Hammer and Fire The Airlie Gate Springs to Life By HUNTER HOUTZER Photography by ALLISON POTTER The coal fire Ben Kastner uses to forge the Airlie 250 & 260 Racine Drive, Wilmington www.ShopRacineCommons.com Pediatric Dentistry Allison Eggleston, DDS, MS Now Open in Mayfaire! 20 WBM april 2014 Garden gate burns at 1,800 degrees. Kastner is a local blacksmith, and he has been tasked with the careful job of restoring the ornate wrought iron gate, which has since the 1920s graced the entrance of Pembroke and Sarah Jones’ summer estate, now Airlie Gardens. The gate itself dates back to the 1700s. Kastner’s expertise includes both wrought and cast iron. Cast iron is poured into a mold and left to cool, making it sturdy and practical for everyday use. Wrought iron is put into a fire, pulled out while ruby red, and forged with hammer and anvil. The method is preferred for smaller, intricate pieces that curl or flower, and catch the eye. “Sure, steel would be easier. But the gate needs wrought iron to be done right, even if it adds 60 hours to the job,” Kastner says. Wrought iron is the reason that Kastner was commissioned. Many craftsmen aren’t familiar with the technique because of the rarity of wrought iron’s use in the modern world. Having trained under a blacksmith in Huntington Beach, California, at the Penland School of Crafts in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, as well as the Touchstone Center for Crafts, in Farmington, Pennsylvania, Kastner opened his own practice eight years in Wilmington. He is prepared to restore the gate the same way it was made — by hand. — Retail ShopS — Froggy Pond • Lula Balou • Toad Hollow Permanent Vacation Skate & Surf Shop — SeRviceS — Asian Relaxation Center • Beautiful Flowers by June Essence Nails & Spa • Momentum Cycle • Passion Salon Timeless Tans • Wilmington Wellness Studio — ReStauRantS — The Fuzzy Peach Frozen Yogurt Bar Islands Fresh Mex Grill • Might as Well Bar & Grill Nikki’s Restaurant & Sushi Bar Blue Surf Café 910-795-2511 • www.DrEggDental.com cutline photos
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