"The Craftsman" by Nick Twietmeyer documents the last days of Steve Howell's Ballard Forge at Fenpro.

By Nick Twietmeyer

From inside the Fenpro building in Ballard you can hear all manner of noises. Sometimes it's an angle grinder. Others it's the banter of talk radio. Frequently it’s the shrill ping of metal hammer against anvil.

Steve Howell is a man who had the unfortunate luck of being born in the wrong century. Inside his workshop are the tools of a trade pulled from the late 19th Century, except for the propane tank that fuels a forge and the hydraulically actuated presses. But for the most part, Howell is a modern testament to the centuries-old trade of ironwork.

Unfortunately, while the skills of a blacksmith might never fade, the locations where one can practice these skills are becoming more scarce. The Fenpro building, which houses not only Howell's forge, but also the workspaces of numerous artists and manufacturers is slated to be demolished soon and replaced with a Nordic Heritage Museum. All of the tenants have been ordered to vacate the premises before the end of March, causing a diaspora of artisans seeking new environs in which to practice their work.

Fortunately Howell has secured a new workshop in North Seattle, however this is the end of the Ballard Forge. It's a somber story but also one of survival, as the forge is being extinguished in Ballard, it will soon be reignited up north.

Howell is a very friendly and humble man. He is the first to admit that his forge is modest, but he explains that it is good at getting the job done. He shows how he can adjust the firebricks at either end of the hot, fiery tube to accommodate different sized workpieces depending on what is called for. In the corner, a weathered radio plays reggae music on the KEXP show Positive Vibrations.

Howell quickly turns a piece of three-quarter inch square stock into a decorative leaf, using deft hammer strikes and a keen eye for detail. He uses the peen of his hammer to draw out the metal and thin it out a bit, turning it over and using the wedge to bite into the face of the leaf, giving the leaf its crease flowing down to the stem. It only takes him about 15 minutes to turn a simple piece of metal into an expressive piece of art.

In recent years, forging has experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly among people who wish to learn how to make knives and swords, but Howell chooses the more utilitarian approach. Howell prefers projects that serve a higher purpose: railings, door handles, garden gates, stairways.

Howell doesn't fear for the survival of blacksmithing, the way many other tradesmen do these days. Blacksmithing as a hobby is still in full-swing. Thousands of Youtube videos on how to produce various items simply from hammering on hot metal is a testament to the hardiness of ironwork and the inability to extinguish Howell's passion from the contemporary mindset.

Thursday, March 31st, is the last day of Fenpro, and the former tenants are hosting a
party to celebrate the decades of work and good times that have come out of this incredible structure. There will be an exhibit of work that has been created on site, photos of the
building by Abby Inpanbutr and music by Digital Lion.

All former tenants and interested Ballardites are encouraged to attend-March 31st, at 6-8pm, at NW Market Street and 28th Avenue NW.

To read more by Nick Twietmeyer visit his blog at https://nicholasreedt.wordpress.com/