What We Do
Making Tools in Asheville
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.
Get Connected Near Asheville
Forging Ahead
2026
February 20-21 – RAWtools Firearm Safety Officer Training, Weaverville, NC. Details Here
February 28 – Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Evergreen Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN
March 13-15 – Peace Building Conference of the United Methodist Church Southeastern Judicatory, Lake Junaluska, NC
March 28 – Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, The Table UGA, 1250 S. Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA, Details Here.
April 18 – Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Dallas, TX. Details to Come
May 2 – Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Shepherdstown, WV. Details to come
May 4-8- ARW 2026 – Arts, Recreation & Worship Conference, Montreat, NC. Scotty will be teaching folks how to make brass split crosses in the afternoon workshops. Details Here.
May 30 – 10am-1pm. Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Myers Park Presbyterian Outreach Center. 1073 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC, Details Here
Sunday May 31 – 11:15am. Family Friendly Blacksmithing Demo. Open to the Public. Myers Park Presbyterian Church. Main Campus. 2501 Oxford Place, Charlotte, NC.
June 13 – 11am-2pm. Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Umstead Park United Church of Christ, 8208 Brownleigh Drive, Raleigh, NC Details Here
June 13 – 4:00 pm. Disarming Hearts: A Vigil of Remembrance. Umstead Park UCC, Details here.
June 27 – 9:30am-Noon. Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, First Baptist Church, 5 Oaks Street, Asheville NC
June 27 – 5:00 p.m. Vigil of Healing. Trinity United Methodist Church, 587 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC
July 22-23 – RAWtools Firearm Safety Officer Training, Colorado Springs, Colorado
September 15-18, James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage, Parkville, MO. Details Here.
September 19-20. FSO RAWtools Firearm Safety Officer Training, Kansas City, MO. Details Here.
September 26 – Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Columbia, SC. Details coming.
October 17 – Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Dallas, TX. Details Coming.
October 18 – Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event, Ft. Worth, TX. Details Coming.
October 21 -22. Home Firearm Safety/Firearm Safety Officer Training. Philadelphia, PA. Register Here (Note you can sign up on this Peacemaking Summit registration without registering for the Peacemaking Summit).
October 22-24. Peacemaking Summit, RAWtools Philly. Philadelphia, PA. Details Here.
Get in Touch with Us
Invite us to Your Community
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
