Meet Alexandre Gury, a young blacksmith settled in Manche, Normandy. Through his craft, he dedicates himself to preserving and passing down skills that are slowly fading away, while also exploring how certain traditional artisanal practices have evolved over time. Currently, Alexandre is working on the restoration of iconic sites such as Notre-Dame de Paris and the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey.

For Inventaire, he creates various hardware pieces. Let’s take a closer look at the making of door handle 05: inspired by a model found in the Cotentin region on a Mariners’ chapel dating back to the 11th century, Alexandre forged the first prototype. Beginning with a solid block of iron, he hammered it for eight hours to bring back the original shape. To faithfully reproduce this piece today, he designed a set of custom tools and carefully mapped out eight essential steps in the process.

This work is not only a tribute to traditional craftsmanship but also a testament to the dedication required to keep these ancient techniques alive.