by Joseph H. RADDER
Ed Rudnicki’s work is a labor of love. For nearly 60 years Rudnicki has pounded,
shaped, forged and welded special fittings, hooks, chains and tool points in his Buffalo
blacksmith shop at 120 South Park Avenue. Passerbys may do a double-take upon seeing this
blacksmith still toiling at his trade.
“I don’t like sitting around,” says Rudnicki, who is 80 years young.
“My wife, Cecilia, likes me out of the house,” he chuckled. Rudnicki works five
days a week stoking the fires and shaping metal in the same smithy he’s been at since
1951. He makes picks, crow bars, shepherd’s crooks, boot scrapers, dinner triangles,
hearts for scented candles and other one-of-a-kind items.
His most unusual request happened about 30 years ago. “A fellow came in and asked if
I would make a chain for his boat,” he recalled. Upon asking to see the boat, the
gentleman told Rudnicki his boat was “right outside.” Rudnicki left his shop
with the man who promptly pointed to an ocean freighter in the harbor. “I made a
chain 532 feet long,” laughed Rudnicki. “I worked a good week making a chain for
his boat.”
Rudnicki forged his early career in the blacksmith shops at Curtis Aircraft during World
War II and later at Ford. His work has included making heavy-lifting fittings that have
been used in some of the slings that have lifted rocket casings for the space program.
Thousands of specialized parts for auto plant assembly lines have been created at
Rudnicki’s shop.
Over the years, Rudnicki has enjoyed sharing his love for smithing with his four children
and nine grandchildren. Recently his 17 year-old granddaughter went to the shop. “She
had never used a hacksaw before,” he said. By the time his granddaughter left she had
been taught how to weld. “It was amazing how well she did,” said Rudnicki
proudly.
Truly, this man of yesteryear has forged his path to being forever young and active.
Joseph H. Radder is a freelance writer.