JACKSON, Ga. — Blacksmith careers have sharply declined following the rise of modern machinery.
While most steel and iron goods are mass-produced, there are plenty of people who keep the historic tradition alive.
One group, the Ocmulgee Blacksmiths Guild, is doing its best to keep the once job, now a hobby and a personal passion, in the present with the Ellerby-Frost "Hammer In" event.
The event itself featured food, raffles and a live demonstration from national television judge and swordsmith, David Baker.
Brothers Gael Torres, 15, and Aaron Torres, 17, from Colbert, said that while their passion for crafting began when they were younger, they were recently introduced to smithing by their father. Now, this is their second trip to the "Hammer In" event.
"We're going into a rather limited community and we're expanding into this somewhat outdated trade but there's still a lot of people that take it to heart and actually expand on it," Aaron Torres said.
Thanks to the event, the brothers have gotten an opportunity to gain feedback and showcase their passion projects. They said that showcasing their projects and gaining feedback on them at the event has been great. They've also loved an opportunity to gain inspiration from others.
"I think it's important that we learn the traits and continue to teach others as well and learning at the same time because it's something that's been passed on for many years," Gael Torres said.
The Ocmulgee Blacksmiths Guild got its start over 30 years ago, and has served parts of Central Georgia ever since. Though most of their founders are no longer active, one founder, Buster Grubbs, said he'll always show up.
"When I started back in the 80s' there in Georgia, I can only tell you about maybe five blacksmiths, five or six that was actually operating back then and now... we have like 100 close to 100 members," Grubbs said.
Grubbs said that the local group meets monthly, but added that once every year, the group invites folks from all over to the event.
"We all sit down and have lunch together, have fellowship and then we had to fundraise, everybody loved to iron the hat because uh they get to take something home from here. You know, a lot of times there's things that people's made," Grubbs said.
While it's a chance to share each other's latest creations, the Torres brothers said the biggest takeaway was an opportunity to learn from those who came before them to become a jack of all trades.
They said as they work to learn more from others, the pair of teenagers look to develop and forge a path of their own, possibly as soon as the guild's next event on Nov. 23 at the Dauset Trails Nature Center.
"If there's something that you really are interested in, just go for it, put your ego aside, put your doubts aside, be stay positive and learn what you can and learn from others," Gael Torres said.