The Barefoot Forge: Craig Cowan

ALLISON PARK, Pa. -- April 19, 2021

The Barefoot Forge is an up and coming multi-function business catering to individuals that want an immersive experience in creating one of a kind items. Owner and operator Craig Cowan took his love of blacksmithing and metal work and developed an environment that offers individuals the opportunity to participate in experiences ranging from learning how to make a bottle opener to welding pieces of steel together. Cowan graduated from Slippery Rock University with a degree in environmental science, however, the job market in this field at the time didn't offer many opportunities or positions. Cowan found work excavating, but soon determined that digging in the dirt was not how he wanted to utilize his education and skill set. Cowan soon realized that his real passion was creating things and teaching others how to do the same. Using his prior knowledge, skills, and learning, Cowan was able to create a name for himself and apply his education to market himself and start his own company.

Craig Cowan's Story

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Craig started his journey into forging by building a simple forging oven to help a friend who was a knife maker. After may days and nights hammering and smashing steel and other alloys into other shapes and designs, the idea of a business and the concepts behind the Barefoot Forge began to form. Craig initially opened his business in a small rented space on the ground floor of a local barn. He focused on "make your own" wedding rings and other jewelry and leveraged the power of the internet and social media to expand the visibility of his unique offerings.

Craig Cowan can be seen heating up materials in his blacksmithing shop at the Barefoot Forge, in order to perform a demonstration for students.

After two short years he was able to evolve his business and move into a larger commercial space more conducive to his business and his own desire to share his knowledge and passion for blacksmithing with others.

Forging Damascus Steel

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With the added space and infrastructure, he has been able to add equipment retired from local factories and foundries to make more and better creations. At the Barefoot Forge, Cowan now hosts a multitude of events and projects, including classes for beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels of forging as well as items crafted by his own hand. Customers at the Barefoot Forge are able to design and forge a host of products including bottle openers made from railroad spikes, metal roses, fireplace pokers, and Damascus steel items.

Damascus Steel Rings

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Cowan loves his business because he is a "maker" at heart. Makers do what the name implies, they make things. He specifically loves this type of making because it involves so many disciplines, ranging from chemistry to thermodynamics to the correct method of making Damascus steel. Cowan is a true believer in his trade has leveraged his internet and social media following into many new customers as well as a host of sponsors and

advertisers on his pages.

Aside from his passion for forging and blacksmithing, Cowan has a strong interest and fascination for repairing and restoring old Volkswagen busses, specifically, the Vanagon, made from 1979 until 2002. You can see Craig operating his fully restored Vanagon Syncro Westfalia, which is a four-wheel drive version fully equipped for camping during the summer months.

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Owner of Tiny Seed Farm and close friend, Todd Wilson, shares a little bit about Craig Cowan's character and his large array of talents.

Craig is not just a maker, he is more than willing to share much if his knowledge and history, without much encouragement. In addition to his jewelry making, van fixing, class teaching and general "making" Cowan is also a licensed commercial boat pilot who piloted vessels such as the amphibious Ducky tour boat and the Pittsburgh Water Limo on Pittsburgh's three rivers. When he is not making something you might find him tending his bees or helping one of his friends. The thing that you won't find, is Craig wearing any kind of traditional footwear, unless you consider flip flops traditional.

Cowan, with his drive to be successful, a varied resume of education and accomplishments, coupled with his command of the internet and social media is well on his way into becoming a self-made entrepreneur.