Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Yablonski.
Hi Mike, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to Wilmington, NC from Long Island, NY in 2007 at the age of seventeen. I began welding in 2009 when I attended Cape Fear Tech and by 2013 was forging steel. After graduating, I was hired to run the civil war era blacksmith shop located at Poplar Grove Plantation in Hampstead, NC. My mentor was a man named Wayne Dixon; rest his soul. Wayne was a machinist and farrier, but helped me discover my purpose in life. Wayne eventually retired and passed away a few years later. For 3 years I gained invaluable experience at Poplar Grove, until the plantation fell on hard times. Sadly, I was eventually laid off. The same day I was laid off, Tim Miller of Spirit Ironworks located in NY posted a help wanted ad on his media page. I took a leap of faith and reached out to him in regard to this position. A week later, I flew up to my homeland again for my trial at Tim’s shop. Although we ended up not making a business relationship, we made a great friendship. Tim was impressed with my drive and raw potential and agreed to reach out to his guild, NOMMA (National Ornamental and Meticulous Metals Association), to see if they required a journeyman blacksmith. I was taken aback by the amount of phone calls and emails that I received from California, New Jersey, Nevada and even a sister company based in France. I believe I had twenty different opportunities arise, but the most profound offer was the initial offer. The first man who reached out to me was the NOMMA president, Allan Moseley. Allan, at the time, was the current CEO of the Heirloom Companies in Campobello, SC. I was impressed by the professionalism of their website and robust body of work and decided to, once again, take a leap of faith. I passed the trials given and decided to leave family and friends behind in Wilmington, NC to start a new experience. 5 years went by rather quickly and I grew my fabrication and metalworking abilities, exponentially. Eventually, my time came to leave and risk my own venture. I worked out of a friend’s shop at Saluda Forge as a tenant. Saluda forge is located in Tryon, NC and is run by a veteran smith, Bill Crowell. For 2 years I worked there and nearly bought Bill’s business outright, but fate would intervene again. I came across a building in Landrum, SC that was ideal for me. Located right off the highway with lovely shop space and a lot to work out of. The previous owner, a man named Grover Wiley, was truly a blessing. Grover, an auto body repairman, passed to me useful equipment and the knowledge he had acquired in his 74 years. This is where my story is still being written. I moved into my new building in April 2022 and have been steadily growing my equipment, clientele and skill sets as a business owner. I look forward to seeing what the future holds!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think the overall struggle as an artist is money. I learned to support my arts and earn a living by mastering fabrication work. Arguably, you can’t be a modern-day blacksmith and not have a decent background in fabrication skills. Finding employment in the early day was tumultuous. Where I lived was a tourist destination so industry, in general, was weak. I was fortunate to find employment at Poplar Grove.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My company specializes in high-end ornamental iron work. We bring traditional crafts together with modern equipment to deliver truly authentic pieces. I’ve made gates, rails, balconies, staircases, sculptures, tools, knives, axes and even swords. I think what sets me apart from other fabricators is my forging experience; I understand how to work metal with modern equipment and techniques but can still perform forge welds, mortise and tenon, upsetting and other antiquated techniques. I enjoy my brand logo, my friend Alex Shchebet and I created it through his company, Green parrot media. It features a heraldic shield with symbolism important to me. My personal hammer I hand made on the right with my initials, the welders mask and the anvil to show the union of modern and traditional and the star of Svarog, who is the eastern European god of smithing. The name MY ForgeWorks is a fun play on words, it can be seen as personal, my blacksmith, or my fabricator but they also double as my initials.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think luck, fate, and destiny are all interwoven. I always get a feeling when I meet a certain person or when a certain opportunity presents itself to me. It’s almost an easy choice when I say, “hey, I’m going to go this route” or “I’m going to invest in this tool”. I’ve had great luck in the people I’ve met, the family I have, and the work that has been given to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.myforgeworks.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikeyablonski/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myforgeworks
