Apolinar Aguilar Velasco
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Apolinar Aguilar Velasco is a traditional blacksmith who lives and works in the southern Mexican town of Ocotlán de Morelos, Oaxaca. Although there is a tradition of making blades in the town, the Aguilar workshop is the only one that still makes all pieces by hand, with no industrialization. The work of this craftsman, and that of his brother, Angel, have been used in movies. The workshop exports directly to buyers such as theaters, martial arts enthusiasts and collectors in both Mexico and the United States.
Aguilar Velasco was born and raised in Ocotlán de Morelos in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. This town is known for its handcrafts, especially pottery. There is also a tradition of blacksmithing. Apolinar and his brother Angel learned this craft from their uncle Ricardo Guzmán and formally established a workshop in 1970. The uncle died later in 1985, aged 110. Although Angel has since died, Apolinar continues the family tradition and has become even more well-known than his brother.[1][2][3]
Handcrafted steel
The Aguilar workshop is one of forty five which produce artistic blades, but it is the only one that still produces their pieces completely by hand, using traditional techniques, using hammers, anvils and a furnace made of stone and brick heated by hardwood charcoal.[1][2] Each piece is unique in some way.[2][3] The others have industrialized the production on one way or another, which Apolinar says makes the blades less expensive, but of poorer quality.[2] Apolinar works with another brother by the name of Jesús Aguilar Velasco, and their base materials is scrap metal from autos and construction sites.[1]
