I have been in the metalworking profession for 3 years, specializing in high-end furniture and architectural steel in Bozeman, Montana. The fabrication work I do demands intense prep and finish work, which spills over into my forge work with cleaner lines and polished surfaces. My first blacksmithing class was in 2016 with David Norrie in Colorado, where we focused on intention behind every forging process. In 2021 I was a part of the 6 week Forging Focus class at Center for Metal Arts, which has been the most formative experience in my metalworking career. The time spent at CMA has elevated my perception of what is possible with forge work and has opened the door many new relationships in the craft.
Mass Isolation – Packy Lahey
2022 | 24 x 3.5 x 5 inches | Mild Steel
This piece is the product of skills and techniques gained from the Center for Metal Arts. I am drawn to the industrial forgings found in the historical shop, and almost every part of my forging can be seen in the smith shop at the Cambria Iron Company. The center bar was forged from a single piece of 1” square bar, with an upset isolation in the center. The forgings present in this piece are all simple executions with clean lines, forged to specific dimensions. The split bar riveted to angle iron has “cat ears” that I sought out after seeing a very similar forging present in the historic smith shop at CMA. Samples of every part of the forging were made before executing the final piece.
Packy Lahey
