dobronte fine art 831-625-6151 · 831-625-8650 196 West Carmel Valley Road Carmel Valley, CA 93924   Shop Talk What material is used to make Kramer Sculptures? How are they made? How is their surface finished and what kind of care do they need? Here are some of the answers. Material Low carbon steel, often referred to as "mild steel" or "hot rolled" is best for forging as it is less brittle then higher carbon steels, resulting in less breakage during forging. Production A steel bar, usually round, is heated in a coal or gas fire (the forge), until it is red hot. At this point, it becomes relatively soft and malleable and can be hammered into various shapes on an anvil, using many types of hammers. This method of forging has changed little since ancient blacksmithing times, but it limits work output severely as it causes great strain on the body of the artist. To reduce some of the strain to the body, our artists use labour saving equipment to ease some of the labourious work and allow the creation of larger sculptures.