Latest

Enjoy following our current commissions with this snapshot of what is happening in the forge on a weekly basis. Shona posts news and images regularly to both Facebook and Instagram of the projects that we are currently creating in the forge. Why not follow us!

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 days 9 hours ago

Walled garden gates recently installed. Two of the gates are the original wrought iron gates and have been restored using wrought iron. The third installed in the yew hedge is new with a sympathetic design to the original older gates. #rathobyresforge #britishartistblacksmiths #forged #walledgarden #GardenGate ##wroughtiron ##frostymornings

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

5 days 1 hour ago

A lovely mention from Ardkinglas House & Woodland Garden for the Gruffulo & mouse we made several years ago for their woodland trail 😎

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 week 1 day ago

A recently installed sculptural entrance feature to a new housing development at Craighill Village to the east of Edinburgh. "Keys to the Future" is a series of four very large sculptural seeds, representing the Sycamore seeds that have spiralled down to earth to find a place to germinate. These seeds are known as “Keys”, while the Sycamore tree represents protection and resilience, it is one of the few trees whose seeds will germinate under the “parent”. The “Keys” represent the putting down of roots of the new community, as well as the start of a new life, both literally and

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 week 1 day ago

Yeah!! We made the front cover 😎 Artist Blacksmith is produced by the British Artist Blacksmiths Association & is a great way to stay connected to the artistic blacksmithing community. The image is “Make A Wish”. A CorTen slab with stainless steel wishes. #rathobyresforge #britishartistblacksmiths #sculpture #corten #makeawish

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 week 1 day ago

Yeah!! We made the front cover 😎 Artist Blacksmith is produced by the British Artist Blacksmiths Association & is a great way to stay connected to the artistic blacksmithing community. The image is “Make A Wish”. A CorTen slab with stainless steel wishes. #rathobyresforge #britishartistblacksmiths #sculpture #corten #makeawish

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 week 2 days ago

Craig working on a stainless steel house sign, a laurel wreath, lettering and numbers, with a painted bronze finish. Get in touch if you would like to commission an elegant sign or numbers for your home. #rathobyresforge #artistblacksmith #britishartistblacksmiths #laurels #stainlesssteel #bronzefinish #forthehome

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 week 3 days ago

The next commission drawn up on the boards and underway! Leaves and tendril panel to a set of steps. A fun bit of forging in this one 🔥😁 #rathobyresforge #britishartistblacksmiths #forged #contemporarymetalwork #forgedleaves #stairbalustrade #forged

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 week 4 days ago

Two refurbished cast iron benches in their final home. The benches were stripped back of the old paint, repairs carried out and finally spray painted. Get in touch if you would like to give your cast iron bench an new lease of life and return it to its former glory! #rathobyresforge #castironbenches #walledgarden #artistblacksmith #forthegarden #britishartistblacksmiths #edinburghblacksmith

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 week 5 days ago

The Wavy Tall Grass panels and gate are now galvanised and acid etched and ready for installation. Just foundations to dig! #rathobyresforge #artistblacksmith #britishartistblacksmiths #edinburghblacksmith #forged #GardenGate #forthegarden #tallgrass #contemporarymetalwork

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 weeks 1 day ago

Apple, Pear & Plum Gate. The Walled Garden, Inverewe Gardens, Poolewe, Wester Ross. Forged mild steel, the fruit are hollow and there are several tiny forged wasps, a butterfly and a robin to find on the gate. The finish is galvanised and treated with Owatrol Oil to give the darker finish.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 weeks 2 days ago

Little patio table with forged bee on the leg.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 weeks 3 days ago

Interior Poolside Handrail. Hot forged mild steel, galvanised to prevent corrosion and painted Ratho grey. Installed into feature rocks built into the stairs. Private home, Edinburgh.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 weeks 3 days ago

Revisiting work from 2001! Three gateway signs to South Queensferry back at the forge after 23 years. A strip back of the paint on the crest to allow for repainting.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 weeks 5 days ago

Three park Benches exploring the rich mining history of the area. Bilston, Midlothian.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 weeks 5 days ago

Three Bridges Sculpture. Hawthorn Gardens, South Queensferry. Designed by the landscape architects for the site, we were commissioned to produced and installed the three structures. Created from CorTen steel, each structure is designed to reflect the shape of the piers from one of the three iconic bridges spanning the Firth of Forth. Forth Rail Bridge, Forth Road Bridge and The Queensferry Crossing. The leaves, pierced into the structures and applied to the surface, represent the trees that lined the old road to Dalmeny forming a "Dark Avenue", a small section of which still remains adjacent to the sculpture. #rathobyresforge #britishartistblacksmiths

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

3 weeks 1 day ago

Installation day for the Remember Together Ribbon at Livingston. Old school installation, team work, wheels, rollers and jacks! #rathobyresforge #Livingston #RememberTogether #dreamteam #artistblacksmith #britishartistblacksmiths

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

3 weeks 2 days ago

The Remember Together sculpture is complete!! All painted, wrapped for protection and ready for installation 😎 watch this space 😎

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 weeks 2 days ago

Sweet when the templating time pays off with a perfect fit 😎

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 month 1 week ago

Two very different commissions nearing completion at the end of another busy week.
Remember Together ribbon at the painting stage and Tall Grasses gate & panels almost together.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

1 month 2 weeks ago

No forging in this one but still an interesting challenge that has kept us all busy working to another artists design.
Remembering Together ribbon, fabricated, galvanised, now the dressing & fettling before the paint finish, then installation at Livingston Civic Centre.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 months 3 days ago

Final touches to the paint work before we install the Tools & Ivy sculpture 😎

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 months 6 days ago

Walled Garden Apples, Pears & Plums Gate installed & looking good at Inverewe Gardens, Poolewe today. Craig & Pete looking good too 🤩😎 #rathobyresforge #forgedgate #nationaltrustforscotland #ApplesandPears #artistblacksmith #inverewegardens #walledgarden

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 months 6 days ago

Walled Garden Apples, Plums & Pears Gate installed and looking good at National Trust for Scotland Inverewe Gardens, Poolewe today. Craig & Pete also looking good 😎 #rathobyresforge #forgedgates #inverewegardens #nationaltrustforscotland #walledgarden #artistblacksmith

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 months 6 days ago

Got to love a road trip. Heading through the West to fit a gate at a very special garden 😎
Where are we headed?
#rathobyresforge #babablacksmith #forgedgates #scottishhighlands #roadtrip

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 months 1 week ago

Need a tool, make a tool. Taking out a bit of a curve on a rolled plate.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

2 months 2 weeks ago

Two very different styles of gates getting drawn up on the boards ready to start. One traditional the other contemporary for two different clients.
#rathobyresforge
#babablacksmith
#forgedgates
#happydays
#madeinscotland

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge is at Engine Shed.

2 months 2 weeks ago

Murray Holmes has been training with us through the Historic Scotland Craft Fellowship programme for a year or so. Today his hard work and dedication were recognised at The Engine Shed when he received the award for best craft fellow 2024. Congratulations from the whole team at Ratho Byres Forge, it is well deserved.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

3 months 2 days ago

Yeah!! Tools & Ivy sculpture completed & standing tall in the yard. Off to the galvaniser next week back to be fettled & painted & hopefully installed by October. Very much a Ratho Byres Forge team effort. Designed by Jois Hunter back in 2021 Blacksmiths forging and fabricating the work Shona Johnson, Pete Hill, Craig Forrest, Vicky Martin & whilst on a weeks training experience Joanna Williams. #rathobyresforge #babablacksmith #artistblacksmith #forgedsculpture #gianttools

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

3 months 1 week ago

Good progress this week 🤩 The giant tools are standing up! Ready for the addition of the ivy leaves, seeds & buds. The sycamore seeds are soaking up the Scottish sunshine as they develop a ferrous patina prior to installation. Soon be onto the next job 🔥 #rathobyresforge #sycamoretree #artistblacksmith #keystothefuture #babablacksmith #forged #GardenTools #madeinscotland #ferrous

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 19 hours ago

“Keys to the Future” Mark, Colin& Minty making great progress. Forging all done, now the cold shaping under the press & fabrication to fit each seed to each sycamore wing. 🌱 #rathobyresforge #artistblacksmith #sycamoretree #keystothefuture #sculpture

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 2 days ago

Sweet little patio table with forged bumble bee uplifted by clients today. #rathobyresforge #artistblacksmith #babablacksmith #forged #patio #table #bumblebee

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge is at P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge.

4 months 5 days ago

Forging Friday

200mm spheres into more seed like shapes. Nearly all the forging on this project done.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge is at P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge.

4 months 1 week ago

“Keys to the Future”. Little video showing the maquette, drawings, full size drawings on the boards & Mark & Craig feathering out the edges of the Sycamore wing. The chunky balls will form the seeds on each wing. #rathobyresforge #sycamoretree #artistblacksmith #millerhill #keystothefuture

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 1 week ago

Next commission underway. “Keys to Future” larger than life sycamore seeds settled gently on the ground. #rathobyresforge #edinburghblacksmith #artistblacksmith #sycamoretree #keystothefuture #calahomes #millerhill

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge is at P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge.

4 months 1 week ago

Ivy seed pods developing, the next squish in the next tool. The skill here is all in the tooling to achieve the desired shape over & over again. #rathobyresforge #artistblacksmith #edinburghblacksmith #forged #publicart #squish

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 1 week ago

Ivy seeds in production. Shona & Vicky have swaged the large upsets for the first stage of the ivy seed pod. Craig is turning the next tool in the lathe for taking half of the formed pods to the next stage.
#rathobyresforge
#ukblacksmith

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 1 week ago

We’ve enjoyed a few visitors through the forge this week, Peter on a days recreational forging course with Pete & Joanna a fellow smith spending a week with us working on the large scale public art commission, Tools & Ivy, currently in production. #rathobyresforge #britishblacksmith #blacksmithingclass #artistblacksmith #funintheforge

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 2 weeks ago

Girl power & Mr Crunchy the 5cwt Massey hammer power & excellent tooling power! 💪🔥 Shona & Vicky swaging the upsets created yesterday to form the ivy berries for the tools & ivy sculpture #rathobyresforge #artistblacksmith #ivy #britishblacksmith #girlpower #powerhammer #madeinscotland

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 2 weeks ago

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 2 weeks ago

Next job drawn up on the boards ready to start. 5500 high, giant gardening tools & ivy. It’s going to be a fun one! 🤩

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 3 weeks ago

Fruit Tree Gate for Inverewe Gardens.
Designed by Pete Hill
Blacksmithing team creating the gate, Pete, Craig Forrest, Frida from Denmark, Vicky Martin & Mark Laidlaw.
Just galvanising, painting & installing left to do. 🤩🔥

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 3 weeks ago

Apples, pears, plums, wasps, a butterfly & blackbird on the Fruit Tree Gates, almost ready for galvanising. The fruit are hollow, hence the venting holes, the holes are threaded and will be plugged with stainless steel once galvanised & before painting.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

4 months 3 weeks ago

The simple things 😎

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

5 months 1 week ago

A fruity gate is starting to come together this week. Lots of components made already, but still some way to go.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

6 months 1 week ago

Mark & Craig having fun at the fire doing a tidy spot of fire welding today for an internal handrail designed by Pete.

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

6 months 1 week ago

Yeah!!

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

7 months 3 weeks ago

Good install today of a sweet gate in the sunshine for some lovely clients in North Berwick today

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

7 months 4 weeks ago

Riveting up Brick works chimney sculpture

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

8 months 5 days ago

There’s more than one way to forge a leaf 🤩
Three different commissions, three different style of leaves being created by three different smiths in the forge today 🔥

P Johnson & Company at Ratho Byres Forge

9 months 1 week ago

Monday morning at the forge, which job would you prefer, to be doing? chunky forging at the hammer, wrought iron scroll gate restoration or repaneling a dog kennel at the airport? All in a days work for the Ratho Byres Forge team!!