Arden Lenz: Crusader Blacksmith
Arden Lenz ‘21 using the hammer and anvil
photo by Preston Kells
Some of Arden’s favorite pieces
photo by Preston Kells
Aluminum muffins
photo by Preston Kells
The forge heating up Arden’s next piece
photo by Preston Kells
You never may have guessed that in today’s society blacksmiths were still a thing, nor would you believe me if I told you one were sitting near you in religion class.
Arden Lenz is currently a senior at Moeller and enjoys many hobbies, including rugby, a game of Xbox here and there, breeding Australian Shepherds, and practicing the ancient art of blacksmithing.
On the first day of school in religion class, our class was asked to discuss interesting things that we do outside of school. Arden spoke and said he was really into metal work and he does blacksmith work with his Dad. This seemed like a fascinating and rare hobby for a Moeller student.
Before going to Arden’s and seeing his setup firsthand, I investigated a couple of things about blacksmithing.
Once I arrived, Arden and his dad were eager to show off their process of metalworking. They had everything set up and ready to go, and they walked me through each individual piece of equipment and what they do.
The furnace is used to smelt ore and metals at extremely high temperatures, the forge is used to heat up ingots so they are malleable, the grinder is used to sharpen or polish rusted or raw ingot, and the anvil acts as a surface that the heated metal is repeatedly beaten upon by a hammer.
For demonstration purposes, Arden fired up the furnace to show how it worked. He smelted some ore right inside the furnace, which eventually melted down into a liquid. They then put the liquid hot aluminum into what was essentially a muffin tin to cool. Eventually this aluminum muffin, with the right skill, could be hammered into something awesome. Naturally, I asked if Arden wouldn’t mind making us a sword. Ya know, to display as a trophy of our Journalism adventures. Unfortunately, he declined. It was worth a shot
When Arden was 15, he first became interested in metal work. He and his dad joined a class and have continued the hobby ever since. “Its pretty manly making things out of metal,” Arden’s dad said. Arden and his dad have both been practicing this for 3 years.
When asked what kinds of things they’ve made since they’ve begun the hobby, Arden showed off some of his favorite pieces: grappling hooks, knives, art, many small ornaments, and a machete that was still in progress. Though he may eventually sell some stuff online if he decides to create an Etsy account, this is mostly just a labor of love for Arden. "It's creative, but also relaxing. I can do what I want, when I want, and how I want it to turn out is up to me," Arden said of his unique hobby.
Arden admitted that the television show Forged in Fire, where contestants smith various weaponry for cash prizes, is an inspiration for him.
Upon leaving Arden’s I realized how interesting and fun it can really be to blacksmith. Like Arden said earlier, it is a huge creative outlet for him, and he truly can do all his work his own way. This has shined a new light on someone who not everyone at Moeller knows. Even if you’ve seen Arden in class, you probably know he’s a pretty quiet guy. This blatantly shows how we can know someone inside of school but have no clue who they are outside.