Since 1997

CanIron has been the premier biennial blacksmithing gathering, aimed at fostering friendship, collaboration, and skills development. The initial purpose of the event is for the betterment of all who attend, to exchange thoughts, ideas, procedures, technology, etc. and then take the knowledge back to their home blacksmith groups and share.  This year we’re in Fergus! All are welcome!

Find out all of the details on the official CanIron Website.

Welcome our Demonstrators!

Pete Braspenninx, owner of Phyre Forge, is a graduate of the University of Michigan school of art and design (2004). He is an artist, blacksmith, and educator. His work has been shown, collected, and published nationally and internationally. His work focuses primarily on building shape and line through visual connections and joinery using traditional skills to make modern forms.

He also does architectural iron work along with sculptural work Pete’s work has been published in Anvil’s Ring, and De Klinknagel (Belgium). He has demonstrated at varied blacksmithing events, and conducted workshops at major craft centers. He has exhibited widely, including a solo show at the Metal Museum in 2018

For Caniron XIII Pete will be demonstrating using traditional joinery techniques to create modern sculpture.

Cairn Cunnane is an Ottawa artist who creates pieces for specific people, places, or ideas, that range from hand held to large architectural installations.

“I’m learning about form, how to create a form to express a concept. I like the physical process as much as the finished product. Most of my work is handmade and this inevitably involves some form of blacksmithing in part or all of the piece.”

My demonstrations will be one, about forging bronze, and the other about forging aluminum.

Matt spent his childhood in a construction zone as his parents and siblings constructed a log home. His dad introduced him to blacksmithing, although, as most teenagers, he stayed away from his parents’ interests. That attitude changed when he landed a summer job in the blacksmith shop at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site.

Having picked up a hammer at an early age, Matt feels at home working beside an anvil. Over the past 25 years, he has honed his skills and techniques while studying under master smiths around North America. Matt Jenkins is an internationally recognized award-winning blacksmith. In 2009, he received an Honorable Mention in the team forging at the World Forging Championship in Stia, Italy. Returning to Stia in 2015, Matt took home first place in the Drawing and Design category. Matt uses hand tools and early industrial equipment to create designs with a timeless feel. In addition to daily forging for clients, he leads workshops at Cloverdale Forge and has taught at the John C. Campbell Folk School and the Center for Metal Arts.

For Caniron XIII Matt will be demonstrating Design elements related to his 366 hook display

Brad started blacksmithing as a youth at the Fanshawe Pioneer Village in London then started back up with it in 2015 and quickly started focusing on knives. I volunteer at the Grey Roots museum in their blacksmith shop during the summer months. I have made kitchen cutlery, hunting and camping knives and axes. I love the brute de forge style of blade, whether it’s mono steel or pattern welded. My favorite knife to make is a chef knife. I really enjoy sharing what I have learned with others.

I will be demonstrating the forging, grinding and heat treatment of what will hopefully be a large chopping knife, with a forged and wrapped handle. If there is time I will also be making some smaller utility knives.

I will be hosting a discussion as well, talking about what I have learned along the way and sharing how and why I do what I do. I plan on trying to cover everything from blade design, forging, grain refinement, heat treatment, finishing, and handle prep. As well as everything I have learned about Damascus/pattern welded steel.

Terry is a self-employed machinist, welder and blacksmith from Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.  Most of his work is in the heavy construction machine industry, as well as, the local ski resort industry.  At his business, most of his forging is for industrial applications; gas forges and power hammers are primarily used at the machine shop.  His passion; however, is at home using a good ole’ coal forge and simple, hand-forged tools to create historically correct items from centuries past, including adzes, axes, chisels, knives, lead ladles and dividers, to name a few.  Terry has often demonstrated and taught at blacksmith organizations across the U.S.A., including SOFA Quadstate, Northern Ohio Blacksmith Assoc., Batson Blade Symposium, Alabama Forge Council, Pittsburgh Artist Blacksmith Assoc., the Illinois, Maryland and the Adirondack Blacksmith groups, in addition to, the John C. Campbell Folk School.

For Caniron XIII Terry will be demonstrating creating edged tools including a tomahawk.

Robb Martin began his career in blacksmithing in 1987 and began in 1989 what is now called Thak Ironworks Inc. With an interest in blacksmithing, medieval armour and sculpture, Robb (or Thak as he is sometimes known) combined these three disciplines into his business early on. These influences have developed into a very distinctive style of metalwork. Sometimes traditional, sometimes contemporary, and sometimes futuristic and fantastical or a combination of all the above. Thak creates high quality forgework which blurs the line between utility and art. “Functional Sculpture”. Robb enjoys designing and creating a wide array of unique, one-of-a-kind pieces for clients worldwide.

For Caniron XIII Robb will be acting as one of the “Lead Hands” to the demonstrators in the teaching tent.

David is professional artist blacksmith with work in private collections across Canada, the US and as far flung as Ireland and Germany.  After opening his business in 1987 and gaining 6 years of experience, he started teaching blacksmithing. In 1996 he was honored to be chosen as Artist in Residence at Joseph Schneider Haus museum in Kitchener. As a graduate of the University of Waterloo’s engineering program he has a unique perspective on design, and metallurgy and structural integrity. Today his primary focus is using organic elements to create attractive and functional pieces. “Organic forms such as vines, leaves and flowers also translate into the unique nature of the steel. The semi-fluid nature of the steel when it is hot allows the flow of these modern designs. When cold, the strength of the steel permits the long self-supporting lines that are common in the plant world.” 

David was demonstrator and lecturer at Caniron VIII, and demonstrator at Caniron VE.
For Caniron XIII David will be acting as one of the “Lead Hands” to the demonstrators in the teaching tent.