„This craft found me”, – this is how Kęstutis Juonys, a resident of the village of Salas in Daugai ward, says regarding himself. Thanks to his 30 years of work experience, metal turns into interesting products in his hands. By the way, the man founded a museum in his workshop in the Daugai village, Daugai ward, with over 100 exhibits.
K. Juonys is a fifth-generation resident of the village of Sala. Graduated from the Academy of Agriculture, majored in mechanical engineering. After graduation, he worked as a technician in Daugai council farm.
The blacksmith’s work was changing
After Lithuania regained its independence, Kęstutis became interested in metals. The beginning was practical. He needed a metal fence for a new house under construction. He made it with his own hands. That’s how it all started – spread by word of mouth, orders came. Kęstutis says that at the beginning he worked with the farm blacksmith Rimus Verenius, as well as Kazis Babravičius from Aly. “Metal attracted me. I had accumulated knowledge, I was very interested in blacksmithing. And the quality of work comes through constant practice”, says Kęstutis and adds that he never dreamed that he would choose such a profession.
When the collective farms began to disintegrate, K. Juonys bought a one-story garage with equipment in the village of Daugai, totaling regarding 300 square meters. m, later built a second floor. The man says that the business was doing great until there were no “zagatovki” in the stores. “A team of 7-8 people worked with me around 2000. We did well for regarding a decade. There was a great demand for metal products: we made both cemetery fences and crosses from metal, as well as gates and other products,” the interviewer recalled from earlier times. He was enchanted not only by the metal, but also by the blacksmithing process itself: the smell of iron, the fire, the shaping of the product.
Interested in history
According to Kęstutis, there were regarding 40 blacksmiths in Daugai during the interwar period. Each village had several blacksmiths. “We made plows, parts of carts. It was possible to make a normal living from this craft”, says K. Juonys. According to the man, the craftsman lived well in the old days. The interviewer remembers the story when his father took the plow to the blacksmith for repair. The blacksmith says to him: “If you want me to fix your plow, go near my land.” That’s how it was, that blacksmith turned the plow easily during the day, bitch, and my father sweated his low plow…”
Looking for a student
He and his wife Angele Kęstutis raised 3 daughters and worried that there would be no one to pass on the secrets of blacksmithing. “But if there was a young man who wanted to do this craft, I would share my experience,” says K. Juonys. According to the man, he was lucky because he had more than one teacher who taught him. The interviewer is open – the specifics of blacksmith work are changing. Now lasers, plasmas are used, much less manual labor.
Craft and Museum
Kęstučius manages to stay on the market thanks to the accumulated experience and customer recommendations. His main customers are residents of the country’s major cities and Lithuanians who have returned from abroad.
The man mainly works with black metal. He is happy when the client trusts and allows him to improvise. K. Juonys founded a museum on the second floor of his workshop. The idea was born from the fact that customers want to see the products live. “It’s easier for me to get to know the client. I notice what they like, where their eyes go, what elements of work they like. Maybe some people are fascinated by leaves, others by abstract shapes”, says the interviewer, who admits that he always makes two of the same things, because there is little profit from one. Currently, the K. Juonis Museum has regarding 200 exhibits. They are very diverse: crosses, suns, animals, handles, chairs, etc. But Kęstutis has ideas – he plans to collect photographs and describe Daugai blacksmiths. And the wife is being interviewed more and more for this job, following all, following having children, they consider themselves already having more. Kęstutis wants everyone to communicate more and cooperate. He is happy when high school students come to education. “After all, it’s so good to share experience and achieved results with everyone!” – concludes the interviewer.
Well, and indeed, if you need blacksmith work, feel free to call Kęstučius Juonis on 8 687 31328, you will definitely get what you expect!
Daniel Jakubavičius
