Karoo Life
Karoo Blacksmith Striking Metal
Jun
On a busy day Striking Metal, Kashief Booley’s smithy in Prince Albert, there’s an industrial opera in progress. The forge breathes like a dragon. The cherry-red steel sings as it is beaten into shape on the anvil. The hot metal hisses as it drops into a bucket of water to be quenched and tempered.
“When you light up a forge it’s a spiritual process. The minute I first saw a blacksmith at work, I was fascinated. Fire and human creativity are powerful elements. And metal is a comfortable medium for me. I love designing and working with it.”
He makes chandeliers, chairs, tables, small and massive gates, grates, wine racks, bedsteads, lanterns, butcher’s racks, burglar bars, door handles, anything made out of metal.
Being a blacksmith requires a strong arm, good hand-eye coordination, a certain degree of fitness and the creative ability to visualise things on a multi-dimensional level.
And as he works, as he strikes, as he forges and as he cools, Kashief Booley brings the magic and the music out of the steel and into the world.
This is an extract from Karoo Keepsakes II – The Journeys Continue. For the Print Version, click HERE and for the Ebook Version, click HERE.
lovely short, sharp poetic piece Miss Julie. i like the ‘stylish village’ bit. will have to try to live up to that!
Wonderful l!!!
Nice to see the old trades being practiced still.