[TheForge] anything can be a weapon

[RIES NIEMI]

I actually have been making nonfunctional weapons, just as sculptural
objects, for quite a while. The pyschological baggage that goes along with
weapons is interesting to me, and so I have been making my own variations on
guns and knives and swords and spears, which are not historically or
functionally or even metallurgically correct, but interestingly enough, if
it looks like a gun, people will have all the same myriad reactions as if it
really was a gun. Just like when my wife saw my two year old son chew his
toast into a gun shape and then shoot her.
The history of weapons in inextricably entwined (kinda like a hot twist)
with blacksmithing and metal working in general, and is a natural subject
and interest for metalworkers. One of the first things you learn how to do
is draw a taper, which, of course, is the simplest blade. So all of us are
are kind of dancing on the edge of the knife. Most of us are pretty
fascinated with weapons, many to the point of making them, many collecting
them. I am interested in the reactions people have to them, and so I make
weapon like objects.
As all true blacksmiths know, however, an anvil is really not very good as
an offensive weapon, because the damn things are too hard to throw.
I have seen em shot, but never with much accuracy. I think you could do
better with a catapult than by putting powder under one. At least it would
go in the direction you intended.