Torbjörn Ahman

Torbjörn Åhman is a Swedish blacksmith born in 1974. Although blacksmithing is primarily a hobby for him, he has a rich history with the craft.

• His interest began: In 1989, his mother introduced him to ancient ironmaking during a week-long course. They learned how to make charcoal, roast peat ore, and smelt it, while also trying their hand at forging simple objects.
• Further training: A few years later, he attended a weekend blacksmithing course with professional blacksmith Otto Samuelsson, where he acquired his first anvil.
• Resuming Blacksmithing: In 2010, after moving to a new property with space for a workshop, he resumed blacksmithing. He used the online forum iforgeiron.com for research and inspiration.
• Acquisition of power hammers:
• In April 2011, he purchased an ABNO spring-loaded drop hammer with a 25 kg cylinder.
• In December 2014, he acquired a BÊCHÉ pneumatic drop hammer with a 75 kg cylinder.
• Approach to Blacksmithing: He takes on various projects to learn and considers failure as part of the learning process. He enjoys planning his projects, which often leads him to create specific tools, much like the blacksmiths of old.
• Inspirations: He draws inspiration from the work of other blacksmiths and artists, focusing on the creative process rather than the design itself.

''I often get inspiration from work by other blacksmiths or artists, and I usually ask myself this question - how did they do it? When studying a piece, the actual design is not that important to me, it's the process which I find intriguing..''

https://www.youtube.com/@torbjornahman