Rory May - A Colorado Blacksmith - Isolated Reality Iron -

Hand Forged Coffee Table “Gwackthmog”

Rory — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:24:59 +0000

This is a custom order for a coffee table forged out of iron. The client was directly involved with the design. We focused on a simplistic design revolving around the forged arch detail complemented with an art deco feel. This has a black and lacquer finish that is a great focal point for any room in sits in.

Below are some pictures of the progress. I draw the table to scale and get approval before I do any forging. Then I print it to 100% scale and work from there. Each piece is hand forged from standard square and flat stock.

This coffee table is 24″ wide x 44″ long and 16″ tall. Bad boy weighs at 67 lbs

Thanks!

-Rory (a Colorado blacksmith)

Aspen Leaf Rings

Rory — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:14:38 +0000

Custom orders are always welcome. Recently did an order for some aspen leafs on a forged ring. These ring are about 4″ wide and quite attractive. These aspen leaves are forged one at a time and treated on an individual level and made out of steel, bronze, and copper. These leave are not cut out, but rather forged out of square material by hand. Interested in something hand forged? Let me know. Always open for discussion and work with in a budget.

-Rory

Colorado Blacksmith

$68.00 (per ring with 3 leaves)

Please allow 2 weeks for me to forge and deliver an item similar to this.

Dimpled Blacksmith Bowl

Rory — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:52:31 +0000

Forge out of 1/4″ plate these bad boys weigh in a 5 lbs are 9.5″ across 1.25″ deep and have a dimple texture. A great center piece and conversation starter. These are forged as they are ordered. Please expect 1-2 weeks for delivery

$50.00

Personalized Driveway Sign (custom order)

Rory — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:47:02 +0000

This is a commissioned order for a driveway. Its about 28″ wide. Forged vines, slit and drifted holes. This sign is also getting a treatment which requires me to rust it first. This was the pic before it goes rusty. I’ll post final pics once its installed.

-Rory

Colorado Blacksmith

UPDATE

Things have been very busy lately. That good complaint. I recently was able to finish one of 2 signs I have going on. I will be getting some studio shots of this in place soon.

Gothic Nouveau Mirror Frame

Rory — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:00:34 +0000

19.5″ x 26″ tall. Forged brass bracket hangs mirror from hook. It it riveted on an allows the mirror to center itself and hang level. Mirror also stands away from the wall by an 1.5″

The hook have some decorative slit and drifted hole which they pass through, as well the as the brass bracket. Was tricky slitting that brass. Three coats of polyurethane and the mirror is set with silicone. Should be able to with stand any bathroom or powder room.

$1,200.00

Cigar Bowl 1

Rory — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:37:51 +0000

Cigar Bowls are here!

This cigar bowl is 6″ wide and about 3″ tall and based off of some glass cigar bowls that were made in the 1960′s. It can comfortably hold 3 cigars at a time. A great center piece and conversation starter.

-Rory

Colorado Blacksmith

$100.00

Aspen Leaf Bowls

Rory — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:06:16 +0000

Hand forged aspen leafs out of mild steel with one copper leaf. Signed and stamped #2 in the run. Clear Lacquer finish. These bowls can be of any size. Each is made one at a time and can be customized with letters and numbers in the non ferrous leaf.

8″ +/- wide
2″ +/- tall

$200.00

Please allow 2 weeks for me to forge and deliver a dish similar to this.

Wine Bottle Holder

Rory — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:23:28 +0000

This was the first wine bottle holder I have done. The way it hangs in the air, working with its weight and the arc of the wine bottle, creates an interesting display. I have plans to create some more interesting designs now that I have the math figured out on this one. It measures about 2″ wide and around 14″ long down the back. With decorative aspen leaf this would be used in a table setting in displaying a bottle of wine.

$45.00

Please allow 2 weeks for me to forge and deliver a dish item to this.

Demonstration in Denver

Rory — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:11:31 +0000

I did a demonstration at the Green Route Festival in downtown Denver yesterday and it went well. Met a large variety of people and most have never seen a forge, the types of metal work or even a blacksmith before. I went representing Dragon Forge LTD, the family business and my full time professional job. Typically when I do a demonstration in an open forum like this, I simply start forging. With in a few minutes it attracts someone and a conversation starts. Questions vary from how long I have been forging, what is the fuel in the forge, do I burn myself, and most common is how did I make…. By then end of a few of these conversations you end up with a little abstract piece.

Rail Road Spike Knives

Rory — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 05:44:56 +0000

Taking a Rail Road spike one can forge this into many different things. Bottle opener, a small axe, some forge faces into them. I have taken to forging them into knives. The first thing I take into consideration with anything I make is how comfortable is it to look at and, if this is to be held, how comfortable is it in your hand. The length of the Rail Road Spike is just short of being comfortable. That in mind the first thing I do is “fuller” the material. This fuller is just past the middle. The term is a technical step used to describe the process to forge a pinch in the bar. The top half is isolated for the mass, the bottom half is for the handle. I then forge the handle down some causing it to get longer and slightly thinner. This help me make the grip a little more comfortable. This whole time I keep the material straight. Some Rail Road Spike knives I see are not straight and not really a typical knife shape. I then forge out the blade and do as much as I can to get the material to move faster on the cutting edge side than the top, drawing out the material. Once the shape is established I typically try to do something attractive to the handle. Be it a twist of some sort and give it a curve so that it fits into your hand with a natural pose. The rest is cutting material away for the blade and polishing it up. Colors are done with fire and pulling Temper Colors out of it. I then quench it in water when I think the colors are at their most interesting and this step locks the colors in.

About the Rail Road Spikes: They were designed to move with the Rail Road Track if the track had moved. Thus the material themselves do not have much carbon in them. If they were a tool steel chances are the RR spike would snap in it hole rendering that spot a hazard and the integrity of the track would be at stake…no pun intended. Though the knives are attractive I do not recommend them as a hunting knife of any sorts. Being a hunter myself I know these would not hold an edge at all. They do well skinning envelopes and other paper products. Most whom order these have them as novelty items or have given them to friends / family whom had a history working at a Rail Road Station. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all. Below are some pics of the Rail Road Spike Knives that I have made.

Available Knives for sale: http://isolatedreality.com/2010/12/07/rail-road-spike-knives-2/

Your local smith,

-Rory