Sierra Forge and Fire

joshsmith

joshsmith

Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Messages
646
I just returned to Montana from California. I taught at a new school for bladesmithing and blacksmithing. It is called Seirra Forge and Fire. The school has been set up to the highest standards. The equipment is all brand new. There are eight stations and each student gets his own grinder, disc grinder and hand tools during a class. The line up of Mastersmiths teaching at this school is impressive. Tim Hancock and Mike Vagnino taught Basic knifemaking 1. I, Josh Smith, just taught the first Masters class, basic damascus. Instructors to follow will be Rick Dunkerley, Harvey Dean, Richard Rogers, Ron Newton, James Rodebaugh, and many more. I would highly encourage interested students to check this school out. I can not describe to you how well set up and how well run this school is. The classes are already starting to fill up. The website for the school is www.forgeandfire.com The website is still under construction but if you need more info get on my website and email me. www.joshsmithknives.com Thanks, Josh Smith
 
Josh...thanks for the post!!

Guys, I was out there a few weeks earlier and was blown away! This place must be heaven!!

here is a post from my visit that I put on CKD when I returned:

(....keep in mind that things are still under construction in these photos)


Last weekend I was faced with the wonderful/terrible delimma of choosing between Harley's hammer-in or visiting the new sierra Forge and Fire school for knife making and blacksmithing.

I'm sure I missed a fanstastic hammer-in and I certainly missed getting down to East Tennessee...but instead, I headed west to Cali and had a wonderful visit with Mike Vagnino. We spent 3 days at the Sierra Forge, playing with machinery, drinking beer and yes...I even pounded some hot steel.

This is a shameless plug about the school. It is one of the most incredible shops that I've ever been in. Located in the quiet town of Exeter, it is surrounded with small art galleries, gift shops and sidewalk cafes. The community alone seemed to inspire creative thinking. The building used to be a pattern making shop for a local foundry. It is an older historic type brick building with a Huge woodturning lathe in the center of floor.....this thing had a face plate that must have been 7-8 feet in diameter!! You could feel the history and craftsmanship of days gone by while standing in the shop.

Here are a few pics that I took while out there:

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This is one side of the Forge area. There are some 12 or so coal forges with anvils and vises at each station. The knifemaking classes start next week and they were finishing up some of the work to the shop while I was there. I saw some gas forges, hydraulic presses and learned that they are recieving a pair of Tom Clark's power hammers.

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Across the shop from the forges, is the knifemaking area. Tooled up for forged blade or stock removal...there are 8 workstations each with a belt grinder and disk grinder on one bench and a second bench with a vice, lapping plate, and soft surface for finish and assembly work. Each workstation has intense task lighting.

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On this side of the shop there are metal cutting bandsaws, a very nice milling machine, and a pair of heat treat ovens.

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Everything in the shop is so clean, well lite and new. The air quality was exceptional even while forging... The shop is well ventilated and the forges just didn't seem to put any smoke in the room. I could barely smell the burning coke.

Along with blacksmithing and knifemaking ...they also have a glass blowing shop in the works and rumors of an onsite micro brewery. The community is surrounded with lush citrus groves at the foot hills of the snow covered Sierra Mountains.

The names on the instructor's roster include several ABS masters as well as noteable Guild members and World class makers.

I just can't say enough about these extension of generosity and hospitality by the guys there during my visit. I certainly can't wait to get back...next time for a longer stay and I'll bring my wife as she'll love the shops and galleries. .... Maybe get her signed up for glass blowing while I learn some knifemaking.

Sincerely, Rob
 
I saw an ad in Blade yesterday for the school and I was very pleased and interested. Now I'm convinced: This must be Heaven. Time to start saving my pennies so go to school!
 
Thanks for the heads up. That place looks awesome!!! The course itself looks like a great value and one I would love to participate in someday.

BTW, is there any affiliation with the ABS?
 
Good question Jamie! No it is not affiliated with any group or organization. However, it uses the talents of many groups such as the ABS, Guild, ABANA..etc...as a pool of guest speakers and instructors.

-Rob
 
Will this school be ABS 'certified'. In otherwords, ABS gives credit towards your JS for attending classes in Texas. Can I get the same benefit for taking them in this school?

Steve
 
Steve,

Thats a good question but the answer right now is no. First of all everything I write are strictly my words and I do not want to try and represent anyone elses opinions. Sierra Forge and Fire is a private non profit organization started by someone looking to promote the arts. This school would love for the ABS to recognize them and give students credit and hopefully someday that could happen. This school was not built to take away from the ABS school or compete in anyway. It was built to continue what the ABS started. Most of the people involved in this school are heavily involved in the ABS and believe there is room for more that one school. I do believe however that this school is being run and designed to give the student the maximum benifit for their dollar and the information to be gained at this school may benifit someone more than a one year leap to the Journeyman level. As a student you must decide what will take you farther. Again these are strictly my opinions and I do not want to speak for anyone else. I love being involved in the ABS and take my Mastersmith rating very seriously. At the same time this new school is being built on promoting the arts 100 percent and I'm on board with that anytime.
josh smith
www.joshsmithknives.com
 
Thanks John, That information really helps. I'll probably still attend the CA school for $$ reasons.

Also, I just like Michael. I've had a couple of lessons from him and really learned a lot.

Steve
 
Hi Josh, Thanks for the school info! It looks like a first class training facility. I have feeling it will get some real use. Welcome to Bladeforums.
 
Oh sure, I write like 2 pages about the school a couple months ago and get NO response. This Smith character comes in here and "Ah Whoopedy Doo!!! Listen to Josh!"

:mad:

Just kidding.

Well, sort of ;)

Seriously though, Mike has been working really hard on helping to get this all together, and I think it's awesome!

Watch out, I'm going to teach down there ;)

-Nick-
 
I retract everything I said about the school. I thought they had better judgement than to let some hack like Wheeler teach there!! I would have put a smiley face in there but don't know how to run this thing.

Seriously though I would encourage anyone to take a class form Nick. Hello Bruce. I hope all is well.
josh
 
Josh,

In all seriousness, I really appreciate your post about the school and your experience there.

Mike's dumped a lot of time in over there, and I know how important this school is to him. When we spoke on the phone just the other day, he said everything went really well with your class. And we know Mike doesn't mince words. So you must have done a damn fine job with the class.

I agree that this school should not take anything away from the school in Arkansas, simply add to it. It is just another venue for teaching the art of the forged blade, and it's an extremely impressive line-up for instructors.

Well, that short dude Rodebaugh is slated to teach though. So I may have to do like you did and retract what I've said ;)

Oh, by the way, the class I will be teaching will be entitled... "Knifemaking 101, What NOT to Do." :D

Thanks again Josh! :)
-Nick-

http://www.wheelerknives.com
 
Nick,

Sounds like your class is just right for girly men.

Steve
 
I was about to say, "Hell, I could teach a class about what NOT to do," but then I thought...Nick probably makes his mistakes with the same perfection that he does everything else, and no one - No One - could be better qualified to teach that class... :D

I mean it when I say I've got to figure out how to afford to take some of the knifemaking classes, regardless where I go to get them. As much as I've gained from this forum, getting it in person with my own hands would be that magnified a hundredfold. I get so excited about these classes, then start adding up the cost and comparing that to my ability to just keep supplies around... Well, someday, somehow.

This sounds like heaven to me. And what a lineup of instructors and classes!
 
whattayall say about signing up for Nick's class....just so we can throw paper wads at him when his back is turned....(hee hee) :D :D
 
Mike has put an incredible amount of work into the school. It really is his baby.

I would pay for Nicks class because he really has brought screwing up to a new level!!

Ddavelarsen, I know about the financial burden but the knife you will make in the class would almost pay for the class. You will leave with a finished knife. I sat in on Tim Hancock and Mike Vagninos class and I am going to revamp the way I grind. Even as long as I have made knives I realize how much quicker and more accurate I could be.

I would encourage anyone to take Nicks class. I've seen him teach and he'd do a great job. Just don't tell Nick I said that.
 
Here is the Calender for the School this year as it stands now. Depending on the response for classes may be added later. Knifemaking Fundementals I was in March. In that class you stock remove a knife from 0-1 steel. It is heat treated and finished with a hidden tang wood handle.

In Fundementals II the maker will Forge a blade and take it through a finished knife.

In Fundementals III the maker will get into more complicated handle contructions. You can take II without I but must have II before you can take III. May sound confusing but the schedule is below. Call the school with questions. 559-592-2080 www.ForgAndFire.com

April 18th-22nd Knifemaking Fundementals II
April 23rd-26th Mosaic Pattern Damascus - Rick Dunkerley

May 16th - 20th Knifemaking Fundementals III

June 20th -24th Knifemaking Fundementals I

July 18th - 22nd Knifemaking Fundementals II
July 25th-29th Slip Joint Folders -Richard Rogers

August 22nd-26th Knifemaking Fundementals III
August 29th -Sep.2nd- Liner Lock Folders-Mike Vagnino

September 19th-23rd Knifemaking Fundementals I
September 26th-30th Handles and Gaurds- Tim Hancock

October 17th-21st Knifemaking Fundementals II
October 22nd-25th Powder Damascus-Ron Newton

November-December
Nov. 28th-Dec. 2nd Knifemaking Fundementals III
Dec. 3rd-6th Tips and Throat Sheaths-Harvey Dean

www.joshsmithknives.com
 
I was just reading through the list of classes and I had a thought. (They don't happen very often so I try to write them down) ;-)
Anyway, is there any chance you guys will be making a series of videos based on your classes? I'd buy em!!!
-Jeramy
 
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