blackleafforge Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Went on the first day, it was a very good show, gave me lots of ideas and was a lot of fun. Well done for organising it all, will it be an annual event? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 got back yesterday, starting to unpack the remaining stock and sort things out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 · Hidden August 18, 2014 - No reason given Hidden August 18, 2014 - No reason given got back early hours of yesterday now starting to unpack and sort remaining stockj Link to comment
the iron dwarf Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 · Hidden August 18, 2014 - No reason given Hidden August 18, 2014 - No reason given got back early hours of yesterday now starting to unpack and sort remaining stock Link to comment
basher Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Thank you John and Merv and the crew for a wonderful time. A world class event for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 18, 2014 Author Share Posted August 18, 2014 Went on the first day, it was a very good show, gave me lots of ideas and was a lot of fun. Well done for organising it all, will it be an annual event? Not in that format, and not as an annual event, it was a Silver Jubilee celebration of the Westpoint site becoming home to the Devon County Show, and as such a one off, As "Steward for the Metalwork Feature" at the show, I was asked to put something special on for this Jubilee, hence the invite to all the Blacksmithing organisations and blacksmiths to participate. The International Blacksmiths Festival was an event, The Blacksmiths Festival Ltd was created to facilitate it happening, and as such may organise future events after careful analysis of the results from this unique event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 18, 2014 Author Share Posted August 18, 2014 Hi Owen, it would not have been the success it was without yourself and others giving their time and effort to make it what it turned out to be. Merv and I Thank you all, no wonder he is known as "The Metal Wizzard" As for a success, we all enjoyed it, met new friends and put faces to names, no one was seriously hurt, people's knowledge base was expanded, we were inspired and enthused, and we made a whopping financial loss. But Hey, 5 out of 6 is good. Definitely an event to be remembered by all who attended, and for those who didn't, you missed a brilliant few days of the Blacksmiths craft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Hi Guys Just saying hello, I'm new to the art and this forum. I felt I needed to say a big thank you to all who were involved in the show last weekend. I enjoyed it so much I went back the next day, it helped that it was on my doorstep but most importantly thank you for all the advice, what a genuinely decent bunch of guys. All my questions were met with enthusiasm and amazing knowledge and what great characters, could have spoken to Iron Dwarf all day (it wasn't until I got home I'd realised I'd brought a forge off him lol) I'm now waiting to get on the three day course so hope to meet some of you again in the near future Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Hi Ray glad you enjoyed it and hope you make lots of interesting things. met a lot of people I had only seen online and learnt a few new things, also sold a few forges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 now the dust has settled... did you enjoy it? I did OK there, trading was ok met a lot of interesting people did find the lack of food and drink on offer when the public was not there was non existant and on the first night certainly there was a lot more people wanting it after 5pm than before. you could not get a bacon roll or coffee until 9.30am :o food and beer tent would normally be full till midnite. other events I trade at some of the food vendors open at 6 for traders / participants and they are much busier then and after the public has gone than during the day ( events I trade at normally have 5000 to 25000 attending, at a guess we had 100 the first day ) I sold out of some things so trading for me was not bad though I did think starting it on a wednesday was rather odd as was not doing sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Well for my part I thought it was a great week. I was not interested in selling anything (so punter numbers did not matter to me) more to pass on info and to meet smiths, For that it was a greta event. The crowd was a much more mixed bunch than the usual forge ins I go to and I got to meet a lot of new smiths from backgrounds other than BABA or my own forge in crowd. Blacksmithing in all its forms is often a solitary pursuit so mixing it up with other peoples versions of the craft is always a great thing for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 your part in the event was certainly spectacular, I enjoyed watching all the work you put in and the results you got owen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I have to say as a punter it was great. Not only to meet a few folk face to face but just to be able to talk about all forms of smithing, not only in depth and detail, but without watching the other persons eyes glaze over. I particularly enjoyed the smelt, and bashing the bloom. :D Hopefully there will be a similar event some time in the near future. All the best Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 see http://www.internationalblacksmithsfest.com/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/125218917@N02/ for some details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi Rob, Run down of the show for you in a couple of sentences. A couple of acres filled with blacksmiths from all over the world demonstrating their immense skill who where willing to pass that knowledge on to anyone who cared to ask. Coupled with a number of the finest none blacksmithing artisans in the world demonstrating what they do for people like our Queen, add a number of traders where one could buy a hearth to a coat and you pretty much have it. Hope that helps Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero_sum Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Grabbed this from the site. Lots of photos, high quality too. Album of photos by an Emma Sutcliffe (the events photographer) : https://www.flickr.com/photos/125218917@N02/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick maxen Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Smelting at the IBF, Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 Thanks Mick (Congratulations, your eminence on the Silver Medal Award from the Worshipful Company, fully deserved) I didn't have much time spare to see or photo stuff so only have a few pics from the show, There are some details on peoples facebook pages, and here are the few pics I managed to take, Including a couple of shots of the mini air display we were privileged to see one evening Flowers from the Camellia Botner foundation's students Panels from the competition, each made in a day by a team of smiths. (Sorry, only got pictures of six of the eight made. Team A ‘Country Living’ – Y dyfodol, Wales Team B ‘Flora and Fauna’ – Army, REME Blacksmiths Team C ‘Cattle’ – Edenbridge & Oxted Show Team, South Of England Team D ‘Forestry’ – Ambachtelijke Smedersgilde, Belgium Team E ‘Sheep’ – North of England Blacksmiths Team F ‘Poultry’ – Irish Artist Blacksmith Association Team G ‘Agricultural Implements’ – The Iron Knights, Blacksmiths of Galilee Team H ‘Horses’ – Design and Forging Skills Team, Hereford College Brian and Alec taking a breather and our visitors, the Red Arrows There was also an Irish team who made a traditional Irish gate in a day which I will try to get a picture of later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick maxen Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Thanks John. Mick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 You are welcome Mick, none worthier. Here are some pics of the gate the Irish team made in a day. Latch detail Heel bar details, made by firewelding a piece on to form the heel A lot of sweat and effort went into this piece, and the smith's did a brilliant job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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