Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Feb. 7th 2015 hammer in at my place, Kalamazoo, MI


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 53
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I've started a number of demos by saying, "Just remember, a man with a mustache is never alone." It's a sort of non sequitur, but it breaks the ice.

 

There are sometimes hecklers; we call them Sharpshooters. Here's something to offer for the Sharpshooters. "There are three kinds of questions. The first lets the demonstrator know how much you know. The second lets the demonstrator know how little he knows. The third asks for information. Today, we're only going to deal with the third kind of question."

 

Here's one I like. "I haven't had so much fun since the hogs ate grandma."

 

There is a lot of lore and stories to be shared in the British book, "The Village Blacksmith" by Webber.

 

If this were the 1950's, I'd be there for you. I'm a grad of E. Lansing High and MSMoo.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steve, if you have any notion to come, just pm me, I will gladly give you the secret handshake, and the codex opening code.


Frank, thanks for the tidbits, I have been a public speaker for several years now, that part is easy. It is the forging in front of far more accomplished smiths that is the only real concern. So I will keep the project simple and enjoy the give and take, I do have a cool little decorative element I will be adding to the mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mike,

Just a heads up, I cant make it to the hammer in but Tom wanted me to ask you to pick up him and about 25 others at the airport.

Dick

 

Shane we can still car pool if ya wana go..  Glenn wont let me have the IFI limo, but I may have the wife's Jeep if there is a lot of snow, so maybe I could drag 10 to 15 of them  from the rear hitch...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for "iron in the hat" just keep a sharp eye out on the drive over for some 'road iron'  "the Lord himself will provide a sacrifice..."  Good luck and I hope the weather is nice, and we all can travel safely;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would be preferable that the iron in the hat submission be something forged if possible. For newbs we understand that you feel you might not want to contribute right at the outset, but by getting the raffle tickets, sometimes you bring some very cool stuff home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh OK. I had grabbed a pair of short 4" bar cutoffs marked 52100 from the scrap bin from work. Was thinking of bringing those, will just drop them back in the scrap pile.

Not forging myself yet. Will be hopefully finishing up the build of my forge the weekend of the hammer-in. Getting close. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The hammer-in went well! We had 44 people show up to my shop, and even some dignitaries from I Forge Iron! Thanks to Glenn for sending the T-shirts, and to Steve Sells for bringing them up and adding items to the raffle. We got a few of us to sit still long enough for a photo.
From right to left, me, Black Frog, Aaron Cergol, Jim Coke, Steve Sells and SJS (Shane), my brain is mush after hosting and demonstrating, all went smoothly thanks to many helpful hands. I was careful to remember to wear my Iforge T-shirt I got from Glenn.

 

Kevin Johnsen had attended also, but had already left by the time the Photo was taken.

post-4158-0-58099900-1423347482_thumb.jp

post-4158-0-09338800-1423347684_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DK, I kept it simple, I made a decorative element which can be used as a drawer pull, or wax collector or whatever, I also made a "colonial sash candle holder", and an organic element using negative space. Also I used a few quotes from this site, blacksmith gems!! It was a real good time. The fact that they asked me to do it again in the future was the topper on the event!

post-4158-0-40413100-1423477361_thumb.jp

post-4158-0-03962400-1423477368_thumb.jp

post-4158-0-33433200-1423477374_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mike,

 

I really enjoyed this written journey about your demo. Congatulations for the good work both on the anvil and on the organizing side. 

Special thanks for the photo from the gang - it's so oldfashionedly good and relieving to see actual people behind those well known nicknames and letters.

 

Best wishes:

 

Gergely

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...