a62rambler Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 If you could apprentice under one blacksmith in the US who would it be and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 It would take me a few years, but I would put the names of several of the smiths on this forum into a hat and draw them for a year or so each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcusb Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Anyone who would put up with my million and 1 questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeman Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 I'm going to go with Helmut Hillenkamp. Just listening to the man speak is a true pleasure. I also greatly enjoy his esthetic sense and have been a huge admirer of his work since I first stumbled across his "Iron to live with" videos on youtube. He's also the man who taught me how to make tongs and weld chain, despite the fact we've never met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Who: Samuel Yellin. Why: Mastery of his medium and a refined eye for space and movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamVimes Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 L. Brent Kington His love of teaching and exploration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Let us confine this thread to the living and practising Master Blacksmiths of today. I would really like to spend time with Frank Turley, Brian Brazeal, and even though I have no interest in making knives, Rich Hale , he's cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Yes let's keep this to actual living people who are still teaching. Let's also keep it to ONE. I'm not asking for a list. That's way too easy. One, that means you have to take some time and put some real thought into it and have a reason why. Hillenkamp & Kington. I can understand both choices and why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 I'm not sure I could pick just one. Everyone has so much to offer. What about the ones you have never heard of. Like Tom Bredlow. Thats why I like to go to as many conferences, hammer in, and demos I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Tom Bredlow works for me. I'm a newbie so a name is just a name until someone tells me what that name means. No offense to any of the famous smiths on here. I have a lot of training by LE instructors. None of which would mean anything to people on here. Criminals never surrendered because I said I'd studied with a name. They stopped because I showed them what that person taught me to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Jeff Mohr. Mainly because he is heavy into the art side of blacksmithing, has a great since of humor and is more than willing to share any and all of his knowledge with anyone who is intrested. He also hosts an open forge each wendsday evening from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm provided he isnt at a show, and besides all that he only lives five miles from away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Jeff Mohr works all are valid reasons. Might be better to have a great smith 5 miles away than the greatest smith 5000 miles away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 my choice would be yellin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 my choice would be yellin Who that is currently active? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerwald Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Jose Gomez in New Mexico is hard to beat. I know there are many amazing smiths but he is a master of traditional and modern metal working. To top all of that off he is a top notch knife maker and a very decent human being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 As I'm interested primarily in tool-making and hardware, I'd have to go with Brent Bailey, though I am glad to have my current mentor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 PETER ROSS Peter is the essence of a true blacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Jesse James , Yes the Motor Cycle Builder , very Old School Builds from the ground up Forging, metal work, and welding . Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I am sorry,I didn't understand that this was a popularity contest. I thought that you were interested in the ideal master of the discipline in which one was devoted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinculo Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Hofi, Clifton Ralph, Brazeal, Turley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 might add Daryl Nelson for his animal heads,,, but for me it would be Peter Ross.. taken a few classes with him and hard to find anyone better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I am sorry,I didn't understand that this was a popularity contest. I thought that you were interested in the ideal master of the discipline in which one was devoted. well Jesse James may be Popular but he works and builds Old School ways , he has mastered and pushes the limit of all metals . Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 I am sorry,I didn't understand that this was a popularity contest. I thought that you were interested in the ideal master of the discipline in which one was devoted. It's not a popularity contest! I don't even know what promted that statement? :huh: I guess I should have made it clear in the orignianl question that it has to be someone living as the travel arrangements to join past masters are one way trips. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 a62rambler you did not say current in the title if I had to pick one it would be Андрей Яковишинhttp://www.yakovishinandrey.ru/en/his work is creativehttp://www.markov-art.ru/art/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 L. Brent Kington, Peter Ross, Helmut Hillenkamp, Tom Bredlow, Jose Gomez, Brent Bailey, Jeff Mohr, Rich Hale, Frank Turley, Brian Brazeal, Yuri Hoffi, Clifton Ralph, Darrly Nelson, Peter Ross, and Andrey Yakovishin. No offense to Jesse James but I don't think he works as a blacksmith and hasn't to my knowlege ever taught apprentice Blacksmiths. I think he might use some aspects of smithing in his work as a custom motorcycle maker. Gunsmithing sometimes involves making parts by casting etc... Part of the reason I decided to try forging. I don't think I should put Noveske, Kreiger, Wilson etc.. on the list though. I thought that it was a given that they be blacksmiths since it is posted on this site but I didn't make myself clear as has been pointed out by several. :unsure: Thanks to F. T. Cole and Old and Rusty for pointing it out to me. I forgot that none of you were mind readers. Keep them coming as I have expanded my knowlege and that is always a good thing for a stubborn old man to do! <_< I'll make a list and put links next to the names eventually for others to use or ignore at their discretion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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