Viking Iron Works, Inc. is an Open Die Forge shop located in Poughkeepsie, NY. Viking has been a family owned and operated business since 1972. Viking manufactures custom open die forgings and mandrel forged rings using open die pneumatic forging hammers. Viking services a wide range of industries, from aerospace, oil & gas exploration and production to food processing. Viking forges materials ranging from carbon and alloy steel to stainless steel and many nickel based alloys. Viking services include forging, heat treating, and rough machining. Additionally, Viking's skilled hammersmiths produce all of their own forging tools including blacksmithing their own tongs, hooks, peels, and special tooling as needed
Joseph (Joe) Kunkel learned the forging trade as a Hammersmith at Frank Kunkel & Son Forge, which was established in 1883 in Readville, MA by Joe’s grandfather. While working at Frank Kunkel & Son Forge, Joe earned certificates in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from Lowell Institute at MIT. In 1962 Joe went to work for Philadelphia Steel & Iron and became Plant Manager. While employed as Plant Manager Joe couldn’t contain his strong desire to go into business for himself. So, in 1972, with partners, Joe bought Viking Forge Company in Poughkeepsie, NY and renamed it Viking Iron Works, Inc. Then, in 1975 Joe's two oldest sons left forging plants in the Philadelphia area and went to work for Joe and his partners. Joe began to teach his sons Hammersmithing, along with all other aspects of the forging business. By 1989, Joe acquired sole ownership of Viking and in 1990 made his six sons his partners. Sadly, Joe passed away in January of 2004. Today, five of Joe’s sons are still running Viking and now the fifth generation of Kunkel’s are following in their Grandfather’s and Great-Great grandfather’s footsteps by learning the forging trade.