Blacksmith Toby Smith was caught between a rook and a hard place in a recent endeavour to create a distinctive chess set. Should he play it safe or make an unexpectedly brilliant move?
“Ultimately, I wanted the board to stand out from any other chess set I’d ever seen,” clarifies Toby. “I was looking for a high-end and expensive material to reflect the bespoke nature of this piece of art.”
Toby, of Swallow Forge, was in his first year at the National School of Blacksmithing in Hereford. After researching potential materials to use, he approached Columbia Metals and decided on CZ101, a gilding brass, in sheet form.
“I contacted several metal suppliers but it became abundantly clear early on that Columbia Metals were the most knowledgeable, most competitive and most helpful when we made our initial enquiry,” explains Toby. “Everything was in stock and delivery was prompt with a follow-up email to check that the product had arrived safely.”
Transforming the brass sheet from its natural rich golden colour into the black finished product required no small amount of flair and inspiration.
“The board is black because I coated it in an antiquing fluid, which is a copper sulphate solution,” elaborates Toby. “The copper squares were textured by hand to give them a raised effect to distinguish the gaming squares on the board. The spaces in between mimicked the alternate squares on the board, which were rubbed with Scotch-Brite to give the board its copper and black aesthetic.”
The finished masterpiece received plenty of acclaim. It has won multiple awards, including the coveted Frank Day Perpetual Trophy, which was presented to Toby at the annual luncheon of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths (WCB). He has also received three bespoke commissions since, but Toby’s ambitions don’t stop there.
“After completing my Apprenticeship with the WCB I hope to become a Freeman of the City of London in 2029 and then plan to continue my progression until I become a Liveryman of the City of London.”
About Toby Smith
Toby Smith is a blacksmith who was invested into the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths in October 2025. He operates from Swallow Forge in Hemel Hempstead and is open to new commissions at toby@swallowforge.com.
About CZ101
CZ101 is a brass alloy containing approximately 90% copper and 10% zinc. Its attractive rich golden colour and cold formability make it a widely used material for architectural and decorative applications. Columbia Metals stock CZ101 in sheet form in a range of sizes up to 3.25mm thick.
