Forged steel elements for the home by hammeronsteel on Etsy

I Bang for a Living

I often admire and wonder about the ways that lines intersect in the world around me. While it's true that this informs my work, it is perhaps more useful to point out that I love cooking breakfast for my friends. The company of comrades makes my work fulfilling. I also happen to love the weight of my hammer and the heat of my forge.

I went to school to become an astrophysicist. Over time, I was drawn to the manipulation of volumes. After a brief venture into 3D digital modeling, I discovered that it was far more rewarding to move materials in real space. When steel is heated, it becomes malleable, like a very stiff clay. By swinging a hammer, constraining angles and momentum, this hot steel can be shaped into any number of forms. My studies took a sharp shift immediately following this discovery.

After spending a few years working in blacksmiths' shops in Wyoming, Brooklyn, Iceland and San Francisco, I landed back here in Western Massachusetts. BMW Ironworks (aka HammeronSteel) was touch and go for a while. I spent a few seasons living in a tent, basing my operations out of a dear friend's garage. A combination of private commissions and craft shows kept my hammer swinging, and the bills paid.

Since the fortuitous confluence in the fall of 2009 between national recognition in the Men's Journal December gift guide, and meeting my now-partner in life and work, Carolyn Clayton, things have rolled along quite nicely. She encouraged me to open my shop in its current incarnation.

I now have the pleasure of employing a half-dozen good folks, and we make good gear. In addition to managing correspondence here on Etsy and orchestrating fabrication projects, Carolyn makes art that pushes envelopes and broadens minds. Check her out at www.carolynclayton.net. With the help of my fearless, faithful and fantastic assistants, I create works ranging from the hand-held to the half-ton.

I take on commissions ranging from restaurant furnishings and lighting to custom railings. I also spend rather a lot of time hand-forging personalized bottle openers for the pals of soon-to-be-weds.

I am currently accepting orders through 17 December to be delivered in time for Christmas 2015, within the US. Internationally, you're probably okay through 8 December, but I can't guarantee anything.

I ship all of my items via USPS Priority mail. They have an incredibly good track record with me. In 2012, I had four packages out of approximately 1200 that didn't make it where they where supposed to. That's less than half a percent error rate. At the beginning of 2013, the Post Office has started to include $50 insurance on small Priority packages, and $100 on larger ones. If you'd like additional insurance on your package, please contact us ahead of time. We'd be glad to make the adjustment for you.

WHEN A PACKAGE HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY THE POST OFFICE, I RELINQUISH ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. That means that if it arrives without contents, or damaged in some way, you, the customer, will have to take it up with the Post Office. They're actually pretty easy to deal with.

hammeronsteel

hammeronsteel

Shop owner

Three-legged Planter - Forged by a Blacksmith

Churchkeys forged from railroad spikes - Bottle openers by a Blacksmith

Bottle Openers Personalized with Names & Date - Gifts for Groomsmen, Wedding Favors or Custom Gift

Hops Keychain Beer Bottle Openers - Hand-forged by a Blacksmith

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Three-legged Planter - Forged by a Blacksmith

Bottle Openers Personalized with Names & Date - Gifts for Groomsmen, Wedding Favors or Custom Gift

Churchkeys forged from railroad spikes - Bottle openers by a Blacksmith

Hops Keychain Beer Bottle Openers - Hand-forged by a Blacksmith - Great Gift for Groomsmen

Hand-forged Bottle Openers with Custom Monograms - Groomsman Gifts, Wedding Favors or Custom gifts - Beer Tools Forged by a Blacksmith

Personalized Keychain Beer Bottle Openers - Hand-forged by a Blacksmith

Keychain Beer Bottle Openers - Hand-forged by a Blacksmith

Hops Keychain Beer Bottle Openers - Hand-forged by a Blacksmith

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Benjamin Westbrook

Carolyn Clayton

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