Stories
James & Michal: Blacksmithing
Blacksmith James O’Riordan based in Ireland & Czech fellow Michal Halvoník
James began his journey in blacksmithing when he was 16 years old. Initially self-taught, he then received some formal training from a blacksmith in Northern Ireland. He went on to study mechanical engineering in college, deciding after to turn his hobby into a business.
Michal is a young blacksmith who admires the work of old masters and tries to follow a traditional approach to solving problems in the forge. He enjoys working in a team of people, so everything is fast and smooth. His interests include nature, painting, drawing and photographing architecture.
Tús ré Nua
This freestanding cheval mirror was forged in steel using a combination of traditional forging techniques, modern machining and some light fabrication. Master blacksmith James and fellow Michal aimed to contrast the bold geometric lines of the Art Deco period with details that show off the organic plasticity of hot forged steel. The duo used a hydraulic press, fly press and power hammer to forge the steel, while machining was carried out on a lathe, and other elements custom made using a pillar drill, horizontal bandsaw and Tig welder. The name means ‘dawn of a new era’ in Irish.
Other stories
Subscribe to our newsletter
Presented by
