PALMYRA, Pa. — Not all swords are created equal.
At least, that's the concept on which Greg Ramsey and Eitri Jones of The Drunken Smithy founded their business.
The duo opened their workshop eight years ago. They are dedicated to helping ordinary people create their own metalwork—most often, blades.
“We want them to come here, to have fun, to make something creative with their own hands,” Ramsey said.
The Drunken Smithy hosts workshops where instructors help beginners have a medieval experience forging custom weaponry.
“It's just really fun to take something in their imagination and make it real,” Jones said.
“There's a lot of detail, a lot of character, that gets put into the pieces that are made and it really shows,” Nicholas Bottenfield, an employee at the business, added.
Workshops are open to anyone age 13 and older. Private parties can be booked for those who want to enjoy the experience with younger blacksmiths.
“You know, for a lot of people, it's their first time coming here to do anything like this, and we want to make that as approachable as possible and show them that really anybody can forge if you're willing to try, and we're here to help you do it,” Nikki Heckermann, an employee at the business, said.
The crafters emphasize that their workshops are more of an experience than a blacksmith lesson.
“We want to provide the setting where you get to create something magical that you've made with your own hands, you've had fun doing it, and you walk away with a full experience,” Ramsey said.
The smiths focus on the guests making lasting memories of their foray into the medieval.
“There are these precious little moments where you can tell that somebody feels kind of empowered, they've done something that they weren't even sure that they could do themselves,” Heckermann said.
Even if your piece doesn't turn out exactly the way you imagined it, don't worry—there is plenty of fun to be had in the experience itself.
“There's something really special about just taking a hammer, getting something hot, and just beating it into what you want it to be,” Jones said.
The Drunken Smithy also sells a variety of goods such as custom weaponry, jewelry, leather and copperwork for those who want an authentic handcrafted piece but don't wish to forge anything themselves.
“There's something very magical about it, I think," Ramsey said. "When you just go to a store and purchase something, that's mass produced, but there's nothing magic about that.”