Jacob Selmer, of Selmer Ironworks, has been blacksmithing for over 25 years. Experience ranges from public and paid demonstrations to full time forging. Highlights include:

1999-2003: Demonstrator, Colvin Run Mill, an historic mechanical engineering landmark

2003: Full time Blacksmith at Cardine Studios, an architectural blacksmithing shop in VA

2006: Moved to MD and joined BGCM

2015: Awarded a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council to study power hammer techniques with Matt Harris.

2020: Selmer Ironworks moved to Taneytown, MD. Here Jacob is setting up an extensive metalworking shop to include advanced classes and workshops.

2022-current: Juried artist and executive member on the Carroll County Artist's Studio Tour

Current: BGCM Forgemaster working on the safety, training, and upkeep in the school shop.

Jacob is a mechanical engineer by training, focusing on electro-mechanical designs. He manages a product engineering department including pneumatic, hydraulic, and electro-mechanical engineering.

Jim Maness has been a member of the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland in Westminster since 2007, where he was guided by experienced blacksmiths, including some John C. Campbell Folk School instructors, during weekly open forge time. He is now a member of the Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association, and ABANA. With the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland, he is currently serving as Historic Forge Volunteer Coordinator, School Coordinator and as Guild Secretary. Jim has been a regular Folk School student. He also instructs BS 202, Tool & Jig, Jingle Bell, and Forge Welding classes. His primary interests include tools, colonial, and traditional joinery.

Reb has enjoyed history and the ability to make something out of raw material for most of his life. In the year 2000, Reb had the opportunity to join a Civil War reenactment group and become part of the time period, he finally settled into the art of blacksmithing in 2004. Working with fire and hot iron to create historical pieces for the reenactment community as well as those who love historical items and the outdoors.

2004 – Joined Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland and was on the Board of Directors for 6 years. He also is currently on the Board of Directors again starting in 2024.

Reb has been moderating the guild’s social media, which consists of the Facebook page Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland and the guild’s group page Blacksmithing with BGCM.

He has been head blacksmith, and now the woodworker, for the 1797 Union Mills Shriver Homestead located in Union Mills, MD, just north of Westminster, MD since 2005.

Reb has also a member of the Carroll County Artist Studio Tour, 2011 & 2012, 2021 until present.

He is a juried artisan with Off Track Art Gallery in Westminster, MD.

Reb began including and selling his hand-made Iron work at over 25 events that he attends and on his webpage www.homesteadforgenwood.com and through his Etsy shops

Bob Hungerman took his first blacksmith class at BGCM in April 2004. He joined the guild a year later. He was a board member and later served two terms as president of the guild. After starting as an assistant in the school he became an instructor and teaches many classes, mostly Beginner and Intermediate. He revamped the Tool and Jig course to include more forging. He has taken instruction from Randy McDaniel, and attended class at John C Campbell Folk Arts school. Together with Jim Maness they have re-introduced the Forge Welding class.

Thomas Dresser- Married 32+ years, So I can stick to a plan.

Prototype plant supervisor – worked my way through positions from the operations floor in plastic injection molding and engineering automotive washer systems support to today. I have been with the same company for 29 years as the company continues to grow and be acquired, I have grown with it.

Carroll County Resident 20+ years, Maryland for 50+

First Blacksmith experience Super BS 101 April 2009 Taught by Ted McNutt came away thinking of making a chess set. Then I returned after not moving forward to take Super BS 101 April 2014 again, this time taught by Jim Manness and returned to the chess set idea. Now I have the pawns and rooks established moving on to the other pieces as well. Both times I took the 101 classes were an attempt as a bonding/buddy event that went well, it has my hearty recommendation. Since then, I have taken more classes, workshops and practiced at the BGCM open forge, meetings and at times tour events at the farm museum Historic forge.

As a Blacksmith I have been working to acquire techniques rather than to make it a production sideline. Building tooling and process knowledge is the path I have pursued. I use the forging as a blacksmith to apply my personal stress relief by creating/aggravating my artistic side instead of the honey do list that grows longer and longer, to my missus' chagrin. So this is my invite, come out and have some fun with us.

Ted McNett is President of the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland, Inc. and Assistant Supervisor of Career and Technology Education for Carroll County Public Schools. He started blacksmithing in 1996 through an interest in living history, traditional arts, and woodworking.

Since then, his historical and traditional inspirations have evolved into abstract, artistic, and sculptural. He demonstrates at a variety of events and teaches blacksmithing classes at the

Carroll County Farm Museum’s Traditional Arts Academy. He is also a master of “kitchen in a box” outdoor cooking! And all the tools that art needs.

Andy Ruse has been blacksmithing professionally since 2018. Starting out as a self-taught artisan, he gained experience crafting custom gates, railings, and furniture in a production workshop in rural Virginia. He now sells his work online and participates in hammer-ins across the Mid-Atlantic. 

Andy’s special interest is in tool making. He has made all of his own hand tools, and has also built several forges, treadle hammers, and a power hammer.

Andy teaches modern blacksmithing through the BGCM, and leads historical forging demonstrations at the Carroll County Farm Museum. He enjoyed developing a knife making curriculum, and looks forward to teaching classes for years to come.

Greg Knoll,  MWM, 54 who enjoys quiet nights and building 1/1 unique items. A professional developer and technical director, a woodworker, machinist, and  casual disaster prepper.

Award winning forgings include  tongs, a trammelabra, rush lamps, hammers, bowie and drawing knives,  axes, tomahawks, tongs,  hasps and hinges,  and utensils.   His secret passions include animal heads,  stylistic leaves, ice cream scoops,  and forging  an unholy number of S-hooks….   A Pictorial library is available at GregInClarksville on instagram.

Greg has a passion for writing and demonstrations having written roughly 50 articles for Hammer and Tong magazine, and having demonstrated at dozens of local venues  including Mary's land farms, CCFM, the fire museum of Baltimore, Robinson Nature Center, BGWM,  Merrry-weather maker faire, and Howard County Conservancy,  Ellicott City Railway Museum, Howard County Heritage Farm Museum, the Baltimore foundry, and  the Catoctin Iron  Furnace.

Greg lives with his wife and teenage son, in Clarksville Md, on a farmette, with a pond and stream smack dab in the middle of  the Maryland gold-belt. The property is  also home to the turtle-pond-forge, a old lime kiln, and the historic Nichols Springs. He is a sailor, jeeper, and racer, and retired his garden to build jumps and ramps for a quads-track.   He raises chicken, turkey, fish, and a medley of fruiting plants.   He is a self proclaimed renaissance man, who very much looks forward to sharing stories and experiences in the forge.

Meet Jim Crusse 308jc, a passionate blacksmith with over 10 years of experience in the art of metalworking. Based in Baltimore, he has dedicated his life to forging unique and functional creations from raw metal. From custom tools to stunning decorative pieces and functional art, Jim combines traditional techniques with modern designs to his client’s visions to life. His journey began with classes at The Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland, where he learned the foundational skills of blacksmithing, including forging, welding, and heat treatment. Since then, Jim  has honed his craft, earning a reputation for quality and attention to detail. A firm believer in sustainability, he sources materials locally whenever possible and aims to create pieces that are not only beautiful but also environmentally conscious. Jim's workshop is filled with the sounds of the hammer striking the anvil and the glow of the forge, where every piece tells a story. Whether you are looking for a custom creation or simply looking to learn more about the ancient art of blacksmithing, Jim invites you to explore the world of metal and fire. Join him on this creative journey and discover the magic of handcrafted metalwork.