Aaron Cergol is a young blacksmith who creates works of art from steel. Showing a creative flair seldom seen in the field, he turns the everyday axe, hammer, anvil, or knife into a work of art.
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This Damascus Axe is representative of Cergol’s work. The blacksmith, now age 25, works on a restored forge made in the 1860s.
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Cergol’s workshop turns back the hands of time. He works in traditional methods developed over hundreds of years, but largely forgotten today.
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“Over the past 6 months or so, I’ve been working on some pretty interesting/unique tools. A lot more decoration added, and working with some more traditional materials,” Cergol said. “I’m really trying to get more into the ‘tools as art’ concept.”
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Looking at Cergol’s tools from just a year ago, it’s easy to see his progression into more complex designs. Here, he’s made a wrought iron jeweler’s anvil that will support another craftsman’s intricate work in the future.
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Fortunately for Cergol, his craftsmanship is adored by many. Over the past year, he has largely sold out of his one-of-a-kind tools, and he was forced to stop offering regular classes to meet demand for his creations.
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But you can certainly still get a Cergol original today. He crafts many tools of his own concoction and posts them through listings on his Facebook page.
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“Looking at old ironwork, often times even the most mundane bit that would never see the light of day had decoration on it — even just some simple file work; and this has inspired me to take some of my stuff to the extreme.”
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He has also broadened his work, selling small products like these fancy handmade bottle openers.
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But most of his work is still custom, like this fireman’s axe built. The head is a stout 2.5 pounds of 4140 steel to take anything thrown at it. The spike comes to a fine point and sinks into wood with ease, and the edge is short, tapered and easy to maintain but robust. It’s hung on a straight 18″ flame-blackened, oil-sealed handle.
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His recent work has also delved into the world of large work knives like this stout machete.
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Indeed, much of his new work is dedicated to edged tools like this decorated tomahawk.
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This simple, decorated axe looks both functional and beautiful, with very minimalistic lines but a decidedly handmade appearance.
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This farmer’s knife retains the elements of custom work and is a highly utilitarian tool for outdoors work around a ranch or farm.
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But Cergol hasn’t neglected the tool that built his fame and customer base. He’s still churning out beautiful hammers like these above from his forge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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To learn more about Cergol’s work, follow him on Facebook, and keep an eye out for his frequent updates about tools for sale. In a world dominated by mass-production, his handmade products stand out far above the rest.
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A decorated rounding hammer.
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A broad-edged axe.
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A wrought iron hatchet.
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A decorated rounding hammer.
See more of Cergol’s work in GearJunkie’s previous article, ‘Not Your Average Hammer.’ Follow him on Facebook here.
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