Mahoney blacksmith, Ken Vanderburg, pumps air into his forge, as he
gets ready to shape a piece of metal art.

 

"The Village Blacksmith"

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Once upon a time it was a common practice that every village and hamlet in Hopkins County had a "village" blacksmith, who shoed the horses and mules, sharpened plowshares, and repaired a miriad of metal farming tools and equipment. The "ring" of his hammer could be heard throughout the village, as he beat the heated metal from his anvil and the smell of his forge could be detected all across the small town. The village blacksmith shop was the center of activity, as local farmers brought their business to the shop and waited on the blacksmith to craft his skills, and the weather, condition of the crops, and the general market of farm products were discussed.

 

The art of blacksmithing hasn't changed much over the years. The process is almost the same as when
the village blacksmith repaired horse-drawn tools on the prairie and shoed horses and mules for the field.

Today, those discussions are generally conducted in the convenience of an air conditioned coffee shop. However, the "ring" of the blacksmith's hammer can still be heard in the Mahoney and Reilly Springs Communities, as young men have taken-up the craft and once again began crafting metal products from the forge and their anvils.

 

 

A variety of hammers are used to shape the hot, molten metal, into useful pieces or art.

And, once the metal is shaped, it must be thoroughly cleaned.

Ken Vanderburg, a graduate of Sulphur Springs High School, arrived in Hopkins County when he was in the seventh grade, and now makes his home in the Mahoney Community, where he operates the Iron Horse Metal Works Gallery, at the corner of Fm-69 and Fm-1537. Vanderburg admits that he "picked-up" the craft of blacksmithing from his father, who completed a long line of blacksmiths. "My grandfather and great-grandfather couldn't make a living in the trade, as more modern farming equipment was being used and agriculture converted from the horse and mule to tractors, during their day, but my father made a living in heavy metal construction," states Ken. "And, my ancestors can be traced as blacksmiths to the border of Denmark and Germany, before the Vanderburgs migrated to the Hot Springs, Arkansas, area. Then, three brothers made their way to East Texas and I remember my grandparents living in the Leesburg, Texas, area."

 

Ken operates his forge from a portable trailer and can be found giving demonstrations all across East Texas, at fairs, exhibitions, and gatherings. He has a regular "spot" at the monthly Canton Trades Days, on Row 50 and 96, where he finds sales and special orders attractive. "Have tools......Will Travel!" is Ken's motto and he likes the interaction with customers and the ability to show his customers how their various products are made from metal.

Vanderburg states that the most popular item that he sells is a 4 foot, tri-pod, campfire rack, that holds a variety of campfire pots and washpots. He also sells a popular grilling set, that can be used on your outdoor grill or even hanging pot racks that can be used as a decorative addition to a modern kitchen. "We try to make anything from metal that the customer can design," expressed Ken. "We always have a number of items made before the shows, but can make items to custom order, while the customer watches!"

These 4 foot campfire racks are a popular item at Vanderburg's Gallery.

He explains that the metal is heated to at least 3000 degrees in the forge and that he uses only the best Anthracite Coal in his forge. "I get my coal from the Pocahontas Mines in New York," explains Vanderburg. "It's more expensive, but I like the way it burns and holds the heat, for crafting my metal!"

 

Vanderburg applies a coat of beeswax to the finished product, instructing that metal care involves using
the wax or oil on the finished product.

While we talked, Vanderburg crafted a metal keychain, that demonstrated the basic steps in shaping metal......the "pigtail," the "taper," the "widow's eye," the "fuller," and the compression fold. The basic steps are used over and over in each project, regardless of the size of the project, according to Vanderburg. And, a nice display of decorative fireplace screens, handrails, dinner bells, and entrance gates were shown in a series of pictures in his shop. "That large entrance gate, is a repetition of the same basic steps, over and over," explained Vanderburg. "It's crafting and shaping the metal to precision time after time!"

Vanderburg can be reached by calling (903)439-7435, or drop by the Mahoney Community, when he's working in his shop, and get the complete story of crafting metal.

 

Meanwhile, another blacksmith can be found crafting his metal art, in the Reilly Springs Community, as his hammer rings on the Vera Harrington Farm. Wayne Fenton is the artist and master blacksmith. He's been crafting metal for some 18 years. His designs include a Cinderella Carriage for the Arkansas Governor's Mansion and ornate yard ornaments. He was currently working on a decorative gate for a hotel in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Wayne Fenton shapes a molten piece of metal from his anvil in Reilly Springs.

Fenton explains that he first took an apprenticeship under Steve Miller, who could trace his blacksmithing abilities from another long-line of blacksmiths. "I worked with Steve and learned the craft, before opening my own business," explained Fenton. "And, I've built some quite unusual pieces through the years!"

 

A piece of metal becomes a work of art, when shaped with a variety of tools.

When asked about some of the unusual items, Wayne expressed that he had once crafted a 12 foot bunny rabbit for a playground in Dallas and had repeatedly done work by custom order. "If you can dream it up, we can make it out of metal!" expressed Wayne, as he unrolled a detailed blueprint for the ornamental gate, he was constructing.

Just one of the many pieces of metal fashioned for an ornamental gate, destined for a Shreveport, La, hotel.

One of Wayne's most memorable projects was an ornamental design that he crafted for the Commodore's Palace in New Orleans, Louisiana. "It was a very detailed work, and took months to complete," expressed Wayne. "But, the feeling of accomplishment, when the project was completed, was great!"

Wayne works in the "Family Dreams Metal Works Gallery" in Reilly Springs, owned by Elisha Scales, and many of their orders are custom orders from the Brad Odom Gallery in Dallas. "Brad sends us many projects and we complete them here in the shop, and then deliver them to him," explains Fenton. "That way, we can stay here in the shop, out in the country, and he can aid us with the marketing and taking orders for work!"

 

Elisha Scales, left, is owner of the Family Dreams Gallery, in Reilly Springs, and Fenton works
in the shop, fashioning metal art.

 

The Family Dreams Gallery can be reached by calling (214)384-5685.

So, almost any morning in Hopkins County, the ring of the blacksmith's hammer can still be heard, as metal is crafted, forged, and made into decorative pieces of art, continuing a tradition, as old as time!

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