The Samford Blacksmithing club held an outreach event on the quad on Friday, Feb. 26. This event included a blacksmithing demonstration, complete with a portable propane forge and anvil, and allowed spectators to meet with club members and even try their hand at blacksmithing themselves.
Despite having met every week for the past two semesters, many students don’t know about the Blacksmithing club. Club Secretary Cole Foreman said that the purpose of the event was to raise awareness about the type of work that students can create and the skills that are honed through practice.
“We wanted to have an outreach event that would allow us to show anyone what blacksmithing is all about,” Foreman said. “It’s a creative thing that makes for good times with friends.”
Students drawn by the noise that approached the tent were invited to try blacksmithing for themselves with supervision from the more experienced club members. There were two designated railroad spikes in the forge so that newcomers could take turns blacksmithing. A line formed, and while students waited, they were given a run-down of safety procedures and supplied with aprons, gloves, eye protection, and a hammer. When their turn came, a club member would retrieve the heated railroad spike with tongs and hold the metal steady while explaining directions to the newcomers.
According to Foreman, club members thoroughly enjoyed sharing their knowledge with curious students.
I always have fun at blacksmithing, but something about teaching other people is especially fun for me personally,” Foreman said. “I’m still learning how to blacksmith myself, but seeing people put on the apron, put on the gloves, learn to hold the hammer and move a little bit of steel is a fun experience to watch. It’s like watching someone learn how to ride a bike.”
Foreman said he believed the event was a success and that it helped the club gain a little more recognition.
“I think the event was successful. I hope that we can do it again at some point, and hopefully get a little bit more outreach. But I think we got a lot of people who came on down and seemed interested, put on the apron, and tried it out for a little bit,” Foreman said.
The Blacksmithing club meets every Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. in the Samford University Art Lofts’ sculpture studio. For more information about the Blacksmithing club and their future events, visit their Instagram @samfordblacksmiths.
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