A Blacksmith's Lesson

[tippit]

Ya'll are going to have to bare with me on this post...but trust me it is about knife making.

The past two months I have been spending a little time at NEB (New England Blacksmiths chapter of ABANA).  I have been learning how to forge with coal, make ornamental iron pieces, and make tools to cut & punch steel (hot & cold).  Two weekends ago my son came home from Colorado to attend NEB's fall meet with me.  Mark Aspery a renowned blacksmith originally from Wales was the guest lecturer.  His books on "The Skills of a Blacksmith" are phenomenal especially Vol I. Look him up on Google.

Anyway he demonstrated his method of forging, forge welding, tool making, and many methods in making ornamental gates.  I was excited to be there because that's the type of smithing my son does.  Little did I know how much it would improve me as a bladesmith!   Mark's hammer control techniques and use of the anvil were awe inspiring.  I ended up being the high bidder on his gate demonstration piece.  There are seven different pieces of steel in this section of gate...all done with hammers and forge welding.  You can not even find the weld lines.


Mark & tippit holding his demonstration:

   

 

Any blacksmith gathering is a great place to pick up almost anything you need in blacksmithing tools.  A great anvil made it's way into my truck...163# 1928 Swedish anvil with almost perfect edges, top, and horn.  Plus a pole vise and several power hammer tools have a new home too    

 

 

 

 

 

[sticshooter]

Cool stuff doc . Congrats on all the goodies<><

[tippit]

I ran out of picture room    

As I stated this IS about knife making!  I was pretty inspired seeing what Mark could do with a hammer and how he worked all the areas of the anvil.  So I gave it my best shot to have another self imposed lesson with my hammers both power & hand held.  Now my hammering was far more accurate.  

This was a piece of left over spring steel from Jeremy's Project.  It is completely done even profiling with just hammers except for the smoothed out bottom edge and the grind of the blade.  I did not profile it with a grinder.  I've always rough forged and then finished/smoothed the blade profile on my grinder.  I  will probably continue to do that except I now know I can profile the entire blade without any clean up with just my hammers.  Now my clean up profiling should be very minimal.  I've always consider myself more blacksmith than bladesmith...now I know it.


     

   

   

I have learned so much from attending ABS bladesmithing symposiums and now general blacksmithing symposiums.  Most of us aren't lucky enough to live near a mentor like Lin, Karl, or Doug.  I encourage ya'll to seek out these programs.  I know ABANA has a lot of blacksmithing chapters around plus there are a plenty of working blacksmiths who are willing to lend help & advise.  Every blacksmith I met was was just as willing to help as our bladesmiths here.  Blacksmithing ain't just about bending metal.  Their techniques are what we're about if you are into forging.  Doc

[kuch]

you lucky dog, jeff. i have vol. 2. very good book i just attended sofa quad state in ohio. it is like denton hill only for blacksmiths(plenty of forged knives also).some unbelievable skill and sooo much to learn.

[tippit]

kuch,
I got both Vol 1&2.  Vol 1 is more skill oriented, tool & tong making, and using the anvil.  Vol 2 is more on artistic design.  Mark is an amazing blacksmith.  He took a special interest in my son who is trying to get into a French guild through ABANA.

I grew up in Ohio...where & when is Sofa Quad State?  I just might like to attend.

Blacksmithing/bladesmithing is such an Old World craft...never ending learning experience...Jeff

[Toecutter]

Congratulations on all that knowledge, and on that SWEEEEET anvil (you take that many E's to mean I am jealous).  That looks like it must have been a blast.

BTW, George is doing extremely well.  Five bypasses!!

Take care,
Nathan

[kuch]

Jeff, Quadstate is always at Troy ,OH...just north of Dayton. It is usually end of Sept. every year. I'll probably try to go next year also.

[tippit]

These two replies are just what I'm talking about:

1) kuch's post on SOFA Quad.  I just Googled it...ABANA chapter of Southern Ohio.  Look what was on this fall program...knives, hands on forging, tailgating for equipment, etc.  I'm telling ya'll there are some great teaching/learning opportunities all around the country. A lot of it is cheap to free!

   

2) Toecutter's reply about a friend that had bypass surgery.  That is Indian George the knife maker from around here.  He is so incredibly generous in helping new and somewhat experienced bladesmiths for locals and on Blades Forum.

Don't take me wrong...the help here is so very important for learning and comparing ideas.  But hands on learning is where you will start to fly...Doc

PS:  Nathan, I very relieved to know IG is doing well.  Guess it's getting close to taking my Beer Blade down for a visit    

[kuch]

Yep..that's it. The tailgaiting is comparable to the vendors at Denton...i mean everything ...100's of anvils,power hammers, vises,forges(coal and gas),,,everything blacksmithing .the gallery of forged pieces was also impressive...i highly recommend  attending.

[tippit]

Chad,
Tell you what...you come to Denton & camp with our group and I'll meet you at SOFA next fall  

Here's what else Mark taught us. If you can do this with hammers and no drills just punches/drifts, then you can do whatever you want in a blade!  It all a mater of hammer control.

 

 

[Scott Roush]

I hate you and your big awesome anvil and black smithing fun.

Great stuff... I'm jealous.

[jpsowers]

Congrats! What a great experience. There is a blacksmith (Walt Hull) here in Lawrence where I live and I have snuck a few lessons out of him. He has encouraged me to get Mark Aspery's books also. He said they are the best out now.
I am happy for you and jealous that you got to go!

[kuch]

I have said many times that being consistently successful at hunting deer with a trad bow is the hardest thing i've tried....but watching these guys smith makes you think "holy cow ...how the heck? that'samazing!!!" the skill level is humbling to say the least.

[tippit]

The anvil is a funny story.  I was looking for another anvil that I'd take down to our property in Aiken, SC so I could do some forging while my wife was busy with her horses.  One trailer had about 4-5 anvils and this guy (Mark...before the symposium started) walks by takes one look at the trailer and said that anvil is worth more than the rest of the stuff on the trailer.  He said it was a Swedish anvil just by the shape and that they were prized anvils.  

That's how I met Mark Aspery    Needles to say my old anvil is going to Aiken!

[Lin Rhea]

Jeff,
     It tickles me to see you still so fired up about forging. You're right, the blacksmiths can teach us so much about moving metal. I recently enjoyed a day of metal working with one of the major blacksmiths that works in Colonial Williamsburg, Josh Greenwood. He knows how to handle a bar of steel.

You got some good tools there. Have you been to Batson's yet? Lin

[Over&Under]

Originally posted by tippit:
Here's what else Mark taught us. If you can do this with hammers and no drills just punches/drifts, then you can do whatever you want in a blade!  It all a mater of hammer control.

   

   

Are you kidding me!!!!  That is talent in the true sense of the word!  WOW!  Looks like you really enjoyed yourself Doc, thanks for sharing with us, and glad you were able to take some things home with you that improve your skills.