Al Stephens

Sorry everyone! The date of the Athens Forge Meeting just posted should be Saturday, July 28, 2025 Let's try this one more time! Athens Forge will meet Saturday, July 26, 2025 I'm walking away from the computer now!

Demo at Athens Forge Meeting.docx The Athens Forge, a chapter of the Alabama Forge Council, will meet Saturday July 28, 2025 at 9AM. Ron Nichols from Tennessee will be demonstrating starting at 9:00 a.m. with assistance from Tom Padgett, also of Tennessee. The demonstration will be a simple spade hook but with the addition a couple of beveled scrolls. Ron will discuss how to control movement of mass, figuring material lengths, and other interesting procedures. Tailgating is welcomed. There will also be an IITH drawing with the proceeds used to buy tools and material for the forge. Visitors are always welcomed. You may also visit us at athenforge.org. We plan to live stream the meeting on YouTube at Athens Forge AFC. DIRECTIONS TO THE FORGE : 722 Commercial Dr. Athens, AL. 35611 From Hwy 72 turn south on Jefferson street between Marathon station and KFC. Continue while going south on Jefferson, you will pass between the theater and Redstone Credit Union. Turn right on Commercial Drive (first road to right). Artistic Anvil Forge is the fourth building on right. Overflow parking is next door in the Lion's Den Gym parking lot and in the fenced area behind the shop. Please do not use the parking lot in front of the Lion's Den Gym.

The Athens Forge, a chapter of the Alabama Forge Council, will meet Saturday March 22, 2025 at 9AM. Our demonstrator for the day will be Calvin Garland from Leoma, TN. Calvin will be forging a belt axe, with a striker. Tailgating is welcomed. There will also be an IITH drawing with the proceeds used to buy tools and material for the forge. Visitors are always welcomed. You may also visit us at athenforge.org. We plan to live stream the meeting on YouTube at Athens Forge AFC. DIRECTIONS TO THE FORGE From Hwy 72 turn south on Jefferson street between Marathon station and KFC. Continue while going south on Jefferson, you will pass between the theater and Redstone Credit Union. Turn right on Commercial Drive (first road to right). Artistic Anvil Forge is the fourth building on right. Overflow parking is next door in the Lion's Den Gym parking lot and in the fenced area behind the shop. Please do not use the parking lot in front of the Lion's Den Gym.

The Athens Forge, a member of the Alabama Forge Council, will meet Saturday Nov. 23, at 9AM, at 722 Commercial Dr. Athens, AL. 35611 The demonstrator for the day will be Robert Taylor aka Copper Bob, from Birmingham Al. Bob will be demonstrating copper reposse" for us. There will be an Iron-In-The-Hat raffle, donations welcomed. The Athens Forge uses IITH money to continue to provide tools, material, equipment, and fuel, so that AFC members can have a the things they need to learn more about the craft. Visitors are always welcome. The demo will also be live-streamed at Athens Forge AFC on Youtube at 9:15 AM CD. More information is available at www.alaforge.org.

The Athens Forge, a member of the Alabama Forge Council, will meet Saturday Sept. 28, at 9AM, at 722 Commercial Dr. Athens, AL. 35611 The demonstrator for the day will be Athens Forge, Forge master Dustin Patterson. Dustin will be using the coal forge, and with Travis Fleming striking will forge a cross peen hammer. There will be an Iron-In-The-Hat raffle, donations welcomed. The Athens Forge uses IITH money to continue to provide tools, material, equipment, and fuel, so that AFC members can have a the things they need to learn more about the craft. Visitors are always welcome. The demo will also be live-streamed at Athens Forge AFC on Youtube at 9:15 AM CD. More information is available at www.alaforge.org.

The Athens Forge, a member of the Alabama Forge Council, will meet Saturday July 27, at 9AM, at 722 Commercial Dr. Athens, AL. 35611 The demonstrator for the day will be Steve Alford, he will be making a "Blacksmith Folder". There will be an Iron-In-The-Hat raffle, donations welcomed. The Athens Forge uses IITH money to continue to provide tools, material, equipment, and fuel, so that AFC members can have a the things they need to learn more about the craft. The tool box that will be raffled off at the AFC Conference is Sept. is done. We still need tools to fill it! All donations are welcome. Visitors are always welcome. The demo will also be live-streamed at Athens Forge AFC on Youtube. More information its available at www.alaforge.org

The Athens Forge, a member of the Alabama Forge Council, will meet Saturday June 22, at 9AM, at 722 Commercial Dr. Athens, AL. 35611 This will be an "Open Forge" day. Any member of the AFC, can come and work on a private project. Bring your tools and material, forges, anvils, and vices are available. Also bring your materials, ideas, questions, projects, or plan on making a key fob to trade at the July meeting. Non members are invited to come and watch, and ask questions. There is a lot of smithing knowledge within the group. The tool box for the AFC conference in September may be done, and on display. Tools are needed for it. Just a heads up, Steve Alford will be forging his "blacksmith folder at the July meeting. Visitors are always welcome. More information its available at www.alaforge.org

Hi Dan, thanks for the link. I really enjoyed looking thru it. Al

Apologies for the Live Stream failure of Travis Fleming Railroad Spike Tong demo. If we can talk him into running thru it one more time we will record and post. Some things just can't be fixed with a hammer! Al

The Athens Forge, a member of the Alabama Forge Council, will meet Saturday May, 25, at 9AM, at 722 Commercial Dr. Athens, AL. 35611 Travis Fleming will be our demonstrator and he will be making a pair of tongs to hold a railroad spike. There will be an Iron-In-The-Hat raffle, donations welcomed. The Athens Forge uses IITH money to continue to provide tools, material, equipment, and fuel, so that AFC members can have a the things they need to learn more about the craft. Visitors are always welcome. The demo will also be live-streamed at Athens Forge AFC on Youtube. More information its available at www.alaforge.org

Let's try this again. I bought this in Gap, Pa. probably 20+ years ago. The stone shop is a reverse image of one I did some volunteer work at in the area, about 7 miles from Lancaster ,PA. I'm sure this one is a reproduction, but I always liked it. It is labeled "Reading the Bible in a Blacksmith Shop.

Sorry everybody, I'm still working with the 1st pic. If I could straighten it out with a hammer, it would already be done! I know there's a way I just can't figure it out. I took the picture with an iPhone and I'm working on a Mac. any help would be appreciated. Al How about now? 1938.HEIC

Guess I wouldn't be so late to the show if I checked out IFI more often. This is a great thread, and I hope it continues so here's another Saturday Evening Post Cover. Al IMG_4319.HEIC

The Athens Forge, a member of the Alabama Forge council, will meet Saturday April 27, at 9AM. This will be an "Open Forge" day. Any member of the AFC, can come and work on a private project. Bring your tools and material, forges, anvils, and vices are available. You might want to try a pair of the Grilling Tongs Steve Alford demoed last month. Non members are invited to come and watch, and ask questions. There is a lot of smithing knowledge within the group. Visitors are always welcome. More information its available at www.alaforge.org You might want to mark the next meeting May 25, Travis Fleming will be demonstrating how to make a pair of tongs to hold a railroad spike for safe and secure forging.

The Athens Forge a member of the Alabama Forge Council will meet Sat. March 23, 2024 at 9AM. The demonstrator for the day will be the winner of the forging contest of a utensil handle made from 24" of 3/8 diameter material. The contest challenge is to forge a handle for a cooking utensil from 24 inches of 3/8-inch round bar. As stated the contest requires only a handle. Of course, if anyone wants to produce a complete utensil from the 24-inch bar, that's a valid entry too. So you can add another piece of steel to make the blade of a spatula, or a ladle, for instance. Or knife-makers can weld in some other steel with the 3/8 round bar. Or use 3/8 round high carbon steel, if you have some. Judging will take place at the March meeting on the fourth Saturday, March 23, 9:00, at Travis Fleming's shop. The March meeting will start with judging the entries and selecting first, second, and third place winners. Any AFC member is welcome to attend the meeting and enter their work in the contest. The first place prize will be $50. Second place will win $25, and third place will win $10. The regular March meeting will begin after the winners are chosen, with a demonstration of the winning entry. That's right, the winner of the contest will be demonstrating his or her winning entry at the March meeting, right after the announcement, so come prepared to demonstrate! Second and third place winners will also be invited – but not required – to demonstrate. There will be an Iron-In-The-Hat raffle, donations welcomed. The Athens Forge uses IITH money to continue to provide tools, material, equipment, and fuel, so that AFC members can have a the things they need to learn more about the craft. Visitors are always welcome. The demo will also be live-streamed at Athens Forge AFC on Youtube. More information its available at www.alaforge.org