BAILEY Copley is a young man about to start an apprenticeship in modern engineering, but he'll be bringing some ancient knowledge to his new job.

The Coomealla 22-year-old is a blacksmith, and plies a craft that is part chemistry and matalurgy, part art and a lot of hard, physical work, in a workplace that's more like an oven than an office.

It's a rare pursuit these days and, as Mr Copley point...