Standing more than seven metres high, a carefully crafted steel fork has been causing quite a stir in Thornhill.
It’s almost as tall as The Old School House on Manse Road, where 27-year-old blacksmith Nate Robinson has his forge.
And it has been attracting visitors since he put it in place to alert the public that he is exhibiting as part of the Spring Fling open studios weekend which starts today.
The arts and crafts festival will see 100 studios across the region open their doors to the public with six colour-coded routes.
Former Wallace Hall Academy pupil Nate is taking part for the first time and is one of five Thornhill participants on the green route.
He said: “I am really excited to be part of Spring Fling and keen to show everyone my forge and what I have made and giving demonstrations.”
His own interest was kindled when he was just 13 after watching a demonstration by Viking re-enactor Simon Lidwell and given the chance to have a go.
Nate said: “It inspired me to go home and make my own forge using my mum’s hairdryer and our family’s pot-bellied barbecue.
“It worked a treat and I taught myself the skills.”
He has transformed “a broken old shed” into a fully working forge and his successful business has been helped by the phenomenal success of his YouTube channel, Nate’s Forge.
Nate said: “It is unbelievable how many followers there are.
“People are enjoying watching how I create things and that, and Spring Fling, were the reasons for the fork.
“I put it in front of the house this week as it’ll help Spring Fling visitors to find the place but I have had more than 100 people come to look at it already.
“People have been knocking to ask if they could take a picture with it so I have had to make a sign and put it at the gate giving permission to come in.
“I’ve even had a class from the local primary school come see it.”
For full details of all the studios see www.spring-fling.co.uk.
