Fredeen Blades

My wife Lydia, son Ryan, and I live in a 116 year old farmhouse with our cat named

Gabby. I spend my time mostly at work and when I can, in my workshop rebuilding tractors or old farm implements, making the occasional piece of furniture, or just thinking about the next project.

My Dad started me on using old tools by giving me his worn out ones so I wouldn’t use his electric drill to put holes in the yard.

My brothers and I spent many a day augering holes in fence posts, trees, and of course the ground with an old brace and bit.

We could have all the bent nails that we wanted and any scrap lumber that was lying around was quickly stripped of bent nails, and after straightening the nails, converted into carts, tree houses, boats, or whatever the three of us could think of.

I stayed with the old tools but I have bought a fair amount of “Tailed Devils” also. So now I build bigger houses and create bigger carts and boats. As the old saying goes “The only difference between men and boys is the size of their toys”

Depending on where the money was I’ve worked as an electrician, carpenter, welder, plumber, engineer, and manager.

The skills I picked up from some of my different jobs have allowed me to play at all these things while someone else foots the bill.

Blacksmithing is kind of the beginning and end of the circle. It takes me back to working with old tools like my forge, anvil, and post vice, and on to new ideas and concepts of decorative artwork and the practical touches of hinges, hooks, and hardware for my woodworking projects.

I’ll never be monetarily rich from the results of my blacksmith work, but my wife is proud to show the bird baths, trellises, and rustic artwork that I’ve made, and my sister has sold a few things at her green house, so the respect I gain is well worth the time spent playing.