22 WBM april 2014 Blanks that will be shaped into leaves lay next to a damaged piece of the gate. “The metal can be up to 2,400 degrees when you take it out of the fire,” Kastner says, “In seconds you have to figure out what’s wrong with it, and how to fix it in the least amount of hits. It’s getting colder the whole time.” He does this without gloves, handling his tools bare handed, without any of the hesitation that might be expected when working with melting metals. He then drops the forged piece into a slack tub, where water lowers the temperature. Because wrought iron is so hard to come by, Kastner is recycling pieces of a fence from New Jersey, which was made during a similar time period. He draws meticulous patterns to create the perfect scroll jig, a template for bending hot metal. For flowers and leaves, he uses a repoussé and chasing technique, hammering the metal to create low and high reliefs, making them appear as if they are blowing in the wind. Kastner’s favorite parts of the fence are the sections where the wispy leaves cut into the vertical, structural bars. They did not simply lay iron over iron, he says, they wove it, putting beauty over utility. Growing up, Kastner was always banging on things with a hammer. “It got more fun when I could add fire. Even now if I see a hammer swing anywhere; I want to go into work,” he says, “That’s the cool thing about being a blacksmith, I always get to make something cool.” beachbites While you relax! 910.332.7284 SeaScapeRealEstate.com Call today for FREE expert friendly advice! VACATION & LONG TERM RENTAL HOMES Personal Service - Proactive Management - No Hidden Fees We work to get you the most out of your rental property . . . Call us TODAY to nd out how!
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