Well nuts, friend just moved to the Bay Area

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Fransesco Musci known here as Zanshin just moved to the Bay Area in CA. Just met him a few months ago thru here, and loaned him an anvil, and some tools so he could fill the Damascus knife orders he had. He does beautiful work, and we became good friends. Gonna miss him.

Anyway, where he moved to he is unable to do smithing, and could use a place to do some work. If any of the smiths in that area know of a place let me know, and I will pass them along to him. He hasn't been too active on IFI due to his workload, but I keep in touch with him through other means.

[beammeupscotty]

The Bay Area is a rather large area so it would help to know what part he has moved to.

[Matt_K]

If he wants to deal with the paperwork for working in the state parks, he could find one that still has a demo working forge and volunteer there. I have great fun at Coloma once a week, and I don't even have to light my own fire! :D

 

I keep hearing about a shop in Novato, and there is a nice shop in San Juan Bautista. (Miiiight be a bit of a drive tho)

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

He is in Foster City, and probably willing to travel for the right opportunity.

[Chinobi]

possibly redundant, but there is a significant population of CBA members in and around the bay area, he would do very well to look into membership and trying to link up with any of them.  per the website there is a tool making demo not 20 miles west of foster city happening a little west of pillar point harbor this weekend on the 18th.

 

happy to hear that he has moved to CA, his previously posted work is really inspiring, hope to run into him at future events :)

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I tried to talk him out of it :-) , as I bailed out of CA after almost 40 years there in Fairfield. The politics ruined it for me as they kept restricting my two main hobbies-cars, and guns. Moved to Southern NV on 05, and haven't regretted the decision.

Luckily modern technology allows us to communicate with ease. I'll pass along the info to him.

[Mitsuwa]

There is the Crucible in Oakland. They make their facilities available.

[beammeupscotty]

There is the Crucible in Oakland. They make their facilities available.

The Crucible is quite a long way from Foster City and they charge an arm and a leg for their classes.  Don't know if they allow free use of their facilities but it seems very unlikely.  The CBA offers classes in San Jose… that is probably the closest to Foster City.  There is a functioning blacksmith shop at the Ardenwood historic farm just across the bridge from Foster City where he might be able to have some access to the forge in exchange for talking to the tourists about the craft.  Have to wear period costume as well if I remember correctly.   

[beammeupscotty]

I tried to talk him out of it :-) , as I bailed out of CA after almost 40 years there in Fairfield. The politics ruined it for me as they kept restricting my two main hobbies-cars, and guns. Moved to Southern NV on 05, and haven't regretted the decision.

Luckily modern technology allows us to communicate with ease. I'll pass along the info to him.

We haven't regretted your decision either.

[Mitsuwa]

Known a couple of instructors at the crucible, did not know exactly where Foster City was until looking at a map.  They do have

open shop access times and studio rentals besides classes.  The original poster mentioned Damascus knives.  Banging out  a few billets and blade forgings is just a small part of the process, assuming  one has the ability to do the rest of the cold work at home. 

Driving for miles, renting the use of a power hammer, been there done that.