At Odin's Blacksmith Shop work the siblings Daníel and Kata Óðinsbörn, who have different qualities that complement each other well.
Metalworking is an extremely broad field employing a number of tradespeople with different backgrounds: blacksmiths, steelworkers and tinsmiths, mechanics, machinists and turners. It surprises many that the trade calls upon many different qualities, creative thinking as well as analytical thinking, fine work and precision. We stopped by Járnsmiðja Óðins (Odin's Forge) to shed light on the diversity that characterises the trade. Siblings Daníel and Kata Óðinsbörn work there, and their different qualities complement each other well.
“The possibilities are endless. It's a living material in many colours and varieties, that's what's so fascinating about working with metal,” says Kata, who is an architect, designer and blacksmith. Kata completed a bachelor's degree in architecture at the Iceland University of the Arts and from there went on to a master's degree in architecture in Bergen, Norway. “I've worked here since I was a teenager, and when I finished my master's degree in 2016, I came here. I didn't want to sit behind a computer and design houses. General design appealed to me more. If I had chosen my studies later, I would have studied product design. I wanted to come here and I find the work varied; no two projects are the same.”
Daníel has also worked at the forge since his teenage years. “I started here when I was just thirteen, and now I've worked here for thirty years. I've been here my whole life. I've worked at this company for 30 years, or since I was thirteen years old,” he says, adding that his experience works well with Kata's ability to draw and discuss solutions and ideas with clients. “This is important, because people are often commissioning expensive things and at the same time have a hard time understanding drawings. Kata finds it very easy to describe drawings and also to develop them with clients. We sit side by side. When she's drawing, she asks me, 'Do I need more reinforcement here?' And when I'm drawing, I ask, 'Is it cooler to have it like this or like that?' It's a good collaboration,” says Daníel.
The siblings say the project pipeline is good and there is no foreseeable recession on the horizon, unlike in many other parts of society. “I've been through a lot in this during my career, and there has never been a deep recession in the metal industry. Perhaps mainly in companies that are dependent on heavy industry or large corporations, for example in the fishing industry,” says Daníel, and Kata agrees. “I feel that the situation is difficult for many, and the blow hits designers and architects first; we get the blow so much later.” Daníel says the government's initiative, Allir vinna (Everyone Works), has had a major and positive impact on the industry. “There's a lot to do and many people are renovating their homes. On the other hand, hotels, shops and restaurants have cut back on construction for the time being.”
Metal is a very popular material in interior design at the moment. They say glass railings are on their way out and it's popular to use steel for railings and walls. Black and oil-finished. “Sliding doors and walls with metal, and creating rooms with partitions is very popular. Glass railings were popular but are on their way out. People want to go for a slightly rough and interesting design; a rust look is popular. Steel is a popular material now. The advantage is that you can use a thinner material for the work, but the load-bearing capacity is high,” says Kata. Daníel agrees. “People often come with ideas, something they've seen on Pinterest. And then Kata has taken these ideas and helped to develop them.”
They use a lot of steel, less aluminium as it is three to five times more expensive than steel. A few projects have come their way where they have had the chance to try their hand at rarer materials such as pewter and titanium. “It's fun to work with different materials. Pewter, or copper-blended tin, is the fourth most expensive metal in the world. It's widely used for bar tops in the UK. It's so soft you can almost wind it like a cloth. We gave an artist leftovers of the metal, which he enjoyed working with,” says Daníel.
Technological development is significant and rapid in the metal industry, as in other industries. The siblings agree on the necessity of regularly updating tools and equipment. “We do it slowly and steadily, and now we're getting computer-controlled lathes. But we haven't gotten automated robots yet, although we've been looking into them. This is a necessity. If you don't keep up with technological development and just say, 'No, I'm going to keep using my manually operated equipment,' then you'll quickly become obsolete.”