Experience the Art of Authentic Bavarian Blacksmithing in Frankenmuth
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My family’s annual Frankenmuth day trip has a new stop: the Bavarian Blacksmith Experience.
My mom, my aunt and, when she was alive, my grandma always had strong opinions on how we should spend our day in Michigan’s Little Bavaria. The itinerary included a strict one-hour time limit at Bronner’s (lest we spend the entire day there) followed by the shops downtown, lunch at Zehnder’s, the School Haus Shopping Mall (RIP), and – once it opened in 2001 – the Shops at River Place.
Luckily, River Place is home to the Bavarian Blacksmith Experience which helped my petition to add it to our itinerary. I could create a pendant, magic wand, knife, or sword while my family shopped!
My First Blacksmithing Experience: A Magic Wand
I first visited the Bavarian Blacksmith a couple of years ago to make a magic wand. I had zero experience and didn’t know what to expect, but I made myself an appointment. My mom and aunt bid me farewell as they went to look at t-shirts, popcorn, and dog accessories in the stores nearby.
Blacksmithing is a craft where objects are created out of a metal – usually iron or steel – which is heated and then hammered into shape. I later learned the do-it-yourself concept started at a Renaissance Festival, and that’s close to the vibe inside the store.
Renaissance Festival Vibes
Dried plants hang from the ceiling, along with occasional rustic brooms, decorative mushrooms, and runes adorning various surfaces. Pre-made items are available for purchase, as well as supplies should one decide to take up blacksmithing at home.
Encountering the Forge
When I checked in I had to sign a waiver before picking up the chunk of metal that I would somehow turn into a magic wand. Then, I headed into the forging room. Spectators can observe the creation process through the floor-to-ceiling windows. But inside, it’s a different sensory experience.
The first thing I noticed was the hearths, or forges, containing the purest orange blaze I had ever seen providing an ambient heat to the room. Then there was a pair of anvils and a hearty supply of hammers in various shapes and sizes, each suited to different tasks – some flatten, some create texture, and so on. The instructor placed my unmolded metal in the forge and handed me a hammer.
Transforming Metal Into Something New
The metal piece that went into the inferno came out just as orange as the fire within. The instructor held my piece in place on the anvil and told me where to strike. It did not mold as easily as I would have thought – to me it felt as solid as before. I hammered away, small flakes flying off and onto the ground, feeling like I was getting nowhere. But slowly it began to take a new form.
Encapsulated in the humming of machines, swinging metal down on metal in a rhythmic clang, feeling the shock of the hit, repeating again and again: the experience was meditative. And knowing that I was transforming a piece of metal into something new, I felt like I entered into a different state of mind and that I was actually making magic.
When the metal was sufficiently hammered, it went back into the forge before the instructor placed it in a vice so I could twist it into a magic wand with character. The final step was done by staff – applying a finish to keep it looking good.
My Second Blacksmithing Experience: An Herb Chopper & Skull Pendants
This year, I convinced my mom and aunt to join me for more blacksmithing. It was late October, so they chose from the seasonal pendants on offer – skull, monster, ghost, and mummy. I wanted something a little more advanced but also functional. I landed on another seasonal offering – the herb chopper.
Add On an Ancient Rune
The side of the chopper seemed like a good place for one of the add-ons they offer, so I decided to add a rune. Runes are an ancient Germanic script originating in the first or second century AD and are often associated with the Vikings. They can represent a letter or a concept.
Adding a rune to an item is like a blessing or good luck charm. I chose one meaning “happy family,” which seemed best for chopping herbs to cook for loved ones.
Handmade Souvenirs
The pendants were quick – my mom and aunt were done in about 15 minutes. They were happy customers delighted with their hand-made souvenirs and they still had shopping time while I completed my chopper.
I had a few rounds of hammering left to make it look like something that could chop before adding the rune on one side. The last step was twisting the handle for some flair. Then I had some free time while a staff member sharpened the blade and added an oil to keep it looking good and prevent rust.
Traditions Old and New
The blacksmithing experience made me appreciate the work that goes into making items like these: the years of honing skills to achieve a precision of craft to be able to create new objects with your own hands and a hammer.
Objects that will last, in contrast to most items in my everyday life that are made of plastic that soon breaks and heads to a landfill to be replaced by more plastic that soon breaks and so on.
Before I caught up with my mom and aunt, I decided to revisit Frankenmuth’s iconic covered bridge spanning across the Cass River. On one visit when I was a kid, my grandma told me the bridge was just like the one in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I had nightmares about headless horsemen for weeks.
I wonder if my grandma would partake in the new blacksmithing tradition if she were still alive. Maybe she’d pick a spooky pendant herself.
Schedule Your Own Bavarian Blacksmith Experience
Bavarian Blacksmith Experience is located in the the River Place Shops at 925 South Main St. Unit D6, Frankenmuth. Sessions are generally available 11-5 Sunday-Friday and until 6 on Saturdays. While walk-ins are accepted for many of the forging experiences, it’s a good idea to make an appointment.
They also offer an intro to blacksmithing classes and open forging times if you really want to hone your craft. Kids as young as six can start with pendants if they are accompanied by an adult.
