Moving to Canada, need some new knifemaking friends

T

Travis Fry

Joined
Jun 11, 2010
Messages
485
I just accepted a temporary assignment to go work for 10 months in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, starting in April. I won't be able to bring any equipment with me, so my knifemaking willl be put on hold until I get back. So...

Are there any Calgary area makers that could take me in so that I can get a fix once in a while?

Are there any uniquely Canadian materials that I should try to acquire while I'm there?

Are there any knife related events or places that are must-visits before I come back to Texas?

I have to be making SOMETHING, so are there any ancillary skill sets that I should work to acquire that 1) don't take a lot of equipment 2) can be done inside an apartment when it's too cold to breathe outside and 3) that can add to my knife making repertoire when I can finally get back to it?
 
Travis Fry said:
I just accepted a temporary assignment to go work for 10 months in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, starting in April.

Are there any uniquely Canadian materials that I should try to acquire while I'm there?
Click to expand...

A Hockey Stick.

-Peter
 
Travis Fry said:
I just accepted a temporary assignment to go work for 10 months in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, starting in April. I won't be able to bring any equipment with me, so my knifemaking willl be put on hold until I get back. So...

Are there any Calgary area makers that could take me in so that I can get a fix once in a while?

Are there any uniquely Canadian materials that I should try to acquire while I'm there?

Are there any knife related events or places that are must-visits before I come back to Texas?

I have to be making SOMETHING, so are there any ancillary skill sets that I should work to acquire that 1) don't take a lot of equipment 2) can be done inside an apartment when it's too cold to breathe outside and 3) that can add to my knife making repertoire when I can finally get back to it?
Click to expand...

The new CKG site should help you track down members.
You used to be able to view members by location, but I can't see how now


http://www.leclairknives.com/
http://www.lightfootknives.com/



Supplies and tools here.
http://www.knifemaker.ca/help.php?section=contactus&mode=update

Rob will probably have the info on where you can best hookup with tools, materials and people.
He also runs another forum
http://www.canadianknifemaker.ca/forum.php

Brian is a good maker out that way.
He used to hold a hammerin
http://www.lyttleknives.com/index.htm


"Boatbuilder"
is doing a hammerin in the summer there too
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1020498-2013-Southern-Alberta-Hammer-In




Stuff to see and do?
The Calgary Stampede is a big deal if you can cowboy it for a while
http://www.calgarystampede.com/
FYI-"Prarie oysters" are fried bull testicles


fishing, hunting and outdoors stuff is big too

http://www.visitcalgary.com/things-to-do/sports-recreation/sport-facilities/calgary-shooting-centre


They call this "Kananaskis country"

pic27.jpg




Our beer is better
 
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You think Calgary will be cold, come up and visit Edmonton! You'll be in a great spot to get outdoor and use your knives, 45 minutes from the mountains with tons of places to explore. Fishing the Forestry trunk road is great, you might even bump into a few of us locals :p
 
Travis, that's a long way from home. Make sure you take a coat and an extra pair of drawers. There might be birch trees up there that we don't have down here and other types of wood that you can find. Take them some Shiner so they'll quit bragging about their beer.
 
how about trying scrimshaw , that can easily be done in a appt setting or light carving / texturing.
chris
 
Thanks guys, especially to the Count for the links. That's some helpful info, though being from a Texas cow family I'm already well aware of the actual makeup of prairie oysters. We call them mountain oysters or calf fries here, but the product is the same.

I'm definitely going to plan to attend that hammer in. With the lineup of folks they have coming, I'd be a fool to miss it, and it's only 2 hours away.

Jason, I brew my own, which is better than Shiner or anything Canadian. Beer is like knives in that if you want something really good, you have to make it yourself. I dare them to prove me wrong (as long as they're providing the samples).

Last night I spilled most of a bottle of black india ink on my bedroom floor whilst playing with scrimshaw. The wife is out of town, so we'll see how that goes when she gets back. It cleaned up pretty well. I have a lot of pre-ban elephant ivory to practice on here, but am not going to take it with me (it'd get confiscated at the border). Scrimshaw is certainly an option though.
 
I never heard them called prairie oysters before, they were always mountain oysters or calf fries where I grew up.
 
Wow, from Katy to Calgary! That's a haul bro. The most important thing to remember if you want to fit in is to lose your accent...i'm sure you have one...and end every other sentence with... "eh?" ;) If you need more advice, watch the movie called "Strange Brew". :) You can thank me later!
 
Muddy.... dude..... he's going to Calgary. What he needs to watch(also) is "Goon"! :very_drunk::beaten:

Oh, and if you're going to any where near the oil sands.....buy a bigger truck than the one you had in Texas. With more chrome.:thumbup::thumbup::cool:

No need to thank me.


:p
-Peter
 
First- Skip Calgary:mad: and come to Edmonton- 3 hours away but so much better ;)

There is a lot to do here (Alberta), so you will have as much fun as you want.

Geography:
No maples here means no local maple syrup. Calgary is in the prairies, and is the only place in the world to experience a chinook- melting the snow an hour after it was -30° outside. Bears aren't usually a problem, they just like to snuggle, just don't get too touchy feely in your sleep........ It gets to be 30°C plus, don't just being parkas and insulated pants like my relatives did when they moved here one July. (4° above zero today)

For uniquely Canadian materials- fossils (especially ammonite) are plentiful in southern Alberta (and throughout the province), one of the most diverse and largest fossil areas in the world is in Drumheller. For animal supplies- Whitetail/muley, elk, moose, bighorn and mountain goats, the odd caribou in the far north (or go arctic territories for musk ox/Caribou/wolverine etc), birch- not really what your flora is like to compare what you are familiar with.


Can't forget the testicles on the hitch of your truck
Around here About is pronounced 'about' a boot is put up your ass when you ask us about it ;)
You will get used to the 'eh'(I hate the spelling), we just like to practice our alphabet!
We have shine here too- tastes like shine.


The weather changes when it wants to, think of weather like it is a female dog. "If you don't like the weather in Alberta wait 5 minutes, it'll change. If you still don't like it the exits are here, here, here, here, or anywhere..." ;)

This was our May long weekend near Edson, Alberta
The drive
IMG_3983.jpg

As we were setting up our tent
IMG_3988.jpg

5 min later
IMG_3993.jpg

Within the hour
IMG_3996.jpg


Morning
IMG_4010.jpg

Before noon
IMG_4019.jpg



Overlooking Banff (near Calgary)
IMG_3836.jpg


Okay, so we can be a little off at times:
IMG_3872.jpg


If you make it to Edmonton make sure to give me a shout- when are you planning on making your move here). With Alberta being oil country it isn't uncommon to find you Deep South folk (did I say that right?) around these here parts.
 
Greetings,
I live 15 minutes east of Calgary. Drop me a line sometime when you arrive, we can work something out.

Dennis
 
I promise not to make fun of all ya'll for saying "eh" and "aboot" and calling each other "hoser" if all y'all promise not to make fun of me for saying "all y'all" and shivering all the time. It got up to about 30*C today in Houston. I wore shorts in the shop this evening.

Culturally I think I'll fit right in: cows and oil are things that resonate with Texans who have been here a few generations, and my family has had plenty of the former (and unfortunately none of the latter). I appreciate all the information and offers of hospitality. I think I'll be moving in April with the wife and kid and dog, with a few solo visits for cross training in March. I don't know if I'll make it up to Edmonton or not. My company has a stake in the Athabasca oil sands, Jackpine mine, and some prospective SAGD acreage called Birchwood which are all up that way, but I'm an accountant and they don't let us out much. Any way about it, my goal is to be outside and out of town whenever I'm off work and the weather allows.

Any of y'all who want to, send me your contact info and I'll be in touch.

Thanks,

Travis
 
Travis, Edmonton has non-stop festivals and concerts all summer long - it'll definitely be worth at least one trip up!
 
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