Finely made by Blake & Bull
hand crafted
Scroll work hand crafted in our own workshop. No mass production, no outsourcing, no shortcuts. A manual process using heat from the forge to soften the metal before it is carefully shaped and finished.
honest
No tubes, no hollows. Solid metal throughout for longevity. Construction methods with integrity. Small details finish joins with ceremony.
smithed
Joe is our blacksmith and his skills mean we can bring traditional constructions methods and finishes to our project. In the clip below Joe is giving a hammered finish to a smithed piece of iron used to reinforce these gates.
weld etiquette
Some welds, where appropriate, are blended into the body of the work but in many cases the welds are completely hidden. The strength of the structure is hidden behind carefully considered design elements like 'binding'.
finished right
We galvanise everything we make in iron for longevity. The paint finish can be applied by hand or 'powder coated'. Powder coat is an industrial process but we know how to stop your gates looking like they belong in a supermarket car park! The finish is as important as the design, from gold leaf to a naturally waxed raw finish everything has a time, place and context in which it is perfect.
skills
Neil is our master welder, he is one of the most skilled working anywhere in England. Joe is our blacksmith, young and dedicated to his craft. Jacob is our extraordinary apprentice absorbing skills every day and already an accomplished fabricator.
a good example
The hole being drilled below means that when we slot a bar into the base of this feature we can see that bar through the hole, see 2nd below left image. It's inside that hole that the feature and bar are welded together. Once secure the hole is backfilled with weld and then fettled and linished to recreate the original look of the feature. In this way the weld is hidden but the join is strong. Extra effort certainly but very much worth it for the clean, neat and fine finish it allows.
