Forging
I love to forge.
Forging is an ancient practice that spans most cultures around the globe. It is the tried and true tradition of heating and hammering a piece of metal over and over again to form a desired shape. Although it is strenuous work, I find forging awesomely authentic and rewarding. Peter Erickson, a fourth-generation master Silversmith from Gardner, Massachusetts, is largely to thank for my love of forging. Once a year I have the extraordinary opportunity to study with Peter, a kind man and skillful teacher, who still uses today many of the original tools his great grandfather brought from England. Below are photos of my forging work with Peter, using his traditional hand wrought silver calculations and patterns. I began with a simple block of silver …
