Tom Latané has been forging steel and working wood using hand tools since 1973. He has been especially interested in locks of various periods and traditions. His work repairing antique locks and hardware has helped develop a feel for historic practices. Whether restoring an antique or creating new work, Tom’s goal is generally to produce something that appears to be from an earlier age. Tom has been more impressed by the work blacksmiths of the past were able to produce with skill and simple hand tools than by the potential of modern technology.