New to the Forums, looking forward to learning.

[zachsiler]

Hello everyone,

I hope this isn't an inappropriate place to make an introductory post and I apologize if it is. I am a novice bladesmith living in Hot Springs AR and have recently been trying to get a working shop set up in place to do some more forging. I completed the Intro to Bladesmithing course offered at the ABS school in 2009 where I learned from J.R. Cook and Mike Williams both of which I was honored and humbled to learn from. I have a few home built tools that have been semi-serviceable for the limited amount I've worked with them but my forge has never really worked in a satisfactory way so I am doing a rebuild on it. Does anyone run a setup with a ribbon burner? If so what are your thoughts on pros and cons?

I am interested in learning from anyone in my area and making some new friends who share my interests in bladesmithing. Hopefully I can find a few brains to pick on the various forge designs I have been looking into too. I work as a carpenter and I am more than happy to repay any assistance I receive with skilled labor. I also have access to some nice exotic hardwoods for handle materials which I would love to see someone put to good use.

I hope I haven't spammed up this board too bad and I look forward to asking stupid questions and learning from the many talented makers on this forum. Feel free to contact me with any comments or advice, I am here to learn. I will try to post some decent pictures of the last knife I made for a survival course I took asap. Thanks!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Check out the Moran School of Bladesmithing in Hope, AK.

There are also several really great Hammer-ins in AK each year....Piney Woods being one of the best.

 

[zachsiler]

Thanks Stacy. As I said in the post I went to the AR Moran school in 2009 and had a great experience but life got in the way of my passion so I lost touch with all the guys I met there. I was just hoping there may be someone local I could swap some ideas with without having to do a physical search but I will definitely check out some hammer-ins if time permits.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Sorry, I think I was thinking you were another fellow. It is good you went to the school. The fall Piney woods hammer-in was canceled, but they plan on a bigger and better spring event. There are a lot of good makers around you. I would grab a copy of Blade 2015 and look at the AR maker listing. Email or call a few of the Hot Springs area guys up and have them over for a BBQ. That will get you back going again.