Break Test for Wrought Iron
A simple test for wrought iron is to cut partway through a bar and then break off the rest. It will bend and then finally break, revealing stringy iron fibers rather than the homogeneous matte-gray internal structure of modern steel. The linear striations are caused by the residual slag left between layers during smelting and…
Letter Opener Collab
Scrap steel barstock shaped into a unique blade and accented with an embossed copper handle.
Driftwood Garden Bird
A one of a kind piece of naturally sculpted driftwood is combined with hand riveted steel and set on a driftwood base. This is one of our first truly collaborative works, both of us putting in portions of the design and creation stages. Inspiration for this garden sculpture started with the Yellow Dedar driftwood for…
Rail Spike Coat Hook
A repurposed railway spike makes a sturdy coat hook with plenty of room for hoodies, housecoats, and a parka. A friend issued a challenge when he found a discarded railway spike in an unusual location: create a useful object, preferably something other than the ubiquitous rail spike knife. The head on this hefty spike makes…
Scrolled Sign Bracket
Simple yet elegant, this traditional sign bracket has just enough class to be seen out on the town but holds its own with the locals. One of my favorite styles of sign bracket, this traditional pattern mounts perpendicular to a flat surface and has an adjustable rear hook for various sizes of sign. Most of…
Heart Key Display Case
A hand forged key, driftwood, and hammered steel with antique copper nails highlight this distressed reclaimed cedar and glass box.
Corner Handrail
A functional and artistic design challenge creates the perfect accent to the entrance of this Oceanside home.
Garden Collaboration
A hand forged and punched steel sign hanger and a hand carved split cedar sign turn a garden sculpture into a custom sign post.
Heart Brass Pair
Heavy reclaimed plate brass finds new value as a matched set of utensils with heart finials and textured steel handles.
The Old School House
The Old School House (affectionately known as TOSH) is a community supported arts centre and gallery in Qualicum Beach.
Alder Letter Opener
Scrap steel barstock forged into a classic blade profile and pressure mounted in a piece of hand-carved driftwood. This is another piece that came out of the collaborative agricultural steel project. Raw material for this piece was reclaimed farm equipment from my grandparents’ farm. Made from lower carbon steel, this blade is not sharp and…
Folding Letter Opener
Reclaimed agricultural steel forged into a hefty old-pattern lever folding blade with a soft contoured hand filed finish. This is another piece that came out of the collaborative agricultural steel project. Raw material for this piece was reclaimed antique farm equipment from my grandparents’ farm. The levered folding design is based on a very old…
Dagger from the Sea
A desktop sculpture and conversation piece, this heavy duty double edged letter opener was forged from an ancient bolt from the sea. The raw material for this piece was another find from cleaning up the seaside at one of our beautiful Vancouver Island beaches. Recently I found a heavy duty bolt that seems to be…
Wrought Iron Relic
Forged from an amazing piece of rough wrought iron pulled from the sea, this heavy duty letter opener is a piece of history. When I am at the beach I tend to pick up and bring away any rusty pieces of steel, partly to clean up the beach and help keep Vancouver Island beautiful, and…