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Stop the violence: Group transforms donated guns into symbolic tools

"We're transforming metal that's been crafted to kill into metal that's crafted to cultivate life."

MARYVILLE, Tenn. — It's a different approach to bring healing to victims of gun violence.

RAWtools is an organization that creates artwork out of donated guns and bullet casings.

"We make these crosses out of gun barrels," said Shane Claiborne, an East Tennessee partner in the RAWtools network.

He uses the flames to melt the metal of the bullet casings into a shape of a heart, cross or other piece of artwork that a family requests. 

"Sometimes, I make these little heart necklaces out of the casings of gun bullets," Claiborne said.

Credit: Shane Claiborne

Claiborne blacksmiths out of an old smokehouse in Greenback that his grandfather assembled a few years prior.

Inside the walls lay hundreds of dismantled guns and their parts. Claiborne keeps them, sorts them and makes piles depending on what he thinks the metal will look best making.

"The guns are all donated," Claiborne said. He started blacksmithing guns nearly 10 years ago to join the RAWtools network. 

Credit: WBIR

The idea started with Mike Martin. He is the executive director of the organization, and took up blacksmithing to meet the need.

As demand started to pick up, Shane Claiborne got involved with the project. 

"It has kind of grown organically ever since," Martin said.

The organization now has dozens of blacksmiths across the county helping to meet the demand.

According to research by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, more than 100 people are shot and killed every day in the United States. 

That number keeps growing.

"We really want to center the voices of those who've been impacted by gun violence by hearing their stories," Martin said. 

According to Martin and Claiborne, most people know of someone who has died by gunshot.

RAWtools holds events across the country to share empathy with people who are grieving and offer an opportunity for them to find a moment of escape.

Victims, friends and families can take up a hammer and hit the gun barrel.

"It's a real kind of physiological way for them to deal with the trauma and grief that they may carry for the rest of their life," Martin said.

Claiborne said his experiences at the events were both eye-opening and heart-breaking.

"There were tears pouring down people's faces and they're telling the stories of losing their children," Claiborne said. "It really felt like a holy space."

Credit: Shane Claiborn

RAWtools is a Christian organization. The idea for the re-purposing of guns came from the Bible in Isaiah 2:4, which is below:

They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.

While swords are seldom seen in modern-day violence, Claiborne said guns filled the role as a weapon to transform.

Claiborne was born in Maryville, and now he's bringing this symbolism back to his hometown.

Alongside the hearts and crosses, Claiborne also makes garden tools as a tribute to the verse.

"We're transforming metal that's been crafted to kill into metal that's crafted to cultivate life," Claiborne said.

Credit: Shane Claiborn

It's a unique approach to a seemingly unsolvable problem.

"In one hour, you see something concretely change, and I think there's a lot of us that want to see real changes in our country," Claiborne said.

If you want to donate a firearm, or transform one of your own, visit the RAWtools website. 

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