Logan Atkeson

Jeremy and Frosty, This is a fantastic idea, both because of how Frosty mentioned how small of a part weapons really were for the blacksmith, and Jeremy's point that I may potentially have a bigger role in creating something like that rather than an actual ax (which is very costly too). Honestly speaking, the inspiration behind this project came from reading the Sagas of Icelanders, and wondering how weapons really were seen compared to fiction in that time period. Thinking about it more, it can make for an even more fascinating paper due to the presumably larger sample size of artifacts I can research, and could open an even broader section regarding the relationship between farming and smithing, and how those two evolved over time in Scandinavia. Also great suggestions on what items exactly I should look into, Frosty. Thank you both!!

Thank you to everyone commenting, I'm blown away by how many are helping out!! Concerning my intent for the project: I absolutely do not expect to have even a novice understanding of being a blacksmith in that short of a time, I know that would take years upon years to even get remotely decent at. I've seen the processes online, and respect how much time and work goes into even one small piece, and would not underestimate such a craft. As some have mentioned here, I would realistically be set on making a sort of documentary, and possibly helping out slightly with the process in a way that I wouldn't get in the way of the blacksmith. Just as Marc1 says, I am definitely more concerned with documenting the process of creating weaponry, and if there is an opportunity that would allow someone with my inexperience to participate, then I would jump in. Glenn - I seriously considered actually flying out to see him, but the project alone would be pricey with covering the costs the blacksmith would require, and unfortunately my budget wouldn't cover something like this (as well as being very busy with my other classes). That's why I'm hoping for a resource in California or in a close state! Thomas, thanks again for these wonderful resources!! I will absolutely incorporate these, that is a HUGE help. Lou L - that's a perfect description of my project when you say it's "much more than just the process of creation. His focus on the cultural aspects of the weapons and tools, to my thinking, should be the core of the project. The creative process is a great side note. Him acquiring the skills seems tangential to the topic." My capstone project would be concerned mostly with the research and writing portion of it - I thought that I should get a first hand experience with something like this with a blacksmith to really get an enriching sense of the process behind it, rather than only reading about it. Addressing Frosty - it would definitely be in the form of a documentary rather than. The actual product of the project hasn't been determined yet, but a realistic one would be a simple axe (if that's even possible in this amount of time!) Thanks again guys!

Hey Buzzkill, I've watched that, it's a fantastic episode! I've actually reached out to Richard Furrer from that episode, and we've discussed my project; unfortunately, he's located all the way in Wisconsin As for the point you made about the time frame, I totally agree. I've been trying to contact people from the beginning of the quarter, and to no avail! I wish I discovered this forum earlier. But concerning the finished product, I would be willing to recreate anything from ancient Scandinavia, so ranging from axes and spears, from which I understand would be less time and work than a sword (but still obviously not an overnight project). But, even with that, a little over a month organizing this is still ambitious

Hey Thomas! Thanks for the reply, and the great book recommendation! It will help a lot with my research essay accompanying my project. As for the traditional use of tools, materials, and processes, I definitely understand that it's quite a specific thing to ask for; for that reason, I am open to any methods that modern blacksmiths use at this time, and would probably make for a really interesting compare/contrast of old methods to new methods in my paper, and the historical progression of these methods evolving over time.

Hi guys! Brand new member here, just wanted to get some advice on an idea for my senior project. I'm not sure if this is the proper place to post this, so if it isn't, sorry in advance! I'm a senior undergraduate student at UCLA studying Nordic Studies, and about to graduate. For my capstone project, I chose my topic surrounding ancient Scandinavian weapons that have historical significance behind them, having the the ultimate goal of analyzing their cultural impact through the years. A large part of my project is researching the process behind creating these artifacts, what tools and materials were involved, and what methods blacksmiths preferred. To get a good understanding of this process due to my lack of experience, I am interested in working alongside a blacksmith to create a replica of an artifact, all the while documenting it in a video. My problem is trying to find a blacksmith who is willing to accept such a fairly obscure request. I've reached out to many people over the past month, and either they are located very far away from Los Angeles (like outside the state), or they are too busy to do something like this, which is entirely understandable. I don't want to scrap this idea at all, because I've always been interested in this exact topic the majority of my life. Would anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do, or where I should look? I need to finish my project before the quarter ends (June 13th), so it's a very big request Thanks everyone!