Mike Turner Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 Hi all, I am new here and thought I would share this with you. Every year they have the world championship blacksmithing contest at the Calgary Stampede. They have a divison that is a mail in, they specify the dimensions and other charectoristics that they want to see and everyone makes the same shoe as published for that year. in 2004 I entered this contest an placed 4th out of about 70 entries form 13 countries. I hope you all like this and I did this all buy hand no power tools, but the rules say you can do it anyway you want but the judges really like it if you do it old school. Thanks for looking. Just in case your wondering the other shoe belongs to a friend of mine he placed 13th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 WOW, I never thought I would say this but that is one NICE looking horseshoe! What is that design specifically for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 18, 2006 Author Share Posted December 18, 2006 It was originally for a horse that had a deep flexor tendon injury about 35 years ago. The shoe is called a split wedge bar shoe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 Cool, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Nicely done Mike. It's work like this that makes me wonder why so many farriers think they have to "break into" decorative smithing. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hey Mike thanks for sharing! That is really cool. I know nothing about horseshoes...so this was extra cool! :-) Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 20, 2006 Author Share Posted December 20, 2006 Thanks guys I appreciate the comments glad you all liked it. To this day that is by far the toughest thing I have ever forged. Frosty where is Meadow Lakes, I use to live almost dead between Fairbanks and Anchorage when I was 15 years old. Spent almost 2 years up there with my aunt. Well that was a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backyardsmith Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 wow thats the nicest horse shoe ive ever seen it reminds me of all the people that knew i was a blacksmith and asked if i shoed horses why do people always think if ones a blacksmith they only make horse shoes and shoe horses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 backyardsmith, if that was a rhetorical question, i apologize in advance for answering it (sarcasm is harder to detect without the accompanying facial expressions ) but as close as i can narrow it down it boils down to two things 1). From the founding of America up until the early 20th century almost all small towns and villages had a blacksmith. The blacksmith was responsible for farrier duties (sometimes even being a horse doctor), making all needed household and farm items, and even sometimes basic carpentry skills (repairing wagons, etc.) This image of the blacksmith as a "jack of all trades" carries over, even though there are now dedicated farriers who do not go near ornamental metal work (even though I consider that horseshoe above to be quite the work of art) and blacksmiths that wouldn't touch a horse with a ten foot pole (me). and 2). think about every movie that you have ever seen with a blacksmith in it. What is that blacksmith doing? He is either making horseshoes, shoeing horses, or making a sword/armor. Hence the idea that all blacksmiths are farriers and bladesmiths/armorers. Thank you Hollywood. Just my take on the matter, -Aaron @ the SCF Merry Christmas and a happy and safe (even if it is crazy) New Year to all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 20, 2006 Author Share Posted December 20, 2006 Aaron, That was about the best answer to the question, I probably could not have said it that well myself. Thanks for the comment on the shoe. backyardsmith, I hope Aaron answered your question, and thank you for the comment. There is another saying that goes like this. Most farriers make good blacksmiths but not all blacksmiths make good farriers . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Thanks guys I appreciate the comments glad you all liked it. To this day that is by far the toughest thing I have ever forged. Frosty where is Meadow Lakes, I use to live almost dead between Fairbanks and Anchorage when I was 15 years old. Spent almost 2 years up there with my aunt. Well that was a long time ago. Mike: You lived almost DEAD between Fbks and Anch? I think I would've moved sooner. Meadow lakes is about 50 miles north of Anchorage on the Parks hwy. about 7 miles past Wasilla. When the leaves are off the trees and it's clear we can see McKinley, Foraker from the living room. It's also a lot warmer in the winter than the interior. About where did you live while here? On the Parks or Richardson, Glenn route? If you ever take a trip back plese look us up. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 23, 2006 Author Share Posted December 23, 2006 Hey Frosty, If the memory surves me well I think it was hwy 3 I think it was george parks Hwy.I could see Mt. McKinnley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 23, 2006 Author Share Posted December 23, 2006 Hey Frosty, If the memory serves me well I think it was hwy 3 I think it was George Parks Hwy.I could see Mt. McKinley I always wanted to go climb that someday but I probably won't. I sure would like to come back up someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 To the sandy creek forge Blacksmith = Smiter Of The Black! We have all kinds of farriers here where I live. I always wondered about that issue my self. Over the years the question would come up in discussions at times. By no means do I claim to be a historian of blacksmithing or anything else. Most things I do or say, I have read or heard someone else say or do. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 Hey Frosty, If the memory serves me well I think it was hwy 3 I think it was George Parks Hwy.I could see Mt. McKinley I always wanted to go climb that someday but I probably won't. I sure would like to come back up someday. If you could see McKinley it was along the Parks Hwy. alright. Running the view through my memory it would've been south of the Park entrance, you can't see the mountain from there north. Did you live in a town? Air fare isn't that much from Oregon and summers are to die for. Of course you know about summer. Just don't let word get out, it's getting crowded enough. Like I say, if you decide to make the trip let us know we're only an hour from Anch international and have room. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 24, 2006 Author Share Posted December 24, 2006 Frosty, No we did not live in a town our nearest neighbor was maybe a mile away our farther. I was 14/15 when I was there 1982 and 83. You bet we will give you a call when we come up. I tell everyone to go to Mexico it's much nicer there . Does the Anchorage airport still have all the stuffed animals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 25, 2006 Share Posted December 25, 2006 Frosty, No we did not live in a town our nearest neighbor was maybe a mile away our farther. I was 14/15 when I was there 1982 and 83. You bet we will give you a call when we come up. I tell everyone to go to Mexico it's much nicer there . Does the Anchorage airport still have all the stuffed animals? Mexico is good. Maybe even let the banditos know for those "special" visitors? You bet, one of the main attracitons is a Boon and Crocket, Kodiak Brown bear amongst the other mounts. Lots of vintage, AK historical aircraft too. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 28, 2006 Author Share Posted December 28, 2006 I remember that Kodiak bear that thing was a monster it was way bigger than the polar bear, well that was the way I remember it anyway . I don't remember historical aircraft is that new as in after the 80's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironscot Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 backyardsmith, if that was a rhetorical question, i apologize in advance for answering it (sarcasm is harder to detect without the accompanying facial expressions ) but as close as i can narrow it down it boils down to two things 1). From the founding of America up until the early 20th century almost all small towns and villages had a blacksmith. The blacksmith was responsible for farrier duties (sometimes even being a horse doctor), making all needed household and farm items, and even sometimes basic carpentry skills (repairing wagons, etc.) This image of the blacksmith as a "jack of all trades" carries over, even though there are now dedicated farriers who do not go near ornamental metal work (even though I consider that horseshoe above to be quite the work of art) and blacksmiths that wouldn't touch a horse with a ten foot pole (me). and 2). think about every movie that you have ever seen with a blacksmith in it. What is that blacksmith doing? He is either making horseshoes, shoeing horses, or making a sword/armor. Hence the idea that all blacksmiths are farriers and bladesmiths/armorers. Thank you Hollywood. Just my take on the matter, -Aaron @ the SCF Merry Christmas and a happy and safe (even if it is crazy) New Year to all That's pretty much the description of Babbaw, or my dads dad. He lived in a town called Yonkers that is now under Ft. Gibson lake here in Oklahoma. If it was made of iron or steel and was used by anyone for anything he either made it or repaired it. Dad says that he used to watch his dad smooth a wagon axle with a piece of broken glass, much like any modern wood worker would use a scraper, until he got a perfect fit then just slide it together and listen for the air to whoosh out. The only tools my granddad owned he made, and legend has it he owned the best team of pulling mules for as far as anyone cared to challenge from. Dad says that the team was sold for five hundred dollars which was a kings ransom for poor white crackers at the time. Dang, I wish I coulda been there just to see. Mammaw sold all the tools and the anvil, vise and everything else back in the very early 60's for a poorly whistled tune. That was a just a bit before I was a inkling in anyones mind, and I cringe every time I hear the recounting of it. Costs a pretty penny now days just to get back to what they were all tryin' to git away from. LOL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backyardsmith Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 backyardsmith, if that was a rhetorical question, i apologize in advance for answering it (sarcasm is harder to detect without the accompanying facial expressions ) but as close as i can narrow it down it boils down to two things 1). From the founding of America up until the early 20th century almost all small towns and villages had a blacksmith. The blacksmith was responsible for farrier duties (sometimes even being a horse doctor), making all needed household and farm items, and even sometimes basic carpentry skills (repairing wagons, etc.) This image of the blacksmith as a "jack of all trades" carries over, even though there are now dedicated farriers who do not go near ornamental metal work (even though I consider that horseshoe above to be quite the work of art) and blacksmiths that wouldn't touch a horse with a ten foot pole (me). and 2). think about every movie that you have ever seen with a blacksmith in it. What is that blacksmith doing? He is either making horseshoes, shoeing horses, or making a sword/armor. Hence the idea that all blacksmiths are farriers and bladesmiths/armorers. Thank you Hollywood. Just my take on the matter, -Aaron @ the SCF Merry Christmas and a happy and safe (even if it is crazy) New Year to all sorry for the confuzon ( im not good at typeing and pepole misunderstand me a lot) and i was saying that its a nice horse shoe but in genral pepole think that all blacksmiths do is shoe horses a few people have seen me forging a knife and asked me if i shoed horses so held up the half finised blade and said do you know a horse with a foot thats shaped like a tanto:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 I remember that Kodiak bear that thing was a monster it was way bigger than the polar bear, well that was the way I remember it anyway . I don't remember historical aircraft is that new as in after the 80's? Oh yeah, brownies tend to get a lot bigger than polar bears and the Kodiak variety are the biggest. Largest land predator on the planet unless the russians are keeping something else secret. The aircraft were mostly in the B concourse where you catch an air taxi for bush flights. In a previous incarnation I was a driller and spent a lot of time in the bush and consequently in B concourse. They moved some of the aircraft into the main terminal when they built the new section. I THINK Noel Wien's first mail plane is hanging from the ceiling. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 31, 2006 Author Share Posted December 31, 2006 Hey Frosty, That is why I don't remember the planes, I was only at the main terminal. Texas thought they grew them big they obviously where in denial as I know they grow monsters in Alaska. Backyardsmith, I am curious had they seen a horses foot look like a tanto? The confusion is that people see movies that have blacksmiths shoeing horses, they basically stereotype smiths and farriers together thinking they are the same. In the day of old it was true smiths had to do lots of jobs farrier, smith, vet and others some even played doctors on people as there was no doctor and a smith/ farrier had to have medical knowledge to help sick or injured animals which made him effective at helping people as well. Glad you liked the shoe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backyardsmith Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 Mike they said no then asked me what a tanto was and ive read about smiths in to old days pulling teeth for people i just hope that he wasnt holding a hot piace of iron with the tongs befor oulling the tooth :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habu68 Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 The Magic of the Horseshoe - Google Book Search The magic of the horseshoe.--Fortune and luck.--The folklore of common salt.--The omens of sneezing.--Days of good and evil omen.--Superstitious dealings with animals.--The luck of odd numbers.--Topical Index. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted January 1, 2007 Author Share Posted January 1, 2007 Backyardsmith, I would be more concerned about thatsmith pulling my tooth after shoeing a horse, as I can tell you that my hands stink . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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