Blacksmithing proves to be more than bending metal

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - A chorus of clangs and bangs rang out of the Conley Blacksmith Shop at Fowler Park Saturday as members of the intro to blacksmithing class hammered away on their work.

The class, put on by the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department, was led by Bill Cochran, an eight-year veteran of smithing and a member of the Wabash Valley Blacksmith Club, a satellite of Indiana Blacksmith Association.

Cochran worked his way around the shop, teaching the three-student class the in and outs of forges, anvils, hammers and other assorted tools of the trade.

The shop, housed in one of Pioneer Village's log buildings, is modeled after an 1840s-style shop and features a primitive forge - one powered by a hand crank that forces air up through the coals - and three forced-air forges that utilize a motor to force air through the coals, stoking the forge that can reach upwards of 2400 degrees.

Students set up shop at the forced-air forges, as they're easier for beginners Cochran said, and watched as Cochran walked them through the steps of making an S-hook.

Cochran said an S-hook was an essential piece of pioneer gear that was used for everything from hanging lanterns in a home to dinner pots over fires. He said teaching beginners to make S-hooks will help them understand a number of smithing techniques.

"Just having them make the simple S-hook is teaching them about using the metal and tapering the metal and changing its shape," Cochran said.

"It teaches them about curving and using the different parts of the anvil. And during the finishing process we're going to make a decorative S-hook by putting a decorative twist on it."

Cochran said he hopes each student leaves the class with a deeper understanding and appreciation for blacksmithing and how it's more than just muscling metal into a certain shape or tool.

"It's not the muscle you need to work a piece of steel, but the techniques you need," Cochran said. "That student is using a quarter-inch piece of steel, but the technique he used to taper the end, make the curl and make the twist is the same that if he had been using a one-inch piece of stock."

"It's a building block relationship, where you start with the basics and learn them correctly and use them, it will reinforce you through other projects."

Cochran said that anyone with an interest in blacksmithing should stop by the shop on the second Saturday of each month and learn more from members of the blacksmith club.

Andrew Ouellette said he has always had an interest in blacksmith work, so when one of his friends shared a listing for the class on Facebook, Andrew called right then to sign up.

"I've always wanted to learn how to make stuff myself instead of buying it from a store," Ouellette said. "And to doing small repairs around the house yourself, I think that sounds pretty awesome."

Ouellette admitted he didn't know exactly how the course would play out, but was pleasantly surprised when it was more than just a class about what blacksmiths do and how they do it.

"At first whenever I saw the class description saying that you'll learn parts of the anvil I was afraid it was going to be a 'here's how you do it and here's a video' type of class," Ouellette said. "But I took a chance and signed up and they actually gave us our own forge. I wasn't expecting that."

Amber Slaughterbeck, naturalist for the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department, said they enjoy putting on classes and events like intro to blacksmithing because it exposes people to things that are becoming lost art forms.

"I hope these students continue on with the art of blacksmithing, which is quickly becoming a dying art," Slaughterbeck said. "We've put a lot of effort into building all these cabins and carrying on our traditions and heritage so we want people to come out and experience what we have to offer."

Slaughterbeck tried her hand at making an S-hook alongside the students and said that it's much harder than what some make it look.

"It's not easy," she said. "Like I already said, it's an art form, it's not just bending metal. It's patience, it's accuracy on where you bend and where you heat. It really is a lot harder than you might think."

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Source: (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star, http://bit.ly/2rvw8S6

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Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com