I just got home from a trip to Cedar City, Utah. We went up to place an offer on a cabin.
My BIL took me to meet his old school principal, a 93 year old gentleman with a wicked wit and sparkling eyes.
He is also a blacksmith. He gives demonstrations to groups of 25-200 students at the beginning of each school year. He does restorations of wagons and wagon wheels, among any dozen of little projects sitting here and there that you can ask about on a tour of his shop.
He used to train welders during WW2. There was a contraption to put the finished dowel end on a wagon wheel spoke chucked up to a huge antique drill press. It had been brazed heavily. I asked why he chose the brazing process over welding, and he said deadpan, "Because it is cast iron."
I quickly recovered by saying, "That's a good reason." It gave him a hearty chuckle.
In a thumb nail, he is living history.
I cannot wait until I can see him do his magic. I believe I will be spending some time there. I soon hope to put up a website to share some of the things I have been getting involved with and into lately. He consented to me coming in and taking pictures.
Life is good.
Steve