Jarkko Niskanen
A little while back I was internetting as I do when I was reminded that there is a giant warehouse space here that teaches classes for most of the industrial arts — welding, glasswork, neon, woodwork, machining — including blacksmithing. I have my moments where I’d much rather make something than buy it, depending on how lazy I feel that day, so blacksmithing appeals to me. There are also the added benefits of learning a lot of new things, including a useful skill, as well as feeling pretty badass. So smithing has been pretty large in my mind lately, especially tool and knife making. Enter Jarkko Niskanen, viking enthusiast and blacksmithing artisan, who made his own steel, and forged a knife from it. I mean damn. There’s a lot more I could say about his work and the inspiration it provides, but I’m just gonna let it speak for itself. Hear that hammer’s ring, ya’ll.