FORGEWORK

The SRUC Oatridge Campus has a large airy forge workshop with four side-blast forge hearths, two propane gas furnaces, and eleven 125kg anvils with a wide array of cutting and joining equipment available specifically with blacksmithing and metalwork in mind .

The Certificate in Forgework programme teaches the technical skills required to lead on to becoming a competent Blacksmith or Farrier A blacksmith or farrier is a metalsmith who creates objects from metalpredominantly mild steel Good hand-eye coordination is necessary to master the hammer, anvil and fire in order to create precision in pieces that are up to industry standards

Blacksmiths and Farriers frequently progress on to further education, work with other smiths, gain apprenticeships and often go on to trade in their own right

A Blacksmith works with and creates things from metal, whereas a Farrier specifically focuses on the care of horses’ feet.