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sofa quadstate 2012


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You are asking about the huge swap meet near dayton Ohio in Troy?

What is a SOFA?? My Grandad always called this a "davenport"

I have folks asking me about the swap meet in Troy and don't really know what that date is. Last weekend of Sept, right?

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NOPE SOFA is Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil and is an ABANA affiliate that puts on Quad State Blacksmiths Round-Up which is arguably the best yearly blacksmithing conference in the world!

As part of this conference there is a LOT of tailgating as entry to the conference gives you free tailgating rights for blacksmithing related items.

There is also often a swap meet going on at a different part of the Fairgrounds but it has nothing to do with Quad-State.

Quad-State this year is Sept 21-23.

I'm rather shocked you are not aware of it being in OH and all. I try to come from New Mexico and have friends that regularly show up from the Virgin Islands, Canada and even one from New Zealand once!

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SOFA = Southern Ohio Forge & Anvil. Sept 21 -23 (officially - you can come early for swapping and other stuff) It is at the state fairgrounds. I got an early brochure telling the date but no more info. Should be coming soon.

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I'm confused as I have never seen the word SOFA and ABANA used in the same sentence. Always aprt from one another. And there is a huge blacksmithing store near me and I would have no need to drive three plus hrs to Troy Ohio for a swap meet. The HUGE swap meet.

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Who said Ohio State Fairgrounds? They are at the Miami County Fairgrounds in Troy Ohio. Every county has a set in Ohio as far as I know. So they are at the only fairgrounds in Troy Ohio...


Jeff did.... I was just checking to make sure I was not wrong about the location.


I'm confused as I have never seen the word SOFA and ABANA used in the same sentence. Always aprt from one another. And there is a huge blacksmithing store near me and I would have no need to drive three plus hrs to Troy Ohio for a swap meet. The HUGE swap meet.


Really? I go through Mansfield every now and then..... Where?
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SOFA is an ABANA Affiliate (used to be an ABANA Chapter) Think of it like a state and the USA you can use both of those in the same sentence but they are affiliated too! ABANA puts on a big conference every other year (generally) and it's great but more expensive and the tailgating isn't as good either I've been told.

So that blacksmithing store has a 6" post vise for $50? I bought one at Quad-State. I also bought a pre-1800 post vise for $20 at Q-S the same year. That store ever had a flat bed of great old school swage blocks ever turn up at it? Q-S did. I've counted a dozen powerhammers for sale at Q-S on-site one year of a bunch of different brands. There was the year a fellow showed up with a load of missile nose cones that failed QC and sold them *cheap* for medium sized smithing cones...I've bought a bunch of battered top tooling to reforge into hardy tooling for my 1.5" hardy anvils---for about $2 a piece too!

How many world famous demonstrators will that store have giving 2 day long demos simultaneously?

Will you get to hang out with smiths from all over discussing weird smithing stuff? Buy real wrought iron? Buy brand new tools by top makers AND old tools---I bought 11 lynch collection hammer heads at Q-S one year for $5 a piece!

If you just buy all your stuff new at full price and don't like learning from the masters of the craft then perhaps Q-S is not worth your while to drive across Ohio to attend.

I consider it worth my while to drive 1500 miles each way to attend whenever I can! (and am quite upset I can't go this year, why I'm so shocked that you might not...)

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thanks for the info I'll keep checking the SOFA site.I tryed to e-mail but got no response,other than they would e-mail me from a differnt e-mail address than the one I sent my questions to.I do plan to go wed or thur,just wanted to know how much money to take for sleepin and eatin.

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Thomas, I was going to say something but you covered it all and did a good job too.
Come by my canopy (with the Knife Dogs banner)to visit a while. I was raised in Lovington but just had to come to where there is green grass and trees.
I just could not wait to get away from that little bitty town out in the middle of the grass plains and oil patch. Moved to Dallas and then Atlanta.....Now I live in a little bitty town in the middle of an oil patch,,,,but I do have trees and green grass.

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Jeff did.... I was just checking to make sure I was not wrong about the location.
Sorry Jim, I've thought for years it was the State fairgrounds ever since they moved it from Studebaker farms. I stand corrected. Jeff


Really? I go through Mansfield every now and then..... Where?
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Really? I go through Mansfield every now and then..... Where?



I am in Mansfield. The blacksmith supply is not. It is close to the blacksmith shop I work at. That would be Mt. Eaton Ohio. I have never taken time to count all the anvils they sell,,,,new and used, and I could not say what for tools they sell. I suppose they sell every kind of tool for smithing (new and used) but I generally go there and get ideas then build/make my own. I hope they don't start charging me for THAT!! LOL

They will also trade tools for tools, forges, anvils etc. I was able to trade a Buffalo blower for a Champion. I am more of a Champion fan, fan.

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Wednesday and Thursday is before the site officially opens. May be hard to find someone to take your money for camping. As for eating you can bring your own or go to fast food in town. Won't be anything sold on site those days.

Tailgating will be lighter than on say Friday Afternoon and Saturday is the big day with people who have a long way to go and day jobs starting to leave on Sunday.

Me I've always tried to get there around Thursday noon (we combine the trip with seeing the kids and grand kids in Columbus OH; so a nice trip over Thursday morning works for me! Some years my wife will come along and just drop me off on site)

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