the umba journal jul-sep 2019 16 blacksmiths are re-purposer’s -walter janus- the following is a recollection of one of our memorable experiences blacksmithing. my son chris & i traveled 2 hours south, into illinois farm country, to take part in what is called a “hammer in”. the host opens his home for blacksmiths to setup their equipment in a yard or driveway, & become part of a joint teaching/learning session, usually outdoors as you might imagine. sometimes a theme is advertised, like making tongs or punches or “swages and fullers” (dies to reshape steel). we were surprised to see 20+ vehicles parked around a large red barn. we entered and were greeted by the nearby participants thus announcing our arrival. dave brandon, our host, ushered us to an available forge & anvil station, then said “glad you could join us, whatcha makin’ today?” we were flabbergasted at the scale of this operation, where 8 or more anvil & forges were occupied by 2-4 men & women busily shaping something red hot. we reported our desire to fashion a heavy “camp knife” style tool for selective demolition of plaster & lath in my son’s “new” old house. we also thought of making a small pry bar tool of a particular shape, not found in stores. i said to dave, “you mentioned that any material one might need is available & free. i admit not seeing anything around here but tons of wonderful blacksmithing tools & equipment.” smiling, he replied “oh, just walk out that east door and look to your left – take what you need – it’s all there.” we looked at each other then did as instructed, and upon opening the large door, started laughing out loud with surprise, as a huge old retired combine was sitting there. it had been providing materials to this now retired farmer, for all manner of property & machine maintenance, and blacksmithing supplies for many years. we noticed a partially severed hinge might do nicely for fashioning our “new” pry bar. chisels, punches, hardies & drifts were born from axles & shafts; knives & shears from springs; forge pans & smoke hoods from sheet metal doors & panels; hammers, fullers, hardies & dies from gears. whatever you might imagine was all there, just in a slightly different shape, temporarily of course. as chris & i fashioned our heavy “demolition” knife from a section of leaf spring from my old truck, a nearby smith noticed our novice efforts and asked to help by being a striker for us. he explained that was an apprentice’s job in helping effect repairs or making large objects, by swinging a short handled 10#-25# sledge where the smith tapped with his smaller hammer for direction. well, once we got started with our new striker friend, the forging to shape of this tough material started showing signs of progress. before long, in between “heats” (where the metal is returned to the forge for reheating), 2 other strikers joined us, taking up positions, shoulder to shoulder, timing their “hits” with each other in succession, smiling, pumping their sledges into air then onto the target steel, producing hypnotic rhythmic notes of hammers on steel. we watched the steel move as if by magic, growing to its intended shape, and made us all smile more and more with satisfaction. when i (the smith in this hierarchy) double tapped my smaller hammer, it was the signal to stop; the sledge strokes slowed in mid air, then stopped. now we heard cheering & applause from 40 or so curiosity seekers, “smiths’, neighbors, friends & family that had gathered around us. we were so focused, never saw anyone, just the steel under our hammers. after a few moments, dave held up his hands, people got quiet and he spoke almost solemnly, “folks, what you just heard at this old anvil, likely hasn’t been heard by anyone you know alive. my father told me of it, when he was a young apprentice blacksmith himself. he recalled being amazed how 4 large men, swinging heavy sledge hammers, standing on top of each other, aiming at a 4” piece of metal, never missed nor hit each other! well, you heard it and saw it here today folks. tell your kids. now let’s eat.”