Maritime blacksmiths come together for some hammer-in this weekend

The Deanery Project in Lower Ship Harbour, N.S., will be host to a lot of heat and hammering on Saturday.

Blacksmiths from across the Maritimes will hold a traditional hammer-in event wheretechniques will be shared.

Event organizer Sarah Wechslertold CBC Radio's Information Morning Nova Scotia there will be five forges set up. She said there will be opportunities to speak to many blacksmiths.

Wechslersaid she started getting heavily involved in blacksmithing in 2017.She now also makes her own blacksmithing tools.

Information Morning - NS8:57Maritime blacksmiths host 'hammer in' event

The Deanery Project is holding a meeting of the minds for maritime blacksmiths Saturday. It's called a "hammer in"... and it's a traditional gathering typically held at a blacksmith's forge, to show off gear and techniques to the rest of the blacksmithing community. Portia Clark spoke to a couple of blacksmiths who will be attending.

"I make hammers, tongs, chisels, drifts,"Wechslersaid.

"Instead of going out to the store and buying something, you can take something ... and actually make what you need, which is part of whatI love about the craft."

Women blacksmiths

According toWechsler,there is a long tradition of women involved in the trade. She said there are a lot more women blacksmiths than most people think.

She said there are at least nine women blacksmiths in Nova Scotia alone.

Chalmers McAllisterwill be helping at the event. He said he found himself wanting to learn more after taking a one-week blacksmithing course.

He went on to apprenticeunder master blacksmith Tony Huntley at Sherbrooke Village provincial museum.

McAllistersaid he's fascinated by the attention to detail involved in the craft.

"It's such a fine line between perfection and destroying a piece in the fire," he said. "It almost feels like a dance around the fire."

Interest growing

According toMcAllister, working with metal is very similar to working with clay once it is up to temperature.

Although many people think blacksmithing is a dying art, Chalmerssaidhe is seeing a lot more interest in it coming from young people.

He said the television program Forged in Fire, where bladesmithing is featured, has sparked a lot of interest.

The event starts at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.