Terry the Blacksmith

Working this week with my friend Terry the Blacksmith. His shop is not far from me in a village called Glynde, next to the world famous Glyndebourne opera house. I have a commission to make a small Oak bridge which I want to inset with Iron fish, hence Terry. The idea is as the iron fish rust they will contrast nicely with the Oak. As some of you will know iron has a reaction with Oak when it comes in contact with water, this is why you should never use wire wool when cutting back between finishing coats on projects made of Oak. The reaction of the three creates a greenish stain that seeps deep into the timber and is virtually impossible to get out. However in this case we want this reaction to be part of the overall design. 

I'm writing a piece for 'Good Woodworking' about Terry, and the ancient working relationship between blacksmiths and woodworkers. As I stood in Terry's beautifully atmospheric workshop, with it's two great forges strung with tongs of every shape and size, and anvils that proudly show the scars of years of hard work, listening to him talk of his plans for his retirement, I was struck by the thought, will their be anybody to take over this place and run it as a going concern when Terry hangs up his hammer? Somebody that I can continue to have that ancient blacksmith/ woodworker working relationship with, or will Terry's forge become one more local trade that is lost? I truly hope not.