Blacksmithing and Peer Teaching
Luke manning the forge at the blacksmith shop
You can smell and hear the activity at the blacksmith shop long before you crest the hill and actually see the forges. Walking up to the shop, the smokey smell of the burning coal is unmistakable, and the rhythmic clang of metal signals that you’re getting closer. Camp’s blacksmithing shop is an exciting place – fire burns, sparks fly, and boys are allowed (and encouraged!) to swing hammers at hot metal objects. It’s boy heaven, unlike anything most boys are allowed to participate in at home.
Because of the potential dangers when working with fire and hot iron, the shop has five major rules. Three are all about what to wear: you have to have on closed toed shoes, long cotton or jean pants, and safety glasses when inside the shop. You also have to complete a prep before working on any projects, and you have to be ten years old. This is the only activity with an age limit, mainly because strict focus is required for safety and the tools are heavy. Boys eagerly anticipate turning ten, because they know it means they can finally come up the hill and start learning how to forge iron.
Paul practicing at the forge for the first time today
Today, two boys at the shop were finally able to participate. Paul and Patton sat on the bench waiting for the activity to begin, hardly able to contain their excitement. “This is my fourth year at camp but I just turned ten. I’ve been waiting all year for blacksmithing!” Patton told me. Paul agreed, mentioning that he turned ten just two weeks after camp ended last year, and couldn’t wait to get back. Forget the sweet 16 parties or big 21st birthday bashes; for these campers, 10 was the magic number.
The first project that everyone works on in blacksmithing is making an arrowhead. One of the older campers at the shop, Luke Dodson, was working on his Ranger progression. He agreed to teach Paul and Patton the basics, showing them how to make their own arrowheads. “I’ve made at least 10 arrowheads so far,” Luke explained, but one of his favorite things he made was a candlestick holder. For one of his progressions, he made a barn door handle, and for his “unique project” progression, he chose to make a door knocker to go with the handle. Luke said that his dream project would be to craft a sword, but that he would need a lot of steel to make it. The majority of our projects at camp are made from cast iron, which is what they were using to hammer out the arrowheads today.
Luke showed Paul and Patton how to open the forge vent to let the fire breathe, and how to put the iron rod into the hot coals so that it heats up enough to be pliable. Then he took out the iron when it was bright orange, and explained how to hammer the end into a 45 degree angle on each side. These angles shape out the point of their future arrowhead. The boys also learn how to tell the temperature roughly by the color of the metal. Orange is the sweet spot, but let it get too hot and white, and it will spark dangerously when you hammer it. Letting it cool to a dull red will make the metal too cold to shape, so the boys have to pay attention to their iron.
Patton heating up his iron in the coals
At camp, the activities offer challenges at every level to fit the skills of the boy participating. Other boys in the shop were more advanced, and working on their own projects. Carter was making a playing card out of iron, practicing his techniques and trying to hammer the iron as thin as possible. Meanwhile, counselor Will was working with the very beginner boys on their prep. He went over the safety rules, quenching techniques, where key things in the shop are located, how to wash impurities off coal for burning, and many other things so the boys would be ready to safely forge. No matter what level you are at in an activity, there is always an opportunity to challenge yourself.
In this case, Luke was working on his leadership skills as well as practicing his blacksmithing trade. When boys are able to get experience with peer teaching, they are able to gain a deeper knowledge of the skills themselves. At the same time, other campers respect and admire their peers, so it is a positive experience for boys to be able to teach each other. Campers can start by learning from counselors, practice the skills themselves, teach their knowledge to others, and finally experiment and push their own boundaries. With so many activities around camp to choose from, boys have a multitude of opportunities to “become the expert” in whatever they choose. At home, the opportunities for leadership and communication growth may not be as common, so it is even more important for them to gain these experiences at camp. After learning that they can not only do a unique activity, but also teach it too, boys gain confidence that gives them an edge in their school and home life long after the summer is over.
Shocktaw! Cooling off in a Dupont waterfall after a bike ride
Wearing camo on Wild Wednesday!
More Highlights From This Wednesday
- James Chadwick led Morning Watch today, speaking about Positive Attitude, one of the four pillars of our Falling Creek Code. He shared a story about day 4 of his 5 days of military exercise back home in England, and how he and his friends used positive attitude to make it through.
- Several trips headed out today! Gilberts Rock for climbing, Sliding Rock for chilly swimming and a natural waterslide in Pisgah, Dupont for mountain biking, and Lower Green River for paddling. The two-day paddling trip to the Nantahala returned after a couple fun days on the river. We also had our first backpacking trip head out, looking forward to 3 days of exploring peaks around the Nantahala National Forest.
- Breakfast: Warm biscuits, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and breaded chicken breast to make breakfast biscuits with. Also the fruit and yogurt bar, plus a grits station.
- Lunch: Steak and cheese sandwiches with peach slices and seasoned fries, plus cherry cobbler for dessert.
- Dinner: Chicken and rice with egg rolls, mixed vegetables, and banana cake with a chocolate drizzle.
- Evening Program: Wednesdays evenings we play an all-camp-game, and tonight was Counselor Hunt, an old favorite!
- Today was Mountain Bike head, Jake Lambrecht’s birthday!
Making coil pots in pottery today