In an era marked by instantaneousness and availability at the touch of a button, the care and craftsmanship that have long been hallmarks of blacksmithing might seem out of touch with reality as it is known today.<\/p>\n
Jim Richmond, president of the Bandy Blacksmith Guild, would beg to differ at any such assertion, however.<\/p>\n Blacksmithing, which has origins going back centuries, is alive and well, as evidenced by the six-month wait list of people interested in taking a class out of Bandy\u2019s small facility within the Escondido History Center at Grape Day Park.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole crafts movement is being revitalized right now,\u201d Richmond said. \u201cMost blacksmiths have a little bit of an artist in them.\u201d<\/p>\n The role the guild plays in historic preservation also has not gone unnoticed by the Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO), which recently named the guild to its annual list of People in Preservation awards. The guild is one of ten of this year\u2019s recipients.<\/p>\n SOHO singled out the guild for keeping the artisan movement active in San Diego, bestowing it with its Historic Arts Restoration and Education award.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like to recognize people who keep lost arts alive,\u201d said Bruce Coons, executive director of SOHO. \u201c[The guild is] very meticulous and they\u2019re helping keep history alive.\u201d<\/p>\n Richmond said the SOHO recognition was surprising, yet gratifying.<\/p>\n \u201cVolunteer work is sometimes not as appreciated as it should be,\u201d he said. \u201cOur group was very delighted. It showed a lot of class on SOHO\u2019s part.\u201d<\/p>\n Although the guild is based in Escondido, the work of its 25 members can be felt throughout San Diego, including Downtown.<\/p>\n The guild has worked closely with SOHO in recent years in restoring an 1876 iron cannon, which was discovered four years ago \u2014 ironically, just days before Independence Day \u2014 after long sitting idle outside a Pacific Beach home as yard art.<\/p>\n The cannon, which was created to mark the centennial anniversary of the U.S., includes the embossed phrase, \u201c1776 San Diego 1876.\u201d William Augustus Begole, who operated a hardware store in the Gaslamp Quarter, is credited with ordering the cannon from the San Diego Foundry.<\/p>\n Coons said the blacksmiths, wheelwrights and carpenters within the guild played an important role in restoring the cannon. A new carriage was created so the 141-year-old artifact can be used for ceremonial purposes.<\/p>\n In its second, revitalized rebirth, the cannon has already been loaded with black powder and shot during a special demonstration event.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything turned out very well,\u201d Richmond said of the project. \u201cTo me, it made for a really fascinating story.\u201d<\/p>\n The guild\u2019s handiwork is prominently on display Downtown at the San Diego Maritime Museum, where the skilled craftsmen played an important role in building a replica of San Salvador, the flagship vessel that resulted in Juan Cabrillo\u2019s landing in San Diego Bay in 1542.<\/p>\n The four-and-a-half-year project was painstaking, Richmond said, but it was a worthwhile labor of love.<\/p>\n The blacksmiths made a long list of specialized parts for the ship, which had to be created by hand. The items not readily available at your local hardware store included steel and bronze bolts, staple dogs and marlinspikes.<\/p>\n Richmond, who has been with the guild about 20 years, said he grew to love it \u2014 warts and all \u2014 after taking his first class.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hot, it\u2019s dirty, it\u2019s frustrating,\u201d he said. \u201cBut there\u2019s something about heating up the iron, hitting it with the hammer and seeing it move.\u201d<\/p>\n In today\u2019s technology-soaked world, Richmond said the growing interest in the artisan movement could, perhaps, be attributed to people seeking diversions from their computers, tablets and smart phones.<\/p>\n But blacksmithing, he said, is not for everyone. While interest in enrolling in the class is strong, only a small percentage of people actually complete it.<\/p>\n Richmond likened the scenario to a pyramid, with the bottom representing the enrollees and the top signifying the people who reach the pinnacle of mastery.<\/p>\n That scarcity is part of the reason Coons said SOHO was ready and willing to place a spotlight on the work the guild does, year after year.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re the only group to go to around here,\u201d Coons said. \u201cIt\u2019s very much a needed skill.\u201d<\/p>\n For more details on the guild, visit bandyblacksmith.org or call the Escondido History Center office at 760-743-8207.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/sandiegodowntownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/web-bandyGroupSLL.jpg\")
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