Battle of the Bladesmiths

[bill wiggins]

Hello everyone. Our third annual ABS Great Smoky Hammer-in will be held March 6-8 at Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC. Our main demonstrators will be Jason Knight, Terry Vandeventer and Len Landrum.

We will be having a new event this year. It will be "The Battle of the Bladesmiths." We have three Mastersmiths lined up to compete and are talking with one more. Right now, the competitors are Burt Foster, Russ Andrews, and Jason Knight. Since Jason is one of our main demonstrators, he will be the "Iron Bladesmith" until he is defeated. As you can tell, the idea for this came from the Iron Chef.

Each competitor will be given a piece of steel, some kind of handle material, some pin stock and maybe some super glue. Can't give all the materials away yet!! For tools, they will each have a forge, anvil and a belt grinder. There will also be a drill press available to them. Other than that, the only tools they have will be what they carry in. And that is limited to a 5 gallon bucket. Once the event begins, they will have two hours to make what they can. After the two hours, each knife will be tested for heat treat and edge geometry. Those attending will then be ask to vote and pick the winner. These knives will be available in the auction.

The trash talking and mud slinging has already started among the competitors. It is sure to be a great time. Hope everyone can make it!!

[Charles Vestal]

I hope I can make it down to see this event.

Which day will "The Battle of the Bladesmiths" be held?

Take care

Charles

[bill wiggins]

Hi Charles,

Jim Batson has not finished the schedule, but it will almost have to be done on Friday. I'm guessing around 3 pm.
Bill

[Kevin Jones]

I'm planning on coming. Sounds like a great weekend.

[Charles Vestal]

Hi Charles,

Jim Batson has not finished the schedule, but it will almost have to be done on Friday. I'm guessing around 3 pm.
Bill

Thanks Bill,

I'll keep an eye out for the schedule and try to get down for the event.

Take care

Charles

[bill wiggins]

Charles,

Once we have the schedule set, I will post it, if you would like. Hope you can make it down. You should only be a couple hours away. I was leaving Harley's hammer-in one evening and heading back to the Motel. Thought I had a short cut figured out. I ended up in Abingdon. So, if anyone needs directions.....
Bill

[Charles Vestal]

Bill,

It would be great if you can post the schedule.

You really had a nice ride if you ended up in Abingdon from Harley's place.

I'll be sure to give you a call if I can't find the event location.

Take care

Charles

[Jim Treacy]

I attended the first Smokey Mountain Hammerin, it was agreat event. That part of North Carolina is beautiful. Hayward Community College is a great facility for bladesmithing, as good as any that I have seen.

Once we have the schedule set, I will post it, if you would like. Hope you can make it down. You should only be a couple hours away. I was leaving Harley's hammer-in one evening and heading back to the Motel. Thought I had a short cut figured out. I ended up in Abingdon. So, if anyone needs directions.....
Bill

Bill, if I'm able to attend this year I will be sure to give you a call for the best directions from New Hampshire.

Jim

[bill wiggins]

Just found out that Jim Rodebaugh will be our fourth competitor in the Battle Of The Bladesmiths. He will be coming from Wyoming. Hope he has some good directions!!:)

Jim, think we should send him a Tom Tom??

[Jim Treacy]

Dan Cassidy posted the schedule for the show on the Don Fogg Forum. It should be a great event.

Here it is:



3rd Great Smoky Mountain Bladesmithing Symposium

March 5, 6, and 7, 2010

Offered by the American Bladesmith Society, Inc.
Hosted by Haywood Community College

Location: Haywood Community College
185 Freelander Drive
Clyde, North Carolina
Contact: Laura Simmons, HCC at Email Laura or call (828)565-4244
or Bill Wiggins,ABS at (828)226-2551 or Email Bill for more information
Registration: $55 Registration fee
Demonstrators: ABS Master Smiths and Journeyman Smiths listed below
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Schedule:


Thursday, 4 March 2010
3-6 pm………………………………………………………...Registration
6:30 pm…………………………………………………….....Demonstrators Dinner

Friday, 5 March 2010
8-12 am………………….……………………………………...Demonstrations
Lunch
1-3 pm…………………………………………………………...Demonstrations
3-6 pm................................................ ..................................... Battle of the Bladesmiths

Saturday, 6 March 2010
8-12 am…………………………………………………………..Demonstrations
Lunch
1-3………………………………………………………………...Knife Show
3-5 pm…………………………………………………………….Auction
Dinner BBQ, pay at site
7 – 9 pm................................................ ..........................................Cutting Demonstration
Knife Show & Auction Free to public

Sunday 7 March 2010
8-10 am…………………………………………………………….Demonstrations
10- 12 pm................................................ .....................................Knifemakers Roundtable

Demonstrators

Jason Knight............................................ ...Blade design, forging, grinding & heat treating
Len Landrum........................................... ....Damascus steel
Terry Vandeventer......................................H andles & Guards
B R Hughes & Greg Neely.........................ABS Knife Judging
Carolyn Hughes...........................................P romotion & Advertising
Steven Rapp…………………….……....... Silver wrap handles & silver sheaths
Kevin Jones............................................. ....Custom Knife Collecting
Ronnie Boydston & Demonstrators............Hands-on blade forging
Col Tim Ryan…………………….……….Auctioneer

The Knife Show & Auction are free to the public.

"Battle of the Bladesmiths" Competitors Jason Knight, Burt Foster, Russ Andrews and Jim Rodebaugh

Bring examples of your work for the knife show. Tables are free to paid attendees.

Participate in the Cutting Demonstrations. Bring a knife, 15” or less in length with a blade no longer than 10”. The handle should be pinned & with a safety lanyard.

A $500 Scholarship to the ABS Schools will be given to a paid participant.

[Jim Treacy]

I just received my April 2010 issue of "Knives Illustrated". There is a nice article about the event.

[Eli Gautreaux]

I'm hoping to make this one, sounds like a great time!

[Dan Cassidy]

I have some additional information about the Smoky Mountain Hammer In in North Carolina where we will be conducting the Battle of the Bladesmiths. The demonstrators dinner will be on Thursday. March 4, 2010 at 6:30PM at the Sagebrush Restaurant, 895 Russ Avenue in Waynesville, NC.

The "Battle of the Bladesmiths" was featured in an article in the April issue of Knives Illustrated. This is going to be a great event on the campus of Haywood Community College and I hope that many of you can attend.

I also want to say that I am both honored and excited to be a new member of the Custom Knife Collectors Association.

[Kevin Jones]

Paul Linfield and I will be heading down early Thursday morning.

Who else is going?

[Jim Treacy]

I'm leaving today for NC. It's a long ride to Clyde, NC from NH.

See you Thursday afternoon Kevin.

Jim Treacy

[Roger Pinnock]

Please take some pics guys - people, events AND knives. Pretty please.

Roger

[Eli Gautreaux]

I thought I was going, but it's looking like a no-go now... Poor me, it sure looks like it's going to be a good one!

[Kevin Jones]

I thought I was going, but it's looking like a no-go now... Poor me, it sure looks like it's going to be a good one!

That's quite a distance for you Eli. We will miss you.

[Kevin Jones]

Jason Knight won a very close "Battle of the Bladesmith" competition today.
All four bladesmith put in an amazing effort and are all winners in my book.

An extremely pleasurable and educational day.

Will post some photos when I return home.

[Eli Gautreaux]

Jason Knight won a very close "Battle of the Bladesmith" competition today.
All four bladesmith put in an amazing effort and are all winners in my book.

An extremely pleasurable and educational day.

Will post some photos when I return home.



Thanks for the info Kevin, I'm very much looking forward to the photos!

[Allen Newberry]

I'll be waiting for those photos as well. It sounds like some pretty exciting bladesmithing!

[Kevin Jones]

Jason Knight won a very close "Battle of the Bladesmith" competition today.
All four bladesmith put in an amazing effort and are all winners in my book.

An extremely pleasurable and educational day.

Will post some photos when I return home.

Here's all four makers after the competition. Jim Rodebaugh, Burt Foster, Jason Knight and Russ Andrews (L-R). Russ Andrews worked very hard and had a very nice blade coming along when unfortunately it cracked as he quenched it. Grain structure was very close and had a nice milky texture, however something went wrong. Russ was the only contestent who wasn't going for the 'brute de forge' look.:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/021.jpg

Jason after finishing. Looks just a little tied:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/004.jpg

And here's Jason's completed knife. Cord wraped, good strategic move if I ever saw one:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/005.jpg

Burt with his knife. You can tell by their faces that this was no walk in the park:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/007.jpg

And Burt's knife:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/009.jpg

And Jim Rodebaugh and his knife:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/011.jpg

And the three knives together; Burts, Jason's and Jim's (top to bottom).
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/023-1.jpg

And Jason Knight wins it in a very close contest. BR Hughes presents the plaque.
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/026.jpg

[ChuckKerwin]

Thanks Kevin, looks like this was a fun event. Hope you all had a good time!

[Roger Pinnock]

Thanks for the pics - those guys look pretty worn out, but the knives all look like winners to me. Congrats to Jason.

Roger

[Bill North]

There are a few pictures from the hammer in at:

http://webpages.charter.net/whnorth/big%20picture.jpg

BIG FILES! Sorry dial up users.

Bill North

[Eli Gautreaux]

Thanks for the pics!

[Stuart Branson]

Thanks for the pics. That must've been a lot of fun to attend.
Congratulations to Jason on the win!

[Jim Treacy]

Like all Hammer-ins that I have attended, the Smokey Mountain Hammer-in was a fun and informative experience. The "Battle of the Bladesmiths" really added excitement to the event and was a big sucess.

Here are some photos of the Battle, sorry for the photo quality.

Master of Ceremonies Bill Wiggins explaining the rules to the crowd.

Bill furthered the cause of Equal Rights for Women by losing to one of the female Haywood instructors in the cutting competition latter in the evening:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in003.jpg

It looks like there was a little trash talk before the start.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in004.jpg

Russ Andrews forging his blade:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in006.jpg

Jason Knight forming his tip:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in007.jpg

Burt Foster banging on his blade:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in009.jpg

Jim Rodebaugh hammering:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in010.jpg

Jason Knight grinding:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in011.jpg

Burt Foster putting clay on his blade before heat treating:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in013.jpg

The makers with the finished knives:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in023.jpg

Jason Knight accepting the winner's trophy from B.R. Hughes:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in025.jpg

Kevin Jones at his seminar. He signed up some top quality makers at the show.:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in028.jpg

Stephen Rapp had a class on Bowie grinding and metal sheaths:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/jjtjr/2010%20Smokey%20Mountain%20Hammer-in/2010SmokeyMountainHammer-in001.jpg

I hope that this was the first of many "Battles of the Bladesmiths".

Jim Treacy

[bill wiggins]

Jim,

You mentioned Sara beating me in the cutting, but forgot to say it was very close!! I just waited to long to mount my charge!!!

I had a great time and it was good seeing everyone. Looking foward to the next one!!

Bill