Local Fair and blacksmith demo

R Dockrell

R Dockrell

Joined
Mar 26, 2000
Messages
658
Well Friday night the wife and I went for our anual stroll around the fair grounds. Found a guy doing a blacksmith demo in the antique village.
He was good, banging out horseshoes, forks, spoons, and other goodies in short order.
Introduced myself during his break and started a convesation and told him I was knife maker. He asked if I had done any forgeing and I told him a bit. He asked if I would bring a blade or two around for him to see today.
Well to make a long story short he put me to work in his smitty showing "him" how to forge a blade. You see he had never in 25 years forged a knife blade.
It was my first time working on a coal forge and his anvil was massive about 350 lbs is my guess.
We took turns, I'd do a step then he would duplicate it.
The time flew by and when we came up for air about three hours later we had 6 blades done and about 50 people standing there watching us, it was great.
I showed my two knives to about 75 people that came by and I ran out of business cards. But best of all!! He asked me if I was willing to set up beside him next year and do knife forging demos for 4 days!!
The number one question from the audience was "do you make swords". Guess what I might do next year.
 
Way to go Robert! I haven't yet the pleasure of seeing your forged blades, but if they are the same quality as the Boxer you made for me, then I'm sure they are fine blades indeed.

I'd really like to come out to Storch's place next year and see all you boys pound some steel. But it's a bit of a trip from here, we'll see.

Dale.
 
Congrats Robert! That is amazing! Are you still holding out for the Circus, or are you just going to take the fair job? :)

I am very happy for you. That is an amazing thing that has happenned. Flat Lands Sword Co. Hm.. sounds nice!

By the way, have job, will save and come and play and pay you for them belts ;)
 
Congratulations! Cool that you're gonna be a "performer" next year. I think that such "exhibitions" could do wonders for knifedom, and especially forged customs.

I'd take at least double the number of business cards you think you'll need! Good luck!
 
Hey guys this was indeed a great afternoon. But what I failed to tell you was that this guy was GOOD with a hammer. He had just never had the want to make a knife. He made horseshoes and other forged nicknacks so fast it made your head spin. He travels all over the west and enters horseshoe forging competitions and is always in the top three by the looks of all the ribbons on the wall of his travelling smitty. The thing that ammazed me is that ever horseshoe looks exactly the same, like they were cast in a mold.
What really happened is I spent an hour showing him the steps in forging a knife, then he taught
me how to use a hammer for two hours. By the time blade 3 for for each of us came around, he had his done and I was only about half way there.
The bottom line is I'm still learning and will continue to do so as long as days like this keep coming along.
 
congrats on the job offer

most of the smiths realize that their trade is dieing out, and will teach as much as they can whenever they find a good student.

you ought to go back next year just for the next lesson
 
That is really COOL.I always enjoy myself at our annual Fall Festival whenI do my demonstrating on forging blades.I know that you must have had a grewat time.Doesn't time fly when you are having fun.
Bruce
 
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