---as recounted by Dave Potts
You've stumbled upon my little niche in the web devoted to documenting the things I like doing and some of the experiences I've shared with family and friends in the pursuit of my craft. I can't say that this page is any type of summary of these events. Not by a long-shot. Just putting this page together means that I have less time to devote to the other crafts. I have realized that if don't do this now, however, it'll never get done. So.....while I'm inspired.... here are some images, some stories, and some links to my favorite hang-outs on the web.
Please enjoy and feel free to respond or make suggestions. The Web is supposed to link us as a people-- not insulate us from others. So please..... share!
Thanks. Dave Potts
The Wood- I don't know if was nature or nurture, but I've always had a fascination with wood. As a tree, as fuel, as lumber, and as furniture, this assemblage of protoplasm has been a great part of my life and has frequently been the catalyst to making new discoveries and embarking on new ventures. I'm sure much can be credited to Dad and the lore of the forest he passed on to me and my two brothers. A walk in the woods with Dad was often accompanied with his own anecdotes of times past and his own respect for the trees. I might have believed Eric Sloane's Reverence for Wood had been co-authored by Pop.... but I know it wasn't. With Dad being a cabinetmaker by profession, his circle of friends were also "folk of the wood". I can remember some truly enchanting stories told by these men. And with most of the tales, comes the lore of the woods-
- the uses of specific trees for special tasks
- the best woods for firewood-- how to season and split each
- planting, pruning, and grafting trees to replenish what you've taken from the Earth
- cutting, handling, and seasoning trees for lumber
- boatbuilding, timberframing, cabinetmaking, fencing, carving, and more
- the vanishing species and man's race to restore them
The Iron- this can also probably be blamed on Dad, but I really have no recollections for when or how. He was born, raised and ran a dairy farm for over half his life. If you needed a tool made, wanted to build a bracket, or wanted something fixed, you used fire and hammers. That was it. While he had no proper anvil, the drawbar of the tractor served as both a bending jig and forming stake. I've been collecting blacksmithing equipment since I was nineteen... a sophomore in college. My first acquisition was the forge, blower and tongs from the Imlaystown, NJ blacksmith shop. The purchase of a 130 pound Fisher anvil for $60 at Englishtown fleamarket that same year must have cemented the interest. My friend Bill and I carried it for a half mile and story of its acquisition is resurrected whenever we get together. (That next summer I bought an Emmert K-1 for $60 at Englishtown-- Those were the days!)
My friend Josh introduced me to NJBA, the New Jersey Blacksmith's Association, and it's been one long joy-ride since then. This eclectic mix of guys from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania are some of the brightest, most talented and , yes, good-natured gents I've ever met. Forty of us spent about six hours at a recent club-sponsored event. We discussed technologies of the 18th, 19th, and 20th century, the production of charcoal, coke and coal, the selection of digital camera's and mp3 players and lots more. Not once........ did the Superbowl or professional sports enter into discussions. How refreshing!
My two son's have had opportunities to work the fire, design and build hooks and hangers, and invite friends to try their skills, too. We've seen how the blacksmith's skills can help the skateboarder design a hook and build a kinked-grinding rail. I'm sure many of life's lessons and strong family relationships can be forged by the blacksmith's fire.
The Time- Ah! The missing ingredient! No matter how much wood, how much iron, or how many tools I've amassed, I know they'll need an investment of time to make them work and make them productive. Let's hope this page provides evidence that this has occurred.