Viking Age

During the year 2021, I went back in time to learn some more “Dark Age” forging with the world famous Douglas Swenson of “Goose Prairie Forge.”

It’s important to have mentors in your chosen craft as well as investing in yourself by taking classes to help you get better.

Darkhouse Spear repair is not boring.

Dark House Spear Restoration.

A conversation with Minnesota metalsmith Jeffrey M. Olson.

A conversation with Minnesota metalsmith Jeffrey M. Olson on Dark House Spear restoration.

Coat Rack

My “honey-do” list is different from your average man.  I get requests for coat racks to be hammer forged and put up.

Those individuals who pay attention to detail may point out that those mounting bracket holes are offset.”

To those individuals I would say, not every house is created equal, level and the studs where they should be.  A blacksmith specializes in putting square pegs into round holes.

Blades

I believe it is hardwired into the DNA of the human male species to have a love for the sharp and pointy tool that elevated us a few links on the food chain.

http://www.olsonironworks.com

Hearts of War

“Love is a battlefield”

-Pat Benatar

In our search for love, our hearts go through “Hell and Back”.

There’s not a heart out there that escapes the slings and arrows of life.

Each cut, bruise and injury marks us deeply in some way and leaves us with wonderful scars.

These special pieces were created in my blacksmith shop using the four elements. Fire, Wind, Earth & Water…plus large caliber bullets. (Those are real bullet holes in the metal heart.)

 

  

 

Autumn Jewelry

A pendant to remind us that during times of trouble, the sun rises to bring us a new day.

Wedding Wine

This was a wedding gift I forged for a wonderful young couple.

You can’t go wrong with gifts related to wine.

http://www.olsonironworks.com

    

RR Spike Knife for The Discovery Channel’s “Dude You’re Screwed” Survival Show.

Last spring, I was contacted by the good people of Highnoon Entertainment and commissioned to hand forge a survival knife for the 2nd season of their TV show “Dude You’re Screwed“ that airs Wednesdays on the Discovery Channel.

After looking over some pictures of some standard bushcrafting blade styles they were considering, I sent them a picture of a recent knife I had forged from a RR spike.

In short, the producer’s thought it was “Bad-Ass” and decided to go with it.

The knife ended up being used in Romania by Terry Schappert

However, there are some important things about a RR Spike knife you should know.

Many in the knife community would not call a RR spike knife a serious knife by modern standards, but it’s not exactly useless.

“Wow..that was a rail road spike” is the driving force in play.

It is absolutely NOT the best knife to take into a survival situation.  So while the stranded “Dude” being screwed will be happy to have a sharp tool that cuts, the tool he’s been given does have limitations.

A RR spike knife is low in the carbon content that makes up a good knife.  It will not retain its cutting edge as well as modern knife steel.

So while the “Dude” getting sent off to an unknown location with minimal supplies is getting a cutting tool to help him on his survival journey, he is still being challenged by the limitations of the RR spike knife.

To complete the knife, I needed a leather sheath.

So, I called upon one of the best leather workers I know.  I called my pal Tony Roed at Stony’s Custom Designs.

Tony’s leather work with wolf tracks really put the finishing touch on this project.

Below is a picture of Tony (on the Left) and myself celebrating the completion of the “Dude You’re Screwed” project with a couple of whiskey’s at a local Minnesota tavern.

If you are interested in having one of these custom knives created for you, Tony and I would be happy to make it for you.

olsonironworks@gmail.com

You can see more of my metal art by clicking the picture below.

Jeffrey M. Olson’s Social Media Footprint.

Ragnar Lodbrok (Vikings)

I call this blade “Ragnar Lodbrok” after the legendary Norse  ruler and hero from the Viking Age  described in Old Norse poetry and several sagas.

This blade has been forged from an old farriers file.

Ragnar Lodbrok is now being portrayed on the History channels television show “Vikings.”

This knife and other unique items are for sale at http://www.olsonironworks.com