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I’ll admit it. Ever since banging away on some hot iron on Wes’s portable forge last summer at Galootapalooza XI, I’ve been obsessed with blacksmithing. So this month, we visit another forge. Though not strictly a toolmaker, this is, after all, a column written mainly for galoots (you know who you are!) and there’s no shortage of interest in smithing among that crowd! And hey, if you look at it right, doesn’t this hanger sort of look like a holdfast?
An artist blacksmith for the past 57
years, Jerry is renowned for his artistry and design using a 2,400
degree forge, anvil, hammers and sturdy arms to forge steel into
useful items. Jerry first picked up a blacksmith hammer at the
age of 11 and discovered a passion within that has only increased
with time. Jerry takes a special pride in his craft and the fact that he is preserving an art form hundreds of years old. His expertise and artistic flair is evident in every piece he makes. Known in student circles as the "dean
of blacksmithing" his legacy lives on in over 1, Ina operates the on-site gallery and
retail shop, conducts tours, and ships orders. She also manages the
financial affairs, public relations and class registration. Jerry and Ina invite all to come and experience the sound of the hammer on the anvil, sign-up for a blacksmith class, browse the gallery and shop in the retail store. You may find the perfect hand-forged pot rack or headboard for your bed. Fireplace tools, andirons, paper towel holders, towel bars, candleholders and many other items for your home or business are waiting. Feel the weight of the hand-forged steel, see the strength and quality of items made the good-old-fashioned way. Be a part of the rustic Americana that is surging at Old Cedar Forge.
Jim Esten |
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Master Artist Blacksmith Jerry
Culberson, and wife/soul-mate Ina, own and operate Old Cedar Forge.
Located near the town of Allyn, Washington, this picturesque wooded
community is the perfect setting for traditional blacksmith work.
Hammer-in-hand and shaping hot metal on the 650-pound Columbia
anvil, Jerry conjures images of a bygone era.
500
students taught over the past 25 years. If you've ever had a
yen to swing the blacksmith's hammer or experience the brilliant
orange glow of fire in the forge, Jerry can teach you the basics and
much more. Classes are scheduled periodically throughout the
year, when the weather doesn't entice him to be on his Road King
Classic Harley-Davidson enjoying the open road.
