Obituary: Sherwin Jay Kayne

Sherwin Jay (Steve) Kayne, 87, of Candler, N.C., whose blacksmithing creations were used on movie sets and grace celebrities’ homes, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2024. Steve is survived by his wife, Shirley, of nearly 60 years; daughters, Roni (Ian) Robbins of Marietta, Ga., and Joy (Scott) Yoffe of San Diego, Calif.; and son, David (Cathy) Kayne of Candler, N.C., as well as five grandchildren: Seth, Jonathan, Lena, Eli, and Landon.

From an early age, Steve was a high achiever. He attained the rank of Life Scout and later, Master Mason. But he was best known for his blacksmithing, learning the art at the age of 8 in his grandfather’s shop in New York. In 1965, he started Steve Kayne Custom Hardware, which grew into Kayne & Son Custom Hardware, Inc. (1997), Kayne & Son Tools (1998), and Blacksmiths Depot (2012-present).

Before starting the business that would become his life’s passion, Steve transitioned from Navy sailor to electrical engineer and instructor.

He enlisted in the Navy after the Korean War and was trained as an aircraft electrician, receiving an associate degree in applied sciences for electrical engineering. Grumman Aerospace quickly hired Steve as an electrical instructor, and he was involved in the Apollo 13 mission with electrical work on the Lunar Excursion Module. Steve also developed and presented training courses for flight line electricians and crew chief personnel of several major aircraft of that time.

While working at Grumman, Steve opened his first blacksmith shop in the family’s single-car garage in Smithtown, N.Y. In 1983, he retired from Grumman and moved his family to Western North Carolina. His shop in Candler, N.C., began as a four-car garage, where he maintained a six-week backlog of work and taught blacksmithing once a month. Steve’s son now operates the business from a 7,000-square-foot shop nearby.

Among his claims to fame, Steve’s forged pieces can be found in the homes of Olivia Newton-John, Fabio, Clint Eastwood, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Bernie Marcus, to name a few. Steve’s creations also were used in movies such as Nell, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Destiny, and Last of the Mohicans.

A testament to his family’s strong Jewish faith, Steve also created the “shin” holding the Ner Tamid eternal flame at Congregation Beth Israel in Asheville, N.C.

His memorial service was held at Beth Israel followed by graveside services at Lou Pollock Cemetery. Shiva was held at the Kayne home in Candler, N.C., and at Congregation Etz Chaim in Marietta, Ga.

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