At one stage in history, every town would’ve had a least one blacksmith.
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While it may have dropped in need and popularity in recent times, blacksmithing is still a valuable assist to society and a fun hobby.
Jim Watt, who was at the show on Friday, has been doing blacksmithing seriously for the past 18 months and said it’s an enjoyable hobby.
It takes him about two hours to make an S hook.
Bob Swords, from the Kilmarnock Forge in Orange, has a background in the industrial blacksmithing and was also at the show on Friday.
“People are surprised to find it’s still an apprenticeship but you can still do it, down at the Ultimo TAFE campus. I also run weekend classes at the Orange TAFE,” he said.
“Blacksmithing is an enjoyable activity. If you’ve got an artistic temperament, you can making a living making items. There’s also still a need for industrial blacksmiths to make tools.”