Batson Bladesmith Symposium 9-11 April 2026

[grahamknifeworks]

We are trying to raise membership and attendance of conferences of the Alabama Forge Council (AFC). Typically, members get notified via newsletters and monthly meetings, but this does very little to getting the word out to non-members. Below is our lineup for next April's Symposium which is conducted at Tannehill Ironworks State Park in McCalla AL about 35 miles west of Birmingham off of I-20:

37th Annual Batson Bladesmith Symposium & Knife Show

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Thursday 9 April 2026

8 AM – 5:30 PM Tailgating of Blacksmith & Bladesmith Goods – All Weekend

3:00-5:30 Registration & Check In Hoot’n & Holler

4:00-6:00 Steve Alford Demo Blacksmith Pocket Knife Forge Pavilion

6:00 PM Meet and Greet – Everyone Welcome Forge Pavilion

Friday 10 April 2026

7:00 AM Registration & Check In Hoot’n & Holler

8:00 – 10:00 Mike Diebert- Damascus Making Forge Pavilion

Todd Butler / Butch Sheely – Frontier Knives Vulcan Pavilion

Jason Bivens – Slip Joint Folders Classroom

Billy Bates - Hands on Engraving Harris Pavilion

Green Coal – Hands on Forging Next to the Harris Pavilion


10:00-12:00 Joey Berry & Walter Sorrells - Tapered Tang Forge Pavilion

Todd Butler / Butch Sheely – Frontier Knives Vulcan Pavilion

Jason Bivens – Slip Joint Folders Classroom

Billy Bates - Hands on Engraving Harris Pavilion

Green Coal – Hands on Forging Next to the Harris Pavilion

12:00 Lunch

1:00-3:00 Mike Diebert- Damascus Making Forge Pavilion

Todd Butler / Butch Sheely – Frontier Knives Vulcan Pavilion

Joe Keesler – ABS Judging Classroom

Billy Bates - Hands on Engraving Harris Pavilion

Green Coal – Hands on Forging Next to the Harris Pavilion



3:00-5:00 Jason Knight – Sword Making Forge Pavilion

Mike Diebert- Damascus Making Batson Pavilion

Jason Bivens – Slip Joint Folders Classroom

Todd Butler / Butch Sheely – Frontier Knives Vulcan Pavilion

Billy Bates - Hands on Engraving Harris Pavilion

Green Coal – Hands on Forging Next to the Harris Pavilion

5:00-7:00 Dinner Event Center
7:00-9:00 Blade Forging Competition - All Forge Pavilion

9:00 Blade Auction

Saturday 11 April 2026

7:00 AM Registration & Check In Hoot’n & Holler

8:00-10:00 Jason Knight – Sword Making Forge Pavilion

Todd Butler / Butch Sheely – Frontier Knives Vulcan Pavilion

Jason Bivens – Slip Joint Folders Classroom

Billy Bates - Hands on Engraving Harris Pavilion

Green Coal – Hands on Forging Next to the Harris Pavilion

10:00-12:00 Jason Knight – Sword Making Forge Pavilion

Todd Butler / Butch Sheely – Frontier Knives Vulcan Pavilion

Jason Bivens – Slip Joint Folders Classroom

Billy Bates - Hands on Engraving Harris Pavilion

Green Coal – Hands on Forging Next to the Harris Pavilion

12:00 Lunch

1:00-3:00 Knife Show & Exhibition

3:00-5:00 Auction

5:00-7:00 Supper

7:00-9:00 Jigs and Special Tools Forge Pavilion

Bill Wiggins, Ray Kirk, Jason Knight, Butch Sheely, and More