MRS Metal Fabrication, Inc.

At MRS, we often get calls or emails from clients seeking “wrought iron” gates, guardrails, fences, and other architectural metal work. We usually don’t take this to mean the client wants us to fabricate their project using authentic wrought iron. In almost all cases, the client is simply seeking an ornamental style with scrolls and other Ionic or Victorian decorative elements.

Today the products that people describe as wrought iron, are actually made of mild steel. While true wrought iron is occasionally still sourced for the conservation of ornamental metal work, it’s no longer commercially available. Currently, the only way to get true wrought iron is to import it from Europe or to source it from an old bridge, wagon wheel axle, or other antique item.

People still refer to ornamental metal work as “wrought iron” because decorative metal work was historically made of wrought iron. The word “wrought” is a past participle form of the verb to work. So, in the very general sense, wrought iron literally means, “worked iron” and described finished iron goods made by a blacksmith or other smith. More technically speaking, wrought iron is distinct from steel due to the addition of a compound called iron silicate- an inert, non-rusting glass like slag. The slag inclusions give wrought iron a “grain” resembling wood. Slag also provides the tough yet malleable quality, making wrought iron soft at red heat and more easily forged and forge welded.

After the introduction of mild steel, which was cheaper to produce, wrought iron, and the craft skills associated with it, gradually disappeared with the general decline of craft standards in the twentieth century. Today, the metal ornament that people would describe as “hand-forged wrought iron” is prefabricated in mass quantities, not made by hand.

It would not be cost effective for MRS to hand-forge elements that our competitor firms can order and ship from China. However, occasionally we get a client that is willing to pay the price differential to incorporate authentically hand-forged elements. We love working at our forge and take pride when we can utilize the skills we picked up studying with Georgia blacksmith, Ivan Bailey. And if a client seeks true wrought iron, we know a supplier in Europe from which we would be happy to order so as to provide authentic ornamental ironwork!

In August of 2007 we had the opportunity to spend time with Ivan Bailey, at his work shop in Monticello, Georgia, to study traditional techniques of hand-forged iron work. Ivan makes intricate and beautiful ornamental iron gates, railings, and other custom projects. We were particularly interested in learning his process for making very unique hand-forged botanical ornamentation.

Ivan makes his own tools and utilizes the traditional blacksmithing skills he learned while attending the German Academic Exchange where he studied art blacksmithing in Aachen Germany under Prof. Frits Ulrich.

We had a great time and learned a tremendous amount from Ivan. The only downside was that we studied with him in August- can you imagine standing around a coal forge in 109 degree Georgia heat?!