For centuries, the blacksmith has been the heart of every pioneer town. Typically male, he was well liked and respected by all.

Unlike most contemporary teens of the 21^st century, Jared Land, a junior at SAHS, has been a blacksmith for three years.

The role of a blacksmith was very diverse. Due to his level of intellect, a blacksmith would often hold important offices in the village. Not only was he the local tool maker and engineer, he was sometimes called to act as a doctor, undertaker, veterinary surgeon and horse dealer.

A blacksmith makes a variety of tools out of metal. He heats the metal in the forge to make it soft, and then hammers it on an anvil to shape it.

It seems ancient and foreign, but oddly enough, the tradition endures.

“I came upon it by watching old movies and learning from very old books I find at the library,” said Land.

Blacksmithing is a very old craft with a long tradition. The first metals used were bronze and iron. Iron was found to be more desirable than bronze because it was readily available and cheaper to produce. Iron is still used today but is almost always alloyed with carbon to make steel. The steel can then be alloyed with other metals such as nickel to make steels with special properties. Through these metals, masterpieces are made.

“I make a variety of things, but mostly knives and axes because they bring the most profit,” Land explained.

There were once blacksmiths in every town, but there are now few left. Land is one of those rare few.

“I work at the shop in my house and make roughly $60-80 per piece, depending on the difficulty and hours required,” said Land.

Being a blacksmith is not only dangerous, but also life threatening. “Injuries range from minor cuts to severe burns,” said Land.

Land enjoys his job, and has avoided any major injuries.

“I market my services on internet websites that fellow blacksmiths use. That way I can share my ideas and projects,” said Land.

Land’s work can be found on the website http://www.forgeiron.com/

“The only thing that I dislike about my job is trying to find coal,” said Land. Perhaps if Land was born two centuries ago, this would not be a problem. Regardless, he thrives as the heart of historic Stillwater.