January 12, 201412 yr Today, a story about Frank Turley and the forge were published on www.chasingsantafe.blogspot.com
January 12, 201412 yr Very nice pictures but the article needed more about Frank and what students do while in his class.
January 13, 201412 yr Hey Frank, Thanks for sharing! my favorite part was your quote The most important skill for blacksmithing, says Frank, is mindfulness. If you're not there it doesn't happen. The pictures were great too!
January 13, 201412 yr Having met Frank in person I must remark on *his* "old world patina"! Pretty nice article and lacking many of the common mistakes they tend to have---did you get a chance to review it before it was published?
January 13, 201412 yr Author Thomas, Cynthia Whitney-Ward phoned me five minutes before she published. She said that I should tune in and proof it. I did so and phoned back with five corrections, which she could change. She was able to edit in a 10 minute period after publication.
January 13, 201412 yr Wow, what luck! After seeing some of the whopper's that have "crept" into reporters' stories about me; I tend to expect them in other's reports as well---so if it seems like someone has said something completely bogus I try to assume that it's another reporter gaffe. I guess my favorite was quite some time ago now when a fellow in Finland was asking on a medieval recreation forum about arts & crafts projects kids could do at his "viking summer camp". Having a write up on making simple penannular brooches using large copper grounding wire that I used when I taught people to make them at Pennsic, I sent it to him. He wrote back, to say that it was a big hit, the kids were able to make items accurate to the period, useful, pretty and that a local paper had done an article on it! He provided the translation it mentioning how the kids had made these viking items using the instructions left by the "ancient smith Wilelm" (my SCA name) So I guess I have a bit of old world patina too...
January 13, 201412 yr Frank, you are a very well respected individual, glad there wasn't anything negative in the blog, they would have faced some blowback!!
January 14, 201412 yr Hi Frank, was curious about the cross pein hammer. What do you use the divot in the side of the head for. Is it decoration or or setting rivet head or something else?
January 14, 201412 yr Author Soldat: The long version? I saw an engraving in an 1894 catalog of a "Horseshoers' Turning Hammer, Chicago Pattern." Nowadays, we sometimes hear it called a Cat's Head. The engraving showed a circular shape on the side which looked to me like and indentation. I made my indentations with a counterpunch. They serve no function except as eyewash. Years later, I purchased such a hammer on line, a V&B brand*, and the circular side was a flat place remaining from careful grinding and finishing. I have also seen a Heller Brothers Chicago Pattern which had the flat, circular sides, but was a little heavier than the V&B. Both companies used a rather small eye and quite broad cheeks either side of the eye. When you pick up the hammer, it's heft is deceptive, heavier than one might think. Working from the engraving, my hammer is similar to the manufactured ones, except I wound up with a broader peen and a larger, rounding face. It came out to about 2 1/4 pounds. The old catalog, "Manning Maxwell & Moore," termed our modern day rounding hammer, the New York Pattern. *Vaughn & Bushnell
January 15, 201412 yr Very nice article, Frank. I love that first piece and it is good to see you again!
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