Description
This is good stuff; almost 5 hours of video for beginning smiths which covers it all. There is so much material on this DVD that the description of it which follows is the longest on our whole web site (but you have to click on the title above to see the whole description).
FORGE & ANVIL is a series of ten half hour programs, produced for national television, exploring the world of Blacksmiths. Now it is available in DVD format for home use. The programs introduce viewers to the tools, materials, skills and personalities involved in modern blacksmithing. The series is hosted by Dr. Alan Rogers, an experienced farrier and blacksmith.
The complete “Forge & Anvil” series, including 3 separate Project DVDs (these are a plus and are not necessary to purchase) and an accompanying book are all available through ArtisanIdeas.com.
Click on the title above for a complete description of this DVD.
FORGE & ANVIL brings the sounds and images of working blacksmith shops into your living room. Glowing hot steel and hammers pounding elastic metal into beautiful, functional shapes make the series entertaining as well as instructional and informative. Alan talks with master blacksmiths from across the country, from Atlanta to Santa Fe to Minneapolis and learns how they became blacksmiths. Then we watch as these nationally recognized artisans transform metal into functional and attractive articles.
Alan Rogers shows beginning smiths the basic techniques all blacksmiths use to hand forge tools, furniture, weapons, architectural details, horseshoes and works of sculpture. Then, in the separate project videos, he inspires viewers to practice the techniques on their own following in the tradition of master blacksmiths across the USA.
In the first program of the “Forge & Anvil” series, Alan Rogers introduces himself from his shop and welcomes viewers to the blacksmith’s craft. The opening sequence shows master blacksmiths forging glowing hot steel. Alan presents significant examples of extraordinary early twentieth century work of the great Samuel Yellin in Philadelphia. Then, after explaining the background of modern blacksmithing, Alan sets the stage to teach the fundementals of working iron by describing the basic blacksmith tools. The viewer is also introduced to many of the artisans that appear in the series, including a clip of Alex Bealer, who is a seminal influence on modern blacksmiths.
“BLACKSMITH BASICS” #102
This second show continues to acquaint viewers with the blacksmith craft. From the open shot at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina, Alan Rogers describes the series then launches into a demonstration of how to make a simple home coal forge with a wheel barrow as the main element. He then visits a steelyard and points out the various sorts of steel stock that will be used to make FORGE & ANVIL projects. Alan returns to his home forge and makes a watering can and poker that he will use in upcoming projects. This program ends with Alan talking to one of the John C. Campbell blacksmith instructors, Judy Berger, about how to get started.
“TOOLS OF THE TRADE” #103
In this third installment, Alan visits the picturesque Mockingbird Forge workshop of master blacksmith, Jeff Mohr in Farmington, Georgia. Jeff and his German assistant, Hoofy Hofmeister, lead us through the process of making two essential tools for working with hot metal, a tempered chisel for shaping and tongs to grab. Alan also makes a visit to Elberton, Georgia where he talks to George Wade and his son about how they are still active in hand forging tools for the granite quarry and finishing business in the “Granite Capital of the World”. Viewers will also visit the workshop of Stan Strickland who shows off his enormous blacksmith tool collection. To close the program, Alan persuades Hoofy to relate some of his experiences learning about blacksmithing in Germany.
“PLAYING HORSESHOES” #104
Alan Rogers learned to forge metal as a farrier so he is in his element when he takes us along to the state farrier’s competition in Gainesville, Georgia. We see the best horseshoers in the southeast test their forging skills against the clock. Back at his own forge, Alan displays his skill and demonstrates how to make your own horseshoe. Alan takes this opportunity to visit Curtis Hamilton, an expert show horse farrier and learn about this specialized facet of horsecare in South Carolina. Viewers will hear from a farriers’ tool supplier and get a look at how the Cooper Tool company mass produces thousands of horseshoes each day at their monroe, North Carolina facility.
“GATES OF CHARLESTON” #105
For anyone who has visited Charleston, South Carolina, the incredible amount of wrought iron adorning this historic city will come as no surprise. During Alan’s conversation with the subject of the book, Charleston Blacksmith, folk artisan Phillip Simmons, we get a picture of his many years creating ironwork for homes in the historic district of the city. Simmons, now in his eighties, is considered a national treasure and has samples of his iron work on exhibit in National Craft Museum in New York. The design of the trivet Alan makes for this show’s project uses a common motif found in Charleston, the “Wheel of Life”. Staying with an historic theme, Alan talks with Jack Andrews in Philadelphia about Andrew’s biography of Samuel Yellin and the impact of this famous designer and smith. Alan also visits Herndon and Merry in Nashville and sees how they turn rare antique wrought iron into one of a kind furniture.
“BUILDING WITH IRON DETAILS” #106
In this program Alan visits the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis and speaks with director Jim Wallace. The huge gate to this complex on the banks of the Mississippi River is a joint effort of dozens of blacksmiths from around the world. Their chat about the breadth of the blacksmith craft is a departure point for a conversation with Santa Fe artist Tom Joyce about his Southwest influences. The next stop is the Hunter Museum in Chattanooga to see the elaborate railing made by Rochester, New York’s Albert Paley. Atlanta artist/ blacksmith Ivan Bailey welcomes FORGE & ANVIL into his studio. Ivan, who was once featured by Charles Kuralt in an “On the Road” segment, shows how to make andirons that feature a pair of mischievous dwarves. Viewers will see more of the complexity of modern ironwork.
“BASIC FURNITURE” #107
Now that the home viewer has the fundamentals of blacksmithing under their belt, Alan challenges them in this show with the more advanced project of making a table in his home forge. The project is inspired by a visit to Lawler Foundry in Birmingham, Alabama which casts decorative elements which are used for wrought iron furniture across the country. Alan visits Tom Sheets, who was among a group of artisans in the early 70’s who formed the Artists Blacksmiths Association of North America (ABANA), in his Atlanta workshop and talks about making a table. Alan also takes us to Asheville Iron Works to meet Berry Bates who does much of the ironwork and restoration at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. Alan introduces the segments from the Slos Furnace Historical Site in Birmingham which is a huge abandoned steel mill complex.
“MORE FURNITURE” #108
This program takes the viewer a step further by making a beautiful iron chair in the project segment. Alan shows how, with simple tools and very little raw material, it is possible to make an elaborate and functional household item that will last for generations. From the setting of Art Forms, an Atlanta gallery that features functional works of art, we talk to Paul Freundt about his unusual chairs. Then we commute across town to get an inside look at Andree Studios where Carl, his brother and crew design and build award winning furniture and enormous pieces of public art out of metal.
“YE OLDE BLACKSMITH” #109
This installment goes back in time and opens with knights on horseback jousting which is appropriate since our host, Alan Rogers earned a Ph.D in medieval history. But that is only one of the reasons to visit the Atlanta Renaissance Festival as the backdrop for this show. Robert Steele of Starfire Forge recreates the method blacksmiths in the Middle Ages would have used to make a sword. Alan joins Jack Andrews at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to take a look at the extraordinary craftsmanship that went into making armor for the knights of yore. We also caught Chris Pore of Arms & Armor before he was to make a trip to Scandinavia and the Tower of London for a discussion of recreating the weapons and protective gear of that ancient age.
“BLACKSMITHS IN AMERICAN HISTORY” #110
Alan navigates his time machine forward in time and becomes part of a Civil War encampment. The recreation takes place at the Atlanta History Center and historians dressed in authentic Rebel and Yankee military costume explain how blacksmiths were vital to the armies of that conflict. An artillery unit demonstrates the firing of an antique cannon and Alan talks to the infantry at their bivouac. Babs Nicholson, a member of the Tully Smith Blacksmith Guild, shows us how to make a knife from a length of steel cable in the 1850’s style blacksmith shop at the Tully Smith Farm on the History Center grounds.
“BUILDING WITH IRON DETAILS” #106
In this program Alan visits the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis and speaks with director Jim Wallace. The huge gate to this complex on the banks of the Mississippi River is a joint effort of dozens of blacksmiths from around the world. Their chat about the breadth of the blacksmith craft is a departure point for a conversation with Santa Fe artist Tom Joyce about his Southwest influences. The next stop is the Hunter Museum in Chattanooga to see the elaborate railing made by Rochester, New York’s Albert Paley. Atlanta artist/ blacksmith Ivan Bailey welcomes FORGE & ANVIL into his studio. Ivan, who was once featured by Charles Kuralt in an “On the Road” segment, shows how to make andirons that feature a pair of mischievous dwarves. Viewers will see more of the complexity of modern ironwork.
“BASIC FURNITURE” #107
Now that the home viewer has the fundamentals of blacksmithing under their belt, Alan challenges them in this show with the more advanced project of making a table in his home forge. The project is inspired by a visit to Lawler Foundry in Birmingham, Alabama which casts decorative elements which are used for wrought iron furniture across the country. Alan visits Tom Sheets, who was among a group of artisans in the early 70’s who formed the Artists Blacksmiths Association of North America (ABANA), in his Atlanta workshop and talks about making a table. Alan also takes us to Asheville Iron Works to meet Berry Bates who does much of the ironwork and restoration at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. Alan introduces the segments from the Slos Furnace Historical Site in Birmingham which is a huge abandoned steel mill complex.
“MORE FURNITURE” #108
This program takes the viewer a step further by making a beautiful iron chair in the project segment. Alan shows how, with simple tools and very little raw material, it is possible to make an elaborate and functional household item that will last for generations. From the setting of Art Forms, an Atlanta gallery that features functional works of art, we talk to Paul Freundt about his unusual chairs. Then we commute across town to get an inside look at Andree Studios where Carl, his brother and crew design and build award winning furniture and enormous pieces of public art out of metal.
“YE OLDE BLACKSMITH” #109
This installment goes back in time and opens with knights on horseback jousting which is appropriate since our host, Alan Rogers earned a Ph.D in medieval history. But that is only one of the reasons to visit the Atlanta Renaissance Festival as the backdrop for this show. Robert Steele of Starfire Forge recreates the method blacksmiths in the Middle Ages would have used to make a sword. Alan joins Jack Andrews at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to take a look at the extraordinary craftsmanship that went into making armor for the knights of yore. We also caught Chris Pore of Arms & Armor before he was to make a trip to Scandinavia and the Tower of London for a discussion of recreating the weapons and protective gear of that ancient age.
“BLACKSMITHS IN AMERICAN HISTORY” #110
Alan navigates his time machine forward in time and becomes part of a Civil War encampment. The recreation takes place at the Atlanta History Center and historians dressed in authentic Rebel and Yankee military costume explain how blacksmiths were vital to the armies of that conflict. An artillery unit demonstrates the firing of an antique cannon and Alan talks to the infantry at their bivouac. Babs Nicholson, a member of the Tully Smith Blacksmith Guild, shows us how to make a knife from a length of steel cable in the 1850’s style blacksmith shop at the Tully Smith Farm on the History Center grounds.
