Blacksmiths Creating Colonial Hardware

—                “Ready, set, light your forges!” will be the starting of the 4^th Annual Blacksmith Competition during School Days at Flora School, Saturday, June 17. Forges will light at 7am, continuing through to 1pm, while the remainder of School Days old time skills will start at 9am.
                Category for the year is colonial hardware: gate and door locks and latches. Competition entries may be simple to complex, depending on skill level and what each blacksmith likes to make. The category was chosen by an outside source and will continue to be done this way in the future.
“To be honest, inexperienced smiths have just as much of a chance to win as experienced! The inexperienced just do what they must in order to finish. While the experienced smith will overthink, choose an intricate piece to build, which has a greater chance of failing due to the time constraints!” explains Nathan Thompson, blacksmith from Pomeroy, WA, in charge of the competition, “thus everyone should enter!”
                The colonial hardware will be auctioned off from 2 to 3pm during School Days that same day. Not all latches and locks may be available for purchase, but all that are will be a donation by the smith that made them as a fundraiser for the Flora School Education Center. The blacksmith competition entry fee is also by donation.
                Judging changed this year, too. Entrants will judge each other’s work and be declared the “Top Smith” by their peers. The Top Smith will receive the “Golden Hammer” during the awards ceremony starting at 2pm. Judging by peers allows critical and constructive evaluation on each entrant’s work. The hammer is for the Top Smith to use as they please.
                People’s Choice, also known as the showmanship award, allows School Days attendees to vote on their favorite blacksmith producing the best show for the public. Each blacksmith has a “bucket” in front of their booth and dresses the part of an old-time blacksmith. Viewers may vote for their favorite by placing money or tickets (usually purchased in the Country Store for pie and lunch but can be used elsewhere too) in their favorite blacksmith’s bucket. Thompson encourages everyone in attendance to “get out and vote.” The People’s Choice blacksmith will receive the traveling exhibit, an anvil, that must be returned each year for the next competition.
                For entry information see Blacksmith Competition under Activities at www.floraschool.org. Questions may be directed to Nathan Thompson: call/text 509.876.7812 (leave a message), email fsec.webmaster@gmail.com.