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I Forge Iron

Jesse James Blacksmith


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So, did anyone else see this History Channel show last weekend?

I happened across it and it shows Jesse James of Custom Motorcycle fame going to to Israel to study blacksmithing with Uri Hofi then come home to Texas to build a custom bike from an old Midge Racer motor.

I DVR'd it, only lost a few minutes at the beginning.

I did find this video of Jesse in his smithy making a bottle opener for a news lady: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/jesse-james-blacksmith-13522615 but I can't find the any video of the show itself.

Regards,
Tim

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I have been rather disappointed by how blacksmithing has been represented on TV....I assume this bike thing will be no exception.
I was recently involved with a filming that should be out some time on 2012....it is a compromise of what gets filmed and how it is edited...neither of which is really up to the smith.
HOWEVER
the smithing we usually wish to see is far more common on youtube (and hammer-ins) than anywhere else.



I like the part where James sent three silver pencils to Hoffi in the above article....telling I think. If money was no object then I wonder what was.....envelope size?

Ric

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They are two different programs. I did see American Choppers. More of a Soap Opera than a program about building motorcycles. I also saw the program with Jesse and Uri. I think it was on the History Channel. I have it on my DVR and can look and get the title also. Earlier this year Jesse was at a Brian Brazeal two day tool making class with Balcones Forge.

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I hope Jesse James behaves better and with a lot less foul language in his blacksmithing classes and when he represents our art form and us. I was really disappointed in him when half of what he said was cusswords and half of his forge work shown on the show was burned up in his forge.

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The little bottle opener in the ABC video is a decent piece of work. Looks like a nice spacious shop too.

I think at this point Jesse James has his own identity and is unlikely to be seen as re[resenting anyone but Jesse James. Few worries there.

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If I don't yell at the other drivers how will they learn how to drive?

Point take RSmith and Marksnagel...I'll be nice and not list why I stopped looking for metalwork information on the bikerbuild programs and then why I stopped watching them at all.

I'd watch a show about Grant telling the camera at one moment why he is doing this operation and then the next about why they need to get the xxxx out of the shop cause they were in the way and asking the wrong questions
OR
any smith from Tom Joyce to Nol Putnum to Tom Ryan talk about the design needs of the client and how they will make tooling and forge the work to meet those needs.
OR
an elderly smith retired and sitting around simply talking about what was and will never be again...with some Ken Burns film style working the photos and sound track.

BUT
what often makes it on TV is a version of People's court mixed with Jerry Springer and some adverts to fill in the time between...featuring a smith that is not a smith with as much depth in the trade as a puddle doing work that is not purposeful.

Ric

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Jesse James seems to be a victim of blind luck. His controversial ways has made him famous. You ethier love him or hate him. Personally I like the guy. Then alot of people who know me would say the same thing about me. His first TV show Motor Cycle Mania Shot him straight to the top. A spot he admits he did not like, that is being famous.

I wounder when the Discover Channel put a call out for blacksmiths how many submitted videos for a chance at their 15 minutes of fame. Jesse James might even say, " Be careful for what you wish for. "

Even if you like or dislike the guy. He has managed to shine some light on this craft, which alot of people still think that long sense died off. In my opinion this can't hurt.

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I haven't seen the show on Hist. but the man knows metal and I think he'll get by. I tend to look at what people build and don't get too wrapped up in their personal life, but I certainly wouldn't want to be on that side of the microscope. If he does raise half the awareness towards smithing that he did to the motorcycle industry you better get you hammer warmed up!

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Have to agree with Michael here. James, in my opinion, has has created some real works of art in both cars and motorcycles. Hollywood is going to paint a picture of anyone to look like what they think the public will talk about the most. If they produced a show that followed any man or woman through a project from first mark to last wax and buff and nothing else, they'd only get viewers like us, and I doubt all of us together would tip that Nielsen Rating much. After all, that is what its about.

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I don't agree with Uri.. most Americans i met are great stand up people and i enjoy their company ... it doesn't matter where you go, there will alway be a bad apple in every group..

it sounds like he's the one with thin skin for someone who purports to be so tough ?

people can do such nice iron work and tarnish it with their personality's ... its senseless ...

still think Uri does great ironwork, and the outlaw is still a toad




ya he bought it from Larry at Monster metal.

here is a link to an interview with Uri after Jesse's class http://tanizarelli.c...-with-uri-hofi/
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Art bellies up shock and ah on a daily basis without much classicism or "class" offered up anymore. Smithing as a craft based exercise has few and far between on the rebellious side of the "art". Besides most people today are hit so hard by all kinds of off the wall xxxx you have to beat them with a bat to see if their alive, what do you expect? Would you like him better if he was a nice guy crocheting doilies?

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