course was offered through St. Paul Public Schools’ adult education and taught by The Guild of Metalsmiths’ volunteer instructors in a one-day, hands-on Saturday session. After a quick welcome, safety briefing and about 30 minutes of basic instruction, we were out in the shop and using the tools of the trade. Wrought iron bars were heated in the coal-fired forges with hand-cranked bellows to the ideal red-orange working color (approximately 1,500-2,000F), then shaped with hammer and anvil until it cooled and the process was repeated. It took some practice, but we soon had the basics down, including the importance of “striking while the iron is hot,” and were amazed at how straightforward it was to move the metal in the desired direction and create a new shape. The eight students, all complete newcomers, were soon crafting functional art such as hangers, hooks and key rings.
After lunch in the school’s classroom, we were back at the forges. There were occasional demonstrations of new techniques, but for the most part we were free to practice and create, encouraged and guided by the friendly, knowledgeable and passionate instructors and volunteers. The first blacksmiths can be traced to the Hittites around 1,500 BC, and I always get a thrill learning an ancient skill that carries on in the modern world. From the lunchtime conversation, I think that we all felt this connection to history and were thoroughly enjoying the experience.
According to the American Farrier’s Association website, the Minnesota School of Horseshoeing is one of only 25 member schools in the nation that still teaches the trade of equine hoof care. The Guild of Metalsmiths is a local non-profit dedicated to preserving the art of blacksmithing, and partners with the Minnesota School of Horseshoeing to use their facilities for instruction and community building activities. This was the first time that St. Paul Public Schools offered this course through their adult education program, and it filled up quickly. Our group learned a lot, met some great folks, made some useful and decorative hardware and had a blast. It was a terrific experience that I would recommend to anyone who’s interested. Map link: Minnesota School of Horseshoeing
Bonus Question: Who was the Greek god of blacksmiths? Who was his Roman counterpart? (Answers at end of post)
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| Photo by Rebecca Hroback |
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| Look what I made! |
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| The new blacksmiths, with their teachers. Photo by Marty Masters |
Bonus Question Answers: Hephaestus, son of Zeus and Hera, was the blacksmith of the Greek gods and made all metalwork, armor and weapons in Olympus. He was the only Olympian god with a physical imperfection, typically described as a limp. His Roman counterpart was Vulcan, son of Jupiter and Juno and brother of Mars.
