This is my 50th year of pounding on hot iron. I learned how at Whatsa Matta U.

Congratulations !

 

That's quite a milestone.

 

.

Frank, was that in Frostbite Falls ?

I spent 6 days with Frank a couple weeks ago. I would reccomend anyone wanting to learn some techniques to go to Frank's school. He is a great traditionalist and historian as well. When the man works hot iron, there is never a wasted move. He makes it easy.

Frank, thank you very much for taking the time and effort to share your experience and knowledge.

Vince Smith

Congradulations Frank! Thats alot of coal and iron.  ;)

Frank

Congratulations.

I agree totally with what SmoothBore stated: “That's quite a milestone”.

 

As I have gotten older, I also find that it has become more important to highlight notable events in my life.

At this time; I have done more in my past than I will ever do in the amount

of time that is left in my future.

 

So I hold tightly to my memories that are filled with the times I spent

standing in my favorite place; and that was to stand at the forge and anvil.  

 

I knew that when I was forging, I lost track of all of the problems of the world and other things that was fighting for voice in my mind.

And that was because I was so busy trying to outsmart a piece of steel that need my full attention (and learned skills) to manipulate hot steel as I had intended without getting burned!

 

I hope for another productive 50 years for you Frank!

 

Just a note: I too am celebrating a 50 year anniversary.

I was discharged from the US Army 50 years ago today (March 22, 2013)!

I am thankful for every day (18,250 days) of it. 

Some I knew had (0) days.

 

My Best to you Frank.

You have made a positive and everlasting impression in the footprint of the blacksmithing world.

If you just think about what you have accomplished; it is amazing how it works.

Just add the numerous amounts of people that you have responded to here at I Forge Iron with your knowledge and experience; coupled with all of the students that you have taught in your Blacksmithing School, it adds up to a whole heap of teaching!

 

No doubt they will “in-turn” pass along what you have taught them, and it goes on and on from there.

 

Ted Throckmorton

thanks frank, you did a demo here in oz at alan ball's muster. you were the the first blacksmith i ever watched. i wish you many more years

Congrats Frank! And thanks for your contributions to this particular community.

 

Steve

Congratulations to you Frank, I remember seeing you at demo in Tucson a way back in the seventies.We were all so young then.

Congratulations to you Frank, I remember seeing you at demo in Tucson a way back in the seventies.We were all so young then.

Congratulations Frank, I reckon you had been heatin and beatin fo ten years before I met you at your Skunk Hollw Forge demo in 74, where does the time go? Your contribution to the re birth of blacksmithing will long be remembered and my you forge ahead for many more years, Bruce

Greetings Frank,

 

Just think of the thousands and thousands of blacksmiths that proudly wear your TOUCHMARK...   

 

 

Congrats..   Jim

Thanks to all for the kind comments. I have a tidbit for all those who feel that time flies.

N. Scott Momaday is a prize winning author of Kiowa and Cherokee descent. He is an age mate who now resides in Santa Fe, as do I. I attended a lecture of his last year at St. John;s College, Santa Fe, and he mentioned something that was not in print, so I made a mental note of it. He said that in the Kiowa Indian scheme of things, Time was not fleeting. Time was static! Time was immobile! It is we and phenomena as we know it which are moving in, through, and around Time. Momaday was minded of this when he was on a raft trip down the Colorado River and the party began to encounter large. stone walls as they approached the Grand Canyon. They came floating by one particularly huge, vertical, megalithic cliff wall, and Momaday had an epiphany which allowed him to better understand the Kiowa time concept. The cliff wall was Time, and he was moving alongside and through it.

Hey! I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this. I was brought up hearing such things as "Time files;" "Time is fleeting;" "Where does the time go;" "If only I had enough time." In any event, I am currently trying to embrace the Kiowa Time idea, so it doesn't seem so much like fime flying anymore. Ha! Give it a try.

Congrats on 50

By the way that Japanese cutlers hammer you made me is still my favorite, how'd the knife work out for you?

Christopher, The knife is good. Gracias.

Congratulations and thanks for all your contributions Mr. Turley.  Your constructive support in many areas is appreciated.

Congratulations and take good care of Smokey!

Emmert Studebaker would still do a bit of hammering when he was in his 90"s so you still have a ways to go!

 

Congratulations!

Congrats Frank.  That school surely was in St. Louis ( whaza matta u ? ).  I very much enjoy your knowledge and help.  Thank you and many more years to you.

Hey Frank, this is Nanook of the North, I attended your school back in the fall of 88'.  Way to go on 50 yrs of smithing.  You taught me skills I had no idea I could do.   thanks again!!!

Congratulations Frank ,

 Thats a long time at the hammer.

 I am just a wee nipper and this year will be my 20th at the anvil. 

 Are you going to have a party?....I am.

Congratulations Frank ,

 Thats a long time at the hammer.

 I am just a wee nipper and this year will be my 20th at the anvil. 

 Are you going to have a party?....I am.

My helper, Daniel, and my wife, Juanita,arranged a surprise b'day party for me a couple years ago, my 75th. A local smith, Peter Joseph, gave me a signed Samuel Yellin letter opener. Helmut Hillenkamp gave me a small, intricate Ecuadoran padlock made by Manuel Guerra. That will have to supersede any idea of a 50 year smithery party.