By Serena Brown
Asking myself where to properly store a custom fire pick in my apartment was never really a question I’d anticipated asking. However it’s exactly the mental discussion I found myself in after spending an enjoyable and informative evening at Jefferson Mack Metals.
For our most recent Third Thursday, the office was invited to participate in a blacksmithing demonstration with Jefferson in his San Francisco workshop. As a full-time blacksmith, he is dedicated to creating beautiful, unique, honest pieces, rooted in the traditional aspects of metal working. Our experience was equal parts learn by demonstration and learn by doing, as we were able to take part in creating our own metal art with the help of the talented workshop designers.
The evening began with a meet and greet over charcuterie, followed by a quick gallery tour. Jefferson Mack is known for innovative metal design, the more “out-there” the better. The small room was filled with delicate sculptures, wall pieces, and serpentine furniture. Our designers were particularly drawn to an upright pendulum, situated at the front of the garage workspace. As we admired the array of pieces, Jefferson explained the history of his practice and the different collaborations that had occurred over the years. In conjunction with Aaron Gordon Construction Inc., he hosts monthly workshops similar to the one we attended in order to allow suppliers and clients alike to get a taste of the process behind their requested pieces. He’s also worked with various artists and other creatives to forge everything from gazebos to cutlery!
Before beginning the hands-on portion of the evening, Jefferson sat us down for introductions and an explanation of the process. Then, in groups of three we began forging our fire picks. To begin, the steel metal rod was heated in one of their few furnaces to a temperature of about 2246 degrees Fahrenheit. Together with a resident blacksmith, we each hammered the tip to a point, bent it over an anvil at a 90 degree angle, shaped the handle, and added decorative twists.
Since our group was only 10 large, each interaction felt extremely individualized. I was able to spend as much time as I desired hammering, twisting, and perfecting my piece. The atmosphere was lively and comfortable, and not as hot as I’d expected! The entire process took a little over an hour, leaving plenty of time for chatting and refreshments at the conclusion of the evening.
Before departing, we were able to watch Jefferson in action, forging delicate spirals out of the hot metal with seemingly little effort at all. He also passed around a few small pieces from his gallery, and opened the floor to questions. The conversation focused around the history and background of blacksmithing, at what age each artist started, how long an apprenticeship generally lasts, and what metals they typically work with at the shop.
At around 8pm it was time to leave and we were all struck with a similar thought: Would BART or an Uber be a more appropriate mode of transportation home while carrying a newly forged fire pick? We were split on the answer.
Our experience at Jefferson Mack was warm and inviting in more ways than one and a truly beneficial experience to designers and office assistants alike! Now all that’s left is finding a fireplace or planning a company camping trip to use our new tools! We invite you to learn more about their fantastic studio and the craft that they’ve mastered on their website!
Thank you so much for having us Jefferson and we look forward to collaborating with you in the future!