Guys just got home and thought I would share a wonderfull exsperence.There is so much to tell I can't really cover it all. I will kinda go through some of what goes on.
Our class had 9 students and two instructors first week it was M.S JR Cook and J.S. Carl Hallenbeck.They ask you what you want to learn and everyone whats to learn something different and they teach you everything.
Some of the things learned in this course where forging, heat treating,knife finish and about everything you need to complete a knife.
My interest was learning to make blades to pass the performance test.(Learning to control my steel at ALL times)Although Karl Anderson had took me through this process many times on the phone and in person (I really didn't have it down)Now I understand what they are talking about!!!
The photo below will show what I mean.The first two knifes are a test .After forging and heat treatment,these knives where sharpend and tested.Although the cut extremly well.(rope cut,two 2 by 4 cut,cut water bottels standing cans,and would still shave,(I thoght this was a snap LOL) much to my dimay they failed the bend test,breaking at 90 degrees.
The next two where built better with more attenion to detail,and they did all the above and did pass the bend test the third knife (even though its broke passed because I wanted to see how far I could push it,we went through 90 degrees and the cheater pipe almost made it to the floor but broke at about 120 degrees (very good blade)
The next knife was only bent to 90 degrees ,thought you guys would want to see one that didn't break LOL And the last knife was my play around knife that passed all tests just didn't bend.
The next pics are some I forged and are in different stages of completion.Not all these knives will see handles because there is something wrong with most of them LOL
Her are some more pics
This is our class and instructors,notice all different ages.guess we are never to young to learn or to old to learn more LOL(I,m the guy in the black hat)
The next pic is M.S. JR cook trying to cut 18 bottles of water(He had to buy my lunch after missing the first two bottels LOL)
Next is pic of our second week instructors M.S. Mike Willams and J.S. Mike Ruth.Notice the Santa hats!!!on Saturday night they made riendeer shoes for all the little kids in town
A little more about some of the extra things that went on where Carl making a Damascus billet while we were in class,M.S. Jerry Fisk giving talk on the bussiness end of knife making,he also walked around the shop giving pointers and making fun of my forged knives LOL. The second week we went to Kenny Rowes leather shop to look at equipment and discuess making sheaths and on Thusday M.S. Lin Rhea stopped by (to make sure we where working I think) Of corse my classmates and I where cutting rope at the time and I think Lin cut with my knife really can't remember.Well I thought if I had to cut rope Lin should cut rope LOL after going to his truck and getting his knife he got ready to cut NO NO .I thought Lin should cut two ropes so after taping two of the ropes together we said go ahead,He cut both ropes and just laughed at us.
And to finish up on Thusday night we where invited to Uncle AL's (Riverside Machine shop) to eat supper,and look at knives, have discussion on knife making ,J.R Cook also showed how to remove handle on knife after it was clued up and not distroy the handle.There where 6 Mastersmiths at this meeting and some jouneysmiths.Talk about getting your questions ansewered LOL
Guys I'll finish up by saying if you ever have a chance do this corse and yes it cost quite a bit,but the college has sholarships avalible (really look into this)If you have questins about the class or anything we did, just let me know. Thanks to everyone that was involved or incouraged me to go to school.
Later Kevin
Topic: Intro to Bladesmithing class (Read 686 times)
