Bio
Steel can hold up the tallest buildings or recreate the most delicate flower. For a large part of my life, I machined it to perform tasks in an industrial setting. Leaving that career led me back to working with steel in a different manner. While hand forging can never replicate the extreme precision of machining, it does impart more of the maker’s character, style, and even hammer shape and style.
I find it amazing that a single piece of steel can be heated and hammered into a delicate flower, an entrance gate or an animal. The only limitation is the maker’s skill and creativity. The desire to challenge both is what drives me to continue to push my boundaries in both aspects.
I enjoy traditional blacksmithing, using a coal forge and anvil but also incorporating a press and power hammer. I use different metals ranging from mild and high carbon steel, to alloys, stainless steel and wrought iron. Pattern welding, also referred to as Damascus, is a favorite technique as it brings different metals together, making a unique pattern, and tells the story of the work put into it. My pieces display hand forging, forge welding, and traditional joinery within functional pieces. The fundamentals and history of the craft as well as the uniqueness of the materials and processes are important for me to convey.
Rocky Woodland Forge is where the lost tradition of hand-forged craftsmanship can be found. It’s where every creation combines hard, honest work and undeniable quality. From tools for wilderness adventures and cooking around the campfire to elegant and functional artistic productions, we bring new ideas to an old craftp>