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- Jul 8, 2008
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A couple weeks ago, I had an opportunity to do a shortseminar with Ed Fowler at his Willow Bow Ranch in Riverton, Wy. I have bothhis books and both videos, and have read the books countless times and aboutworn the videos out, learning about 52100 and his heat treating and knifemaking and testing methods. I had visited his website, and seen that he offeredweek long seminars, but between business and family taking a full week to go toa seminar is pretty much out of the question, so I figured the books and videoswould have to do. As good as they are, they dont compare to a visit in person.
This year is the first year I have been selling knives, beenmaking them for awhile, and had given one to just about anyone who wanted one.Ed happened to see a knife that I had posted on the BF exchange and said somenice things about it. Started a running email about knives, and I mentionedthat I would like to visit, but could not spend an entire week there. Imaginemy surprise when he said that we could do a full week, a couple days at a timeover a year or two!
So, after some scheduling emails, we found a weekend thatwould work for both of us, and off I went to Riverton. I live about 4 ½ hoursaway from there, so plenty of thinking time both ways. When I got there, Ifound 2 friends that Id never met, Ed, and Chris Amos. After some knife talk,and a little bit of visiting, we got straight to work forging down some 1round bar 52100 on the power hammer that I had bought awhile back and decidedthat it was too big to work down by hand. Power hammers are incredible!
The entire 2 days were very busy. We went over steel types, suppliers, heating,forging, heat treat, grinding and grinds, testing, guards, etching, handles,sheaths, tools, tips, and just about everything we could think of. We stayed upuntil 2-3 in the morning, and then were back at it at 7-8 the next morning. Istayed in the spare room in the house Chris stays in, and we ate there at theranch, so there was no time wasted in back and forth driving for meals or to ahotel.
I took a 52100 blade that I had made in the last batch totest while I was there. It was about 5 long and .200 thick, with a convexgrind and multiple edge quenched. We tested it for edge flex and rope cuttingand then clamped it up in a vise and with a torque wrench flexed her to 90degrees, then back to straight, then 90 the other way, back to straight, andthen back to about 80 degrees the original way where the edge cracked. It tooka pretty consistent 29-30 ftlbs of force the entire time to complete theflexes.
It was a great trip, and I am excited for the next one, assoon as I get everything [or most of it} I learned incorporated in my methods.Its only been a week since I left there, and I am already getting a lot moreperformance from my blades, I just tested a couple of 1095 blades {that I hadorders for right before I left for the seminar}, and they are cutting at least30% better than before.
If you have a chance to go for a full seminar with Ed, oreven a short one, take it. Ed and Chris are excellent teachers, good men toknow, and to work with. Neither one of them talk above your head, teach thingsas simply as possible, and dont hold any secrets. There are plenty of testblades to examine and to learn from. A very nice library of knife and steelbooks is there in the shop to read. It was a great seminar, and I hope to getback up there just as soon as I can for the next one!
This year is the first year I have been selling knives, beenmaking them for awhile, and had given one to just about anyone who wanted one.Ed happened to see a knife that I had posted on the BF exchange and said somenice things about it. Started a running email about knives, and I mentionedthat I would like to visit, but could not spend an entire week there. Imaginemy surprise when he said that we could do a full week, a couple days at a timeover a year or two!
So, after some scheduling emails, we found a weekend thatwould work for both of us, and off I went to Riverton. I live about 4 ½ hoursaway from there, so plenty of thinking time both ways. When I got there, Ifound 2 friends that Id never met, Ed, and Chris Amos. After some knife talk,and a little bit of visiting, we got straight to work forging down some 1round bar 52100 on the power hammer that I had bought awhile back and decidedthat it was too big to work down by hand. Power hammers are incredible!
The entire 2 days were very busy. We went over steel types, suppliers, heating,forging, heat treat, grinding and grinds, testing, guards, etching, handles,sheaths, tools, tips, and just about everything we could think of. We stayed upuntil 2-3 in the morning, and then were back at it at 7-8 the next morning. Istayed in the spare room in the house Chris stays in, and we ate there at theranch, so there was no time wasted in back and forth driving for meals or to ahotel.
I took a 52100 blade that I had made in the last batch totest while I was there. It was about 5 long and .200 thick, with a convexgrind and multiple edge quenched. We tested it for edge flex and rope cuttingand then clamped it up in a vise and with a torque wrench flexed her to 90degrees, then back to straight, then 90 the other way, back to straight, andthen back to about 80 degrees the original way where the edge cracked. It tooka pretty consistent 29-30 ftlbs of force the entire time to complete theflexes.
It was a great trip, and I am excited for the next one, assoon as I get everything [or most of it} I learned incorporated in my methods.Its only been a week since I left there, and I am already getting a lot moreperformance from my blades, I just tested a couple of 1095 blades {that I hadorders for right before I left for the seminar}, and they are cutting at least30% better than before.
If you have a chance to go for a full seminar with Ed, oreven a short one, take it. Ed and Chris are excellent teachers, good men toknow, and to work with. Neither one of them talk above your head, teach thingsas simply as possible, and dont hold any secrets. There are plenty of testblades to examine and to learn from. A very nice library of knife and steelbooks is there in the shop to read. It was a great seminar, and I hope to getback up there just as soon as I can for the next one!
