Trad Gang
Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: tippit on March 07, 2011, 08:14:00 AM
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Just got home to Aiken from the ABS blade symposium in Clyde, NC. It was fantastic, learned how to refine my Keeslar style forging from the man...Mr Joe Keeslar. Reconnected with Master Smiths...Jason Knight & Burt Foster. They are now my mentors/teachers in Cutting Competitions...more on that later :) Met a bunch of Trad Gangers including a new friend and roommate Wayne Martin from Greenville, NC. Wayne (former stock remover bladesmith) forged his first blade in the green forge area. I hope he posts some pictures of it. Also met a bunch of bladesmiths that are Traditional Bowhunters. Hopefully they will show show up here as I gave them all invites.
Back to Never Say Never...
This was my 3rd GSMBS. I've made many friends there especially with some of the best bladesmiths in the country. I've always said I'd never go for a Journeyman's rating being too old, my style of smithing is not necessarily ABS, and I don't even sell my knives. So I Never (there's that word again) joined ABS. This year I did join as a collector but that doesn't allow you to accumulate the necessary year requirements for taking a rating.
Well I changed my opinion. You can have any style a bladesmithing and apply the techniques from what ABS is instilling in their bladesmith. Long story short, I re-enter my membership as an apprentice. I'll probably take a 2week week ABS school session to potentially allow me the opportunity to try for a journeyman's rating in a 2 years period. Now that I'm nearing retirement I need some new goals...tippit
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Sounds like a lot of fun, thanks for sharing! When you stop having goals, you got no motivation.
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Jeff, I'm glad you enjoyed the symposium.
I'm pretty excited for you that you've joined the ABS, because this will keep you grounded in the traditional form of shaping your blade and will open up new networkings of friends. I cant tell you how many I have gotten to know and find out they shoot traditional bows.
When you do decide to take the course, let me know since I am not too far away. I'd like to drop in or meet for dinner. Congratulations. Lin
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Jeff, I am glad for you and hope the journey is eventful!
Dan
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Hey Doc it was nice meeting you this weekend. And I joined the ABS this morning soon as I got to work too. I bet that 2 week class would well worth taking not just for cutting a year off the time to test but for the information and techniques to make us better makers. Are you going back for the fall hammer in?
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Barry,
Nice talking with you too. Probably not this fall with hunting season and all. Maybe next spring though. They have that 2 week class starting right after the hammer-in.
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Way to go, Jeff.
And that "too old" stuff doesn't fly.
And I hope you don't have your sights set only on JS!
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Yep you brought a big smile to my face again Jeff, although I was already smiling just because I'm sitting here in Hawaii ;) That's awesome news, like I told you many times your work is great. Tickled to hear your thinking JS and like Karl says... !!
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That's cool Jeff,Really glad you decided to join as aprentice.
Glad you decided to try for stamp,two years and school will go extremly fast it has for me anyway,almost to fast.
Don't know if I wish what I'm going through right now on anybody ,very very stressfull.
Good Luck
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Good to hear, Jeff. Now we all need to go to Hawaii to support Doug in whatever he is doing there.
Allan
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Doug, Looks like I'd better learn my way around Matt's shop ;)
Kevin, Good Luck...sorry I can't make the Blade Show for support this year.
Allen, A little time on those beaches fly fishing and chasing a few arrows would bring a smile to my face too!
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Lin, I was amazed at the number of bladesmiths that shoot traditional longbows & recurves. I hope a few that I talked to about looking up Trad Gang show up. I took some knives and a few pictures with me...but I think this picture brought a few out the closet on traditional bowhunting. I'm not sure if Mr Keeslar like my knives or my bowhunting pictiures more. He had his 84# Harrison longbow with him :eek:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Quebec%20Quest%202010/BearQuest2010068.jpg)
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I've spoken to Joe about Tradgang too. 84 lbs! He likes his bows like he likes his forging hammers. Heavy!
It's all traditional and you're doing a great job of passing it on Jeff. I'm sorry you wont be at the Blade Show, but thanks to TG we'll be in touch. Nice bear. I would like to see a picture of Doug with a tan. Mmmmmmm...mmm, a cowboy hat and bermudas. :goldtooth:
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Originally posted by tippit:
Allan, A little time on those beaches fly fishing and chasing a few arrows would bring a smile to my face too!
Jeff, it would bring a smile to my face too, but that bear picture shows me there are other things that can put a big smile on your face!!! :bigsmyl:
Allan
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Originally posted by Lin Rhea:
I would like to see a picture of Doug with a tan. Mmmmmmm...mmm, a cowboy hat and bermudas. :goldtooth:
Stop!
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Jeff, glad to here your considering pursuing you JS stamp. Was the symposium as good as the past two? Do you have any pictures to post?
I emailed Mr. Bailey about his hammers.
Also how was the hog hunting?
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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Steve,
The symposium was even better than the past two in getting to review Joe Keeslar's style from bar stock to finished knife. Plus now that I have the basics in my forging down, I can pick up important points that I've missed in the past from the shear overload of information.
Baily hammers are some of the nicest I've seen.
My wife has had a bad year in Aiken with broken leg & arm to start the winter season. Then she has been fighting pneumonia. So I stayed around to help her out. Hog hunting will have to wait for next season...Jeff
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Jeff, I certanly understand how that works, while attending my "Intro" course at Haywood in 2009 I stayed at the shop over lunch and watched MS Greg Neely forge a hunter. I asked a minimum of questions, just watched. I learned more in that 30 min. at the anvil then I would have in 3 hrs. setting in the classroom. Fortunatly we had many great demos from Greg & Burt Foster.
Sorry about your wifes issues, hope she makes a complete and speedy recovery.
I know you have been trading/selling bows, what is your "go to" bow now?
BTW fly fishing just around the corner! I'm looking forward to that!
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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Congrats Jeff on your ABS membership. :clapper: :clapper:
It has been great watching you from your early days of knifemaking to where you are now. The ABS will be proud to have you in their ranks.
Maybe this will lead you to where I can get you to sell me a knife. I'd like to reserve an option on one of your JS test knives if you'd allow me that honour sir!
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Dave,
If I ever get there you have first choice. As to selling knives, I've started picking the brain trust around here. I might just have to become an Associate Sponsor to get rid of the excess steel I'm pounding and help fund some more equipment. I'm already starting a shop project in Aiken...so it will probably Tippit North & South Knives :)