One Month Until Ashokan!!

Matthew Gregory

Matthew Gregory

Chief Executive in charge of Entertainment
Joined
Jan 12, 2005
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I figure since it's so close, I should remind everyone so they can lose sleep with me ...in anticipation...

Can't wait to be there, can't wait to talk to people and get to know them better, can't wait to learn new stuff and (hopefully) improve old stuff, can't wait to hear and see the demonstrators for this year!

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FOOD!!!! How many seminars can you say that about? (Excepting, of course, Wulf's New England ABS Hammer In, where food was truly superb!).

Yup, it's thirty days or so out, and I'll already be losing sleep and getting giddy!

There is a point to this thread,other than the obvious... I know what fires my gears for this event, but what is everyone else really excited to experience this year?
Is there a particular demo that's of keen interest to you? Is there someone going that you want to meet? Do you want to eat all the killer bacon served at breakfast? Post here, so we can get as worked up as a bunch of 8-year-olds with a full box of Pixie Stix emptied in front of us!


(This year will be the second annual ASHOKAN INVITATIONAL WORLD THUMBWRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP, where Michael Spangler will be making his debut as my tag team partner in this event (and whose reading of this thread is learning that I've just thrown him under the bus and volunteered him to do this). Last year I acquired the title belt from Mace Vitale, who failed to show at the appropriate time at the Trembling Bridge Of Despair and Death and forfeited. Hopefully, with both Mike and myself to needle and prod him, the title will remain in the hands of the righteous owner(s). Anyone interested in volunteering to harass Mace during Ashokan is welcome to it, as he loves the attention -- just ask him!:D)


So seriously, gang, what's in this year's lineup that's bringing you out of the dark recesses of your shops?
 
Personally, I am very much looking forward to Michael McCarthy's steelmaking. Last year, I was the dork showering in the rain of sparks and embers that poured forth from the bloomery oven. Nothing quite like it, it was like being showered in a thousand stars.

The other really neat thing for me is a kind of humanization of some of the personalities I am getting to know online. This may sound really corny, but being an almost totally self researched and self started beginner, I kinda expected some of the really prominent figures in the blademaking world to be these massive, imposing, hephastus like figures, with an air of authority and command like I always felt around my father, only more so.

Then I got to meet, shake hands with, and share a fire with some of the gods of the modern forge. It was really cool to realize, hey, these are regular guys! They've got the same sort of stuff going on in their lives as regular guys around the world. They've got wives, and kids, and strengths and weaknesses, etc. etc. etc.

On a cognitive level, this should seem quite obvious. However, on the visceral level, when all you know about someone is their presence in a community, and the tremendous respect they command for their hard won experience and expertise, the human connection gets lost.

Then, when you go ahead and build your own forge, and get some tools and equipment together and start trying to put to practice some of the things you've learned, and realize just how far you have to go, well, it can get easy to blow out of proportion to inhuman those heroes that have mastered the art.

So, for the most part, I would say that I'm looking forward to touching base on a real, human level with one hell of a lineup of demonstrators and distingushed guests!

And, of course, making steel. There's magic in that. Ancient magic, that is worth experiencing and preserving.

I need a shower.
 
Matt, i am gonna try like the dickens to get there, i look forward to everything going on in fact!
 
I cant make it so someone else better be taking a zillion and one pictures for the others like myself!

And Matt... I hope you've been working out and training so you can outrun mace's 3 wheeler!
 
Matt,
Alright....just calm down and take your medication.:D

I like Sat. night open forge.
:thumbup:the bridge of death:thumbup:
and of course the bowls of bacon.:eek:
Mace
 
I'm looking forward to the hollow grinding demo. I flat grind but am excited to see how the masters do it! I also want in on the steel making....it just sounds so cool!!!!
 
I'm just looking forward to the whole thing. Had to miss the last two years (the only two I knew about) and am really exited to finally be going!
 
Hoping to be there... still trying to find the $$, but hopefully I can work it out in the 11th hour here...

-d
 
deker said:
Hoping to be there... still trying to find the $$, but hopefully I can work it out in the 11th hour here...

-d
Click to expand...

Dude, hope you can make it. I can give you a ride on my way through PA (can't stop so you'll have to grab the rope hanging off the bumper!). :eek: Seriously though, hope to see you there. Let me know if you need anything.
 
I have to make the saturday!! I am supposed to work all weekend but I have a friend who can fill in for me for saturday.:(

Bowls of bacon??:eek:Now I need to make the whole weekend:D
 
I'm going for Burt Foster's clay heat treating.
Maybe Mace will have some more 1084??
Of course, can't beat the food and the photo ops.
 
alright i'm up for it matt. we can take him. you wrestle while i shake the bridge of doom.

i say anyone from the forums who goes wears a name tag with they forum name on it too... i wanna know who the hell you all are. i know the names and the avatars... but not your realy names or faces. so i hope we can get that all settled... we sould have name badges like those crazy tactical mall ninjas over on the USN forums:foot:
 
Anyone got a link to how much it costs for the wekend and stuff?> If I can make it, perhaps i'll give a late night impromptu sword forging demo or something, hopefully someone will have along a grinder, and i'll bring my quench tank and setup for heat treating, along with some nice bars of 5160? Anyone interested? Maybe auction off or sell the sword at the end, or perhaps a collaboration?
 
Sam,
Its $225 for the weekend, thats the event food and lodging.
Deker I hope you can make it.
Teksec, Jim Siska is a master when it comes to hollow grinding, get right up front and ask questions. Jim is a great guy and is always willing to chat.
Mace, SAVE ME SOME BACON!! :D
Thanks,
Del
 
Delbert,
They should have enough bacon for a few bowls!:D

KB, There will be 1084 there. I'll even take orders. Order now save on shipping!:D
Mace
 
I'm geared up for this event. I'm glad that Michael Spangler is going to make it, he looks so cute all cuddled up, sleeping in the glove box of Mace's truck :eek: . The Thumb Wrestling championship on the "Bridge of Doom" is always a favorite.

I've got to say, there is always a whole lot of knife making talent at Ashokan, and not just the anounced demonstrators.

See you there :thumbup:
 
T Blade said:
...I've got to say, there is always a whole lot of knife making talent at Ashokan, and not just the anounced demonstrators.

See you there :thumbup:
Click to expand...

I have to second that. For example, last year during my damascus demo I had questions dealing with stacking up multibar twists, all while none other than Jerry Rados was sitting in the front row, I gave my take on it but then made sure to tell them that they needed to get with this guy after the demo if they wanted to take their learning to the next level.
 
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