“They were looking for a blacksmith to sort through nearly a hundred years worth of tools and other items that had ended up in the shop, and determine what would be ap- propriate to display as actual blacksmith tools. Through the course of doing that, I There were once more than 20 blacksmiths working in the Ogden area… met the man who owned the shop and he expressed interest in having the shop used again as a working blacksmith shop,” said Richardson. Some of Richardson’s most commonly cre- ated items include custom door hinges, door knockers, latches and specialty tools. He even creates roses out of metal. The shop features two forges, one for larger pieces and one for smaller items. In front of each forge are large anvils fastened to stumps. Around the shop are countless historic tools and other machinery used by Jesse and Glenn Wilbur. Some minor mod- ern modifications, such as electric blow- ers are also visible, but they don’t detract from the very obvious attention to detail in keeping the shop in its original condition. The old oiled floorboards that were num- bered so meticulously are back on the floor as if they never left. The old J.M. Wilbur Co. Blacksmith Shop is back in business, operating as Ragnar Forge. Stop by. Look around. Step back in time 100 years, to a time when blacksmithing was a hot commodity. Summer / Fall ‘17 61 blacksmith shop a hot spot of history |