Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

TRYON – On Saturday, February 25th, instructor Autumn Day will teach a pair of blacksmithing classes at the Tryon Arts and Crafts School, one for young people in the morning, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and the afternoon for adult beginners from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. 

The art of blacksmithing has been a staple of rural areas such as Polk County. In the past, farmers and families couldn’t just up and ride into town every time a horse threw a shoe, or they needed a nail. 

While the need for blacksmiths is not as prevalent in modern times, it is still a significant art form and skill that is being carried on and passed on by blacksmithing instructors like Autumn Day of Spartanburg. 

Day, who first took up blacksmithing as an elective in college, quickly fell in love with the art form. She has worked as a blacksmith in Wilmington for the Poplar Grove Plantation, often showcasing her skills and teaching over 300 kids daily. She also gives credit to a class she took at TACS on knifemaking led by Gerry Drew and is excited to be able to return as an instructor. 

The classes will teach the basics to future blacksmiths, and will introduce them to various skills, such as squaring, twisting, and using the anvil’s horn. 

“Metal moves contradictory to how most people expect, so we teach how to regulate the temperature and read the metal, along with how to hold it and hit it,” Day says.

“I want my students to get their hands in it and have a good time,” Days adds. “They will have fun and learn a deep appreciation for the art of metallurgy and the work of blacksmiths. So when they see a cemetery gate, metal hinges, or a historic building, they will know the hard work that went into making it.”

For more information on the classes, contact Tryon Arts and Crafts School or visit their website to sign up.