Swedish blacksmith Torbjörn Åhman
Moving Metal recently connected with the famous YouTuber blacksmith, Torbjörn Åhman, the Thunder Bear himself. He shared how he got his start and his thoughts about his path as a blacksmith. MM: When people watch your videos, many think you must have a long history in blacksmithing. Can you tell the story of when and what got you started in blacksmithing and what motivated you to pursue the craft? Åhman: To begin with I have always had a strong creative side. I love to build and create things, whatever it may be. My mother is an archaeologist and through the years she has attended several courses in experimental archeology, to get a deeper understanding for some of her work. At one point, when I was 15 years old, she brought me with her on a week-long class in ancient iron making. There we learned how to make charcoal, roast bog ore and smelt this ore in small bloomery furnaces. Alongside we also got a chance to try blacksmithing, making simple things like hooks and door catches. This...