KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Reaching 1800-degree temps, blacksmith John Bangor removed a piece of metal from the forge.
“Hot enough to be able to forge. Not hot enough for a welding temperature,” said Bangor.
Bangor with Doylestown-based Tastefully Peened Ironworks is sharing his passion with all inside this year’s Kutztown Folk Festival for the first time.
“Two feet jumping into the fire. It’s been a little scary. It’s been very rewarding overall I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback,” said Bangor.
He is creating piece by piece– from key chains to candle holders. Each down to the details.
“Something like a snail just the form itself takes around an hour,” said Bangor.
A skill that has taken practice.
“The guy I used to apprentice with had kind of expressed a you have enough talent don’t stop,” said Bangor.
It is something Bangor said he has been into since he was a teenager. He tells us he always knew he wanted to work with iron and steel.
“This is where my heart and my soul is. It’s my passion,” said Bangor.
A passion that is growing.
“My goal is to eventually get into larger things — grills and grates,” said Bangor.
He is working with material he said will outlast his lifetime.
“It’ll be a lifetime’s worth of work and learning and growing. I’ll never stop. As long as I can swing a hammer, I’ll never stop swinging it,” said Bangor.