I was fortunate enough to have both my grandparents inspiring me on my creativity quests all my live, whether it would be cool stuff like steel shurikens and nunchakus, crazy things like wood mouse traps and Wolverine wannabe claws, or just as simply as, the correct way to use tools, hammering nails, straightening nails, sharpening knives and tools, work ethics, or measuring things right and figuring out smart ways to solve problems when trying to make something.
When I was a little kid, every spending time with them was around using tools and developing creativity and skills. To me it was just making cool stuff, to them I believe, it was a way to teach me something for life and give me tools for the future, but most importantly it's that those moments made me who I am today, what I can do and solve, what I can dream and create.
One was a steel worker (who unfortunately isn't with us anymore), the other was a construction manager. Both very different persons but with a great understanding on how to work with your hands and how to solve problems that come in the way of your projects. Both great Men...
The passion for blacksmithing
Like my grandpa says, "ferro velho vira novo" something along the lines of "old junk steel becomes new steel" and that phrase always made sense to me as well as made blacksmithing a fascinating thing, were you can grab a piece of old, beaten, useless steel, heat it and hammer it into whatever shape you feel like.
On the other hand, growing in a fab shop with my other grandfather, around steel, welders, grinders, sparks flying all over the place and the occasional lightning of the forge (which would make my week) made the foundations for the passion I have for metal and the shaping of metal.
On the left, my "old junk steel" forge fire poker, literally, a piece of crooked rebar steel from a cement post. On the right, my "new steel" forge fire poker.
You can turn junk to useful objects and on the way you can make them a little bit nicer :)
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