LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – A Louisville woman and a business owner are teaming up to get guns off the streets. In two weeks, you can help him reach his goal by donating a gun.
With the help of a 3000-degree forge, a blacksmith sculptor transforms unwanted, donated gun parts and repurposes them into functional garden tools.
“It’s like a small volcano,” Craig Caviarwho has nearly 40 years of forging experience in Louisville, he said.
“I really like the work. I like to create and make things that people appreciate,” Kaviar said. “While I was in art school, I decided that doing functional art was a more reasonable way to make a living.”
Apart from making furniture and architectural elements for local churches and hospitals, he forges rifles and pistols.
“I forged one end into a hole and the other end I forged into a little fork,” Kaviar said.
Turn unwanted guns into handmade hoes for people to buy.
“They’re really a very functional tool. They’re a little hard to make though. Every time I make them I get a little better at it,” Kaviar said.
“We’re very blessed to have Craig here in Louisville, to be able to do this,” said Soni Castleberry, who is part of a local gun violence prevention team. “He understands what we’re doing here.”
Soni Castleberry is working to get guns off the streets of Louisville and into the garden, through Guns to Gardens Louisville.
Crestcent Hill Presbyterian Church started Guns to Gardens Louisville inspired by the national Guns to Gardens movement.
A Louisville blacksmith repurposes donated guns into garden tools. Look at his story @WDRBNews to 10 pm to learn how you can help. pic.twitter.com/zmlqO4d3Ou
– Molly Jett (@MolJett) November 4, 2023
“Maybe you don’t have a gun you want to give up, maybe you know someone who does,” Castleberry said. “It’s not easy in Kentucky to get rid of a gun.
According to Kentucky state lawguns seized by law enforcement that are part of a crime are returned to the state police and put up for sale at public auction.
“If you don’t want to sell it or you don’t want to give it away, there’s no other way that we know of that you can have that gun destroyed,” Castleberry said. “You don’t know what will happen with the weapon. It could be back on the street in the hands of someone who is trustworthy and knows how to use a gun. But it could also go for bad purposes and it could lead to someone stabbing and we want to be sure that people have an option that if they have a gun, they don’t want it any more than they have a safe way they can surrender it.
“It’s good to get the word out about the surrender,” Kaviar said.
A man who uses his talents, makes something new again.
“Here,” Kaviar said.
The next drop off where you can donate your guns anonymously is November 18th at Westwood Presbyterian Church from noon to 2 pm The church is located at 4432 Greenwood Ave near Chickasaw Park.
There will be no demonstrations of the forging process. If you donate a gun, you will receive a $50 Kroger gift card.
You can purchase a garden tool for $148.48, including tax, by contacting Kaviar at ckaviar@gmail.com or call him to (502) 561-0377.
Kaviar opened Kaviar Forge in 1985. For more information about Kaviar’s business, click here.
For more information on Guns to Gardens, click here gold contact guns2gardenslouisville@gmail.com.
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