primtechsmith

I am all up for a good muddy game! some of the most fun I have ever had was playing in the rain and mud!
Thanks for the post Strine!

:-)
Peyton

Here are my anvils. They are just a fraction of the size, and all fit in the top of my box!

Peyton


You guys have any of these things? I am starting to collect them. I know these were usually salesman samples given out, or souvenirs from events...

yeah. no matter how nice you try to be you get assassinated!!!


Peyton


Don't get angry ya'll. I am joking!

You know speaking of worn out hammers. I have seen a lot of smiths using a cast iron/steel hammer. These have also come across my sight in some recent antique adventures. They looked very worn out. Almost like a mushroomed punch or chisel.

Jr thanks for the picture. I am a sucker for pictures!

Peyton

Thank you Mike. I stand corrected.

Well put Jr. I hope this thread reaches all corners of this forum!

Good point. There were some pictures taken. I will see what I can come up with...

Peyton

It was a great day Saturday for a gathering. Great weather. Great place. Great everything. There were some really nice tailgaters selling numerous anvils, swage blocks, tongs, hammers, vices...etc

We had 5 people go for the big prize money. The morning session was Dale Morse, Glen Bryant, and...me. The afternoon session was David Tucciarone, and Mike Tanner. We all gathered around and voted by secret ballot to find the winners and this is how it turned out:

1st: David Tucciarone
2nd: Dale Morse
3rd: Mike Tanner

The results shocked a lot of people. Dale Morse has studied in Italy, England, and Germany. This guy is the real deal. And many people turned down the invite because they knew of his skill, and did not want to lose to this guy. David pulled out the upset win getting the most votes to become the winner of the First Annual Challenge. He is also a professional smith with a shop in Rustburg Va, and also teaches some courses at the John C. Campbell School in NC. Mike Tanner(yesteryearforge) has also been working around the anvil for close to 25 years on and off as a hobby. And had a great showing. 1st-3rd was seperated by only a handful of votes. Was extremely close!!!

I also got to meet Jeremiah. He is a new member here on the forum, and joined the Old Dominion Blacksmith Association. He drove 4 1/2 hours to hang out. Awesome!

We will be doing this again next year. So if anybody out in cybersmith land wants info on the organization, or the challenge just let me know, or check out the website.
www.odbsa.com

A special thank you needs to go out to Danny Ward who owns and runs the "Danny Ward Horseshoeing School" in Martinsville Va. First class place, with a first class host. His hospitality was a key factor in the success of Saturday's event. Thank you to him, and all who participated, and showed up to watch!!!

Peyton

Anybody out there who was there and wants to add anything that I missed please do so!

I draw a lot too. For me I try and draw out the basic form of the piece. I heard a fellow smith say that you need to be able to draw out the silhouette of what you want to make. I can not draw to save my life but the more I do it the more okay it becomes. For me the actual drawing of the piece helps me visualize the steps needed to create the desired look, than to want to put a frame around it and hang it on a wall. I also take lots of photos of things I think are cool, and try to use those as my drawings.

Now if I could only forge as much as I draw...

Peyton

Show us how you store your chisels and punches.

Peyton

Here are a few photos of how swage blocks were sitting in some of the "tourist smithys" I have seen..

Peyton

nice job.

Peyton

Here are some vices I have seen in my travels.

Peyton

I do not have an anvil....I just use one of yesteryearforge's. But I do have some pictures of other people's anvils!

Peyton

Maybe the problem will resolve itself. There are many ant colonies in the rain forest that travel into different areas and exploit the food supply, then move on to the next place. I suppose it is possible for the lizards to move on when there is no adequate food resources available. You could be mean and just kill them off. Survival of the fittest says those that make poor decisions will not live to breed the next generation. You would be doing the lizards a favor for not having house broken lizard generations running around! I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

For those lizard lovers out there do not get all bent out of shape. I was just joking, and after all they are just lizards! HA!

;-)

Peyton

I forgot to add that in. The pritchel hole did look drilled.

Peyton

This anvil is owned by a guy in our group. Rumor has it that this anvil is from the 1700's and has stayed in his family from generation to generation. Never got a chance to ask him. Not really sure I want to. The story is much better not knowing if it is true or not!

The anvil does look to be very old. You get a good sense of the size here by the coffee maker...The anvil has no markings that I could see. Super small hardy hole...I just thought it was cool!

Peyton

Welcome to the party! I am in Farmville, Virginia! Another great group in Va. is the Old Dominion Blacksmith Association. Check the calendar of Events on the website www.odbsa.com to see. Would love to have you come and hang out, maybe even join up. We actually have a few teachers as members, one teaches at John C. Campbell!!! WELCOME!!!!!

Peyton

One more of a gate in the cellar of the winery at Biltmore...too bad it was locked ;-)




Peyton

Here are some pictures of the gates around the Biltmore Estate in Biltmore North Carolina. The really awesome work was inside, but I could not take pictures in the actual estate!










Peyton

Time is running out and we still have some places open. If you are in the area, or looking for a cool road trip this is the time and place to do it. If you are not sure and have questions PM or email me.

email: rpanderson@kinex.net

Even those in WEST VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND OF COURSE VIRGINIA should think about at least coming to hang out. Come and tailgate, come and watch, come and compete. It is going to be an awesome time for everyone! It would also be a great time to learn, and share!

Peyton

I had this listed before. Thought of relisting it now. There is good money at stake here. Those interested please contact Bobby Floyd. His email is listed below.

Thanks,
Peyton Anderson



ODBSA First Annual Blacksmith Challenge
Saturday July 8, 2006

Long week. Deadlines, politics, and the water cooler rumor mill. TGIF. Thank God its Friday is right. Ride through the country side to the forge after spending the day trying my best to make a difference. Windows down, sunroof open with James Taylor reminding me of the smaller things in song after song. Trees reach into the first day of spring. Grass waking up shrugging of its winter leaf laden blanket. Gravel drive leading up the hill to sanctuary. Rock dust floor, smell of the beeswax concoction waiting by the door to be trusted to seal up a job well done. Bare hands running over the coke pulling out those unwanted guests. Small talk here and there with the one I look up to on more levels than just in here. Clean out all the dusty memories of my last dance from the fire pot ballroom. I grab an article or two from the pile and a few leftovers from the pines outside. Light the fire, give the blower a turn and listen for the train of air to begin rumbling up from below. A little coke on top a few more turns and the smell of coal fills my senses. Grab my very first project, my rake. I put a twist in it, the heat was uneven. The handle was an after thought. Funny thing the first tool I go for and use so often is my first born. Green coal thrown in to soak a while. Grab the stock I need and get ready to dance. A few pulls of the blower, and the heat is right. Pick up my hammer, tap out my anticipation on the anvil while waiting for the music to start. My partner is ready. Out the fire and on the dance floor.

This year the best thing so far is opening the window in my classroom on pretty days. The kids seem to act better, and pay closer attention when there is a breeze blowing through on a sunny day....

Peyton

I have a very good friend who told me the story on a gallon of milk. He broke that gallon of milk down and traced it back through the farm, the exhaust given off by the farmer's tractors, to what pollution the cows gave off into the atmosphere, etc......By the end of this I realized there is always pollution in any simple action. Even setting up a secondary type of forge would have an affect on the environment........Reason I say all this is the biggest pollutant of this planet is the human being. We can only try to be cleaner.

Thomas......Mother Earth News........I have heard of some really neat things being explained in that publication.

The solar forge idea sounds like a "Bright" Idea !

Peyton