Notes from the Forge: New Tricks from Oldboy

Heated steel flat bar on anvil at Oldboy Metal Co. in Toronto, showing the start of punching the eye for a bottle opener during beginner blacksmithing workshop.

The Forgotten Tools: What Your Grandfather’s An...

In a world chasing the next best thing, your grandfather’s anvil still holds its ground literally and figuratively. This essay explores how the most time-worn tools carry lessons in patience,...

The Forgotten Tools: What Your Grandfather’s An...

In a world chasing the next best thing, your grandfather’s anvil still holds its ground literally and figuratively. This essay explores how the most time-worn tools carry lessons in patience,...

Couple sanding a knife blade together at the vise during one-day blacksmithing workshop at Oldboy Metal Co. in Toronto.

Forging Bonds: Why Blacksmithing Makes the Best...

Did you know that blacksmithing could be the ultimate bonding experience? From the first swing of the hammer to forging your own knife, blacksmithing isn’t just hands-on, it’s heart-in. Whether...

Forging Bonds: Why Blacksmithing Makes the Best...

Did you know that blacksmithing could be the ultimate bonding experience? From the first swing of the hammer to forging your own knife, blacksmithing isn’t just hands-on, it’s heart-in. Whether...

Student holding a hand-forged blacksmithing fork made during a beginner workshop at Oldboy Metal Co in Toronto.

Why Every BBQ Hero Needs a Hand-Forged Tool

Tired of flimsy grill tools that bend under pressure? It’s time to upgrade. This post makes the case for ditching mass-produced BBQ gear and leveling up with handcrafted blacksmith tools...

Why Every BBQ Hero Needs a Hand-Forged Tool

Tired of flimsy grill tools that bend under pressure? It’s time to upgrade. This post makes the case for ditching mass-produced BBQ gear and leveling up with handcrafted blacksmith tools...

Beginner blacksmith using a belt grinder to shape metal during a workshop at Oldboy Metal Co in Toronto.

The Myth of the Natural: Why Mastery in Blacksm...

Think you’re not a “natural”? That's fine. Blacksmithing doesn’t care. This post unpacks the myth of innate talent and celebrates the real path to mastery: repetition, failure, and showing up...

The Myth of the Natural: Why Mastery in Blacksm...

Think you’re not a “natural”? That's fine. Blacksmithing doesn’t care. This post unpacks the myth of innate talent and celebrates the real path to mastery: repetition, failure, and showing up...

A collection of custom hand-forged axe heads paired with vibrant, multicolored wooden handles, laid out on matching dyed wood panels at Oldboy Metal Co.

Forge Forward: Why Inclusion, Ethics, and Oppor...

Blacksmithing isn’t just about metal it’s about people. This post is a call to action for making the forge more inclusive, more ethical, and more welcoming. Just like the push...

Forge Forward: Why Inclusion, Ethics, and Oppor...

Blacksmithing isn’t just about metal it’s about people. This post is a call to action for making the forge more inclusive, more ethical, and more welcoming. Just like the push...

Two students marking blade designs on tool steel during a knife-making workshop at Oldboy Metal Co., Toronto.

Confidence Is Forged, Not Found

Confidence doesn’t come from waiting until you’re ready. It comes from doing the work anyway. In this post, we explore how blacksmithing teaches resilience, adaptability, and the power of learning...

Confidence Is Forged, Not Found

Confidence doesn’t come from waiting until you’re ready. It comes from doing the work anyway. In this post, we explore how blacksmithing teaches resilience, adaptability, and the power of learning...