RAWtools South (Asheville)

We are a growing gaggle of Southerners based in Asheville, NC and drawn together by RAWtools mission of disarming hearts, forging peace, and cultivating justice. Staffed by Scotty Utz and Stan Wilson, our volunteer blacksmiths and inspiring friends include Alex Krug, Dan Davis, Hagan Brooks, and aspiring young blacksmiths in partnership with Hood Huggers International.

We launched RAWtools South in January of 2024, and we’ve been busy. We’d love to come to your community, so please reach out with any inquiry.

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Make Tools in Asheville

What We Do

  • We transform guns into garden tools, art, and jewelry.
  • We offer blacksmithing demonstrations, allowing others to see, hear, and feel the transformation.
  • We bring our trained facilitators and all of the equipment to run safe-surrender (a.k.a gun buybacks) events in your community
  • We work with congregations and civic groups to reduce gun violence through events, workshops, conferences, and worship services.
  • Our insurance travels with us to cover liability and volunteers.
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Get Connected Near Asheville

2025 Forging Ahead

RAWtools South launched in January 2024, and since then we’ve stocked a “safe surrender trailer,” full of everything needed to support a safe surrender event. We’ve also hit the road with forges and chop saws to dismantle over 100 guns, spread the word about our work, and join a growing number of communities who are already practicing the vision of Isaiah to “beat their swords into plowshares....”

2025

  • June 21-22 - Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions, Berea College, Kentucky
  • August 16 - Blacksmithing Demonstration and Ritual, Hendersonville, NC
  • September 6 - Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
  • September 7 - Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
  • September 23-27 - Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage, Massanetta Springs Conference Center, Harrisonburg, VA. Details Here
  • September 27-28 - RAWtools Firearm Safety Officer Training, Massanetta Springs Conference Center, Harrisonburg, VA. Details to Come
  • October 4 - Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Fayetteville, NC
  • October 14 - Lecture, Cultural Life Program, Furman University, Greenville, SC
  • October 16-19 Blacksmith Demonstration: Guns to tools & Forging for Peace at LEAF Festival, Black Mountain, NC. Details Here
  • November 19-20 - RAWtools Firearm Safety Officer Training, Philadelphia, PA
  • November 21-23 - Peacemaker Summit, sponsored by RAWtools Philly, The Simple Way, and Others, Details Here

2026

  • March 28 - Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Athens, GA, Details to Come
  • April 25 - Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Charleston, WV, Details to Come
  • May 30 - Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Charlotte, NC, Details to Come
Contact Us

Invite us to Your Community

Contact us if you’re ready to host a gun surrender event . . . or if you're not ready and would like to help start a conversation in your community about gun violence reduction.

Contact us if you want to forge with others in your community . . . or if you’re stuck and need some ideas.

Courage and hope are contagious, and we’d like to catch yours.

infosouth@rawtools.org
Stan Wilson, coordinator
Scotty Utz, blacksmith/artist

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