The sound of hammers striking anvils rang out from the lawn of the Boundary Museum and Archives on Saturday as a small group of people tried their hand at the ancient art of blacksmithing.
Five men and one woman donned aprons and safety glasses to try their hand at creating a fire poker with Will Steed, owner and proprietor of The Forge Co., Artisan Blacksmith.
Steed took students through a step-by-step process of creating a fire poker out of an iron rod, from properly heating the metal in a portable forge, to which tools to use for each step, to correcting imperfections along the way and adding brass patina. He also shared a few trade secrets for artisanal blacksmithing, such as adding twists and scrolls,
By the end, everyone had a fire poker to take home.
Steed said he was pleased with the class and turnout, adding he’s likely returning to the Boundary Region later in the summer or early fall.
Museum office manager Angie Marcoux said they invited Steed to teach a class because of the historical significance of blacksmithing to the institution, pointing out there is a historic blacksmith shop on the grounds.
She also hoped it would encourage people to come to the museum for different activities and encourage more groups and organizations to host events on the grounds.
Photos by Karen McKinley