Traditional village blacksmiths keep home fires burning<\/p>\n
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Banyumas, Central Java<\/p>\n
Smithery is a rare profession nowadays, when most things made out
\nof metal are produced in a factory.<\/p>\n
Among the few remaining blacksmiths is Mukartaji, 62, who
\nmakes tools like hoes, sickles and machetes in the traditional
\nway.<\/p>\n
The old man, a resident of Banteran village in Sumbang,
\nBanyumas, said he learned his skills from his father and his
\ngrandfather, and that he is the fifth generation of his family to
\ncarry on the business.<\/p>\n
The process to make such tools, called gaman, or weapon in
\nJavanese, is quite simple, but takes a lot of energy. One must be
\nstrong enough to bear the heat during the forging process.<\/p>\n
The basic stock is steel bars, or in Mukartaji's case, they
\nare usually used brake shafts that he buys from scavengers or
\nauto repair shops for between Rp 3,000 (36 U.S. cents) and Rp
\n4,000 per kilogram.<\/p>\n
From one brake shaft, Mukartaji can make four machetes
\nmeasuring 20 centimeters each, or two sickles. Assisted by his
\ntwo brothers, the blacksmith can make an average of 10 sickles
\ndaily, which he sells at Rp 25,000 each, or five hoes that
\ncarries a price tag of Rp 50,000 each.<\/p>\n
The process of metal tool-making starts with heating the steel
\nrod in a furnace until it reaches the temperature at which the
\nrod can be cut to the length of the object to be made.<\/p>\n
It takes about three minutes to heat a piece of steel to the
\nproper temperature, and two people to cut the steel rod: One
\nholds the heated rod with tongs in his left hand and a wedge
\ncutter in his right, while the second man repeatedly hits the
\nwedge cutter with a hammer.<\/p>\n
Sometimes this process must be repeated three to five times if
\nthe steel is quite thick. After the desired length has been cut,
\nthe steel is again heated in the fire and is then forged into the
\ntool.<\/p>\n
Heating the steel is no easy job. Scars adorn the bodies of
\nMukartaji's two strong brothers, who forge the metal tools. They
\ngot the scars from the sparks that burned them during the heating
\nand forging process.<\/p>\n
\"It's very hot, but we are already used to it, so we don't
\nfeel it anymore,\" said Harjono, 54, whose job is to hammer the
\nsteel and to stoke the fire by pumping air onto the burning coal.<\/p>\n
After the forging process comes the finishing process, during
\nwhich Mukartaji relies on modern tools -- a filler and a grinder.<\/p>\n
The blacksmiths' work is captivating and hypnotic. During the
\nJapanese occupation, the Japanese soldiers apparently liked to
\nidle in a forge just to watch the process.<\/p>\n
\"We remember when we were kids, we often saw the Japanese
\nsoldiers in the workshop watching our grandfather working,\"
\nMukartaji told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Although the job of a blacksmith is quite tough, he believes
\nthe skill should be passed from one generation to the next.<\/p>\n
\"It's tiring, but this is the only skill we have. And we
\nshould continue this family tradition. And thank God, we can feed
\nour families,\" said Mukartaji, who pays his two brothers Rp
\n25,000 daily.<\/p>\n
All of the tools in his workshop are made to order. \"I don't
\nhave time to produce items to be sold at market,\" said Mukartaji,
\nwho also repairs old tools.<\/p>\n
However, he turned down an order for some clurit, a kind of
\nsickle that is the traditional weapon of the Madurese, because
\nsuch a weapon is usually used in a fighting, or even in a
\nrobbery.<\/p>\n
\"To make one, we also need to obtain permission from the
\npolice,\" he said. \"People usually use clurit to fight. We don't
\nwant to suffer the consequences.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/traditional-village-blacksmiths-keep-home-fires-burning-1447893297",
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