Month: November 2026

Denis Tyrell, Livermore, California

tyrellknifeworks.com
instagram.com/tyrellknifeworks
youtube.com/c/TyrellKnifeworks

“My name is Denis Tyrell and I’m a full-time bladesmith and maker of cool things! Every project has something new in it so that I can keep learning new techniques. This has become a passion and I’d love for you to follow along!

I am Journeyman Smith in the American Bladesmith Society, which defines a level of quality that the bladesmith must meet. I am thrilled to have attained this and now I’m working towards the Master level.

I got into this craft from watching Forged in Fire with my son and thought it would be a cool thing to do together. I bought a stick welder and taught myself how to weld, built a forge and then went on to building lots of tools you see in my shop. I continue to add to the shop and extend my abilities every day.

I’m actually Canadian, so if you hear an accent in my videos, that’s why. I moved to California in 2001 but my heart is still Canadian. 🇨🇦

PS – The shark logo was used because I’m also a PADI scuba diving instructor. I’ve also done cage diving with great white sharks and have been in the water with many other sharks!”

Sandra Dunn, Kitchener, Ontario

twosmiths.ca
instagram.com/twosmiths.ca

Sandra Dunn is a craft based Canadian artist.

A graduate from University of Waterloo, she established a full-time blacksmithing practice in 1993. Seven years later she founded Two Smiths, a design and prototyping studio that has developed and built a wide variety of sculptures, functional objects and architectural features in forged steel, hammered copper and bronze for both private and public spaces.

Sandra has lectured, taught and worked on projects across Canada, and internationally, in Belgium, France, Australia and the United States.

Currently her work focuses on designing and making larger scale public art in forged steel, copper and bronze.

Matt Jenkins, St. Andrews, Manitoba

cloverdaleforge.com
instagram.com/cloverdaleforge

Matt Jenkins grew up in a household that made it by hand. His path into blacksmithing began through his father and took hold during a summer job at the blacksmith shop at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site.

Today, Matt Jenkins is a Manitoba-based artist blacksmith dedicated to designing and forging highly crafted work. His early interest in making was shaped by childhood exposure to tools and building, and later sharpened through work at the blacksmith shop at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site. Over the past 30 years, he has honed his skills through hands-on practice and study with master smiths across North America, developing a body of work that combines traditional blacksmithing techniques with a strong sense of design.

Matt has earned international recognition at the World Forging Championship in Stia, Italy, receiving an Honorable Mention in team forging in 2009 and first place in Drawing and Design in 2015. In 2016, he undertook the #366Hooks project, designing and forging a different hook every day for a full leap year. That ambitious exploration of variation, utility, and sculptural form later evolved into his 2024 book, HOOKED: A Blacksmith’s Study of Function Through Form.

Using hand tools and early industrial equipment, Matt creates forged work with the timeless feel of handmade objects. Alongside his studio practice at Cloverdale Forge, he teaches workshops, gives demonstrations, and has taught at the John C. Campbell Folk School and the Center for Metal Arts. His work continues to balance craftsmanship, inquiry, and a desire to keep blacksmithing active, relevant, and alive.

Dates: August 19-22, 2027
Location: Dalhousie Agricultural College
Host City: Truro, Nova Scotia

CanIRON XV is running from Thursday August 19 to Sunday August 22, 2027 at the Dalhousie Agricultural College located at 40 Horseshoe Crescent, Bible Hill, Nova Scotia. The Maritime Blacksmith Association is hosting the event.

more about event info and registration
see the detailed schedule

Auction website:
Raffle website:

Featured Blacksmiths

Denis Tyrell, Livermore, California
Matt Jenkins, Saint Andrews, Manitoba
Sandra Dunn, Kitchener, Ontario
Scott Hamlin, New Ross, Nova Scotia
Steve Cornelsen, Caledon, Ontario

and more…

Organizing Team/Contact

Maritime Blacksmith Association

Sponsors

CanIRON XIV – Manitoba Blacksmith Guild
Maritime Knife Supply