Ashokan Weekend 2008 (in pictures)

[Chris Meyer]

Greetings everyone,

I finally got around to editing my photos from Ashokan 2008 (I only had about 500 pictures to go through.)

We start off with Friday, September 19, 2008. I actually got in early enough to take a walk around the grounds before things got started.

This of course is Mace’s bane, the dreaded Wiggly Bridge.

This is the Blacksmith’s Shop

The nearby Printer’s Shop, an interesting little building.

Next door to the Printer’s is the Pewter Shop.

A short hike down a dirt road, and you reach the famous Ashokan covered bridge.

The Ashokan Pavilion; where many of the demos are held.

On my way back to the lodge, I encountered a psycho with a sword! (Sam Salvati)

Things started after dinner that night, with a greeting by Tim Neu, the Ashokan Director.

Then Tim Zowada gave the introduction.

​

 

[Chris Meyer]

(Friday continued)

Dan Maragni then gave us the scoop on his New Adventures in Commercial Knife Manufacturing. He’s now working for Ontario Knives, so I would expect their quality to go up, especially the Spec Plus line that he’s directly involved with.

After the lecture, people drifted up to the Pavilion for the Open Forge time (until 2:00 AM)

Here, Jerry Rados tends a fire, while Sean Finlayson and Caleb McCary look on.

Mike Spangler, Matt Gregory & Sam Salvati. Hear no evil, See no evil, and Speak no evil.

Herb Kettell with one of his big choppers.

The New Jersey Steel Baron (Aldo Bruno) at work. (Love that smoking while forging.)

Matt and Mike watching Aldo work, with Page in the background.

Here is Page Steinhardt (Sunshadow) trying to break an anvil.

This is Caleb McCary forging away.

Meanwhile, back at the main lodge, Andy Porter tries his hand at engraving.

Whew, that was all just the first night.​

 

[Chris Meyer]

Saturday, after breakfast, we began with Brian Lyttle’s Engraving Lecture/Demo. Brian engraved the blade of a hunting knife that Kevin Cashen had started. The knife was raffled off on Sunday. (Dan Maragni won.)

Brian Lyttle lecturing.

Brian Lyttle engraving.

Here is a close up of the unfinished engraving.

Next, Don Fogg gave a Forging Demo. Here’s Don hammering.

And Don explaining some of the finer points of blade forging.

​

After Don’s Forging Demo, Jake Powning gave one on Lost Wax Casting. This one took place in the Blacksmith’s Shop.

This is Jake Powning.

Jake pouring molten metal into a vacuum mold.

Jake smiling after a successful pour.

Here is a picture of the parts he was casting. It may be hard to discern, but there are actually two pieces that were poured together; a pointy guard and a round pommel.

 

[Chris Meyer]

Next, Burt Foster gave a lecture on forging Stainless San Mai blades. He’s combining carbon steel cores with stainless outer layers. It seems to be pretty difficult to do, but the results are amazing. (It was strange, but every where you’d look during the weekend, you’d see Burt’s face staring back at you. )

This is Burt.

One of his stainless laminate blades.

Here’s another shot of the spine of the same knife. The dark part is the carbon steel.

After lunch, Roman Landes was scheduled to give a lecture on knife blades and steel. It was supposed to happen over the internet, as Landes lives in Germany. Unfortunately, do to technical difficulties (dial up at Ashokan?), this lecture could not take place.

Instead, Tim Zowada gave a lecture and demo on sharpening knives and razors.

Here is Tim lecturing. On the TV screen is a shot from his microscope of a human hair next to the edge on a knife blade.

Tim talking razors.

After Tim, Brian Lyttle gave a demo on grinding short swords. Brian can’t really forge anymore because of a shoulder injury, so he showed us how he gets a distal taper on his swords with the grinder. It was one of those “What a good idea, why didn’t I think of that” demos.

This is Brian at the grinder. (He was that masked man.)

Afterwards, Brian fixed up the grind on a knife for someone.

At that point, it was sunny and warm, I’d had a big lunch and little sleep, so I went and took a nap.​

 

[Chris Meyer]

After dinner, Don Fogg gave a lecture and demo on Forging Damascus.

Here’s Don lecturing from the anvil.

The billet in the forge…

…and Don forging the billet.

Then Don dragged Jason Knight up, so that Jason could explain how he makes certain Damascus patterns.

This is Jason.

Afterwards, I got this shot of Jason with a big blade (Sax?) he was carrying around.

Burt Foster gave the next lecture/demo, this time on Heat Treating.

Burt holding the victim blade.

Burt then learned why you shouldn’t quench in oil contained in a PVC pipe. The oil ignited as the blade was submersed, which set the PVC on fire, which kept the oil burning even after the blade was under its surface. It was a good thing Burt was wearing a glove. Hopefully, he won’t do that again any time soon.

Burt’s attempt at self-immolation.

After the quench. Is that Burt’s hand smoking, the blade, or both?

 

[Chris Meyer]

After breakfast on Sunday, Kevin Cashen gave a lecture on The Shocking Truth About Commonly Accepted Facts That Are Totally False This was a great lecture, as there are a surprising number of common misconceptions that are totally Barbara Streisand (B.S.)

Here is Kevin lecturing.

Kevin describing what he’d like to do to the people who spread the B.S.

After Kevin’s excellent lecture, we had the annual Ashokan Knife Show.

Some of Kevin’s work.

A couple by Jason Knight.

Two by Mace Vitale

Mace himself.

Jake Powning with one of his beautiful swords.

Stacy (bldsmth) Apelt’s table.

One of Stacy’s swords.

And finally, an overall view of the show.

It was another hectic weekend at Ashokan, but enjoyable as always. We had good people, good food, and good weather. What more could you ask for?

 

[Bruce Bump]

Looks like you had a fasinating weekend. I really like that Foster stainless/hicarbon knife. How the heck did he do that?
Thanks for the treat with the pictures!

 

[fitzo]

Many thanks for the fotos, Chris!

 

[Vinny203]

thanks for the great photo's, gotta make it one year

 

[Dan Pierson]

Great pics Chris. You got a lot of things I didn't.

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Did Kevin sing again?

 

[Allen Newberry]

That sure looks like fun.

Allen

 

[jll346]

Cool pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[John R. Fraps]

Thank-You so much for sharing!

 

[TekSec]

Man, very nice presentation! It was like living the weekend all over again! I still have no idea where the printer's shop, the pewter shop or the covered bridge are.

 

[deker]

Man I'm bummed I couldn't make it this year

Looks like you guys had a great hammer-in tho!

-d

 

[Matthew Gregory]

It was a blast!

Great photos, as usual, Chris -- always great to see you, too!

 

[delbert ealy]

Its always a great weekend.
At least there is only one shot of me and thats from the back.
Del
Thanks for posting the pics-I forgot my camera this year.

 

[TekSec]

At least there is only one shot of me and thats from the back.

It's the little things we can be thankful for

By the way, I escaped everyone's camera I believe. Even more to be thankful for

 

[Mace]

Good times...good times.
Mace