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These galleries are a sampling of my
work. Many pieces have gotten away un-photographed, but these
should give you a sense of where I am in my craft. In these
days of imported mass production not everyone sees the value
in individually hand-crafted iron work. Hopefully, you do. I
do not promise that every piece I make for you will be
identical to the one before it. I instead promise it will be
better than its predecessor, custom tailored for your use and
enjoyment. I am also happy to design totally new wrought iron
objects of any type or style, large or small, to meet your
needs and specifications. Each piece I make is thoughtfully
designed to combine function, beauty, permanence and quality
with the weighty heft only hand-wrought iron can provide.
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Galleries
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Art Pieces
Hand
Forged Art for the Home, Business or Public Space |
Cooking
Pot Racks,
Pie Stands, Cooking Utensils, Grill Accessories, Hearth
Tools, Flatware, Camp Cooking Sets |
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Jewelry
Hand
Forged Art for the Individual. Pendants, Brooches,
Pennanular Cloak Pins, Clasps, Rings, Bracelets |
Home Hardware
Drawer Pulls, Door
Knockers, Curtain Rods, Bath Room accessories, Suffolk
Thumb Latches, Strap Hinges |
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Lighting
Table Lamps, Floor
Lamps, Wall Sconces, Chandeliers. Colonial Style Friction
Lamps, Candle Holders |
Architectural
Gates, Security
Doors, Window Grates, Hand Rails, Fences, Shutter Stays,
Lightning Rods, Boot Scrapers |
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Pricing
Many
factors are involved in pricing. Size, finish, materials,
complexity and number of pieces requested are just some of the
variables affecting price both upwards and downwards. I
can tell you that it will be less than what you would pay for a
poorly made imported facsimile elsewhere. I charge only
actual packaging costs and UPS ground shipping. No
“handling fees” whatever that means! Kentucky residents
will need to add six percent sales tax for the defense of the
Commonwealth. Contact me at
layne@oaklevelforge.com.
We’ll discuss what you want and I’ll happily make you a quote
with no obligation whatsoever.
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Finishes
For black I use a
traditional burnt on bees wax and oil finish known
locally as “blacksmiths’ paint” although it is not actually a
paint. The wax and oils penetrate and seal the porous surface
of the hot iron. This provides an historically authentic
and long lasting finish for interior pieces, although it
will eventually rust out-of-doors if unattended. I use a
burnt on vegetable oil finish for any utensils that may
come in contact with food...just like seasoning an iron
skillet. To maintain, one simply wipes it with any cooking
oil or spray after each use. Both of these finishes have a
wonderful matt black appearance and an irresistible feel. I
also occasionally use a traditional patina known as
“browning” which is a controlled, uniform rusting process
which is then halted with the application of oils and waxes.
The only other finish I regularly use is clear matt
polyurethane to preserve the silvery sheen of buffed iron or
the gold tone of hot brushed brass. The gold tone seen on
some of my pieces is not a paint. It is actual
melted brass applied by brushing vigorously with a brass
bristled brush while the piece is still at a critical
temperature. I avoid paint except on larger outdoor
architectural pieces where it is traditional.
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