I belong to the ABS and to the Arkansas Knifemakers Association. The ABS has hammer-ins and the AKA has shop tours. We meet about 4 times a year at a members shop and get the grand tour and then one or two of the members would demonstrate a particular skill that might benefit the rest. A lunch would be served and about 3 pm it would be time to head home. Since I live in Oklahoma and some of the shops in Arkansas, a few times I have gotten a motel before reaching there.
It has ALWAYS been well worth the time to go. The knowldge gained and the gathering of friends that are sharing information is a combination that is hard to beat. You may want to contact a few of the makers in that area and just have a cook-out and meeting at some ones house. From what I have heard, that is how the Batson Bladesmith Symposium got started at Jims house.
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Ray Kirk
http://www.tah-usa.net/raker
