Roger's Anvil

Roger and Delta Quaintance  successfully operated Roger's Anvil in Amana, Iowa since 1988 making practical and ornamental hand forged ironwork. 

Roger had been in charge of the blacksmithing duties, while Delta handled the business management and finishing duties.  Working as a team, they built a very reputable and successful business. 

At the end of July, 2003 they retired to spend time traveling in their camper, exploring the great country on wheels. 

Roger was attracted to blacksmithing in the mid - 1980's after watching the blacksmith work at Grand Island's Stuhr Museum.  After that he sought out other blacksmiths and learned as much as he could from them. 

He worked full time in the research and development for a manufacturer of pneumatic conveyor systems while fine tuning his blacksmithing skills on the weekends. Both  traveled to just about every centennial, craft show and celebration in the state of Nebraska, to demonstrate and sell their ironwork, virtually every weekend in 1987.
In 1988 they both made that fateful decision to open a shop of their own, and turn Roger's hobby into a full time business.  When they came to the Amanas, they were surprised to find that there were no blacksmiths working in the area, since blacksmithing is such a large part of the culture and history in the Amana colonies. They set up shop in the old industrial machine shop museum (behind the woolen mill) and began to hand forge and sell the high quality unique goods that Roger and Delta have become famous for over the last 15 years of doing business on their own.

Over the years Roger enjoyed teaching blacksmithing to 328 people in 88 weekend workshops. His students have ranged from almost every field, from country western stars to professionals of many types. 

In order to keep the business going, we purchased the operations of Roger's Anvil and will continue to produce the same high quality ironworks that Roger and Delta have worked so hard to develop. The only change is in the name. 

The new name is Custom Cutlery and Ironworks and we look forward to carrying the torch of success for several more decades.

Photo courtesy ACCVB.